Figure 1.--The scene here shows Alexander in the Elizabethan costume he wore as an extra for a production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in the town theatre, managed by his mother after the death of his actor-father. The uncut TV version of the film makes a great deal of the contrast between the fanciful theatricalism of the Eckdahl family and the grim Protestant religiosity of the home that Fanny and Alexander have to accept after their mother's second marriage.

The scene here shows Alexander in the Elizabethan costume he wore as an extra for a production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in the town theatre, managed by his mother after the death of his actor-father. The uncut TV version of the film makes a great deal of the contrast between the fanciful theatricalism of the Eckdahl family and the grim Protestant religiosity of the home that Fanny and Alexander have to accept after their mother's second marriage. Both the children are very close to the profession of their parents who are theatre people, and Alexander gets to appear as a supernumerary in his mother's production of the Shakespearean comedy, "Twelfth Night". This is an appropriate play to be used in the film because it is a subtle mixture of sadness and joy, of humorless puritanism and care-free spirits, of marriage and death. These are themes that pervade Bergman's entire film and with which Alexander's childhood is personally involved. So it is fitting that we should see him here dressed as a page and wearing a red doublet and white hose (tights). Readers interested in the Elizabethan theater may also want to look at the HBC historical play section. A reader writes, "Your mention of "Twelth Night" is appropriate as the play shown earlier as a shadow of things to come is interesting too."

Created: 12:26 AM 12/18/2004
Last updated: 6:49 PM 12/18/2004