CAST
Viola – Rhona O’Donnell
Rhona O’Donnell is a performer and performance maker based in Edinburgh. Rhona was part of our original Forth Act cast in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Puck and returns her in the part of Viola/Cesario.
After graduating Kingston University with a BA (HONS) in Dance & Drama, she has established her own theatre company Encapulus Productions alongside Jade Hutchison. The company has had a sell out Fringe production High Five, as well as bringing new writing to the Fringe this year with Mothers (@encapulusproductions). Rhona has also been involved in multiple productions such as Robin Hood with M&M Theatrical Productions and Shakers with EGTG.
Sebastian – Scott Adair-Grabas 
Scott enjoyed being involved in local amateur productions in the village where he grew up and since moving to Edinburgh has become more involved in the drama scene here. Twelfth Night is his first production with The Forth Act where he takes on the role of Sebastian.
Olivia – Cosette Bolt
Cosette Bolt is an Edinburgh based actor, musician, and playwright that holds both a Master’s of Fine Arts in Acting for Stage and Screen from Edinburgh Napier University and Bachelor’s degree in Musical Theatre from Birmingham-Southern College. She is an Alumni of the Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive and an original cast member and writer with The Forth Act, taking to the stage as Titania/Hippolyta in our production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and adapting A Christmas Carol and writing a new piece Merry Crisis for our Christmas shows.
You can follow her career at @CosetteBolt or www.cosettebolt.net
Count Orsino – Finlay Allan
Finlay Allan is a Scottish actor with a BA Performance – First Class from the University of the West of Scotland. With previous credits including The Ebony Frame (Erstwhile Media, 2024) and Antigone(RAFT/UWS, 2024), he has had a wonderful time in his first Forth Act production with the cast and crew of Twelfth Night! You can follow his work on Instagram @finlay_allan_actor and at www.finlayallan.co.uk.
Malvolio – Wag
For his fourth outing with the Forth Act, for the entertainment of all, Wag steps forth in the most forthright of leg wear. Laughter follows, forthwith.
Sir Toby Belch – Chris Young
This is Chris’s second acting role with The Forth Act, having played Lysander, in A Midsummer Nights Dream in June 2023. Chris has been involved in theatre both on and back of stage across five decades in all genres from opera to musicals and ‘straight’ theatre but it’s with The Forth Act he has discovered his love (and dyslexic frustrations!) of Shakespeare. Whilst this has been a wonderfully challenging role, Chris has had enormous fun playing the drunken troublemaker!
It’s really out of character!
Sir Andrew Aguecheek – Michael Stephens
Edinburgh born and bred, Michael grew up a stone’s throw from Saughton Park, and made his on stage debut as the innkeeper in Balgreen Primary School’s 1996 Christmas Nativity. Later (much later) Michael graduated with a 2:1 in Acting & English from Edinburgh Napier University (where he would return to achieve an MfA in Acting For Stage & Screen).
Twelfth Night is Michael’s fourth project working with The Forth Act, having played Flute & Thisbe in 2023’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Ghost Of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol – which he also worked on as Assistant Director, a role he would reprise for the following year’s production of Merry Crisis: A Comedy Of Carols.
Maria – Kate Stephenson
Kate is usually more at home off the stage than on it, but the opportunity to play Maria was too tempting to resist. This is her first show with Forth Act, but she has been involved in Edinburgh theatre for some years. She runs her own company, Not Cricket Productions, is a member of Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group and co-manages a Fringe venue, the Speakeasy at the Royal Scots Club.
Feste – Irena Komunjer
Irena is an autistic actor and singer, originally from Croatia. She is a recent graduate of Napier University’s ‘Acting for stage and Screen’ MA program. This is her third production with The Forth Act, after singing her heart out in A Christmas Carol and playing the mischievous Elvira in Blithe Spirit, she’s ready to entertain you as Feste the Jester! You can find Irena on Instagram under @irena.komunjer
Fabia – Diane Waugh
This is Diane’s third on stage appearance with The Forth Act after playing Petra Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Kirsty in Merry Crisis. She’s also enjoyed helping out in a number of behind the scenes roles for our various productions.
She’s delighted to be back at Saughton Park with Twelfth Night for some more al fresco Shakespeare.
Antonio/Valentine – Jen Ward
Jen joined The Forth Act in 2023 for their production of A Christmas Carol and this is her second production with the company. Jen’s love for amateur theatre was sparked at the age of 16 when she won the Irish Scór na nÓg national title for story telling and she has enjoyed being on stage ever since. Performing Shakespeare outdoors in Saughton Park will be a particular highlight.
Captain/First Officer/Priest – Paul Blanchfield
Paul has been studying acting since 2022 with Acting Out and has recently completed a diploma in acting with Edinburgh Acting School. This will be his first play with the Forth Act and first attempt at Shakespeare on stage. His previous stage experience was in The Devil Went Down To Gorgie at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 which he also wrote and directed.
Curio/First Officer – Flora Henderson
After working on A Midsummer Night’s Dream with The Forth Act in 2023 I am excited to be back in Saughton Park for a second time! I have worked with several theatre companies in Edinburgh, having performed three times with the Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group, and worked with C&C productions in the 2024 Fringe. I am currently studying Actor Musicianship at Rose Bruford College, and will be graduating in 2026.
Production Team
Director – Helen Schofield
Helen is founder and Chair of the Forth Act. She has been directing plays including Shakespeare since her early teens. She is especially proud of her production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, also at Saughton Park, in 2023, and Glengarry Glen Ross in Duns in 2013. She loves working in the park and is looking forward to bringing Twelfth Night to our audience.
Assistant Director – Amy Dallas
This is Amy’s first time working with The Forth Act and her first time as an Assistant Director. She has thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the process. She is so proud of the show and hopes you all enjoy our production of Twelfth Night.
Stage Manager – Chloe McCleave
This is Chloe’s first production with The Forth Act where she takes on the task of Stage Manager. A role she has undertaken with other production over the last year and a half. She attained her degree in Drama in 2023.
Costume Team – Gill Daniell & Mary Keegan
Gill Daniel was part of our costume and stage crew in 2023 for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and has led the team for this production of Twelfth Night, doing an excellent job of sourcing and adapting clothes to match our 1967 setting.
Mary was costume manager on AMND and assisted Gill in setting out the costume themes for our various characters and households in Twelfth Night
Props – Shelley Hutton
Shelley has been a member of The Forth Act board since the beginning in 2022. For Twelfth Night she’s taken on the task of props and will be there during our performance nights to keep us all right.
Special Mentions
Sound
Simon Ferguson Audio
Additional Backstage Crew
Hugh Blackie, Cassandra Lefebvre, Flora Henderson
Front of House Volunteer Team led by
Alyson Brown
Music Co-ordinator and Original Music
Jingswag
Additional Costume Assistance
Lynne Morris
Mitch Gardiner for Malvolio’s yellow & cross gartered stockings – https://www.facebook.com/share/1F75sg2HSQ/
Vintage Vibes – https://vintagevibes.org.uk/
For hedge, nets, and more
Clare Halliday
