The Play

Viola and Sebastian are twins who are washed up on the shores of Illyria after a shipwreck, separated from each other. Viola dresses as a man "Cesario" and goes to work for the local Duke Orsino who lolls around all day listening to music and pining for Lady Olivia who has sworn off relationships while she mourns her dead brother. Viola falls for Orsino while Olivia falls for Viola. Classic love triangle. Meanwhile there is a whole subplot of the members of Olivia's household: Her drunken Uncle Toby, his idiotic friend Aguecheek, the very witty and smart maid Maria, the musical clown Feste. They all try to have a lot of fun but are thwarted by and the insufferably pompous Malvolio the chief of the house. Maria devises a cunning plot to humiliate Malvolio but faking a love letter to him from his mistress Olivia. And finally poor washed-up Sebastian is being protected by his faithful friend Antonio who is also an old enemy of Duke Orsino. Utter mayhem until eventually everything is resolved. The ultimate plot spoilers are that Orsino marries Viola once her true identity is revealed, Sebastian marries Olivia and Sir Toby marries Maria and Malvolio skulks off in a big sulk.