Canyon may seem a strange place to watch a performance of any William Shakespeare play; the Panhandle doesn’t exactly remind theatergoers of Elizabethan England.

Yet West Texas A&M University’s strong Fine Arts program, in conjunction with the Branding Iron Theatre, is clearly capable of putting on lively interpretations of even Shakespeare’s lesser known works.

Twelfth Night, or What You Will, is a fine example of a university drama company at its best. Enthusiastic actors finely directed, buoyed by minimalistic stage dressing and creative costumes combining to breathe life into what some readers of Shakespeare consider one of his less readable plays (okay, this is mostly my opinion).

As soon as the lights come up on the sparsely furnished stage, Duke Orsino (Bryan Lewis) calls out, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Orsino is hopelessly smitten with Lady Olivia, who is mourning the death of her brother and not in the mood to be wooed.

Subtle lighting design by Shawn Irish and sound effects by Andrew Donnelly shift the story to another location, where a shipwreck has cast ashore Viola (Terah Zoman), who has been separated from her brother and fears him lost.

The only other known survivor, the ship’s captain (Nathan Gregory), tells Viola of the love struck Duke in nearby Illyria, and Viola decides to disguise herself as a man in hopes of finding work with either the Duke or Lady Olivia.

Like other Shakespearean comedies, the plot of this play hinges on mistaken identities or situations. The direction and performances of the cast are careful to highlight the absurdities of the plot.

Emmy Harris as Lady Olivia, the center point of the play’s love interests, fits her part well. As a grieving and slightly petulant object of desire, she is more than a little tired of being pursued while her own interests are neglected.

Two of the standouts of the performance are Kirk Corely as Lady Olivia’s uncle Sir Toby, and Keith Gamblin as Sir Andrew, Toby’s partner in drinking and mischief. Both actors use clever physical comedy to draw out some of the biggest laughs of the play. The creative costume work of Anne Medlock deserves special attention, too. Instead of stately period clothing, each actor wears what appears to be hybrid of time periods, basing color and pattern on each character’s personality. Toby and Andrew are dressed like garish racetrack patrons; Lady Olivia’s dress is stately and beautiful.

Another highlight is Casey Hayes as Malvolio, the delusional, uptight steward of Lady Olivia’s house who gets tricked into making a fool out of himself for love. Zeke Lewis as Feste provides some quality song performances, ably supported by Lars Maurseth’s musician.

The fast paced play is a credit to the direction of Perry Crafton, associate professor of theatre. For the uninitiated, Shakespeare’s dialogue can be a labyrinth to get lost in. But the production keeps things flowing, and all the actors seem to enjoy their work, making it easy for the audience to join in on the fun.

Performances run February 17-20th at 7:30 p.m. at the Branding Iron Theatre. Admission is $10 for reserved seating, $7 for children and seniors. WT students get in for free.