Olivia (Diary Extract)

A "woman" who fell in love with Viola was a character in William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night.

When outlining the play in a meeting with Richard Burbage and the Fifth Doctor, Shakespeare described the woman's role in the plot. He said that while Viola was disguised as a man she would be "employed to carry favours of love between two estranged lovers". In doing so, "she herself doth fall in love with the man" while "the woman doth fall in love with Viola, thinking her to be a man also". Additionally, when speaking about the character of Sir Toby Belch, Shakespeare said Belch would be "in conflict with the upright servant of the woman in love" and "make it seem that the officious servant [was] mad for love of his mistress".

The Doctor determined this plot to be "rather complicated" and not "make much sense", questioning who would mistake a woman dressed as a man for the real thing. Burbage elaborated that she would be played by a boy. The Doctor later criticised Shakespeare's choice of title, stating that he didn't see "what Twelfth Night ha[d] to do with a love triangle between a man, a woman, and a cross-dressing woman played by a boy". (PROSE: Diary Extract)

Behind the scenes
Although not named in Diary Extract, the character is a clear reference to Olivia.