Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Klein Theatre, Washington, DC

 

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The Company of Comedy of Errors during the finale. Photo credit: Theresa Castracane Photography.

Shakespeare Theatre Company’s current production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, continuing through October 20 at the Klein Theatre, is a colorful, boisterous, rollicking, laugh-out-loud production. The Simon Godwin-directed show is one of Shakespeare’s shortest and most compact plays.

Godwin’s production is set in a seaside village on the Mediterranean during the 1990s, which dramaturg Drew Lichtenberg notes was just ahead of when cell phones became almost universal and the Internet became such a central force in our lives. The script and the locale become springboards for Godwin and the company to embellish it with activity that Shakespeare might never have imagined, but of which he would certainly approve as the play hilariously unfolds.

It begins, however, on very serious notes. The Duke of Ephesus has forbidden anyone from Syracuse to enter the city due to a trade war. The Duke orders the death of Egeon, a Syracusan merchant discovered to be living in the city, unless he can pay a considerable sum that Egeon simply does not have. Egeon recounts the woeful story of how he came to be in Ephesus. The Duke listens somewhat sympathetically, but resolves to carry out the sentence as planned.

Some years before, Egeon says, he, his wife, their natural-born twin sons, and adopted twin sons (who were born the same day and whom Egeus purchased from their destitute mother to serve his “real” sons) were aboard a ship in a horrific storm, which destroyed their ship. Egeon and one of each set of twins were rescued by one passing ship and his wife and the other boys were rescued by another. Egeon has not seen his wife or either of the other boys since their rescue. Egeon renamed those who survived with him by the names of the others.

Alex Brightman and Christian Thompson as the Syracusan Dromio and Antipholus in Comedy of Errors. Photo credit: Theresa Castracane Photography.

Meanwhile, the charming, noble Antipholus (of Syracuse) with his servant Dromio have arrived in Ephesus, searching for his brother. In short order, this Antipholus encounters Dromio’s Ephesian brother and mistakes him for his own servant, which results in this Dromio’s beating. Ephesian Dromio tells his mistress, Adriana, of having seen Syracusan Antipholus in the square and that her husband has refused to return to his supposed home. Convinced that Syracusan Antipholus is her errant husband, Adriana finally persuades him to enter her house, where he is smitten with Adriana’s sister, Luciana, rather than the woman believed to be his wife, Adriana.

Add to the mix a goldsmith who has created a special chain for Ephesian Antipholus but given it to his Syracusan brother without payment. As the instances of mistaken identity increase, Ephesian Antipholus is denied entry to his own house and arrested for not having paid for the chain, which he says he has never received. The mistaken identities continue, until a “doctor” is enlisted to exorcise the “demons” who are accused of causing it all. The Syracusans are given refuge by the Abbess of a nearby church. The Ephesian twins are finally confronted by their Syracusan counterparts and the Abbess herself is revealed to be Emilia, the long-lost wife of Egeon.

Recounting the play’s twisted plot is no easy task. It occurs to me that I could have simply said, two sets of long-lost twins are mistaken for each other in a variety of circumstances. Hilarity ensues.

Film and television can create “instant” twins with clever camera work and special effects not available in the theatre. Therefore, casting realistically-appearing “twins” is just the first step in making this comedy of mistaken identity work on the stage. Costuming helps, and then the director and actors playing the twins must ensure that the sets of brothers have each other’s movements and mannerisms. Alex Brightman and David Fynn are perfectly paired as the two Dromios. On the stage, they appear to be mirror images in their physical types and with similar facial hair. Honestly, by the end of the play I could not say for certain which was which. In the extensive and raucous action at the conclusion, they were entirely in sync with each other. Theirs are very physical performances, delivered with sly charm and wit.

Alex Brightman as Dromio of Syracuse and David Fynn as Dromio of Ephesus in Comedy of Errors. Photo credit: Teresa Castracane Photography.

The two Antipholuses (Antipholi?) do not have quite the same physical resemblances as the Dromios, but each actor (Christian Thompson as the Syracusan and Ralph Adriel Johnson as the Ephesian) captures a similar essence. While the two Dromios evidence essentially the same personalities, Syracusan Antipholus is more outgoing and confident, while the Ephesian seems vengeful and more prone to anger.

The entire cast’s performances are consistently strong. Shayvawn Webster as Adriana and Cloleal L. Horne as Luciana create a believable sisterly bond. Pearl Rhine is a strong as the competent but frustrated goldsmith Angela, and Kimberly Dodson is very flirty and funny as Thaisa. Eric Hissom is commanding as the Duke, then strangely supernatural as conjurer Pinch. Timothy D. Stickney as Egeon and Amanda Naughton as Emilia bring maturity and authority to their roles. Rounding out the cast are Ro Boddie, Jacob Brandt, Camilo Linares, and Paige Rammelkamp.

As mentioned earlier, Godwin and company use the script as a springboard to the look, sound, and feel of the play. Composer Michael Bruce’s tuneful songs are seamlessly interpolated into the proceedings, somehow managing to suggest Elizabethan melodies while “rocking out” with contemporary instruments, many of them played by members of the cast. (I would like to have known which actors are playing which instruments.) Nancy Renee Brown’s choreography (and I wonder how much she contributed to the overall movement of the actors) similarly suggests both periods. The often-farcical fights are staged by Robb Hunter. Ceci Calf evokes the seaside setting with nautical elements, as well as a fish market. The dominant color for the costumes is a sunny yellow, with emphasis noted in orange. Even blue jeans worn by characters appear to have a yellow tint. Christopher Shutt’s sound design ensures a proper balance between the text and music. Lighting designer Stacey Derosier and wig and hair designer Charles G. Lapointe contribute their expertise to the production as well, with director Godwin overseeing it all.

Comedy of Errors provides an excellent first-time experience for anyone who has never seen (and perhaps fears) a Shakespeare play, but also a sparkling, sugary treat with whipped cream and a cherry on top for Shakespeare lovers. Its extended run must close on October 20.

Eric Hissum as Pinch, Shayvawn Webster as Adriana, Clotel L. Horne as Luciana, Kimberly Dodson as Thaisa, with Ralph Adriel Johnson as Antipholus pf Ephesus (covered with netting on the bench) in Comedy of Errors. Photo credit: Theresa Castracane Photography.


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