Comedy of Errors, Open Air Theatre, London, July 31

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This is a madcap production of a madcap play, and deserves a madcap review! 

             Regents Park Theatre, London, bears a striking resemblance to Shakespeare in the Park. It's outdoors, in a kind of stadium. The only thing that is really different is the stage. Instead of a circle, a thick rectangular platform serves as the set. There is a thin catwalk along the back. The atmosphere it perfect for a play because it was so neutral, in the park away from the city, making it possible to change it to anything.

             Comedy of Errors is not a tough play to get your head around. It is simple comedy with little variation in emotional levels. Therefore to make it interesting, you must do something special. This production was sort of like a cartoon. It was done in 40's Casablanca! It was the most unorthodox version of a Shakespeare play I have ever seen. There was a billboard of a sunset and a man watching across the back which read “Ephesus Welcomes You”. There was also a smooth lounge band. The women wore a lot of makeup and lipstick. The men wore square rimmed sunglasses and blazers. The Dromios looked like Turkish slaves. As servants, their parts were the only non-nobility based character roles, so their costumes worked well. There were musical numbers and quirky sound effects. The maid was French and spoke with a heavy and hilarious accent.  The fact that it was done in such an anti-cliche way allowed actors to really go all out. The guidelines of the text were less imminent.

               The twins were very funny. Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse played a mis-match game with their twins from Ephesus. Antipholus of Syracuse was hilarious with his Dromio. The two were extremely comical in their ways. They looked and like they were honestly servant and master. And they had this thing where Dromio S. would poke Antipholus S. and then back and forth until they both fell over laughing. Dromio of Ephesus was very funny with his mistress and avoiding getting beaten. He cleverly avoided her blows by confusing her with gentle sarcasm. Antipholus of Ephesus was very strong, burly, and angry. He seemed to actually hate his wife. Not in a violent way, but in a begrudgingly.

              The sisters were a powerful 1-2 punch. Adrianna was so funny in her rebuke of Antipholus S., mistaking him for her husband, that the audience was literally crying. She was so mock passionate, so loving that she wrapped herself around his leg. He, in the meantime, had no idea what was going on. Dromio looked on in horror, and Luciana laughed  heartily. Luciana was very funny in her semi pursuit of Antipholus S. she liked him, but was ignorant of the fact that he was her sister’s husband. She seemed sweet and innocent seeming. Also the minor characters played a huge part. They were very strong all together. Angelo and his merchants were comical, swearing, and unswearing about the necklace. Egeon was played by the Herald from Branagh's Henry V. He was a picture perfect ex-noble, brought to seemingly the end of his rope.  Emilia was also very endearing in her way of making things right.