A Comedy of Errors

Shakespeare’s beloved tale of Egeon, the Merchant of Syracuse, who has arrived illegally in Ephesus in search of his long-lost son. He has two sons, twins both named Antipholus. When they were born, he bought another set of twins, both named Dromio, to be their slaves. But Egeon lost half his family in a ship-wreck when the boys were still babies. Unbeknown to him and the rest of the cast, one Antipholus and one Dromio survived in Ephesus. Hilarity ensues when the family is reunited, but it takes an entire day for everyone to realise the double-up.

Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s lively presentation of the play combines mastery of Shakespearean prose with contemporary twists. Strong performances from the entire cast made it a highly entertaining show suitable for audiences of all ages.

This production is acutely aware that Shakespeare plays can be difficult to follow and incorporates many elements to ease comprehension. They add slap-stick, pie-in-face physical comedy to illustrate what they are saying. The “Mer-chants” barber shop quartet pops up at key points, regaling the crowd with harmonised versions of pop songs to demonstrate the mood.

Set outdoors at Siteworks in Brunswick, the show made excellent use of the space. The heritage-listed house became Antipholous of Ephesus’ home, which he shares with his wife Adriana. It provided a door to slam and run into, and a balcony from which the characters could taunt each other. The space in front of the house became the town square, where the audience also sat. While we were threatened with a few drops of rain, it was a pleasant afternoon overall.

Rhiannon Irving’s colourful, cartoon-like costumes looked wonderful. Each character had their own colour, making them easier to remember and accentuating the two sets of identical twins.

An energetic, clever presentation, with plenty of surprises and audience participation encouraged, this show is bound to entertain even the most reluctant Shakespearean spectators.

Sophia Dickinson

Images: Burke Photography.