“Toga or not toga? That is the question.” *

The audience was invited to wear togas to celebrate the Roman culture in the Bard on the Beach production of A Comedy of Errors and a few did. But even if you didn’t, it was hard not to fall into the mood and revelry of the setting.

A Comedy of Errors is just that, a comedy, that under the skilful direction of Rebecca Northan, becomes an event full of laughs and miscues, modern humour blended in with William Shakespeare’s early 1589 very sophisticated writing, and the ability to make us laugh at both the actor and the impossible situations.

The setting by Ryan Cormack is unique. To enter the theatre at the rear, you pass through a real marketplace, vendors selling items from the locale. Upon entering the theatre, now a town square, you are greeted by merchants hawking their wares, circulating with their carts, stands and displays. Wine, ribbons, soaps, leather goods as well as the renowned carpet seller, for this is, of course, Ephesus, home of “Can we sell you a carpet?”

The plot is as serious as it can be when you have two sets of twins, separated by a sea tragedy as children now dressed identically, one set searching for the other but missing all the obvious clues, their father searching as well, but facing a death penalty at the end of the day for being from Syracuse, and you add in a wife, her sister, a jeweller, a money lender, a psychic, and nuns in a convent. To further complicate matters, one set of survivors has taken on the names of their “dead siblings”. Only problems can occur and these are the errors of the play.
The play is superbly acted! The entire company is charged with playing a number of roles and do so with aplomb. Part of the comedy is watching them move from one character to another.

Jeremy Lewis is amazing as Antipholus, the twins. He plays one twin, moves off stage and returns as the other. The scenes where both are on stage become even more entertaining as he has to move from side to side and remember to turn his sash! The other twin, his valet, Dromio, acted by Tal Shulman is delightful as the servant trying to please two masters.

These two are supported by an enthusiastic and capable cast including Meaghan Chenosky as the wife, Adriana and Synthia Yusuf as her sister, Luciana, who are convincingly confused by the twins. Scott Bellis plays Egeon, the desperately searching father facing death, and the jeweller, which produces some great comical moments trading hats! Even the act of beheading the Egeon brings out cheering and the dancing nuns are priceless.

Rounding out this cast are Craig Erickson, Tess Degenstein, Emma Houghton, Karthik Kadam, Jacob Woike, Raugi Yu, and Leslie Dos Remedios.

The transformative costumes designed by Christine Reimer help this ensemble move between roles, from citizens and merchants in the marketplace, to nuns, policemen, psychics, doctors, and the best one, making the “dinner date” alternate with a money lender. The play is full of modern humour and time altering props, like the sun dial wrist watches.

Comedy of Errors is a wonderful, clever presentation of Shakespeare’s words that will leave you feeling relaxed, laughing, and happy, exactly as intended by Rebecca Northan. It plays at Bard on the Beach until September 21, 2024. Reward yourself and go see it!!

Sylvia Dudra Pritchard

*(Borrowed and adapted from Hamlet)