Directed by Dunedin Summer Shakespeare stalwart Kim Morgan, a skilled and high-energy team of local actors will perform the bard’s shortest and silliest play, compressed into one hour.
Performances will be held tomorrow and Saturday, at 6pm, and Sunday, at 4pm, then again next week Friday to Sunday, February 14-16, at Chingford Park. Entry is free, with koha appreciated.
Morgan told The Star this version of The Comedy of Errors remained the full Shakespeare play, "just condensed a little and heavy on the comedy".
"It was a broad farce to begin with, and we are doing whatever we can to emphasise that," she said.
Complete with two sets of identical twins, The Comedy of Errors leans heavily on mistaken identity and slapstick, as well as puns and wordplay, for its humour.
Morgan and the 11-strong cast have added to the comedy by making the show a gender-swapped production, and setting it within a matriarchy.
"Everyone is having a lot of fun with their roles, and it really does add to the fun."
The cast comprises well-known local actors and Dunedin Summer Shakespeare stalwarts, including Sofie Welvaert, Elizabeth Thomson, Maegan Stedman-Ashford, Clare Lewis, Thomas Makinson, Jackson Rosie, Brent Caldwell, Sheena Townsend, April McMillan-Perkins, Angelo Lukban and Ariel Holloway.
In addition, the small-but-pivotal role of The Abbess has been turned into a cameo, each performance featuring a different well-known Dunedin actress, script in-hand.
"We are very grateful to these amazing wahine toa [strong/brave women] for bringing their special talents to our cast," Morgan said.
As always, this Dunedin Summer Shakespeare production is a professional-amateur endeavour, the professionals offering some training to the local cast.
Morgan herself has offered a master class in physical theatre, Lara Macgregor has offered an acting master class and Kelly Hocking has provided vocal training around voice projection.
To ensure The Comedy of Errors is accessible to as many people as possible, the free performances will be held on a lower glade at Chingford Park, and special access will be granted to people with disabilities.
"We want to make sure that the community can come along safely and enjoy Shakespeare with us," Morgan said.
In the event of rain, performances will be held at Dunedin North Intermediate.
Founded six years ago by Morgan, Lara Macgregor and Jessica Latton, Dunedin Summer Shakespeare was "delighted to say [it was] still standing".
Along with support from the DCC Professional Theatre Fund and a grant from the Otago Community Trust, the project also benefited from a "bard in the yard" fundraiser and great community support, Morgan said.
"We feel incredibly lucky to be able to still be running and to get to perform Shakespeare every year."
