Slapstick aplenty ... Dunedin Summer Shakespeare cast members (from left) Jackson Rosie (Luciano), Thomas Makinson (Adriano), Maegan Stedman-Ashford (Antiphola of Syracuse), and Sofie Welvaert (Dromia of Syracuse), in a frantic scene from The Comedy of Errors. PHOTO: MARTYN BUYCK
Dunedin Summer Shakespeare presents The Comedy of Errors
Sunday, February 9 — Dunedin North Intermediate hall
Review by BRENDA HARWOOD
A chilly, rainy day forced Sunday’s Dunedin Summer Shakespeare performance of The Comedy of Errors indoors, but failed to dampen the spirits of performers or audience.
A crowd of about 200 gathered snugly in Dunedin North Intermediate hall to enjoy a high energy one-hour performance of Shakespeare’s shortest and most farcical comedy, brought to life by director Kim Morgan and a committed team of actors.
Adding to the fun was the move to make the play’s setting — the Greek city of Ephesus, a matriarchy and gender-swap the central roles.
This version of The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins, with the identical names of Antiphola and Dromia, who were accidentally separated at birth and brought together by chance on the streets of Ephesus.
As their lives clash in increasingly nonsensical fashion, the play brings the hijinks and slapstick to the fore.
In the roles of the twins, Maegan Stedman-Ashford, Sofie Welvaert, Clare Lewis and Lizzie Thomson are all strong, making the most of every opportunity to sow confusion and pile on the physical comedy.
Thomas Makinson is delightfully dramatic as put-upon husband Adriano, while Jackson Rosie is strong as his supportive brother.
Adding nicely to the fun are Brent Caldwell as the twins’ mournful father, Sheena Townsend as a tough-but-fair Duke, Angelo Lukban as the wickedly naughty Gigolo, April McMillan Perkins as the Merchant, and Ariel Holloway as the police officer/Dr Pinch.
Throughout the DSS season, well-known local actresses are stepping into the pivotal cameo role of The Abbess as guests — on Sunday that role was performed with aplomb by Diane Dupres.
With simple staging and costumes, and minimal props, this pared-down version of The Comedy of Errors relies on is performers to tell its very silly story, and the DSS pull it off in style, bringing the goofy fun to the fore.
Congratulations to the DSS team for another fun and fabulous Shakespeare show.
The Comedy of Errors will return to Chingford Park, North East Valley, for three more shows, this Friday and Saturday, at 6pm, and Sunday, at 4pm.
In the event of rain, the show will be performed at DNI hall.
