The Comedy of Errors
Starring: Christopher Colquhoun, Forbes Masson, Suzanne Burden, Joe Dixon, Jonathan Slinger, Sinead Keenan
Directed by: Nancy Meckler
Written by: William Shakespeare
Runs until: 28th January 2006
Theatre: The Novello Theatre, Aldwych, London
LTR Rating: 
An unlucky merchant loses his twin son, his servant and his wife in Shakespeare’s favourite plot device, a shipwreck. Years later he travels from Syracuse to Ephesus in search of his missing family. At the same time, Antipholus the nobleman and Dromio, his manservant, arrive in search of their brothers - also called Antipholus and Dromio (got it? Deep breath - there’s more…). Unknown to them, the lost Antipholus and Dromio have been living in Ephesus for years. The strangers find themselves greeted like old friends and endless cases of mistaken identity ensue (this is less confusing and more amusing on stage, just don’t try explaining the plot to your friends. Or attempting to write a one-paragraph synopsis).
Identity and magic meet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production and designer Katrina Lindsay creates a colourful, carnival-esque London that’s a cross between Dr Seuss and Moulin Rouge. Nancy Meckler’s production is crammed with verve and spice. The action is set against a backdrop of street traders, pimps, beggars, and severed chickens heads. Reality takes a rest as the actors play with conventions of time: freezing and moving in slow motion while Tim Mitchell’s lighting drowns them in greens, blues and whites. Everything is a larger than life spectacle. Dromio and Antipholus of Syracuse set the world to rights while eating enormous ice creams. Suzanne Burden, spitting venom as harridan Adriana, attacks Dromio with a volley of bread rolls and her sister Luciana (Sinead Keenan) watches the entertainment while popping popcorn.
Forbes Masson is masterfully droll as Dromio of Ephesus and Joe Dixon’s wide-eyed and slightly mad Antipholus of Syracuse contrasts beautifully with Christopher Colquhoun’s knowing and caddish Antipholus of Ephesus. Many of the fine performances elicit belly laughter, but the show stealer is Jonathan Slinger who appears with a rooster-like flop of red hair and winkle picker shoes as Dromio of Syracuse. Slinger’s Dromio skips from gormless hunchback to quick-witted jester and his marvellous vocal range and unique delivery drew applause from a stoic press night audience. Meckler may offend purists with some of the more slapstick elements of her production. There are modern gestures, physical gags and even an obscene act signalled with a walking cane. But Shakespeare never shied away from the lewd or the contemporary and the action doesn’t detract from his words or meaning. Rarely does a performance of Shakespeare end with singing, silver ticker-tape and salsa, but on a gloomy January night, the RSC’s Comedy of Errors is a refreshing tonic.
Helen Russell