'The Comedy of Errors' at NTLive

Tonight, the cast and crew of our November 2011 Shakespeare Society production of The Comedy of Errors are looking forward to see their equivalents in the National Theatre in London perform the play, via the live telecast into the local cinema in Dundrum.  Below, the trailer.

'The Comedy of Errors' review

Konstantin Behr & Robin Fitzpatrick

Shannen Keogan reviews the recent Shakespeare Society production of The Comedy of Errors:-

On a dark wet evening on Saturday 19^th of November, in Saint Columba’s College, there really was no better place to be than sitting in the buzzing Big Schoolroom listening to the classic tunes of the 70’s and dancing in our seats whilst we all anticipated this year’s Senior Play, The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare.

If we didn’t think the blaring 70s beats were good enough, suddenly we were graced with the presence of the one and only keyboard extraordinaire Lingfan Gao, looking as some would say “Elton John-esque” in what really was the sparkliest jacket of gold and silver sequins that I have ever seen. When the lights dimmed and the sweet and sombre sound of Lingfan’s keyboard began to play the mellifluous tones of Catie McGonagle's voiceover introduced the story.

                                                                                                                                                                                  

The story itself is a complex one and I thought that Patrick Tice who played Egeon did an excellent job of trying to explain the utterly chaotic plot in the first scene of the play. He informed the ruler of Ephesus (Kezia Wright) of how he and his wife had a pair of twin babies both called Antipholus who were separated on a sea journey in a storm. In the storm Egeon is separated from his wife and one of his sons. If that wasn’t confusing enough, on the exact same day another set of twins had been born to a local poor woman who Egeon bought to grow up as servants of his twins. These servant twins were both called Dromio. So the story begins with Antipholus of Syracuse (Zach Stephenson) and his loyal servant Dromio (William Maire) setting off to find their long-lost brother.

Now, a Shakespearean comedy really just wouldn’t be a comedy if it didn’t have a crazy over-dramatic and completely confused woman in it and this was Adriana who was played fantastically by Opeline Kellett. She, along with her sister Luciana (Bella Purcell) are baffled by the peculiar actions of her husband Antipholous (Robin Fitzpatrick) and their slave Dromio (Hamish Law). But the most confused characters of all were definitely the Antipholus twins (Robin and Zach) and the Dromio twins (Hamish and William). These four have to be commended on what really were flawless performances on their parts.

Not only was the acting of an incredibly high standard this year but so were the stage production and costumes. With the use of some new modern technology, a beautiful tower clock, very colourful garments (organised by Ms. Hennessey) and great music, the comedy sense of the play had without doubt been fulfilled in a most professional manner. And with some hilarious acting from the local police officer (Konstantin Behr) the local courtesan (Rachel Rogers) and many more, I never ceased to stop giggling throughout the performance. All of this of course was due to the 19 performers who put months of hard work and effort into preparing their roles under the direction and guidance of Mr. Girdham and Mr. Swift, who have yet again left us with another exceptional drama production, and for this they must all be congratulated.

'The Comedy of Errors' at the National

The new National Theatre production of The Comedy of Errors has just opened in London, featuring Lenny Henry as Antipholus of Syracuse. Since we've only just finished our own production, it's particularly interesting to read the reviews which have started coming in, and indeed we hope to see it via National Live on March 1st. Click on the publications' names below to see the full review.

• Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail calls it 'sublime' and 'wall to wall joy'.
• Michael Billington in the Guardian found it 'slightly strenuous fun' until the final Act when it achieved 'a magical simplicity that induces a sense of awe and wonder.'
• Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph wrote that it was a 'savvy fast-moving modern-dress production - set in a recession-ravaged city of crumbling buildings, lippy prostitutes, mad shrinks, sinister heavies and a wandering street band who sing British pop hits in Romanian.'
• In the Independent, Paul Taylor wrote that Lenny Henry is 'part of a fine ensemble that work hard to animate an over-cluttered concept and eventually drive the proceedings to a pleasing crescendo of comic mayhem.'
• Sam Marlowe in The Arts Desk, echoing Michael Billington, felt that 'the final scene, with its unravelling and reunions, has real emotional heft. This is comedy with bite, all the better for the touch of the maniacal that tinges its laughter'.
• Cordelia Lynn in The Harker called the evening 'a breath of fresh air' adding 'when the lights went down on the first act I didn’t want it to end, and that’s not something that happens every Shakespeare.
• Rachel Cooke on BBC Radio 4's Front Row went with low expectations, but 'Blow me down ... this is the certainly the best-directed performance of this I've ever seen, it's really funny, teeming with life.' The actors 'made the language live'.
• Susannah Clapp in the Observer felt that "The invention is tremendous but too reliant on gizmos, business and big mechanisms."

The Comedy of Errors starts

Last night the preview, tonight the first performance and tomorrow the second: the Shakespeare Society's production of The Comedy of Errors is ready. Set in the 1970s, it features some wonderfully horrendous fashion, classic disco hits, and a Desperate Housewives-style narrator. It's Shakespeare, but not quite as he knew his own play. Above, an Animoto collage from the dress rehearsal.

The Comedy of Errors poster

Above, the publicity poster for next week's Shakespeare Society production of The Comedy of Errors. Artist: Henry Roe. (click for a closer view)

The Comedy of Errors

This day next week will see the dress rehearsal of The Comedy of Errors, this year's Senior Play, and the first production by the Shakespeare Society since Twelfth Night in 2006 (pictured, Alex Henk, Max Shirley and Max Sanderson as Sir Toby Belch, Feste and Sir Andrew Aguecheek).

Rehearsals continue deep into the evening in the BSR, accompanied to the strains of music from the 1970s. Twelfth Night was set on the French Riviera in the 1920s, but yes - The Comedy of Errors sees us in the musically and sartorially scary era of the Bee Gees and 'Disco Inferno' (below).

The preview is on Thursday 17th, the first performance on Friday 18th, and the final one on Saturday 19th November, all at 7pm in the BSR. Below, the cast -

Solina, ruler of Ephesus : Kezia Wright

Egeon, merchant of Syracuse : Patrick Tice

Antipholus, a merchant of Syracuse : Zach Stephenson                                 

Antipholus, a merchant of Ephesus : Robin Fitzpatrick

Dromio of Syracuse, a servant : William Maire                                       

Dromio of Ephesus, a servant : Hamish Law                                         

Balthasar, a merchant of Ephesus : Eamonn McKee

Angela, a goldsmith : Jasmine Blenkins O’Callaghan

A merchant, friend to Antipholus of Syracuse: Leonhard Dihlmann                            

Another merchant : Seyive Hotonu

Doctor Pinch, a schoolmaster-conjurer : Richard Matuschka

Emilia, an Abbess : Aoise Keogan-Nooshabadi

Adriana, wife of Antipholus of Ephesus : Opeline Kellett                                

Luciana, her sister : Bella Purcell                                 

Luce, a kitchen maid : Katie Cogan

Courtesan :  Rachel Rogers

Officer : Konstantin Behr

Servant : Lingfan Gao

Voiceovers : Catie McGonagle

Keyboard and Compositions: Lingfan Gao 
Lighting: Georg v Blomberg
Clock: Paul Girdham
Egeon's presentation : Humphrey Jones 
iPad drawings: Aoise Keogan-Nooshabadi and Alexis Hardenberg
Poster : Henry Roe 
Stage Assistants: Alexis v Hardberg, Johanna v d Marwitz, Marie v Brauchitsch
Prompters: Niamh Faulkner, Shannen Keogan
Make-up: Kate Smith, Oyinda Onabanjo, Bronwyn Mallon

Dance: Kate Smith

Costumes: Karen Hennessey, Elaine Healy, Patti Byrne

Directors: Ronan Swift and Julian Girdham

The Comedy of Errors cast

Auditions are complete, and rehearsals have now started for the 2011 Senior Play, the Shakespeare Society's The Comedy of Errors.

Below, the cast (as some may notice, one of two genders have switched...)

Solina, ruler of Ephesus : Kezia Wright

Egeon, merchant of Syracuse : Patrick Tice

Antipholus, a merchant of Syracuse : Zach Stephenson                                 

Antipholus, a merchant of Ephesus : Robin Fitzpatrick

Dromio of Syracuse, a servant : William Maire                                       

Dromio of Ephesus, a servant : Hamish Law                                         

Balthasar, a merchant of Ephesus : Eamonn McKee

Angela, a goldsmith : Jasmine Blenkins O’Callaghan

A merchant, friend to Antipholus of Syracuse: Leonhard Dihlmann                            

Another merchant : Seyive Hotonu

Doctor Pinch, a schoolmaster-conjurer : Richard Matuschka

Emilia, an Abbess : Aoise Keogan-Nooshabadi

Adriana, wife of Antipholus of Ephesus : Opeline Kellett                                

Luciana, her sister : Bella Purcell                                 

Luce, a kitchen maid : Katie Cogan

Courtesan :  Rachel Rogers

Officer : Konstantin Behr

Voiceovers : Catie McGonagle

The Comedy of Errors

The St Columba's Shakespeare Society has produced many fine versions of the play over the years, including The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night (twice, including the most recent production in 2006). 

Now, the Society returns to the fray with its second production of one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, The Comedy of Errors. A brilliant tale of two identical twins, it also has some interesting deeper qualities beyond the obvious farcical elements. The final audition is tonight, and rehearsals start tomorrow for its mid-November showing. Lots more here over the next couple of months.