Theatre Royal, York – Thursday 29th Nov 2018 and Friday 30th Nov 2018
Reviewed by Sally Richmond
5*****
The Comedy of Errors is a highly amusing and engaging production, that is the perfect introduction to the world of Shakespeare for young people aged from 7 to 13 years. Having said that, much laughter also came from the adult members of the audience and if you are a fan of The Bard, it is definitely worth taking a trip out in this current dismal weather to catch a performance at one of the many forth coming venues – as it is almost guaranteed to cheer you up!
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s First Encounters programme is bringing a series of productions aimed at a target audience of key stage 2 and 3 and they are also working with schools, giving children an opportunity to perform in their plays. For most, their first experience of Shakespeare, brought to them by the RSC, will be something that turns them onto this area of study in the English Literature curriculum.
Full of slapstick, live music, flossing and good humour, this Shakespeare comedy appeals to a multi-age audience and my own 10 year old daughter found it very entertaining. Some explanation and background was needed before seeing the show but she laughed in the right places, so it was age appropriate.
As with all Shakespeare’s comedies, the themes of mistaken identity, mix-ups and confusion are all present in this production. A man and his wife have twins who they both call Antipholus and to heighten the confusion further, they buy twin servants who are both called Dromio! The twins are separated in a shipwreck and one Antipholus and Dromio grow up in Syracuse, one Antipholus and Dromio end up in Ephesus. The play actually begins 33 years after the births of the Antipholus twins and the hilarity begins when the Syracusian Antipholus and Dromio arrive in Ephesus and everyone seems to know who they are, including a woman who is certain she is the wife of Antipholus.
The double Dromios (Lewis Griffin and Thomas Pickles) are responsible for most of the laugh out loud moments, while Paula James as Emilia has a sound connection with the audience and makes beautiful harmonies with her sweet voice which accompanies the backing music. The whole cast, directed by Alex Thorpe, are a crew of great talent and judging by their performances at The Theatre Royal, York – are rising stars of the future.
This year, along with many other pupils within their hometowns, York High students performed in the opening sequence of the 7pm public performance at the Theatre
Royal, York and the RSC also gave a performance at their school. This pupil participation programme is part of the RSC’s continuing series of First Encounters With Shakespeare and is touring nationwide from October to December. The dramas are made up of edited versions of the plays performed using Shakespeare’s original language, which the RSC has successfully been doing for more than a decade now.
Thorpe’s cast are: Hasan Dixon, as Antipholus of Ephesus; Jessica Dyas, as Angleo/Egeon; Aruhan Galieva, as Luciana/Duke Solinus; Lewis Griffin, as Dromio of Ephesus; Rhiannon Handy, as Adriana; Paula James, as Merchant/Emilia/Officer; Nicholas Karimi, as Antipholus of Syracuse, and Thomas Pickles, as Dromio of Syracuse.
Thorpe is joined in the creative team by Amelia Hankin, designer; Eamonn O’Dwyer, music; Simon Pittman, movement; Lisa Connell, fight choreography, and Edie Edmundson, puppetry director.
The Comedy of Errors is a perfect, fantastic first experience of Shakespeare but also one that can be thoroughly enjoyed by those who are well acquainted with The Bard too.