Every Why Hath a Wherefore

I am a Shakespeare fan. Yip - I love the Bard and like nothing more than getting my teeth into a new production of his work. The Comedy of Errors is not one I’ve seen often. I remember a TV version with The Who’s Roger Daltry, and I recall enjoying it. But when it came to the Abbey Theatre’s production under director Jason Byrne’s guidance, I was essentially going in with fresh eyes.

The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their counterparts, a series of mishaps and unfortunate comic events based on mistaken identities lead to fights, seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession. All in the space of a day. Not bad.

It is one of Shakespeare’s lightest plays and it is his shortest. Some say it’s designed to play to an audience of drunks - with heavy slapstick comedy, simple setups and an abundance of ‘she’s so fat’ jokes - but in truth, this is one of the Bard’s most accessible plays, appealing to the young and the old, the intellectual and the everyman.

DROMIO of Syracuse: I am transformed, master, am not I?

ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse: I think thou art in mind, and so am I.

The Abbey’s production is sparse and modern. Using scaffolding on wheels to change the set (often mid scene) and with a crazed dress sense throughout, visually it is never dull. Some neat idiosyncrasies such as the use of canned laughter on occasion and the odd bit of spontaneous dancing, rather than seeming gimmicky actually add to the play, accentuating the farcical nature of the comedy.

Though much of the dialogue in the play is as memorable and meaningful as any of Shakespeare’s works, this play is meant to be laughed at, and from the moment Egeon steps off the stage, marking the true beginning of the play, we are in fits of laughter. The ‘errors’ are all obvious and now border on cliched, but that makes them no less funny. The actors relish the ability to overact and be appreciated for it. In particular Rory Nolan as Antipholus of Ephesus hams it up with some of the most over the top expressions and double takes I’ve seen on stage. He is brilliant. Though it is the more subtle Charlie Bonner who steals the show. His confused Antipholus is a delight to watch. The most believable of all the characters, he sells the story better than anyone else.

Overall, this is a lot of fun. I will definitely see it again - it’s an hilarious evening out, but I don’t quite understand how this was chosen as a main feature for The Abbey. There are obviously a lot more meaty Shakespeare plays they could have tackled. Errors is entertaining, but hardly breathtaking or earth shattering. Perhaps it is part of The Abbey’s new drive to be more approachable to the people? The marketing on this play has been very clever. With Bebo profiles, Facebook groups and even a trailer for the show on YouTube, it’s easy to see this gaining a lot of attention from a younger audience. Check out the trailer and see what you think:

The Comedy of Errors runs until 2nd of May and tickets can be purchased online here or by contacting the Abbey Theatre.