The Comedy of Errors gets it right at RCA

Production a must-see for fans of Shakespeare and utter silliness

If you are a fan of Shakespearean dialogue, The Comedy of Errors is a must-see this spring. The co-production by Shakespeare Kelowna, Theatre Kelowna and Rotary Centre for the Arts had its opening night at the Rotary Centre for the Arts on Thursday, and it runs through May 28. Tickets are $30 and available at the RCA box office, online at rotarycentreforthearts.com or by phone at 250-717-5304.

As the actors strolled onstage at 7:30 p.m., the famous John Cleese line from Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketch comedy film of the same name (1971) came to mind: “And now for something completely different.”

Everyone was attired in modern clothing, but as soon as they began delivering their lines it was 1594 all over again.

For those unfamiliar with one of William Shakespeare’s early plays, The Comedy of Errors is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies — with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity in addition to puns and word play. So the audience has to focus on every word to truly “get” all of his humour.

It’s not for everyone, and two women walked out partway through the first act. And the opening night crowd was sparse.

For those unfamiliar with the plot, The Comedy of Errors has two sets of identical twins accidentally separated at birth (Shakespeare was father to one set of twins).

Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio, arrive in Ephesus, which is also the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus, and his servant, Dromio.

At this point, you suspend disbelief that both sets of twins have the same names and wear exactly the same sets of clothes for the entire play.

Back to the plot: when the Syracusans encounter friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness and demonic possession. Sounds like Monty Python. The talented cast, directed by Stephen Jefferys, is nothing if not enthusiastic. And memorizing this almost-foreign language is laudable in the extreme.

Jefferys also adds his own comedic humour: a soccer coach not connected to the play runs onto and off the stage at one point in the first act to which Dromio (not sure which one) asks: “What the hell was that?”

During the second act, a cyclist wearing a hoodie and carrying a large bag of recyclable cans pedals across the stage.

As the play nears its climax, everyone runs in a line across the stage, down the stairs and across the front row of theatre patrons and emerges from the rear of the stage in a conga line. A six-pack of Molson Canadian beer is used as “beer spray.”

Every time nun Amelia (Corinne J. Marks) enters, there’s a chorus of Hallelujah! And there’s a mock football game. Utterly silly. There are other modern references too: the line “Is that Justin Trudeau?” is used to distract actors at one point.

Three women strike the poster pose of outstretched arms holding handguns from the Charlie’s Angels movie. And drunk Dr. Pinch (Richard Knight) uses a Vulcan death grip to subdue one of the Antipholus twins. All to Canadian pop songs from Barenaked Ladies.

Of particular note: the two frenetic Dromios — Craig Paynton and Alyosha Pushnak — are a hoot and also have some of the best lines. But well-known Kelowna lawyer Paul Henry — playing necklace seller Angelo — has his comedic moment when interrupted by BNL: “Stop that bloody music!”

It’s too much fun and not to be missed.