The Comedy of Errors - RSC Review

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Wed 28 Jul 2021 - Fri 31 Dec 2021

We all need some laughter after the past year and a half we've all had, and that is particularly meaningful when it's from something we have been starved of for so long - live theatre.



Doing the honours is The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), returning in Stratford upon Avon with a full scale production for the first time since the Covid pandemic struck.

The Comedy of Errors is a good choice as a light and fluffy mix up of identities involving two sets of twins. Pure fun, which is what most people need right now.

It's outside in Stratford until September 26, in a specially created stage in the shadow of the RSC Waterside building - the Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre. It will be on tour indoors after that, until the end of the year, and full dates are below including for London.

Here in the Midlands, it is open to the elements, as I was when I caught the play during a bout of heavy rain but it didn't dampen a spirited performance by the actors. In fact, their ad-lib around the weather made it even funnier. That was a relief as this production is so good that I didn't want weather to stop play.



Directed by the RSC's comedy maestro Phillip Breen, it's cleverly thought out with the mood of the nation weaved into the action.

Breen, who was responsible for other RSC comedies The Provoked Wife in 2019 and The Hypocrite in 2017, has included plenty of covid references with a humorous light touch.

Characters rub their hands with sanitiser, a nun puts on a mask and an extra long hug between two brothers at the end is a truly sentimental, poignant moment that brings a lump to the throat; knowing how we all had to go without that gesture for so long.



Shakespeare's tale sees Antipholus of Syracuse arrive with his servant in a strange town only to find that everyone seems to know him already, including a wife he never knew he had and her sister, whom he finds irresistible.

Unbeknown to him and everyone else, he is the long lost identical twin of Antipholus of Ephesus, while his manservant Dromio is also a twin to the other brother's servant; which creates double the amount of 'errors' and double the amount of laughs.

The land they arrive at has been changed into a 1980's Middle Eastern state with yoga gurus, ghettoblasters and plenty of shoulder pads.

Guy Lewis as the Syracuse Antipholus and Jonathan Broadbent as his servant Dromio are terrific among a strong group of performers. They both have a special rapport with the audience and natural ability for comedy. This was even more apparent with them having to stop and start due to the rain.



This production feels refreshingly modern in spirit despite traditional slapstick. There's a brilliant touch of making the second merchant a deaf gangster, whose sign language orders are translated through his beefy Eastern European bodyguard. William Grint is perfectly cast as the almost psychotic merchant and he has great chemistry with Dyfrig Morris, playing his protector.

Another clever move is using four live singers on stage. Their opening song of 1-2 brings a smile as it gives the 'check 1-2' mic test new meaning in relation to the twins.



After so long away, The RSC wanted to create something joyous.

The Comedy of Errors is a perfect choice to welcome people out of lockdown with its uplifting, funny yet sentimental themes around being reunited with the things and people we love.

RATING: & #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;

The Comedy of Errors Tour Dates
The Comedy of Errors tours venues in the UK including in London until the end of the year and you can book tickets for all sites at the RSC website here.

LYDIA & MANFRED GORVY GARDEN THEATRE
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
UNTIL 26 SEP 2021

THE THEATRE ROYAL
NOTTINGHAM
22 - 24 OCT 2021

THE MARLOWE
CANTERBURY
27 - 30 OCT 2021

ALHAMBRA THEATRE
BRADFORD
2 - 6 NOV 2021

BARBICAN THEATRE
LONDON
16 NOV - 31 DEC 2021

Running time: 2 hrs 30 mins (including a 30 mins interval)

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!date 28/07/2021 -- 31/12/2021
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