Review: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, Shakespeare's Globe

The Comedy of Errors, which is speculated to be Shakespeare's first play, is a story built upon mistaken identities. It follows the story of two sets of twins (both named Antiphonus and Dromio) who cross paths unwittingly in the town of Ephesus, leaving chaos in their wake.

Antiphonus of Syracuse (portrayed masterfully by Daniel Adeosun) grows increasingly alarmed upon his arrival to Ephesus, a place where he nor his servant, Dromio of Syracuse (the highly comedic Martin Quinn), have ever been before, only to find that everyone knows his name. Not only that, but he appears to have a wife and home here too.

Antiphonus of Ephesus (a stern Caleb Roberts) and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus (a lamenting Sam Swann), are similarly perplexed to find the door of their home closed to them. From there, chaos and confusion reign in this pacy, comedic story from the Bard.

Less sensical than some of his other work, The Comedy of Errors requires audiences to lean into the madness of what is transpiring on stage. Fortunately, this is easy to do in this delightful, pacy production skillfully directed by Naeem Hayat and Sean Holmes.

As is typical for Globe productions, the entire ensemble gives skilled and engaging performances. The leading quartet shares both palpable chemistry and mutual confusion and discomfort as their plots become entangled - keeping viewers engaged throughout. They are supported nicely by the other performers on stage, including Gabrielle Brooks as Antiphonus of Ephesus' wife, Adriana, who unknowingly takes his twin brother into her home, and Shalisha James-Davis as her sister Luciana. Both show a real skill for comedic timing throughout.

Christopher Logan gives a stand-out performance as Angelo, a local merchant, through an elevated camp portrayal of a character who could otherwise be lost in the madness.

While it's always refreshing to hear regional voices on stage, it would be nice to hear a wider variety of accents, especially when the deviation from RP is only present around "lower-class" characters and servants.

On a similar note, while the Globe's stage is often background enough, it can sometimes feel a little empty within this production. Earlier this year, the theatre was transformed into a vibrant orange grove during their production of Much Ado About Nothing, while in comparison, there's a little colour on the stage in a show that is arguably just as, if not more, colourful.

Underscored by a talented band (Hilary Belsey, Saleem Raman, Tom Harrison, Emily Baines, and Sarah Humphrys), The Comedy of Errors is full of slapstick humour, light, and levity. For this reason, it's sure to receive a welcome reception at the Globe during the end of their summer season.

The Comedy Of Errors is at The Globe Theatre until 27 August

Photo credit: Marc Brenner