Reid Miller and Samuel Kissi-Baah in The Comedy of Errors (photo by Allison McPeak)
Shakespeare is the staple of theatre and has been for centuries. Augustana College’s latest production, The Comedy of Errors, presents one of the Bard’s more oft-told tales: that of two twins with identical names who get into increasingly absurd situations. Directed with aplomb by Jeff Coussens, this is a classic story for fans of laughter.
William’s works include tales of kings (real and imagined), lovers (low- and high-born), and even the occasional human meat pie. Of his many classics, Comedy of Errors is more frequently produced than others, which is probably thanks, at least in part, to the story's low stakes. There’s no real intrigue or pathos – just a series of escalating bits and gags, and the script gives learning actors the opportunity to cut their teeth on classic material.
The plot is goofy, even by Elizabethan standards. There are two sets of twins – one set born of the house of Ephasus, the other born of the house of Syracuse – separated at birth. The high-born twins are named Antipholus (Reid Miller) and Antipholus (Noah Johnson). The low-born twins, destined to be the servants of the Antipholii, are named Dromio (Elijah Morten) and Dromio (Dash Crowe). Why the same names? Because their parents must have recognized they were characters in a play and that this bit would have people rolling in the aisles in a couple decades. Both sets of brothers are separated at birth and raised without any knowledge of their siblings. Consequently, when one set of twins comes to town, mass hijinks ensue, as no one can tell the men apart and miscommunication runs rampant.
It's all very silly, and supported wonderfully by Coussens' concept- a town without a time or place. There’s a kaleidoscopic effect to all the visual elements, with Becki Arnold's costume design, in particular, being a colorful surprise. There are so many genres and eras of clothing on display, and in lesser hands, things would likely get messy. Here, though, there’s a consistent theme to the randomness, which helps sell the farcical nature of this world. Caley Larkin's sound design is also a blast, lending over-the-top cartoon effects to the over-the-top story being told.
From a performance perspective, there were plenty of standouts. Johnson does a great job as the arguably more boring twin, but still manages to up the energy and stakes as the play proceeds. I also enjoyed Abby Malina, Audrey Siblik, and Anya Giordano, all of whom have splendid ears for Shakespeare and vibrantly bring his writing to life. Morten and Crowe are a delight, with neither being afraid to get cartoony in their portrayals. And let me not forget Miller, playing the Ephasus variant of Antipholus. His descent into madness as accusations against him mount is a true joy to behold, and Miller gives one of the most spirited mental breakdowns I've yet seen on stage.
I did have some frustrations with the rehearsal I attended on Tuesday evening. The first, and the more glaring of the two, was the set. The design itself (by Mike Turczynski) is a stunning collage that's deconstructed and rebuilt many times over the course of the evening, serving as gallows, an abbey, and even a two-story home. It’s impressive and exciting watching how just a few units can seamlessly become so many different things. Unfortunately, the scenic design may be too intricate for its own good. The set pieces are large and heavy, and at least on Tuesday, there were only four stagehands managing the scene changes. These transitions dragged down the pace – and in a comedy, that's a killer. When events needed to be ramping up, the scene changes ground things down to a halt. My hope is that these issues have been resolved, or at least reduced, by opening night, as they really were my biggest grievance.
My other qualm, which is not confined to this specific production and is prevalent in most Shakespeare shows I see, is that there's a certain reverence being paid to the words that I feel gets in the way of the storytelling. It’s especially evident in a text such as this, where the only consistent “point” is to make people laugh. There’s a seriousness underscoring all the dialogue here, and gravity in Shakespeare does have its time and place. But when every line is delivered with grand feeling and purpose, much of the humor is lost. For crying out loud, there’s a whole chunk of Comedy of Errors dialogue dedicated to “wind breaking in your face” that is played totally straight. Shakespeare wrote fart jokes, so play them like fart jokes! Thankfully, this air of self-importance waned by the end of performance, and I was in stitches during the final scene in which everything finally came together. It was a slow start with some hurdles along the way, but the destination more than justified the journey.
Augustana’s latest is not without its faults. Its pros far outweigh the cons, however. And if you’re a fan of Shakespeare, bright colors, or if you just need a break from the bleak onslaught of news lately (and who doesn’t?), make your reservations to attend a classic presented with a glossy polish.
The Comedy of Errors runs at Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center (3750 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL) through November 17, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)794-7306 and visiting Augustana.edu/tickets.
