Last Updated on February 1, 2025
A double case of mistaken identity at The Globe Theatre, London
There’s something very special about productions at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. An iconic symbol of Elizabethan theatre and a testament to the genius of William Shakespeare, the current venue is a careful reproduction of the original Globe Theatre, built in 1599 but destroyed by fire in 1613. It’s the theatre where many of Shakespeare’s plays would have been showcased. Today’s Globe Theatre offers visitors a chance to experience the magic of Shakespearean performances in an authentic, open-air setting. But, more than that, it is a venue where the productions themselves are in no way compromised either by the quality of acting or by the staging itself. Last night’s production of The Comedy of Errors was an excellent example of just that and a thoroughly entertaining night out. One of Shakespeare’s earlier comedies believed to have been written in the early 1590s, the play is a showcase for his wit, wordplay, and knack for farcical humour. With two pairs of twin brothers, the stage is set for a web of mistaken identities.
The show opens in the bustling city of Ephesus. There’s a crowd, there are musicians playing shawns, sackbuts and cornetts and, of course, there’s an execution. First to arrive, by boat, through the audience in the standing yard, is Egeon (Paul Rider), a merchant from Syracuse. He’s searching for his sons but, the law says that any citizen of Syracuse found in Ephesus will be executed if he doesn’t pay a hefty fine. Egeon has no money but tells the Duke (Philip Cumbus) a story about losing his wife and one of his sons at sea. The Duke takes pity and delays the execution until sunset.
The comedy begins in earnest when Antipholus of Syracuse (Michael Elcock) and his servant Dromio (Jordan Metcalf) arrive in Ephesus. Antipholus of Syracuse has been searching for his brother for 7 years – and hasn’t seen his father Egeon in all that time. Dromio of Syracuse, his servant, lost his own twin brother in the same shipwreck.
Throughout the play, the citizens of Ephesus become increasingly confused. The visitors from Syracuse bear an uncanny resemblance to their namesakes from Ephesus such that none of the characters can actually distinguish Antipholus of Ephesus (Matthew Broome) from his brother or Dromio of Ephesus (George Fouracres) from his. The audience can though – at least partly thanks to distinguishing characterisation from the quartet – and it’s our insight into what is really happening that amplifies the humour. As the plot unravels, the characters find themselves caught up in a series of mistaken identities, leading to absurd situations and comic chaos. The bewildered citizens of Ephesus are baffled by the uncanny resemblances between the two sets of twins, and the ensuing mix-ups provide fertile ground for comic mishaps and misunderstandings.
Timeless themes of love and family and the search for identity are all explored in this fast-paced comedy. Antipholus of Syracuse vehemently denies being married when Adriana, his brother’s wife (Laura Hanna), approaches him believing that she’s caught up with her wayward husband. Instead, he falls in love with Adriana’s sister, Luciana (Jessica Whitehurst). While the two brothers are easily confused, Hanna’s Adriana, fierce and jealous is clearly the one who wears the trousers while Luciana is a softer and gentler persona as played by Whitehurst. Meanwhile, the slight Dromio of Ephesus is horrified to be pursued by his brother’s wife, Luce (Danielle Phillips) who he claims is a prodigiously fat, ugly, and fearsome woman.
The bonds of brotherhood and the longing for reunion serve as driving forces for the characters in The Comedy of Errors, fueling their relentless pursuit of truth amidst the bewildering circumstances. It is only in the closing moments that all is resolved. Egeon reappears ready to face his execution but the Duke of Ephesus is asked to resolve the dispute between Adriana and her husband, Antipholus of Ephesus.
The Abbess (Claire Benedict) who has given shelter to Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse, arrives with the second pair of twins and the plot quickly unravels. The Abbess turns out to be Egeon’s wife Emilia – and the family tree is quickly reestablished, with Egeon pardoned everyone can live happily ever after. The entire cast goes into the Abbey for a feast with the two Dromios leaving last, skipping out hand in hand, “like brother and brother”.
Ellie James’s production of The Comedy of Errors, directed by Sean Holmes, is a fast-moving and entertaining show. Authentic costumes and a score by Grant Olding for live music played on early instruments together with a minimal level of contemporisation that was minimal offers the audience a taste of something that I suspect is remarkably close to what a Shakespearean audience would have experienced. Only the occasional plane overhead broke the magic for me, though I did find the large ship’s mast secured to the wall of the theatre and projecting across the audience obscured my view of the stage.
The shortest of Shakespeare’s plays, The Comedy of Errors works both as a fine piece of theatre with exemplary acting and a historical insight into authentic Shakespearean comedy. As such it should appeal both to regular theatre-goers and to visitors to London looking to understand more of our city’s heritage.
The Comedy of Errors is showing at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre from 20th May to 29th July.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
21 New Globe Walk
Bankside
London
SE1 9DT
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