Folger Theatre’s “The Comedy of Errors” is a pure, unadulterated delight. From its clever frame to its charming onstage accompaniment provided by Jesse Terrill, it is a production that surprises and entertains from first moment to last. “The Comedy of Errors” is based on two plays by Roman playwright Plautus in which twin brothers, Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus, are separated by a storm at sea when they are very young. Their servants, Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus, are lost with them.
| On stage |
| ‘The Comedy of Errors |
| Where: Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; 7 p.m. Sundays through March 6 |
| Info: $39 to $60; 202-544-7077; folger.edu/theatre |
Although Shakespeare often used the theme of mistaken identity, here he quadrupled the fun by writing about two sets of identical twins. After the grown Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse venture to Ephesus in search of their brothers, the possibilities for confusion explode. Kate Turner-Walker’s costumes and Aaron Cromie’s half-masks make the two masters look exactly alike; likewise the two servants.
Confusion fuels the convoluted plot. When Antipholus of Syracuse gives his servant money, the next time he meets a man looking like Dromio, it is not his man, but Dromio of Ephesus, who knows nothing about the money. And so the misunderstandings continue.
Director Aaron Posner knows exactly how to make this farce work, spinning it out at a fever pitch. His actors’ timing is perfect. The wayfarers from Syracuse, Antipholus (Darragh Kennan) and Dromio (Nathan Keepers) enter the Ephesian scene like innocent lambs to the comedic slaughter. Antipholus of Ephesus (Bruce Nelson) and Dromio of Ephesus (Darius Pierce) are different enough in character from their Syracusan brothers to create hilarious contradictions.
The supporting actors are superb, creating a credible society within which the endless misunderstandings can happen. They include Suzanne O’Donnell as the wife of Antipholus of Syracuse, Erin Weaver as her sister, Catherine Flye as the abbess, Rachel Zampelli as the courtesan and Stephen D’Ambrose as Egeon.
Tony Cisek’s set is in large part responsible for the success of this show — an elaborate Edwardian scene, full of arches painted with bright colors.
In all productions of “Comedy,” beneath the slapstick and puns Shakespeare speaks to a variety of social relationships, among brothers, couples, parents and children. This “Comedy” illuminates those relationships. But by lifting this “Comedy” out of its classical setting and transforming it into an event taking place in a timeless zone, the Folger shines an even brighter light into a play whose comedy contains great knowledge of human nature and of human foibles that do not change with time.
