Shakespeare BASH’d bids a fond farewell to the Victory Café with their hilarious, high-energy Toronto Fringe production of William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, directed by Julia Nish-Lapidus, assisted by Megan Miles.
Twin sons (Kelly Penner) of a nobleman (David Mackett) and their twin servants (Tim Welham) are separated from each other, then their parents. Luckily, each son (both named Antipholus) stays together with his man (both named Dromio), but when Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse land in Ephesus, weird things start happening, including being set upon by a rampaging jealous wife (Suzette McCanny), and debtors threatening jail or worse when they are mistaken for the Ephegean counterparts. All four young men begin to question their own and each other’s sanity, and the boys from Syracuse wonder if they’ve landed in a city of witches. But no worries, as this is a comedy, all are reunited and all ends happily.
It’s always a good time with the Shakespeare BASH’d folks; and this minimalist, modern dress production is no exception. Stand-outs include Penner as the proud, noble and confused Antipholus twins; and Welham’s saucy, put-upon servant/side kick twin Dromio’s. McCanny is hilariously neurotic and ferocious as Adriana, the baffled, neglected and determined wife of Antipholus of Ephesus; and Bailey Green does lovely double duty as Adriana’s supportive, loyal and level-headed sister Luciana, and the sassy but friendly local Courtesan.
Mistaken identities. Jealous love. Where’s my money, bitch? All in good fun in The Comedy of Errors.
The Comedy of Errors continues at the Victory Café (upstairs) with four more performances: July 7-9 at 7 p.m. and July 10 at 5 p.m. You need to get tix in advance or line up early at the box office for this one, kids. For ticket info and advance tickets/passes, check out the Fringe website.
life with more cowbell 