BELL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY - THEATRE ROYAL, HOBART
The word “immigration” is displayed in lights above each pair of a row of double frosted-glass doors. A dispirited elderly man in charity-bin clothing – too-large trousers, shabby old-fashioned brown sports jacket - listens to a disembodied voice from a loudspeaker informing him that he has entered the country illegally and must suffer the mandatory penalty – death.
The word “immigration” is displayed in lights above each pair of a row of double frosted-glass doors. A dispirited elderly man in charity-bin clothing – too-large trousers, shabby old-fashioned brown sports jacket - listens to a disembodied voice from a loudspeaker informing him that he has entered the country illegally and must suffer the mandatory penalty – death.
Fortunately, although some members may secretly applaud the
idea, not even our new Government's Asylum Seeker policy goes quite
as far as the opening scene of A
Comedy of Errors.
It's always fun to see a fresh take on a well-known
classic, and this time Shakespeare's ridiculously over-the-top story of separated
twins, mistaken identities, outraged women and eventual family
re-union is set, ostensibly, in Kings Cross. The Bell Shakespeare
Company has created a surreal and sleazy world of suspicion,
double-dealing, physical violence, sex, superstition and religion
where employees are beaten with impunity, police officers obligingly
arrest people on request, and time is manipulated to suit the plot.
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| Dromio of Ephesus (Hazem Shammas), Antipholus of Ephesus (Septimus Caton), Angelo (Demitrios Sirilas) and Balthasar (Anthony Taufa) discuss business |
The frosted glass doors become in turn entrances to
pawnshops, brothels, nightclubs, an apartment block and finally an
abbey. Shadows moving behind the glass suggest lewd and suspicious characters lurking in the background.
There are ladies of the night of questionable gender, “merchants” who surely deal in substances other than gold, a gangster Duke whose command must be obeyed and various other dubious figures – the ten-person cast make a lot of very quick costume changes!
Doors also provide plenty of opportunity for standard slapstick situations: pratfalls as people run into them, other people hiding
behind them, almost the entire company at times chasing each other in
and out of them.
The comedy is fast-paced and beautifully timed, in particular the chase scene. Everybody, getting completely off their faces at a disco, huddles together for a drunken group "selfie". Only when inspecting the result do the women realise the two men they have been pursuing are right there - in their photograph! The chase resumes . . .
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| Antipholus of Syracuse (Nathan O'Keefe) and Luciana (Jude Henshall) share an intimate moment with a washing machine |
Nathan O'Keefe and Septimus Caton play the Antipholus
twins, becoming progressively more confused, angry and alarmed as
strangers hail them as old friends and friends attribute to them
conversations they can't recall.
Renato Musolino and Hazem Shammas,
in Bogan uniform of beanie, flannie shirt, runners and trackie dacks,
are the Dromio twins and play the Shakespearean ill-treated clown with the appropriate mix of enthusiasm, indignation, resentment and bad puns.
As Adriana, Elena
Carapetis is splendid in skin-tight leopard-print top with matching
car-to-bar heels, and Jude Henshall as Luciana makes her entrance
reclining on a tanning bed wearing a very skimpy bikini and a large
set of headphones. They both succeed in being delightfully dreadful.
Suzannah McDonald is very funny as both the Courtesan
and Emelia; I particularly enjoyed her lisping Abbess.
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| The Courtesan (Suzannah McDonald), makes up her mind to visit Adriana |
Bell Shakespeare Company
Comedy of Errors; Theatre Royal, Hobart. 20 September, 2013
Cast:
Nathan O'Keefe
Septimus Caton
Renato Musolino
Hazem Shammas
Elena Carapetis
Jude Henshall
Eugene Gilfedder
Anthony Taufa
Demitrios Sirilas
Suzannah McDonald
Director: Imara Savage
Designer: Pip Runciman
