Review: The Comedy of Errors at Theatre@41 Monkgate

“…an entertaining evening that left the audience astounded…”

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, Theatre@41 Monkgate, York

By Helen Kelly

As soon as you walked into the theatre, you were already immersed in Shakespeare’s world. The chairs were arranged in a horseshoe pattern, which meant that the audience were just as much a part of the play as the actors. The sound of the sea played in the background as we took our seats and continued until the play began.

For those who are not familiar with A Comedy of Errors, it is a fast-paced farce about two sets of identical twins separated at birth. When both pairs end up in Ephesus, a day of wild mistaken identities, false arrests and slapstick chaos unfolds before the family is joyfully reunited. The York Shakespeare Project’s version delivers on audience expectations as the musicians walk onto the stage to play. Directed by Katie Leckey and Emily Carhart, the production brings all the things we love about Shakespeare to the stage in a very accessible way.

All the actors and musicians brought great energy and skill to their performances. Those I would particularly like to highlight are Helen Clarke (Antipholus of Syracuse), Laura Broughton-Janes (Antipholus of Ephesus), Kat Lazarus (Dromio of Syracuse) and Liz Duggan (Dromio of Ephesus). Anyone who has listened to, or even tried to learn, Shakespeare’s plays knows it is not easy. All those on stage performed their lines with ease, but these four actors delivered their fast-paced parts to perfection, without losing any clarity for a single moment.

Shakespeare’s dialogue can be challenging to deliver, particularly when the actors have to speak at speed, but the cast performed it seamlessly. Comedy ran throughout the play, and it wasn’t always conveyed through words. For instance, when the Duke, played by Ben Reeves Rowley, was talking to the imprisoned Egeon (Andrew Wrenn), a merchant from Syracuse and the father of the twins, Cassi Roberts, playing the Officer/Messenger, stood behind him and sometimes beside him, copying his hand gestures. Along with the jokes and other comic moments throughout the play, this made for a very enjoyable and entertaining evening.

The musicians Emily Rowan, Vicky Hatt and Izzie Burger de Fremol started the play from the centre of the stage before moving upstairs. From there, they delivered music that suited both the pirate theme and the play’s Elizabethan setting. After the curtain call, the cast burst into a rendition of What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor? Even though the play was over, they maintained their enthusiasm and energy, inviting the audience to join in.

Overall, this was an entertaining evening that left the audience astounded by the skill of everyone involved. Despite the play’s complexity, the superb acting made it easy to follow.

The Comedy of Errors plays at Theatre@41 Monkgate until Saturday 23 October. Tickets are available here.

Helen Kelly wrote and published her first Romance book in 2022 after being inspired by completing three master’s degrees in history. She has now written three books and various short stories. In her spare time, Helen loves to visit various parts of the country, some of which have been an inspiration for her books. Helen is a mother of two grown-up daughters living in North Yorkshire. She loves to read and to visit historical places and theatres. Find out more about Helen at www.helenkellyauthor.com