Reviewer – Sara Hill.
18th-29th January 2011, Lyceum Theatre.
I must confess that I greatly prefer Shakespeare’s tragedies and histories to his comedies. So when I discovered that my press night tickets were for Propellers’ Comedy of Errors rather than the Richard III they were to be performing the following week, I was disappointed. I was an idiot.
Usually there is something in any performance that’s not quite right, or could have been improved, which I feel it is only honest to point out in a review. In this case I truly cannot. For me, this was a perfect piece of farce, brilliantly and imaginatively executed with not a word, glance or 80s song reference out of place (Yes, I said 80s song reference!) What follows therefore is unadulterated adulation for the production and the Propeller lads; I hope you’ll bear with me.
Being greeted upon arrival by a man dressed a bit like the T1000 in Terminator 2, but with a Spanish accent and way more leather in his trousers, and walking into the Lyceum to be confronted with a stage covered in brightly coloured graffiti told us immediately we were in for something a bit special. Combining an updated setting, that of 80s Mexico or perhaps a downmarket Spanish holiday resort, with modern music, traditional language and live music and sound effects was no mean feat, yet this production remained beautifully true to the spirit of Shakespeare’s original performances. Never have I heard so much genuine laughing and audience participation in a Shakespearean performance. It brought the atmosphere of a riotous Elizabethan audience firmly into the present.
There were too many wonderful details in this masterpiece of a performance to list in so short a time, but special mention has to go to the sisters Adrianna and Luciana, played by Robert Hands and David Newman. Adrianna’s increasingly frantic hysteria was perfectly enhanced by the addition of some distinctly Jerry Springer gestures, whereas Luciana’s relative rationality was accented by her concealed bottle of spirits and the odd break into violence – crane stance ninja style, of course.
This was a remarkably multi-talented cast, with no one missing a beat and each at some point picking up instruments to add to the music or perfectly-timed sound effects. The squeaks of the Officer’s leather trousers on every step were my personal favourite. Propeller managed to make the performance incredibly accessible despite adhering to the original dialogue. I am confident in saying that anyone unfamiliar with Shakespeare or children would have thoroughly enjoyed this. With emphatic illustrative gestures accompanying speeches and intelligently designed costumes that both amused and explained, this was Shakespeare for everyone.
Clearly I could go on, but basically The Comedy of Errors by the Propeller Company was an amazing production. The image of the evangelical conjurer Pinch running naked across the stage, genitals cupped and a lit sparkler in his arse will stay with me for a long time, not to mention that bull whip toting nun…
propeller.org.uk
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