Summer in Vancouver seems incomplete without an outing to at least one Shakespearean play at Bard On The Beach. This year the line-up is eclectic and full of thematic twists. Shakespeare’s earliest and shortest play, not to mention one of his most crass, The Comedy of Errors, opened last weekend at Vanier Park. Director Scott Bellis’ version gives the beloved comedy a steampunk do-over, making it one of the most distinct and creative interpretations of the play I have ever seen. Every year I religiously attend at least a couple of Bard shows to revel in the most traditional roots of theatre. It is always an invigorating experience however to see a traditional play get a sexy update.
As soon as I stepped onto the Bard campground with its tents as white and billowy as sails, I realised everyone had gotten the steampunk memo and taken it very seriously. A large chunk of the audience was in their steamiest and punkiest attire. Not entirely familiar with the genre I got a quick rundown on it through awed observation of the costumes in the audience. Corsets, fascinators, long coats, aviator goggles, shortened Victorian skirts and more, were on gorgeous display. Steampunk as a genre is a little hard to define because it encompasses many other cool genres- Goth, Punk, Victorian. It has elements of 19th century flying culture, 18th century sailing culture, and Jules Verne’s let’s get all discovery and adventurey! vibes. As intriguing as the genre sounds, it is just as aesthetically pleasing. It boasts of rich colours and strong metallic hues. The set loyally reflects this. It is a massive wall of saturated bronze, mechanical cogs and wheels. The wall has a balcony-esque platform at the top, a practical point-of-entry door in the middle and a giant clock hanging overhead like a heavy moon. The wall also allows the falling sunset in the background to serendipitously peak through the stencil of intricate gaps in its mechanics.
The story, in case you aren’t familiar with the play, is about two sets of twins, who get separated and grow up in two different cities, Ephesus and Syracuse. It takes some suspension of common sense to go along with Shakespeare’s premise and because we love him, we gladly do. The separated twins grow up as master-servant pairs independently but with the exact same names- Antipholus and Dromio. Antipholus of Ephesus is married to the beautiful but perpetually worried Adriana. Things get tricky slash hilarious when Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse visit Ephesus and get mistaken for their Ephesus counterparts. Antipholus falls in love with Adriana’s sister Luciana and the purchase of a gold necklace for Adriana spins the plot into a knotted but delightful mess.
The cast of the show is flawless. Bard actors are always supremely talented. It never fails to impress me how effortlessly they can rattle off Shakespearean lines by the paragraphs. The actors work well with each other. The physical comedy of the show is beautifully executed and there is always a method to the chaos. The fights and the slapstick are choreographed in novel ways that always pack a punch. The play has the potential to be a little politically incorrect and violent at times, but this version carefully balances out any extremes with attentive moderation. The music and lighting in the show provide just the right amount of gothic intensity to periodically give you goosebumps.
Antipholus of Syracuse, played by Ben Elliot, is the meatiest character in the play and Elliot does it full justice. He has a very natural flair for comedy and makes iambic pentameter sound like the most natural mode of speech in the world. I would not speak in any other way either if I had Elliot’s elocution. Sereana Malani plays Adriana. She is stunningly beautiful and has a strong voice. It is refreshing to see a principal character like Adriana played by an ethnically diverse actor. Bard On the Beach’s continuing attempts to offer more diverse casts with each production deserve a wholehearted applause.
Having run through quite a few of the strengths of the play, there still remain three trump cards that unanimously steal the show:
1. The Two Dromios:
These guys get the best lines, the biggest laughs and have the most fun. But the best part is that they are played by women! Bellis takes the classic Shakespearean tradition of having men play female characters and turns it cleverly on its ironic head. Luisa Jojic and Dawn Petten perhaps do a better job than any male actors could have. They perform the slapstick violence fearlessly and hardly ever give away the secret of their true sex. I got the feeling that their access to femininity lent a certain childlike innocence to their Dromios, in a way that would have not come so easily to male actors. From their mischievous voices to their dirty jokes, the two Dromios take The Comedy of Errors to a superlative level of funny.
2. The Set
Aside from the majestic wall of mechanics that frames the stage, there are additional set decisions that make this show unique. For example, the mobile kitchen that is wheeled in to show where Luciana and Adriana have their heart to heart, comes complete with a bubbling pot. When the lid is lifted off the pot, out pops a grotesque puppet that puts up an enormous struggle for its life. A tiny scuffle ensues where the cooks and the ladies fight the creature back into the pot. That tiny and original detail easily got the most laughs out of the audience. Similarly Luciana has a wheeled-in garden with a Venus flytrap puppet that she lovingly feeds, while Doctor Pinch gets a full on wired-up witchcraft device. It is little thoughtful and creative touches like these that really embellish the play and give it soul.
3. The Costumes
Nothing fleshes out the steampunk theme quite like the costumes in the play. The genius mind behind them is Mara Gottler’s. My personal favourite is Doctor Pinch’s dark yet comedic ensemble that is a little reminiscent of the Hitcher in The Mighty Boosh. The female costumes are lush and seductive. They had me planning my Halloween costume months too early. The two Antipholus’ big adventurer cloaks and the white streaks in their hair, give the main protagonists an edgy look. The two sets of twins look believably alike largely because of the clever costume choices. Gottler’s contribution to the play is gamechanging.
Bard’s steampunk version of The Comedy of Errors is creative and gutsy. It is full of magic that keeps kids and newcomers to Shakespeare sufficiently engaged. Likewise, for regular theatre lovers, the show is the perfect opportunity to let their hair down and appreciate a light-hearted evening out, complete with crude humour and happy endings. Director Scott Bellis has created an out and out winner this summer. Just brilliant fun!
Tickets are available here for now till the end of September.
-Prachi Kamble