This was my first time stepping foot inside the more intimate Howard Family Stage at Vancouver’s “Bard on the Beach” Shakespeare Festival for opening night of “Comedy of Errors.” It was my friend Cindy’s first time ever setting foot inside the Bard tents. She was so looking forward to this. We both were.
We loved the setup. We also loved the Artisan Market lineup of local vendors selling hand-crafted goods in the Bard Village leading up to the Howard Family Stage before the performance. Apparently they do this for both matinees and evening performances. What a great idea!
The whole floor and stage setup once inside is gorgeous – like taking a step back in time to being in an ancient Greek or Moroccan village. The actors carried on the local vendor theme in their exotic setting with patrons before the show. Although items here were only for show, not to purchase.
The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s earlier plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies. But it’s important to know that this play is a makeover of the original. Each year, Bard on the Beach directors lend a slightly different interpretation of each play.
This story revolves around two sets of identical twins, who get separated and grow up in two different cities, Ephesus and Syracuse. It takes place on an ancient Greek port teeming with comedic confusion of mistaken identity, marital infidelity, and some knee-slapping hijinks. The actors are very talented. They have to be; Shakespeare is no easy acheivement to perform.
This fantastical farce invites patrons to join the (toga) party & travel back to Ancient Greece in your best bed sheet and sandals. Your (optional) costume playing will only add to the merriment of the immersive Greek marketplace. Unfortunately, I didn’t get (or read) the memo about this. I wasn’t sure who were the actors and who were the patrons at first. All in good fun!
The Comedy of Errors – Adapted by Rebecca Northan with Bruce Horak, directed by Rebecca Northan
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