COMEDY OF ERRORS

Shakespeare's Globe on the road

26.05.09

Trimmed to little more than two hours, plus interval, eight actor/musicians and a booth stage; this is rough magic.

Director Rebecca Gatward makes virtues of necessities, with the twins identical, and doubling galore. The front door scene is a classic of farce,  the doubled dénouement is brilliantly done, and I liked the way the costumes gradually grew more Elizabethan as the evening wore on.

The predominantly young cast bring energy and enthusiasm to the piece. Miltos Yerolemou is a cheeky Dromio, making the most of the physical comedy as the servant of two masters, played by Ronan Raftery in his first outing after RADA – a fresh-faced innocent Antipholus. Dana Gartland and Sara Ridway were the seductive sisters, and I liked Cornelius Booth as an amusingly arcane Dr Pinch.

They'll need their energy for the gruelling tour – it starts in Salisbury, to finish in Cambridge in late August. Norway and Malta, too, if your travels take you that far, but not Syracuse this year, I fear.