Theater review by Raven Snook
There’s an upside to Shakespeare in the Park’s hiatus this summer: The Public Theater has recommitted to bringing the Bard to all New Yorkers by reviving last season’s The Comedy of Errors and touring the show to all five boroughs for free. This Mobile Unit production requires no tickets: Just show up to one of the show’s many outdoor locations and enjoy an irrepressible ensemble performing Shakespeare's romp of multiple mistaken identities. This adaptation, created by director Rebecca Martínez and composer Julián Mesri, is presented in one song-filled act, delivered in two languages. Don't worry about losing the plot: The joyful arc is easy to follow, and while you may miss a few punchlines if you don’t speak Spanish, a touch of befuddlement adds to the fun.
Two pairs of identically named identical twins have been separated as babies: the high-born Antipholuses (both played by Joél Acosta) and their respective servants, the Dromios (both played by Gían Pérez). Decades later, the warm-hearted Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse wind up in Ephesus, where their haughty doubles reside. Romantic and financial entanglements perplex the characters, but Sara Ornelas's charming troubadour keeps the audience on track by belting out Martínez and Mesri's clever and catchy salsa, samba and tango tunes.
The actors all wear many hats, often literally, but Lux Haac's colorful quick-change costumes help distinguish the characters (particularly the twins, who use different headgear). Everyone has standout moments; slapstick virtuoso Pérez serves up big laughs while serving his masters, and Danaya Esperanza, as the drama-queen wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, delivers riotous emotional outbursts worthy of a telenovela. But Acosta wins the prize for most valuable multiplayer. Even when he’s switching between doppelgangers with Jekyll and Hyde–like speed, each of them seems so distinct—and one is so much more lovable than the other—you almost wonder how anyone could confuse them. Fast, funny and free in both spirit and price, this Comedy of Errors would be a tragedy to miss.
The Comedy of Errors. Various locations (Off-Off Broadway). By William Shakespeare. Adapted by Rebecca Martínez and Julián Mesri. Directed by Martínez. With ensemble cast. Running time: 1hr 30mins. No intermission.
Note: The production is mounted in outdoor spaces throughout the five boroughs; the full schedule of locations is here. Admission free but chair seating is distributed on a first come, first served basis; if you don't want to stand or bring your own blanket or seat, you can get in line as early as two hours before the show begins.
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The Comedy of Errors | Photograph: Courtesy Peter Cooper