Satirical play features modern, original music
USC’s Department of Theatre and Dance opened a production of director Robert Richmond’s version of William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” Sunday.
Featuring a mashup of Shakespeare’s sophisticated diction and a comic appeal inspired by Belgian cartoonist Herge, the performance runs about two hours and is filled with energy and exaggeration.
“The idea was that all of our movements had to be exaggerated, because it was like at any moment we could be frozen and a black line could be drawn around us,” said first-year acting graduate student Catherine Friesen.
Friesen plays Adriana, the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, in the production, one of the twins which the production revolves around.
The plot can best be described by the play’s name — indeed a “comedy of errors.”
After a husband and wife, Egeon and Emilia, played by first-year theatre graduate students Don Russell and Jessi Noel, give birth to a set of twin boys, both of whom they name Antipholus, they purchase another set (both named Dromio) from a destitute couple to keep as servants.
The family is split in half, a spouse and one of each of the sets of twins, in a shipwreck. The production begins years later in the city of Ephesus — the both sets of twins unaware of their kin. As Egeon fumbles about, seeking to pay the $1,000 he owes Solinus, the Duke of Ephesus, played by first-year theatre graduate student Andy Hernandez, we find the set of twins confusing an entire town. They pop up one after the other, being reprimanded and exalted for the actions or perceived inaction of their counterparts.
The production also included a nice mix of musical works that included contemporary music, like a rendition of “Buttons” by the Pussycat Dolls at the end, as well as a few original scores. The collection of varying tunes attempts to take the daunting Shakespeare association away from the work.
“It was all about taking this thing that’s normally presented very formally and presenting it in a new, refreshing light,” said Kevin Bush, the marketing and development coordinator for the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Wardrobe also played a big part in the play, as each character’s look was almost monochromatic. Second-year costume design graduate student Amy Thomson said that the production had been in talks since January, and that because of the cartoonish nature of the show, she strived to make the wardrobe color-driven. Each character’s wardrobe color palette was set to correspond with their personality.
First-year theatre graduate student Yvonne Senat’s wardrobe was driven by the color red. A color with an innate bit of sass, lust and boldness, it matched very well with Senat’s courtesan character.
Senat, who prepared for about five weeks prior to the production’s opening, said she tried not to be sexy by being ridiculous.
“I really appreciated the atmosphere that Robert set for us,” Senat said. “He wanted it to be funny, so that was freeing for me.”
The cast of the production will be answering questions from the audience tonight after the show.
“The Comedy of Errors” will run until Saturday, when there will be a double showing at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. — the 11 p.m. showing offered at half-price admission.