Twins are separated as babies, one raised by the mother and the other by the father, in two separate lands, Ephesus and Syracuse. With not one but two sets of separated twins, William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors is a delightful play grounded in farcical comedy and sensational wit, all spurred by mistaken identity. Shakespeare Theatre Company follows its successful production of Macbeth with something lighter and brighter: Comedy of Errors. Full of slapstick humor and clever wordplay, it’s Shakespeare’s shortest play and one of his funniest. The cast of ‘Comedy of Errors.’ Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography. Comedy of Errors takes place over one single day — but we get insight into the prior events that created the world we see on stage. A merchant named Egeon of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus, a port city where Syracusians are banned. A duke sentences him to death, and in protest, Egeon spills his sad tale. He and his wife once had two sets of twins, one adopted in order to serve the other. Many years ago, his wife and two of the infant sons were lost in a shipwreck. Both pairs of twins have been separated, as Egeon has been from his wife. His sons Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse have come to Ephesus to seek their lost twins and their mother, and Egeon has followed them. This backstory is told to us not only in a monologue by Egeon, played with a wonderful solemnity by Timothy D. Stickney, but illuminated beautifully through a sheer curtain, behind which the story of the disastrous shipwreck is acted out. Lanterns shining through the curtain paint this memory in a dim glow. This distinctive method of storytelling introduces director Simon Godwin’s masterful handling of bringing this show to the stage with extraordinary flair. The duke is sympathetic to Egeon’s tale of woe but still sentences him to die that night unless he can pay his ransom. Meanwhile, the events of the day begin to unfold, as Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse arrive in the bustling town, blissfully unaware of the wacky and wild day they have ahead of them. They are soon mistaken for their missing brothers, whom they have not yet discovered, and hijinks ensue. A lot happens in a single day — there are angry wives, brutal beatings, confessions of love, and wrongful arrests. True to its invented idiom, everything that can go wrong in this play does. For this production, Godwin reimagines Ephesus as a vibrant Mediterranean port city in the mid-1990s. The set is built out gorgeously as a picturesque Mediterranean village, brought to life with the sound of the sea and rolling fog, but there is an element of grunge and rock about the town. This setting lends itself to fun costumes, with lots of cargo pants, plaid, and bold accessories. Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus both wear white suits, bespeaking their slightly out-of-touch wealth, while their counterparts Dromio and Dromio, who act as personal servants to their adopted brothers, wear khakis held up by suspenders over ringer tees, dressed much more like children than adults. Everyone in Ephesus wears bright yellows, while orange is more the tone of the Syracusians. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Shayvawn Webster (Adriana) and Cloteal L. Horne (Luciana); Alex Brightman (Dromio of Syracuse) and Christian Thompson (Antipholus of Syracuse); The cast, in ‘Comedy of Errors.’ Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography. Alex Brightman and David Fynn, playing Dromio of Syracuse and Ephesus respectively, are far and away the comedic hearts of this production. Their slapstick-style comedy generates roars of laughter from the audience, and they both bring immense charm and likeableness to their characters. The actors look so similar that at times it feels barely possible to tell which Dromio is on stage, only enhancing the frenzy of mistaken identity. Alex Brightman (Dromio of Syracuse) and David Fynn (Dromio of Ephesus) in ‘Comedy of Errors.’ Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography. Every cast member excels at leaning into the absurdist comedy of this production. Shayvawn Webster as Adriana, Antipholus of Ephesus’ wife, and Cloteal L. Horne as Luciana are a perfectly hilarious sister duo determined to wrangle Adriana’s unruly husband. Ralph Adriel Johnson as Antipholus of Ephesus and Christian Thompson as Antipholus of Syracuse are fantastic as two twins who contrast with each other as much as the Dromios reflect each other, with the former being good-natured and easygoing and the latter more brooding and sly. Comedy of Errors never misses a hilarious beat, with witty zingers and dirty jokes flying out at record speed. Music plays a vibrant role in this production, with occasional bursts into song and dance from the cast, bringing a lively energy to the stage. Even when trouble is around the corner, there’s never a shortage of humor and hilarity in this feel-good production. It’s Shakespeare at his funniest, and you won’t want to miss it. Running Time: Two hours and 10 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. Comedy of Errors plays through October 20, 2024, presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy performing at the Michael R. Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($90–$200) are available at the box office, online, or by calling (202) 547-1122. Shakespeare Theatre Company offers discounts for military servicepeople, first responders, senior citizens, young people, and neighbors, as well as rush tickets. Contact the Box Office or visit Shakespearetheatre.org/tickets-and-events/special-offers/for more information. Audio-described and captioned performances are also available. The Asides program for Comedy of Errors is online here. COVID Safety: All STC spaces are MASK FRIENDLY. This means all patrons, masked and unmasked, are welcome. Comedy of Errors By William Shakespeare Directed by Simon Godwin; Assistant Director Julia Marks; Choreographed by Nancy Renee Braun; Scenic Design by Ceci Calf; Costume Design by Alejo Vietti; Lighting Design by Stacey Derosier; Sound Design by Christopher Shutt; Composed by Michael Bruce; Wig and Hair Design by Charles G. Lapointe; Fight Choreography by Robb Hunter; Voice and Text Coach: Lisa Beley; Dramaturg: Drew Lichtenberg; Resident Casting Director: Danic Rodriguez; Production Stage Manager: Laura Smith; Assistant Stage Managers: Becky Reed and Stephen Bubniak CAST Balthasar: Ro Boddie Roderigo: Jacob Brandt Dromio of Syracuse: Alex Brightman Thaisa: Kimberly Dodson Dromio of Ephesus: David Fynn Duke Solinus/Pinch: Eric Hissom Luciana: Cloteal L. Horne Antipholus of Ephesus: Ralph Adriel Johnson Sergeant/Officer: Camilo Linares Emilia: Amanda Naughton Marina: Paige Rammelkamp Angela: Pearl Rhein Egeon: Timothy D. Stickney Antipholus of Syracuse: Christian Thompson Adriana: Shayvawn Webster