Getting ‘Errors’ right

Any theater attempting to do Shakespeare has its work cut out for it. The Bard’s language is foreign-sounding to the modern ear, and it takes real skill to deliver the lines in a way that sounds both honest and intelligible.

If you happen to be doing The Comedy of Errors, as the Lantern Theater Company currently is, you must also deal with a rather confusing script. It deals with two sets of identical twins, with each member of each set having the same name as his brother.

Truth to tell, this is a play that directors could take where they wanted and use as they would. It is a manic farce with an absurdly Byzantine plot and minimal psychological shading. This early product of a young playwright has mostly spawned productions that run merrily over the text.

The fact that language and characterization have tended to get lost in the frantic traffic on the stage seems to bother no one. It isn’t, after all, a play that anyone ever quotes to impress people.

This offering, artfully staged by Charles McMahon, beautifully captures the atmosphere of a festive party, and the zany movement of figures gorgeously costumed, with striking makeup, provides moments of swirling gaiety. And when these inspired players move into the primitive humors of the cheerfully idiotic tale involving those twin brothers and their twin servants, it becomes a marvelous example of what happens when an extraordinary cast tries a bit of horseplay.

This Lantern Theater production is shot through with imagination and creativity.

Anyone unfamiliar with this confusing plot would be well advised to cue up The Boys from Syracuse, the Rodgers and Hart musical version of the same play.

As the play begins 18 years after a shipwreck has separated identical twin baby boys, the long search to reunite them is about to end in the far-off town of Ephesus, where one of the twins lives with his wife and a nutty servant. This servant, it turns out, is also an identical twin who was separated from his brother in the same shipwreck.

To make things more outlandish, Shakespeare has the twins share the same names. With two masters named Antipholus (William Zielinski, of Syracuse, and Geoff Sobelle, of Ephesus), and two servants named Dromio (Aaron Cromie, of Syracuse, and Dave Jadico, of Ephesus), none of whom knows the others exist, the plot unfolds with silliness and machine-gun speed.

Thus, Antipholus of Ephesus must explain everything at the end to a just, though bewildered, duke, and he does so with the exasperation of a man outrageously aggrieved. He is all the funnier for being in earnest.

Antipholus of Syracuse accepts the favors of the striking Christie Parker as Adriana — the other Antipholus’ wife — with the dubious air of a man who knows that in the real world, such generosities rarely are thrust upon a stranger.

Jared Michael Delaney as Aegeon, and the actress playing his wife, are given simple latitude to exploit the familiar puns, quips and snatches of doggerel. Lee Etzold has a particularly energetic evening as the overpowering courtesan, mistress to Ephesus’ Antipholus.

Lending their special talents to this excellent production are Nick Embree’s set with runway, slide board and trampoline; Millie Hiibel’s glorious colorful costumes, Cromie’s creative mask and puppet design; and Michael Brophy’s orchestrated sound effects.

In a play filled with preachy speeches and labored explanations, Lantern has the good sense to turn the lines into self-mocking vaudeville routines, a benchmark production by which any Shakespeare comedy can be measured.

The Comedy of Errors
Through May 9
The Lantern Theater Company
St. Stephen’s Theater
10th and Ludlow streets
Tickets: $17-$27