'Comedy of Errors' hits and misses as it goes over the top

By Tamber Weston

April 25, 2005 | Utah State Theatre went over the top with its slapstick humor in its production of William Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors.

The play repeatedly used a 400-year-old form of Italian slapstick humor known as commedia dell'Arte — a string of random gags throughout the play — to humor the audience.

I have to admit that a few of the gags were funny, but less would definitely have been more. Although amusing, the gags often slowed down the pace of the already lengthy play — dragging it out to a three-hour performance.

Between the cross-dressing Dr. Pinch twirling through center stage periodically and the scantily clad Courtesan pole dancing in the aisle, I had a little trouble focusing on the actual story line.

True Shakespeare enthusiasts probably enjoyed the variety offered by the gags, but I considered myself lucky to have previously read the play or I would have been completely confused.

Not all of the commedia dell'Arte was confusing. Moments such as Luciana singing like Ariel the Little Mermaid, and Antipholus interacting with the audience really brought the audience in and made the play more personal and entertaining.

Tyson Smith and Chris Hudson proved a dynamic duo as Antipholus and Dromio.

They played their parts so well that I truly thought there were two other actors playing the other set of twins. That is until new actors replaced them in act V, when the four characters are introduced. I don't know how they cast the play in Shakespeare's day, but the little switch-a-rue really didn't work for me.

It was obvious that the new Antipholus of Syracuse looked nothing like the one the audience was used to seeing — even with the mask on. The new Dromio on the other hand was a slightly better match.

Mismatched actors and gags aside, I thought the play was a success for the department. The set was great, the actor's lines were flawless and the gags — although a little over the top — proved entertaining.

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