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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. The Comedy of Errors Also see Susan's review of Heisenberg
The similarities between the two productions are numerous, including the appearance of the set (James Noone's scenic design has hidden depths that reveal themselves when the turntable begins moving) and the interpolation of original songs (by Michael Dansicker, not Stephen Sondheim) as a breather between the scenes of nonsense. Paul directly steals from Forum by including in the cast three "Proteans" (Matt Bauman, John Cardenas, Justin G. Nelson) who appear in a succession of disguises and silly fake mustaches. Paul is a master of pacing who understands that the farcical complications have to fly past, while the more serious moments—there are some—need more deliberate handling. His talented actors are skilled in both Shakespearean language and zaniness. The premise is that two sets of twins, the sons of Egeon of Syracuse (Ted van Griethuysen) and two adopted boys designated as the sons' servants, were separated in a shipwreck decades earlier, shortly after their birth. Antipholus of Syracuse (Gregory Wooddell) and his servant Dromio of Syracuse (Carson Elrod), now adults, have left their home in search of their missing brothers and arrived in Ephesus, which, as it happens, is at war with Syracuse. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Egeon or the other two, their doppelgangers—also named Antipholus (Christian Conn) and Dromio (Carter Gill)—live in Ephesus. Unlike the visitors from Syracuse, they are both married, Antipholus of Ephesus to Adriana (Veanne Cox) and Dromio of Ephesus to Luce (J. Bernard Calloway in majestic drag). As the twins are not only dead ringers for each other but wearing identical clothes, the confusion begins building, including an attraction between Antipholus of Syracuse and his supposed sister-in-law Luciana (Folami Williams). Wooddell and Conn are ardent, even impassioned, as matters become more and more confused, and Elrod and Gill are skilled physical comedians, but they aren't the focus here. Cox earns laughs and pathos as a woman with a hard shell over a wounded heart, while the other standouts are more outrageous: Tom Story as a louche goldsmith, all fluffy blond hair and shirt open to the navel; Eleasha Gamble as a courtesan who at one point wears a sexy porcupine costume (designed by Gabriel Berry); Sarah Marshall as Dr. Pinch, psychiatrist and free-lance exorcist; and Bauman as a dancing police officer.
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