What do you get when you cross William Shakespeare and Aretha Franklin? You get the latest Basement Arts production, "The Comedy of Errors," which runs this weekend at the Arena Theater in the basement of the Frieze Building. Directed by Ernie Nolan, this version of Shakespeare's madcap farce is being done '60s style. This is the first time directing for Nolan, a musical theater sophomore.
"It's a comedy, a love story and a piece of entertainment wrapped up into one," Nolan said in a recent interview with The Michigan Daily.
The play centers around two sets of twins, Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse, and Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse. The Dromio brothers are the servants of the Antipholus brothers, but tragedy strikes early. Separated at birth, Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus go in search of their respective twin brothers, all the while leaving a trail of confusion and mayhem behind them. Antipholus claims not to recognize his wife, flirts with her sister, beats servants and refuses to pay his debts, because he isn't the right twin. "It's the idea of man out of control with his destiny," Nolan said of the work, which was Shakespeare's first play.
Almost the entire cast is made up of musical theater majors, which helps when dealing with the language Shakespeare used. "These people are speaking in poetry and the language almost becomes a song," the director said. "So you have people who are familiar with the musicality of language."
Nolan also hopes people will not be hesitant about coming to see one of Shakespeare's plays, even though they are often thought to be boring shows with men prancing around in tights. While Shakespeare set "The Comedy of Errors" in the ancient town of Ephesus, Nolan has used his own vision in this particular production. "Ephesus is one big party with lots of dance and music; the audience should come ready to party with the actors," he said.
Along with Ephesus being a party, Nolan also had certain visions for the different characters. "I pictured these people in my mind, Dromio as Shaggy from 'Scooby Doo' and Luciana as Marcia Brady from the 'Brady Bunch,'" he explained.
Nolan's goal for the production is to bring across his love for theater and share it with the audience. But above all else, he wants the viewers to see Shakespeare in an entirely different way. "It's going to be different, it's not what people are going to think it is. It's 'Laugh-In' (with) a contemporary approach," he explained. As well as having characters like those straight out of a '60s sit-com, Nolan has condensed the text and, therefore, the show does not seem to be much longer than a sit-com.
While a retro-Shakespeare production may seem a little strange, the show at the Arena Theater should be colorful and exciting. A love story and a comedy full of song, dance and confusion should make Shakespeare anything but dull and boring. Whether a die-hard Shakespeare fan or a first-timer, this production of "The Comedy of Errors" is bound to be a worthwhile evening of entertainment and culture.
The cast of Basement Arts' "The Comedy of Errors" is set for this weekend's performances.