The Comedy of Errors (More or Less) – Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

Writers: Elizabeth Godber and Nick Lane

Director: Paul Robinson

According to the programme this was “originally by William Shakespeare, messed around with by Elizabeth Godber and Nick Lane”, but this is messing around on a grand scale. Shakespeare’s shortest play becomes a near-three hour affair, stuffed with 1980s songs, sometimes shoehorned in, but always performed with zest and animation – choreography by Wayne Parsons.

It’s difficult to describe what Godber and Lane (and director Paul Robinson who had the original idea) do toThe Comedy of Errors.Originally set in Ephesus, in Shakespeare’s version a series of remarkable events means that Egeon arrives in town and is arrested and sentenced to death at the same time as his son, Antipholus, arrives from Syracuse with his servant Dromio. Unknown to both of them, Antipholus’ twin brother, confusingly also named Antipholus, with his own Dromio, is already living in Ephesus, more or less happily married, and the confusions of identity are about to begin.

With such a nonsensical plot, Godber and Lane feel free to revel in the silliness of it all. The scene is now Scarborough and the visiting Antipholus comes from Prescot (the staging is a joint production with Shakespeare North Playhouse) to perform his one-man show. The other Antipholus is due to appear in a talent show that night – and from this it all escalates, with much exchange of mutual insults.

Those familiar with Nick Lane’s Christmas shows at Scarborough will not be surprised at such heights of silliness as Antipholus spending the later stages of the play dressed as a 99, or the presence of Big Sandra, the Yorkshire champion wrestler. The strong feminist streak was apparently the result of the presence of Elizabeth Godber on the writing team. Adriana (Alyce Liburd) and Luciana (Ida Regan) emerge very powerfully from the change, the only two credible characters among all the nonsense – and they certainly belt out the 80s anthems. For those wondering where Shakespeare fits into this, scenes and speeches from the original crop up from time to time – and Dromio’s charming final couplet survives:

“We came into the world like brother and brother;

And now let’s go hand in hand, not one before another.”

David (and Peter) Kirkbride and Oliver (and Zach) Mawdsley invest the Antipholuses and Dromios with suitably manic energy, Kirkbride clinging to his dignity, Mawdsley rather more aggressive than is usual, though still the victim. The remaining three cast members have fun switching parts until they finally run out of actors in the final scene. Andy Cryer (Duke Solinus) and Claire Eden (Egeon, now the mother of the twins) make much of the opening scene before heading off to play all sorts of eccentrics and Valerie Antwi is the archetypal courtesan.

It’s not perfect – too much over-amplified shouting, for one thing – but the audience response at the end was proof of the success of the whole lunatic venture.

Runs until 15th April 2023.