Movie Review: The Comedy of Errors (1983)

The Comedy of Errors (1983) directed by James Cellan Jones based on the play by William Shakespeare

This BBC production features Michael Kitchen in the dual roles of Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse, twins separated at a very young age by circumstance. Oddly enough, both Antipholi have a servant named Dromeo (Roger Daltrey in both roles (yes, the lead singer from The Who)), born about the same time and also separated at a very young age by the same circumstance. As the story opens, Aegeon (Cyril Cusak) is about to be executed for a large debt, though the Duke of Ephesus (Charles Grey) will pardon him if someone will cover the debt. Aegeon is the father of the Antipholi and raised the Syracuse one, who just happens to show up in Ephesus pretty quickly. By this point, Aegeon is cooling his heels in jail. While Antipholus of Syracuse and his Dromeo are shopping, Antipholus sends him off to their lodging to secure some money. Sure enough, the Dromeo of Ephesus shows up and has a confusing and amusing conversation with Antipholus. He tells Antipholus his wife wants him to come to eat lunch and doesn't know anything about the pile of money the other Dromeo is carting around. Antipholus of Syracuse is not amused by this but does wind up going to dinner with the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus. The convoluted mix-ups continue throughout the story to great comic effect.

Being made in 1983, I am sure the novelty of having a split-screen performance, which allows Kitchen and Daltrey to play both roles in the same scene, was a great gimmick. They give good performances as their characters. The story is a delightful comedy with some fun twists and a winning supporting cast (though a lot of the necklines on the women's dresses were very low). The set looks a little stagey, with one town square serving for most of the film, though some scenes are in the Ephesus home of Antipholus and his wife. The floor of the square is a mosaic of the Mediterranean, showing where Ephesus and Syracuse are, so they didn't stint on that. The overhead shots showing the map are impressive and not something that could be done in the theater. for all the patrons. The opening is a little slow but the pace picks up after the first act. The play is a lot of fun and has the classic happy ending for everyone that Shakespeare is so good at.

We watched this because my son is in a middle school production of the play, so it was a bit of research. I don't think I had read or seen this play before and am glad to have a preview of my son's production!

Recommended.