Even if you are not an aficionado of William Shakespeare's plays, you could not help but enjoy the fabulous production of his farce, The Comedy of Errors, being presented by the classical repertory theatre company, A Noise Within. This rambunctious, hilarious and wonderfully performed production is directed by Michael Michetti and presents a cast of masterful performers who make Shakespeare's plays easy to follow.

 

In this production, there is "... a unique twist, staging a "play within a play" as though a 1920's American Vaudeville or Burlesque company is presenting a production of The Comedy of Errors." It begins with each character in the play being introduced one by one as members of a fictitious Burlesque company, comics, dancers, a strongman, a ventriloquist, all portraying Shakespeare's characters. There is a live pianist playing ragtime music and even a silent movie during the play.

 

The cast of actors include Annie Abrams (Luciana and the Burlesque company's "The Ingenue"), Gibby Brand (Nell and Emilia, "the Drag Comic"), Jerry Kernion (Dromio of Ephesus, his identical twin Dromio of Syracuse and others), P.J. Ochlan (Angelo and Pinch, "The Ethnic Comic"), Lauren Robyn (The Courtesan , "the Burlesque Dancer") Rene Ruiz (The First Merchant and others, "The Ventriloquist" and Bruce Turk (Antipholus of Ephesus and his identical twin Antipholus of Syracuse, "the Matinee Idol"). Confusion persists throughout the story because no one realizes that the men they believe they are interspersing with at one time, are their identical twins on other occasions, which makes for some extremely awkward situations. It's a romp from beginning to end and will keep you wondering throughout how the company solves the problem of two sets of identical twins (four characters) played by two actors when they all must appear on stage at the same time in the final scene.

Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors is playing in repertory (through May 14, 2011) with Tennessee Williams seldom performed play, The Eccentricities of a Nightingale and The Chair by Eugene Ionesco. For a schedule of the three plays, and/or to purchase tickets, call (818) 240-0910, ext. 1, or go online at www.ANoiseWithin.org. A Noise Within is located at 234 South Brand Blvd. in Glendale, CA