Central Park’s Delacorte Theater being closed for reconstruction, the Public Theater is sending around instead its Mobile Unit’s jaunty little production of The Comedy of Errors to more than a dozen city and borough outdoor locations through the end of June.
One of William Shakespeare’s earliest and most crowd-pleasing works, his classic circa 1594 comedy of mistaken identities has been shrewdly adapted by Rebecca Martínez and Julián Mesri into a swift and sweet bilingual English/Spanish romp with songs. Originally staged last year – I did not see the show then — this summer’s Free Shakespeare in the Parks production is said to be augmented with additional music plus expanded sound and lighting designs.
Brightly performed upon an open 18-inch raised platform by an ensemble of nine actors and four musicians (two of whom also play characters), the 90-minute show is naturally infused with upbeat Latin American music and inflections to accommodate its bilingual doings.
[Read David Finkle’s ★★★★☆ review here.]
Tango, salsa and samba, even reggaeton, are among the styles of agreeable songs popping up amid the plot of two sets of twin brothers being confused for each other during the wild course of a day in the town of Ephesus.
Composed by Mesri, who shares lyrics credit with Martínez, the songs tend to comment on the action rather than propel or magnify the story. Nothing wrong with that; as evidenced by a mad song and dance number by the chain-making goldsmith who figures amid the confusion. Since this proves to be the production’s near-showstopper, let’s stop the review for a few details:
Fired up and led by Glendaliris Torres-Greaux, an exuberant presence with a voice to match, “Angelo’s Song” develops into a rousing tribute to jewelry soon involving the entire company chanting “Quiero plata! Quiero ora!” while waving golden banners and snapping fans and undulating through a goofy spoof of Busby Berkeley-style ensembles.
It’s all pretty entertaining, as goes the rest of the comedy, which offers a goodly amount of Shakespeare’s language amid the text’s bilingual mix (more English than Spanish), spoken clearly by the actors who often and capably double in roles.
Wearing a guayabera, a Panama hat and a dashing mustache, Joél Acosta is a sporty figure as the Antipholus visiting from Syracuse, contrasting nicely against his twin Antipholus of Ephesus, a local gent who begins to smolder with growing ire. Gían Pérez is cheerful and interchangeable as both Dromios. The twins are color coded for easier viewer comprehension: Red for Ephesus, white for Syracuse, according to their headgear. The few times the siblings meet turn into amusing talk-to-the-hat exchanges.
Among others in the animated company, Danaya Esperanza seems so highly-strung as Adriana, a jealous wife, that she physically quivers with rage; Desireé Rodriguez playfully depicts a courtesan in pink sequins and becomes properly devout as an abbess in purple robes; and Michael Castillejos and Sara Ornelas both strum away at guitars and vividly portray several individuals apiece. The characters wear casual modern clothes designed by Lux Haac to feature radiant shades and fanciful flourishes. Perhaps a color other than white would make the boys from Syracuse appear more distinctive, but let’s not quibble.
The staging and choreography by Martínez, who sometimes sends the actors out among the audience, moves everything along at a snappy pace. Set designer Emmie Finckel’s minimal though effective visuals and the quasi-contemporary dress of Martínez’s production are truly Shakespearean in their simplicity.
It is estimated about thirty percent of the population of New York is Hispanic. One may speculate how Shakespeare’s essential 430 year-old story about immigrants and separated families finally getting reunited could hold extra appeal for Hispanic audiences. Whatever, the Mobile Unit’s festive production of The Comedy of Errors proves to be a happy free helping of Shakespeare in Spanish and/or English or as you like it in either language.
Currently performed against the white Beaux-Arts façade of the main New York Public Library through June 2, the show’s otherwise crisp sound design credited to Charles Coes and Tye Hunt Fitzgerald could not always overcome the heavy street din and frequent sirens of Fifth Avenue traffic at 40th Street. Most future park locations hopefully offer quieter circumstances.
It’s a pity that the Mobile Unit could not cross the river to New Jersey to perform their high-spirited staging of The Comedy of Errors for the large Hispanic populations of Hudson and Essex counties, which boast any number of very nice parks.
The Comedy of Errors opened May 28, 2024, as part of the Public Theater’s Mobile Unit, presented at venues across the five boroughs through June 30. Tickets and information: publictheater.org
