Merrrigong Theatre Company’s Theatre Under the Stars presenting Sport for Jove’s ‘The Comedy of Errors’ opening night was a smash hit.
Outdoor theatre is always a good idea, and this performance showed exactly why. The staging, the technical elements, the beautiful lighting and abundance of excitement from the crowd (despite the high temperatures) created the most perfect atmosphere for an unconventional night at the theatre. Paper fans were provided by the staff to keep everyone cool and in high spirits until the sun set, which was a lovely and considerate touch. I’d recommend some sunscreen if you burn easily, as the seating area is uncovered, but the sunset is the perfect background as the plot begins to pick up and the lighting comes alive.
There was a lot to love about this show. As one of Shakespeare’s earliest and most fast-paced plays, ‘The Comedy of Errors’ is often not what first comes to mind when Shakespeare is brought up. This modern interpretation is the perfect blend of traditional and current humour and faux pas. It’s very easy to do Shakespeare badly, and incorporate too much or too little modernity, but Sport for Jove’s found that perfect balance that left the audience captivated and enjoying every minute.
The stunning voice of Naomi Belet has to be talked about. Her performance, whilst not a lead character, was an absolute standout. Her presence was abundant and whether she was in the background or centre stage, she was something to watch. She deserves all the applause, accolades and opportunities in her career.
The cast as a whole, were energetic and switched on, which makes any performance, but especially a comedy, just so much fun. Whether it was physical comedy or Shakesperean humour, or modern humour, it was just genuinely funny and not forced. It’s so easy to push the audience away with a comedy, and exasperate them with miscommunications and over-done jokes, but this was just perfect. You didn’t want to look away in case you missed anything as there were subtleties from supporting characters as well as the main action. They pushed through minor technical issues that made little impact as they could be heard from the back without their microphones on the odd occasion.
For those who describe themselves as “not Shakespeare” people, but enjoy a fun night out and a laugh, I would highly recommend this play. This is such peak Shakespeare in the way that you don’t need to understand every word to be able to follow along and enjoy the performance. It is such an accessible presentation that I urge everyone to buy a ticket and come alone. It is the least intimidating Shakespearean adaptation I’ve seen (and I have seen a lot of Shakespeare in my time) and it just opens up this little slice of history for anyone and everyone.
In all honesty, I think this may be one of, if not, the best, performance I have had the pleasure to review. I cannot recommend this enough to everyone. It would be a shame to miss this, so make sure you grab a ticket, bring a picnic, check the weather and plan accordingly, and have an amazing night out! ‘The Comedy of Errors’ runs until the 22nd of February at the University of Wollongong’s Koolobong Oval.
To book tickets to Comedy of Errors, please visit https://www.sportforjove.com.au/the-comedy-of-errors-2025.
Photographer: Grant Leslie
