2004: The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare.  Thredbo Players at Cooma Little Theatre, January 30.

    Despite a hailstorm of Shakespearean proportions outside, Thredbo Players succeeded in creating a relaxed warm atmosphere inside the converted Snowy Mountains Scheme shed which is Cooma Little Theatre (CLT).  Since the rest of their season at Thredbo was outdoors, the Players must have appreciated proper facilities, expertly lit for them by Charles Monticone.  CLT will be 50 years old next year, and the shed looks set for many more productions from Cooma itself and around the region.

    It was a nice touch to set The Comedy of Errors in the Caribbean, not just because a cast member had Trinidadian dreadlocks and another a genuine Carib-English accent.  The story of merchants sailing between islands, storms and shipwrecks, pirates, and the separation of husband and wife and the two sets of twins seemed natural in a fantasy island Caracus, not far from Barbados.  Though many in the cast had never been on stage before, the setting and brightly-coloured costumes gave them a style and liveliness that carried them through.  Playing for an audience who were not personal acquaintances allowed them to let their characters have their heads.  The Cooma audience was enthusiastic, applauding each scene, giving the Thredbo players a sense of achievement that made the performance a celebration.

    Thredbo Players is all that remains of the erstwhile Thredbo Shakespeare Festival, a great idea incorporating city professionals as well as the local amateurs which lasted several years, but was expensive without drawing the audience numbers needed for financial security.  Directors Brett Thomas and Danni Matson have kept the spark of community drama alive, with support from a wide range of Thredbo businesses and associations.  Little theatres like this are the life-blood of drama in small communities across the country.

    The Comedy of Errors, though the prompt had plenty to do and received a special accolade at curtain call, proved not to be an error but a genuine expression of community spirit, with a number of people who were effective Shakespeare performers (Danni Matson as the Wife of Antipholous of Caracus in particular).  The show communicated the fun and enjoyment of theatre to an appreciative audience.  What more is community about?

© Frank McKone, Canberra