Theatre / “The Comedy of Errors”, directed by Janine Watson. At Canberra Theatre until October 8. Reviewed by SIMONE PENKETHMAN.

JANINE Watson and her cast breathe colourful life into “The Comedy of Errors”.

It’s Shakespeare’s shortest and perhaps simplest play, full of implausible coincidences, snappy wordplay and slapstick farce.

This Bell Shakespeare production is set on the mystical island of Ephesus with a thumping ’70s disco soundtrack. Coloured balloons bob about on a stage full of loud suits, gold bling and a sequinned kaftan.

But the opening scene brings grief, urgency and a matter of life and death to the fore.

Egeon (Maitland Schnaars) has entered Ephesus illegally and will be put to death unless he can pay a ransom.

The lights turn moody as he pleads his case to awaken the sympathy of the Duke.

He is an old man searching for his wife, his identical twin sons, and their identical twin servants. The family was split in two by a shipwreck many years ago. 

This dark beginning to an otherwise light comedy is beautifully played by Schnaars who evokes a sense of ritual through his words and movement. 

The rest of the cast are a mesmeric ensemble behind him. Moving together with an assortment of vintage luggage, suggesting transience and confusion. 

The Duke gives Egeon one day to raise the ransom – or die.

The lights brighten and the music and dancing begin.

As luck would have it, both sets of twins are already in Ephesus! 

Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio of Syracuse are searching for their long-lost brothers. They have just arrived on the island. 

Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus have lived on the island for most of their lives and have no idea that their brothers are searching for them.

Mistaken identity drives the plot.

The casting and interpretations of characters are quirky, contemporary and diverse.

The slim, blonde, non-binary Dromio twins (Julia Billington and Ella Prince) are a delight. These cheeky, highly physical, comic servants are always at the centre of confusion, constantly and unknowingly switching masters. 

Balloons become weapons in slapstick status games.

Tight, energetic dance routines transition between scenes.

Giema Contini as Adriana, the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, is outstanding. In a plot driven by chaos, she is grounded. Her quick-witted repartee is underpinned by a genuine and anguished suspicion that her husband’s affections are straying.

The ritualistic gravitas of the opening scene becomes theatrical magic at the end as misunderstandings are resolved, the old man’s grief assuaged and the Duke’s forgiveness forthcoming.