The Comedy of Errors
Stafford Festival Shakespeare
Stafford Castle

Wit, pomp, ceremony and so many puns about the rain you almost felt drenched yourself – even whilst sitting under cover.

That was the offering from the 21st Stafford Festival Shakespeare – which both the weather gods and the excessive but amusing pre-performance entertainment tried to delay the start of – and something of an enigma for me as a newcomer to this event.

But despite the somewhat appropriate ‘tears’ from the sky – which did last throughout the whole first half – the works of Shakespeare were performed with aplomb.

Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors – one of his earliest works – was suited to the cherry-picked cast members by director Peter Rowe.  But more importantly, the characters grasped the nettle with both hands with a host of dramatic appearances from an experienced crew.

Despite the crowd of just under 700 – down on the 1,000 capacity – the crowd got its kicks and laughs and the cast just got wet.

So downright was the rain at points, that youngsters involved in pre-performance entertainment slipped around like skiers. Particularly impressive performances in the main event were from Scotland’s 34-year-old actress Polly Frame who appears as the unforgettable Adriana, Welshman Phylip Harries who was cast as slave Dromio, Polly Maberly, ex-Hollyoaks and The Bill took on the role of  Luciana, while former Coronation Street star Rupert Hill fulfilling the role of Antipholus of Syracuse accurately.

Eric Potts – who returned after his appearance in last year’s festival – was hilarity incarnate as he played Dromio of Syracuse.

With all these, and more, Peter Rowe has to be patted on the back for bringing such an eclectic and skilled bunch together and choosing 1930s Italy as his setting for these laughable friends and foes.

What really brings out the nuances and adds to the outstanding spectacle situated in front of Stafford Castle, is the additional roles of actors as musicians. Superb tunes and timing are wielded together.

The Comedy of Errors was performed in 2004 at the Stafford Festival Shakespeare and was then set in a seaside town during the Second World War. This time Italy in the 1930s surely is unbeatable.

It really is a punchy and error-strewn watch – as it should be – and well worth parting with your cash for a ticket.

Viewings take place until Saturday, July 9 with ticket prices starting from £10.

By Richard Woodall.