This looked unpromising. For a start it had been raining all day, and the forecast was for much more. But, reassured by Folksy Theatre’s unequivocal answerphone message that their outdoor production of The Comedy of Errors would be performed, whatever the weather. I set out, umbrella and waterproof trousers at the ready.

Boiling Wells Amphitheatre is approached through an unlit narrow tunnel deep beneath the railway embankment that carries the Bristol to Edinburgh line. Part of the St Werburgh’s City Farm complex, the small amphitheatre beyond is cut into the side of a tree-covered hill, with what looks like a hobbit house perched at the top for the company to change in, and huddle from the elements.

With ten minutes to go before ‘curtain up’, three or four doughty Shakespeare fans, looking more like fell walkers than theatre goers, squelched their way up to the wooden beams that provided rudimentary seating, light brown mud adding greatly to the weight of their shoes. As we took our ‘seats’ we were heartened to see the last-minute arrival of another 30-odd brave souls. Suddenly there was something of a frisson – shared discomfort bringing out a sense of collective and joyful madness as the rain stair-rodded down. What better frame of mind to be in at the outset of the bard’s playful nonsense! As guitar and clarinet heralded the start of Act I, the musicians were accompanied by a rush of wheels as the 7.15 to Temple Meads swept past high above our heads.

Folksy Theatre, based in Uddingston, not far from Glasgow, is a rural touring company specialising in open-air Shakespeare and Theatre-in-Education. In this, their tenth year, they are embarked on an impressive 35-venue tour of England and Scotland. I urge you to find out where they are playing and grab a seat or tuft of grass. This was a joyous experience – and all the more impressive that the company showed not a hint of aggravation at the conditions, fully engaging an audience that for the most part were hiding beneath umbrellas or sou’westers.

Set on the island of Ephesus, the comedic elements in the play centre on the mistaken identities of long-separated identical twin brothers, both named Antipholus, and their identical twin servants, both called Dromio. Without knowing it, all now live on the island. The brothers’ elderly merchant father Egeon has arrived on the island to search for them but falls foul of the local law forbidding traders from Syracuse gaining entry to the island, upon pain of death. The Duke of Ephesus is moved by his story and allows him a day to find his sons and a sum of 1,000 marks, if he is to avoid execution.

Mayhem ensues as the lives of the two brothers and their servants collide and intertwine, leading to multiple confusions and unwanted repercussions including wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession.

Folksy absolutely nail it. Stuart Scott provides a powerful pivot as the two brothers Antipholus, perfectly capturing their dumbfounded and enraged sensibilities as relationships seem to morph and truths evaporate.

Holly Dunkin is very watchable as the two Dromios – physically throwing herself about at the hands of her outraged and confused master and gloriously funny in her diatribes, such as in her description of Nell, the kitchen maid – “spherical like a globe”.  Harriet Knight was the very picture of a wronged wife as Adriana, then seething with refreshed libido when her husband’s twin lucks out on supper. Alex White was really very funny throughout as the Duke, Angelo the goldsmith, a buxom courtesan and somehow especially as the Abbess Emilia. Emma Kemp gave gravitas to the role of Egeon under her silver wig, and fizz to Luciana, sister of Adriana.

With guitar, clarinet and violin gently playing us in and out of scenes, and our wonderful company of players turning in a charming and pacy performance, our minds were truly distracted away from the deluge. One can only imagine how wonderful this could all have been had the sun been out.   ★★★★★   Simon Bishop   19^th July 2019

Click here to return to the main Festival page