Alison Diesel as Dromio of Ephesus, left, and Hugh Calloway as Dromio of Syracuse face off in the dress rehearsal of the Blacktip Island Community Players’ interpretation of Shakespeare’s mistaken-identity farce The Comedy of Errors. (photo courtesy of the Blacktip Island Community Players / Gage Hoase).
The Blacktip Island Community Players Thursday announced their Fall 2024 Shakespeare Festival will open this Saturday with their rendition of The Comedy of Errors, set on contemporary Blacktip Island, Players officials said.
“We’re trying to make this wonderful material relevant to the average Blacktipper,” BICP director Doris Blenny said. “The Comedy of Errors will start things off because it could have been written specifically for our little island. It’s an uncanny life-copies-art situation. Or vice versa.
“The play’s been described as a classic farce, but to us it’s just everyday life,” Blenny said. “In fact, last year, the phrase nearly became our island motto, being narrowly edged out by ‘If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It.’”
Many in the small island community embraced the retelling.
“It’s wonderful something cultural like this can be produced so true to life,” Chrissy Graysby said. “People get me and Joey Pompano mixed up all the time, always with comic results. We’ll be bringing the kiddos so they can soak up their heritage.”
Others questioned the choice of plays.
“Blacktip’s full of construction workers and divemasters,” James Conlee said. “Fancy plays like this got nothing to offer. Be surprised if anybody shows up. Time’s better spent at the Sand Spit bar. Or better yet, The Last Ballyhoo. Go down to the Ballyhoo Saturday at closing time, you’ll see some real entertainment.”
Other questioned its appropriateness.
“This little rock’s already eat-up with gossip and rumors and mistaken identity,” Dermott Bottoms said. “Folks recognize themselves in the play, there’s gonna be problems. I see anybody mocking me, I’ll snatch ‘em off that stage and chuck ‘em through the window.”
The cast includes:
- Gage Hoase as Antipholus of Ephesus
- Marina DeLow as Antipholus of Syracuse
- Alison Diesel as Dromio of Ephesus
- Hugh Calloway as Dromio of Syracuse
- Lee Helm as Adriana
- Cori Anders as Luciana
- Jessie Catahoula as Egeon the Merchant
- Booger Bottoms as Solinus, Duke of Ephesus
“We are allowing alcohol consumption, in moderation, but with zero tolerance for rowdy behavior,” Blenny said. “The constable will be standing by, and we will not have a repeat of last year’s Last Samurai finale debacle.”
The play will begin at 7:30 on the island’s Heritage House lawn. All funds raised will go to Blacktip’s Habitat for Humanity.
The Blacktip Times 