A bash at the Bard with knockabout skill

10:55am Thursday 24th July 2008

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THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, MASKERS THEATRE COMPANY, HAMPTWORTH LODGE

BELLY dancers, snake-charmers and haggling merchants gave us a hint of the Turkish delight to come as we settled down on the archery lawn at Hamptworth Lodge to watch The Comedy of Errors.

Not that there are any mistakes made in this helter-skelter romp as the Maskers Theatre Company pelt through the closest thing Shakespeare ever got to farce with narry a trip, prompt or missed entrance.

Its 19th century Ottoman Empire setting gives plenty of scope for colourful costumes and comic business and Brian Stansbridge's punchy, pacy production is packed with visual jokes, running gags and mad knockabout fun.

He's well served by a hardworking cast, who throw themselves (sometimes quite literally) into this tale of twin brothers (energetically played by Pete Burrows and James Norton) parted at birth and blissfully ignorant of the other's existence until they are brought together in Ephesus.

Their servants are another set of similarly separated twins (Rob Praine and Matt Avery), paving the way for a classic case of mistaken identities complicated by a jealous wife (Rachel Courage), her bluestocking sister (Joanna Russel), a father condemned to death (an uncharatcteristically sombre John Souter) and a smouldering quack (Albie Minns).

It would be invidious to declare a first among equals but certainly Tony Lawther and Angela Barks should take a bow for the technical and practical smooth running of this ambitious production.

And spare a thought too for the battering that Rob and Matt take as the beleagured Dromio twins - rarely have so many bruises been earned in the name of art.

A change in National Trust policy forced Maskers to vacate Mottisfont Abbey after years of open-air productions there but they have fallen on their feet with Hamptworth.

Its tiered terraces provide a natural stage and the new venue is glorious, perfect for a summer evening's entertainment in the right hands - and this production is.

• The Comedy of Errors runs until Saturday.

- Lesley Bates