Review: The Comedy of Errors

Review – The Comedy of Errors  | Starling Shakespeare Company | Marquette Park, Mackinac Island, Michigan | Curtain Up! | Eric Fitzgerald | August 26, 2025

This week, Curtain Up! steps beyond Colorado’s borders and onto the storied shores of Mackinac Island, Michigan, cradled in the straits between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, spending the weekend there as a guest of Emily and Paul Fullerton. Emily, my cousin and one of the guiding forces behind the creation of Curtain Up!, continues to inspire both my work and my wanderings.

Mackinac Island is a place where time doesn’t just slow—it sways. Allowing only horsepower (literally) and bicycles, horse hooves echo down tree-lined streets, lake breezes carry the scent of lilacs when in season, and the modern world feels miles away. For me, it’s not just a destination, it’s a return to the summers of my youth, where memory and magic still linger in the air.

While there, I caught Starling Shakespeare Company’s Mackinac Island Shakespeare Festival fifth annual summer production in Marquette Park: The Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare. Directed by Amie Root, it is full of delightful confusion with the setting, the company, and the chaos all beautifully, bewilderingly theatrical. Adding to the merriment, Starling Shakespeare Company is comprised of only five actors who play multiple characters throughout the presentation.

The production leaned into the confusion of The Comedy of Errors with an innovative and practical choice: puppets. Each twin was paired with a distinct puppet, which helped the audience track who was who as the plot twisted through mistaken identities, romantic mix-ups, and nonstop misunderstandings. It was a clear, creative solution to a famously chaotic play—funny, well-executed, and entirely in tune with the story’s fast-paced absurdity.

And yet—even with that clarity cue—the storyline remained a whirlwind. That’s not a critique, but a testament to the play’s design. Shakespeare’s early comedy thrives on disorientation, and this staging honored that spirit while offering just enough grounding to keep us laughing through madness.

The Comedy of Errors spins a fast-paced tale of mistaken identity, featuring two sets of identical twins separated at birth. Antipholus of Syracuse (Ethan Goodmansen) and his servant Dromio (Rosemary Richards) arrive in Ephesus, unaware that their long-lost twins—Antipholus of Ephesus (Josh Paine) and Dromio of Ephesus (Jessie Lillis, Producing Artistic Director & Co-Founder of Starling Shakespeare Company)—already live there.

Complications arise when Adriana (Abigail Olshin), the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, mistakes the visiting twin for her husband, sparking a whirlwind of marital confusion. As identities blur, the city erupts in chaos: wrongful arrests, romantic entanglements, and accusations of madness abound. It all culminates in a joyful reunion when the twins finally meet face to face, unraveling the confusion and reuniting their fractured family.

True to Starling Shakespeare’s ensemble-driven ethos, the cast takes on multiple roles across the production, showcasing their versatility and collaborative spirit. With minimal frills and maximum ingenuity (check out the sound effects table), the company leans into the play’s dizzying pace and theatricality—reminding us that storytelling thrives on trust, timing, and shared imagination.

Amie Root’s direction keeps the show moving with sharp pacing and smart choices that make the story easier to follow despite its layers of confusion. She leans into the play’s momentum, using quick transitions and clear character beats to keep the audience engaged. A standout feature was the addition of original songs, written and performed by the cast, which added energy and helped to shape the tone of key moments. The production feels tight, well-balanced, and grounded in strong ensemble work.

Set against the backdrop of Lake Huron, Mackinac Island offers a setting as whimsical and layered as The Comedy of Errors itself. With its sweeping views, historic charm, and car-free serenity, the Island becomes more than a location—it’s a character in the story, amplifying the play’s sense of disorientation and delight. Starling Shakespeare Festival makes full use of this atmosphere, performing outdoors in Marquette Park where nature and narrative intertwine. The company will continue its run on the island through August 31, before packing up for the season and leaving behind echoes of laughter, music, and reunion.