arts // no. 8 theotherpress.ca Age of invention and imagination in ‘The Comedy of Errors’ » Steampunk meets Shakespeare at Bard on the Beach Cheryl Minns Arts Editor Marts @theotherpress.ca his summer, Bard on the Beach presents Shakespeare’s classics with some new twists on old favourites. From June 4 to September 26, The Comedy of Errors will transport audiences into the world of science fiction with its Steampunk re- imagining. “Steampunk is a genre that’s all about imagination,” director Scott Bellis said. “It’s been really fun looking at the play and coming up with ideas that can help tell the story through the perspective of a world where things are run by old, igth century, analogue technology.” The Comedy of Errors is the story of identical twins, Antipholus of Syracuse (Ben Elliott) and Antipholus of Ephesus (Jay Hindle), who are separated at a young age. Years later, Antipholus of Syracuse searches for his long- lost brother. Upon arriving in Ephesus, he gets mistaken for his brother and vice versa, leading both men to find themselves in a series of strange occurrences. “Antipholus of Syracuse has no idea what’s happening, but most of what happens to him is good stuff, so he’s just all smiles. He’s confused and happy,” Elliott said. “Antipholus of Ephesus starts off the play as a very successful merchant and has everything he wants. Then he’s : handcuffed and he’s locked up. : It’s a journey from the height of : someone’s career to the depths, : and then needing to beg for : justice,” Hindle said. In order to achieve a twin- : like similarity, Elliott and : Hindle rehearsed mirroring : one another, so it’s apparent to : audiences that their characters : are twins even when the two : aren't on stage together. “We've been working : in rehearsals to match our : movements and have similar : ways of speaking. The types of : things that twins have without : really working at it,” Elliott said. “Throughout the show we : kind of strike similar poses or : have similar mannerisms, so that : a very avid viewer or audience : member can spot certain : similarities in the way we carry : ourselves,” Hindle said. The twins’ father Egeon : is played by Bellis, who : experienced the play from both : sides of the stage as he switched : between his directing and acting : roles during rehearsals. “You become very : dependant on the people that : you're collaborating with to give : you feedback on what youre : doing as an actor,” Bellis said. “I : also have an assistant director, : Amanda Lockitch, and she’s : been extremely helpful in being : the outside eye when I’m on stage.” Bellis previously directed : his Steampunk version of The : Comedy of Errors for Studio 58 : at Langara College in 2011. For : that production, he worked with : set designer Pam Johnson, who : was invited to do the scenery : design for Bard on the Beach’s : Steampunk version of The : Comedy of Errors. “I was really interested in : some of the design aspects we'd: : come up with, so we are bringing : : forward a lot of similar design : elements into this production? : Bellis said. “We're finding all : kinds of places to insert little, : funny gadgets here and there. : Through the action of the play, : people are using whacked-out : guns instead of swords.” Along with sets and props, : the characters’ costumes have : also been redesigned to reflect : the styles of the Victorian Era : and the Industrial Revolution. : Hindle describes the wardrobe : as having a Frontier look to it, : ina style similar to Will Smith’s : Wild, Wild West. “There’s a lot of leather, : cogs, gears, goggles. It’s a : wonderful fashion period, with : lots of layers. I have vests, a : beautiful Matrix-style overcoat, : hats, and a wig with goggles on : top,” Hindle said. “I love that : time of invention when the only : limit is the imagination.” To reflect the Steampunk : style, some of The Comedy of : Errors characters have been : altered in some ways in order to : play up their eccentricities. “We’ve come up with some : crazy ideas, like Dr. Pinch— : who’s listed as a schoolmaster : and a conjurer in Shakespeare’s : script—has become a mad : scientist in our production,” : Bellis said. : : The Comedy of Errors will be : : playing at the BMO Mainstage in Vanier Park in Vancouver : from June 4 to September 26. On : (for youth 22 and under) to $55. : Talkback Tuesdays, the show will : They can be purchased online at : answer session with the cast. Ticket prices range from $29 : Tickets.BardOnTheBeach.org or : by phone at 604-739-0559. conclude with a question and Chairman of the Board: No right answer » ‘Loaded Questions’ game review Ed Appleby illustrator Miillustrator @theotherpress.ca Ba" games are a great way to get to know people. Strangers can become friends and friends can become bitter rivals. Party games are designed specifically for this purpose, and can be either ! ‘ perp : breaker and the question- : answering mechanic is pretty : strong. There are a couple of : instances in the game where : : players may have the same answer, : : or very similar answers, but : generally speaking the answers are : usually unique and identifiable. silly or deep. This game is a little of both. Loaded Questions is a party game for three to six players designed by Eric Poses and published by All Things Equal, Inc. in 1997. In the game, players move around the board and draw cards that feature broad opinion : questions, such as “Describe your : life in two words” or “If you could : turn invisible, where would you : go?” The other players write down : their answers and then one of : those players reads them to the : active player, who tries to guess : which answer belongs to which : player, moving one space for each : correct answer. The game is a great ice- Where the game breaks : down is in its board movement : mechanics. Players roll a six-sided : die and move that many spaces, : then players can move up to : another five spaces depending on : how many questions they guess : right. As the board has a relatively : short path, this weights the die : roll too much. No matter how : well you do in the questions, you : will still be behind unless you get : high rolls. The game would run : better if you only rolled the die : on the first turn and then only : progressed based on questions. Loaded Questions is a fun game for the end of the night or as : an ice-breaker at parties, but don’t : be afraid to modify the mechanics : to your gaming style. You may just : want to ditch the board and go to : a points system.