THE Castle Players are looking for people to get involved with their summer production, which this year will be Shakespeare’s farce The Comedy of Errors.
In the driving seat will be Gordon Duffy-McGhie, fresh from directing the largely
sold out winter tour of the Old Curiosity Shop and last involved with Shakespeare when he took the lead role
in Macbeth in the Castle Players’ 30th anniversary production.
Mr Duffy-McGhie plans to set the play in an era inspired by the TV show Peaky Blinders and transform the grounds of The Bowes Museum into a bustling New York at the dawn of the 1920s.
He hopes this will capture the vibrancy of the play and make Shakespeare’s world and characters more easily accessible to a modern audience.
He said: “The Comedy of Errors, as well as being Shakespeare’s shortest play, is an hilarious farce with a dark underbelly.
“Shakespeare places ‘time’ centre stage, with the action of the play taking place during the course of a single day.
“This is the backdrop to all the comedy and mistaken identity that ensues.
“By giving our production a Peaky Blinders flavour, I hope to add a touch of edginess to the comic proceedings and open up a familiar world for our audiences – a world of corruption and intrigue, of wheeler-dealers and wanton lasciviousness, and most importantly of all, a world of music and life lived large.”
Whether they are interested in being on stage or helping behind the scenes, people are invited to attend an open meeting at 7.30pm on Monday, February 17, at Startforth Community Centre.
Adele Tyler, from the Castle Players, said: “You will find out more about the story line and the director’s vision.
“There will be refreshments and plenty of time to chat informally to people who look after various areas such as props, set building, make-
up, costume and front of house.”
Message The Castle Players via their Facebook page or email info@castleplayers.co.
uk for further information.
The performances will be in the grounds of The Bowes Museum, 7.30pm on Tuesday July 7 to Saturday, July 11.
