The Comedy of Terrors is Riotously Entertaining at Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City

By Matt Adams and Torri Adams

If you are looking for some laughs and live entertainment, go get tickets to see The Comedy of Terrors at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. As may be expected, this farce shares some similarities with  Shakespeare’s popular The Comedy of Errors, but with an extra twist: there are only two actors in the entire show, playing all the parts. So, buckle up and get ready to keep track of who’s who and why they’re there in this hilarious tale.

Like its Shakespearean namesake, The Comedy of Terrors features two sets of identical twins, but this time a set of brothers and a set of sisters.  Jo Smith, an actress, arrives at the theater expecting an audition with a renowned director, Mr. Jones. However, she finds that the Mr. Jones she is meeting is actually the director’s identical twin brother.  He has lured her to the theater under false pretenses: there is no audition.  Rather, Mr. Jones wants to enlist her help in convincing his twin that he did not cheat on his fiancée.  All she needs to do is pretend to be her identical twin sister, Fiona.  Unsurprisingly, multiple cases of mistaken identity occur, and confusion and hilarity ensue.

Alex Keiper and Michael Doherty (married in real life) have the enormous task of playing all the roles in this production.  Keiper expertly plays the two twin sisters, the Smiths, while Doherty hilariously portrays the brothers, the Joneses.  Both actors should be commended just for being able to keep track of their blocking, which character they are currently playing, and for the physical demands of these roles.  The script and Brian Vaughn’s complex direction require them to frequently hurry backstage to make an entrance in another location as another character.  Keiper and Doherty do a fantastic job helping the audience keep track of the characters, using different voices and mannerisms. The audience also benefits from small, yet distinct costume cues (Lauren T. Roark), Costume Design: Kärin Koptische.  Doherty’s over-the-top physical comedy often prompts riotous laughter from the audience.

Recordings and sound effects are sometimes used to aid the illusion that characters played by the same actor are in two places at once.  This requires precise timing, and sound coordinator Scott Palfreyman, delivers just that and deserves special mention. Palfreyman’s sound design and Danielle Davis’s lighting design enhance and help untangle this convoluted story.  While the set (Dan Giedeman) and props (Benjamin Hohman) may seem relatively simple, they hold some secrets to enable the actors to move quickly around the stage, as well as to conceal and reveal themselves as needed.

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The Comedy of Terrors is refreshingly self-aware, leaning into clichés that are common to this type of farce.  While the production appropriately does not take itself too seriously, it is expertly executed.  Considering the sheer logistics involved, kudos are merited by the entire artistic staff and the cast.

We would have enjoyed this production under any circumstances but given the recent scarcity of opportunities for live theater, it was extra enjoyable.  There is something magical about sharing a live experience with other audience members and laughing along with strangers and acquaintances.  After suspending last year’s season, it is wonderful that USF has been able to re-open just in time to celebrate their 60^th anniversary and to honor the recently departed founder, Fred C. Adams.

This production has a fair share of sexual inuendo along with some strong language and viewers should use discretion on allowing younger individuals to attend.

Utah Shakespeare Festival presents The Comedy of Terrors by John Goodrum.
The Randall Jones Theater, 300 W Center St, Cedar City, UT 84720
July 29-October 9, 2021, 2:00 PM, 8:00 PM
Tickets: $29-$80
Utah Shakespeare Festival Facebook Page
Photos by: Karl Hugh