Review: The Comedy of Errors at Kedleston Hall’s Outdoor Theatre*

[Ad-gifted] The Three Inch Fools, a company of young and very talented actors, are on tour this summer with Shakespeare’s play, the Comedy of Errors, and tonight they have set up stage in the back garden of one of England’s most beautiful country houses – Kedleston Hall – to perform what they describe as Shakespeare’s shortest – and wildest – comedy.

The story is a classic tale of mistaken identity, carried to extremes. Two sets of twin brothers, two of whom are the slaves of the others, are separated in childhood by virtue of a shipwreck. Years later, the lost brothers arrive in Ephesus from Syracuse and dress as locals to avoid being detained. Of course, they soon meet their long-lost brothers – but before they realise what has happened, much mayhem is caused by the mistaken identity of all four.

Kedleston Hall is incredibly beautiful manor house, built on the site of the mediaeval village of Kedleston in the 1700s. It was the home of the Curzon family, who owned it until 1977 when running costs saw it transferred to the National Trust. Well worth visiting in its own right, the house nestles between mature trees and is complemented by the sparking waters of the River Derwent and acres of unmolested landscape. There is ample parking and the facilities are good.

How the Comedy of Errors played out

The weather was perfect for outdoor theatre, with only the tiniest few spots of rain, hardly noticeable in the warm evening. I went with a good friend, and we were armed with a picnic and two chairs. The wooden stage was decorated with festoon lights, but tonight was the summer solstice and there was ample daylight.

The Three Inch Fools were soon on stage, fittingly dressed alike but each member talented in their own right. The two girls and two guys got stuck straight in to the dizzying plot, accompanying the story with snatches of acoustic music on guitar, mandolin, drums, violin, brass and even a recorder. Nobody took themselves too seriously, and the haphazard delivery of the music was light-hearted and hilarious. There were some nice touches in the costume department, too, but nothing too elaborate.

The cast used every inch of the stage to good effect, and at times leapt into the audience, hiding amongst our camp chairs or delivering some bold lines from the back. One particularly strident yell got a baby going in its pram, which made quite a few of us titter (maybe not the baby’s mum, though).

There was a 20-minute interval, allowing us to grab a coffee, and then we plunged straight in to unravel the plot. Toward the conclusion of events, The Three Inch Fools made great use of some members of the public, randomly assigning three or four people to various roles on stage to the great delight of the rest of us.

The Fools are full of energy, talented, funny and yes, professional in their performance of one of Shakespeare’s more random plays. The audience loved them and many took a photo opportunity backstage at the end of the event… some even asked for an autograph!

Cast

The Three Inch Fools are the brainchild of brothers James Hyde (producer) and Steven Hyde (writer/director), who hail from Cumbria and who started their Shakespeare adventure in 2015.

Tonight’s cast was James Aldred, Charlotte Horner, Peter Long and Lucy Chamberlain.

Lucy studied at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where she graduated in 2023. James also studied there – he is a singer-songwriter and co-founder of a theatre company. Charlotte studied English at Cambridge and is a keen musician. Peter hails from Ireland and has made appearances in TV and film. All of them are very entertaining and delightful to watch.

Creatives

Sean Turner Director of The Comedy of Errors
Marcello Marascalchi Fight Director and Choreographer
Claire Parry Movement
Aoife Hills Costume & Props Design

How much do the tickets cost ?

Tickets are priced at £18 with reductions for under-18s and families.  Price for a family ticket for 4 (2 adults and 2 under 18s) is £50. Service fee applies. You can book your tickets directly from

How do I book tickets to watch The Secret Diary of Henry VIII and The Comedy of Errors?

Tickets can be booked by calling 07714 028770, emailing info@threeinchfools.com or by visiting Three Inch Fool’s website here.

How long is the show and where is it?

The tour will kick off at Eastbury Manor House in Barking, a National Trust property that The Three Inch Fools call home, with a rehearsal residency and space for their first performances in Eastbury’s picturesque walled garden. This innovative touring theatre company are acclaimed for their fast-paced and musically driven approach to theatre. They have built a reputation for staging bold and vibrant open-air productions at some of the UK’s most spectacular historic and natural landmarks. The tour started on 25 May and will run until 20 September.  You can see the full tour dates here.

Running Time 2 hours and 30, including a 20 minute interval. Recommended for Ages 6+

Where will the performance be held?

Tonight’s performance was at Kedleston Hall, Kedleston Road, near Quarndon, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22 5JH. You can catch up at 67 venues offering 80 performances across the country, from Speke Hall on the 21^st June to a final show at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on the 20^th September. The two plays that they perform are Comedy of Errors and the Secret Diary of Henry VIII.

Parking and refreshments

Parking was ample and free. There was disabled access, toilets and a coffee bar with snacks available, although bring-your-own picnic is the best plan.

Review by : Metia Bethell Egan

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Photo credit: Three Inch Fools

* We were provided with press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions are our own.