It was a fantastic evening for the opening of The Comedy of Errors last night: warm, with barely a breeze, and Regent’s Park’s beautiful Open Air Theatre audience was on fine form.

Shakespeare’s early comedy about two sets of twins and a lot of mistaken identity is the second show in the Open Air Theatre’s season. And I loved it.

Director Philip Franks has transported Epheseus to 1940s Casablanca for this production; the cast sport stylish 40s suits and dresses, with big, glamorous Hollywood-filmstar sunglasses. The Courtesan, played by Anna-Jane Casey, is now a nightclub owner, while the twin servants (both called Dromio) wear fezzes and seem to suffer more than usual in the heat of this foreign-feeling place.

This is a Comedy of Errors with an emphasis on the comedy. It’s not a terribly subtle production (gorilla suits and burlesque dance pieces in particular!), and knows exactly where the humour can be found in both Shakespeare’s text and in additional clever moments of slapstick.

As Antipholis of Syracuse, Daniel Weyman does a fantastic job of building the confusion and bewilderment throughout the play. I also enjoyed the performances of Joseph Kloska and Josh Cohen as the twin servants Dromio. Kloska’s hilarious description of a fat kitchen maid as a map of the world (with obligatory puns on the “Netherlands”) was brilliant, and made me think of just how incredibly timeless some of Shakespeare’s comedy can be.

The incredible attention to detail means you probably don’t spot all the intricate little looks, precise puns, and comedy in the crowd scenes the first time around. This is ensemble theatre at its best: when everyone on stage is working to create a perfect tableau. It all comes together beautifully.

But if you’re a fan of the sillier side of Shakespeare’s early stuff, as well as the snatches of sublime poetry that accompanies it, for example, in the tear-jerkingly happy ending, I would really recommend seeing this show.

The Comedy of Errors plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 13 July. Book tickets here

• Bond Girl Gemma Arterton is returning to the London stage in The Master Builder at the Almeida, joining the fantastic Stephen Dillane. Go Gemma!
• In other Bond film star news, Judi Dench will be voicing the The Giant in the Open Air Theatre’s upcoming production of Into The Woods. (She’s not going to be on stage: she’s recording her part in July for the August opening of this summer’s outdoor musical)
• And another British film star, Ben Barnes will appear in the forthcoming production of Birdsong, a stage adaptation of Sebastian Faulks‘ amazing novel. Personally, I can’t wait for this show open in September

In new show news, Five Guys Named Moe returns to London this autumn, opening at the Theatre Royal Stratford East from September. The award-winning jazz musical is heading back to the venue where it first opened 20 years ago!

And the most toe-tingling news for me this week is the RSC’s announcement that they’re heading back to the Roundhouse later in the year. Bringing back memories of the curious Shakespeare marathon that was The Histories, this time the company are presenting a repertoire of eight plays in 10 weeks, including Romeo And Juliet, Antony And Cleopatra, The Winter’s Tale, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and King Lear. RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd says:

“London audiences will be able to see our ensemble in full flight – 44 actors pushing each other to set the bar of their achievements higher. When they touch down at the Roundhouse in our specially built auditorium in November it will mark a significant highpoint, two years into their journey together.”

Brilliant news. (Read Boyd’s quote in full)

Finally, theatreland giveth and taketh away: the incredible All My Sons has extended to October (hurrah!), but the wonderful Oliver! is closing (boo!) in January 2011. Book now if you don’t want to miss out on seeing this fantastic London musical!

Yesterday was Billy Elliot’s birthday! The Stephen Daldry / Elton John musical celebrated five successful years in the West End last night with a big birthday bash. Friends, fans, families and celebrities including David Walliams were treated to a 19-strong Billy “megamix, a mash-up of all the Billys.”

Stephen Daldry played tribute to the fine actors that have made the show a success. According to the Official London Theatre Guide, “When we first started with our three first Billys, it was so magical we never thought we would be able to recreate that magic ever again. The fact that we have consistently found these fantastic Billys is a wonder to behold.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s a fantastic show.

From long-runners to new spring arrivals: the cast for Nick Grosso’s new comedy about addiction, Ingredient X, at the Royal Court from 20 May has been announced. The lovely Lesley Sharp, who’s been busy in the West End lately (in The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice at the Vaudeville, Harper Regan at the National, and Ghosts at the Duchess Theatre) plays X Factor addict Rosanna. And James Lance (who you’ll know from Teachers, Boy Meets Girl and Moving Wallpaper) and Indira Varma (from Hustle, Torchwood or Rome) are also going to star.

And I’ve learnt about the casting for this summer’s Open Air Theatre season. Into The Woods will be led by the wonderful Hannah Waddingham and Jenna Russell. Both actresses have been in Sondheim shows before: Hannah in the recent London production of A Little Night Music, and Jenna won an Olivier Award for Sunday In The Park With George in 2007.

Also at the Open Air Theatre this summer is Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, starring Patrick O’Kane (who’s currently in War Horse), Emma Cunniffe (in Dumb Show at the mo), Emily Taaffe (who you might know from Nation at the National) and RSC regular Oliver Ford Davies (who I last saw in that amazing Shakespeare marathon, The Histories).

Finally, the National Theatre’s 2010 Travelex Season now includes Welcome To Thebes, starring David Harewood, due to open in June. As Theseus, Harewood returns to theatre where he made history as the first black actor to play Othello. More recently he has played Martin Luther King in The Mountaintop and Nelson Mandela in TV drama Mrs Mandela. Another of the fantastic ensemble from The Histories, Chuk Iwuji joins David in the cast.

Book now for all the above to avoid disappointment!