The Comedy of Errors: The 30-Minute Shakespeare
3.5/5
()
About this ebook
The Comedy of Errors: The 30-Minute Shakespeare offers five raucous scenes from this extravaganza of mistaken identity.
The abridgement begins with a dramatic physical enactment of the twins’ separation at sea. The play continues with a series of foibles featuring Antipholus of Ephesus, Dromio of Ephesus, and their identical twin counterparts from Antipholus.
Adriana and Luciana receive hysterically misguided attention from the twins. Emilia and Egeon as the long-lost parents, and the riotous conjurer Dr. Pinch round out the cast of characters in Shakespeare’s most uproarious comedy.
The edition includes a preface by Nick Newlin containing helpful advice on how to put on a Shakespeare performance in a high school class with novice actors, as well as an appendix with suggestions for the specific play and recommendations for further resources.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.
Related to The Comedy of Errors
Related ebooks
As You Like It: Including Stage Directions for All Levels of Experience Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Julius Caesar: The 30-Minute Shakespeare: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Othello: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Merchant of Venice: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Merry Wives of Windsor: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHamlet: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKing Lear: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Taming of the Shrew: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHenry IV, Part 1: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Henry V: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLove's Labor's Lost: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Richard III: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMacbeth: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRomeo and Juliet: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMuch Ado About Nothing: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Midsummer Night's Dream: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Tempest: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 30-Minute Shakespeare Anthology: 18 Student Scenes with Monologues Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Twelfth Night: The 30-Minute Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDrama Games for Exploring Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings"More Fog, Please": 31 Years Directing Community and High School Musicals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsImprovisation in Rehearsal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsComedy of Errors (No Fear Shakespeare) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shakespeare For Beginners Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Song for Ella Grey (NHB Modern Plays): (stage version) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKiss Me Quickstep (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Compleat Works Of Willm Shkspr (Abridged) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Winter's Tale Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Performing Arts For You
The Best Women's Monologues from New Plays, 2020 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lucky Dog Lessons: From Renowned Expert Dog Trainer and Host of Lucky Dog: Reunions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Romeo and Juliet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey through the Art and Craft of Humor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHamlet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book: The Script Book Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hollywood's Dark History: Silver Screen Scandals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Trial Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes: Revised and Complete Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wuthering Heights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Midsummer Night's Dream, with line numbers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Woman Is No Man: A Read with Jenna Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Our Town: A Play in Three Acts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Dolls House Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Diamond Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Is This Anything? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The World Turned Upside Down: Finding the Gospel in Stranger Things Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yes Please Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coreyography: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Agatha Christie Collection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for The Comedy of Errors
508 ratings15 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I love Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors" because it seems to contain a dash of all his comedic abilities and elements, all thrown together into one play.This is the story of two sets of identical twins separated at birth. When the four of them end up in the same city at the same time, all sorts of, well, comedy and error ensues.Shakespeare makes sharp use of his usual witty twist of wordplay, farce and puns. Throw in theft, madness, more cases of mistaken identity than you could ever wish for, public beatings, arrest, false accusations, and fake possession, and you have this wild story.I wouldn't call this one perfect or without "errors" of its own, however. There is not much variation or development in the plot, and the joke gets old after awhile.All the same, it's Shakespeare, and a great introduction to his comedies.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I wasn't surprised to learn that "Comedy of Errors" is one of Shakespeare's early plays. It really seemed unpolished compared to some of his best-known work.I guess my major objection was with the whole switcharoo premise, which seemed so implausible that I couldn't suspend that much disbelief.I perhaps might have enjoyed a performance of the play more than a read of it. Definitely one of my least favorites of the Shakespeare plays I've read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fast and facile. A Shakespearean sit-com – clever and silly, but with no depth. This one, more than most, I think, needs to be seen performed to be properly appreciated – I imagine all the mix-ups might be quite entertaining, properly acted. Unfortunately I read it, along with a Librivox recording by a cast that included some really talented readers, some who were clearly new to the English language, and a robot. In fairness I'll admit that I'm generally luke-warm on the comedies, aside from “Much Ado, so my lack of enthusiasm probably doesn't say much about the actual merits of this play.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is one of Will's earlier comedies. There's a lot of slapstick, insults, and raunchy humor. This has the classic line, "She is spherical, like a globe. I could find out countries in her."
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Really excellent insults and figures of speech throughout a ridiculous play. This play should not be performed "straight," or read silently--you need a framing device, or great physical comedy, or *something* to bring it up to the level of Shakespeare's other plays. Because there really isn't much to this farce, and what little substance there is, is a bit sketchy (ah, beating one's slave--hilarity!). Also, I hate mistaken identity stories, so I was prejudiced against this from the start.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely loved it!! I loved the doubles!!!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This play probably ties with Twelfth Night for my favorite Shakespeare play of those that I've read. The concept of people constantly mixing up two twins and this wreaking lots of havoc may not be the most advanced ever, but Shakespeare plays it out really well here.This play lives up to its status in the comedy of category. I found the humor very situational, and at times couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the characters' circumstances.I also thought that the characterization was quite well done here. The reader actually does get a fair amount of insight into Adriana's marriage with Antipholus of Ephesus and her feelings. I felt that I also got good insight into why things were happening because Shakespeare partially develops these charactesr by talking about the problems (and their anxieties regarding them) which they need to eliminate to avoid being arrested.I also thought this play was a quick read over all. I thought that the characters kept the reader engaged, as did the plot. It left me wanting to know what happened. Even if this play is a comedy, I think there's lots of other good reasons to enjoy it!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5another of the 1890 wee books from the same series, wonder what else is out there
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Have you ever seen the 1988 movie Big Business? If you have then you know the general idea of this play’s premise. Two sets of twins are born in the same place on the same night. One set of twins is wealthy, the other is not. The twins are separated at birth and one brother from each set end up growing up together as servant and master. Just to add to the confusion, the twins from each pair have the same name. The play is one big case of mistaken identity. Friends, lovers, foes, everyone is completely confused as they run into the brothers and mistake them for their twin. I think this would be an incredibly entertaining play for kids to see, especially if they’re new to Shakespeare’s work. It’s easy to follow and contains lots of big laughs. In later plays the Bard uses cases of mistaken identity and sets of twins to aid a larger story. This play feels like an early draft of the greater work to come, but it lacks the depth of his other plays. BOTTOM LINE: This is the shortest and shallowest of Shakespeare’s comedies. I have a feeling it would be really fun to see performed live, but it doesn’t work as well in the written form.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great fun! Bit hard to get into at first, but it's hilarious once you do. I feel very sorry for everyone in this play, but that doesn't make it any less funny.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Obviously an earlier work. More slapstick than his more sophisticated humor in his later works. The unfortunate servants serve as the receiving end of a Punch and Judy show. I don't recall that type of humor in his other works. But the "punderful" use of the English language is there from the start. Not a very compelling play, but fun nonetheless.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I went into this fairly skeptical of how much I would actually enjoy it. I was told that it was Shakespeare's first play and that the only reason that my instructor was having us read it was because it is actually being performed here on campus and we are required to attend the one-night-only performance. Not a glowing recommendation to have before starting a book!The play is surprisingly easy to follow and understand. The humor is actually funny and I found myself chuckling out loud and enjoying the many puns and instances of word play that take place throughout caused by the many mistakes in identity that occur due to the presence of two sets of long separated twins. The play does require the reader/viewer to suspend reality in order for the premise to work, but all in all, it's quite entertaining and worth checking out if you're interested in this sort of thing.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Not one of Shakespeare's best. Two pairs of twins were separated shortly after birth, one pair gentlemen and one pair servants. They are reunited after a series of confusing events and mistaken identity. It wasn't a bad play, and would probably be funnier on stage, but it didn't seem enough of a plot for 5 whole acts.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shakespeare set this farce about identical twins in the ancient world. Early in the play, the father of one set of twins explains how the pairs were separated in a ship wreck. This background prepares the audience for scene after scene of mistaken identity as the Syracusan and Ephesian pairs move about Ephesus. I read along as I listened to the Arkangel audio production and laughed aloud at the characters’ confusion. It doesn’t pay to think too deeply about the plot. The Syracusan pair had been traveling for several years in search of their lost twins, so why didn’t it occur to them that their twins were living in Ephesus when all these strangers thought they were someone else?
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A good page of fat jokes, and no end of a-woman's-role-in-marriage repartee, but overall a rather mindless play. The introduction in the Norton Shakespeare struggles to find depth, citing the issue of identity which The Bard clearly doesn't grapple with here.
Book preview
The Comedy of Errors - Nick Newlin
Table of Contents
THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE
Title Page
Dedication
✴ NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
✴ SCENE 1. (ACT I, SCENE I)
✴ SCENE 2. (ACT I, SCENE II)
✴ SCENE 3. (ACT II, SCENE II)
✴ SCENE 4. (ACT III, SCENE II)
✴ SCENE 5.(ACT V, SCENE I)
✴ PERFORMING SHAKESPEARE
HOW THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE WAS BORN
GETTING STARTED
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
FOUR FORMS OF ENGAGEMENT: VOCAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND INTELLECTUAL
SIX ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: PLOT, CHARACTER, THEME, DICTION, MUSIC, AND SPECTACLE
PITFALLS AND SOLUTIONS
✴ PERFORMANCE NOTES: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
✴ THE COMEDY OF ERRORS: SET AND PROP LIST
BENJAMIN BANNEKER SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL presents The Comedy of Errors By William Shakespeare
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE
Copyright Page
THE 30-MINUTE SHAKESPEARE
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
001"Nick Newlin’s work as a teaching artist for Folger Education during the past thirteen years has provided students, regardless of their experience with Shakespeare or being on stage, a unique opportunity to tread the boards at the Folger Theatre. Working with students to edit Shakespeare’s plays for performance at the annual Folger Shakespeare Festivals has enabled students to gain new insights into the Bard’s plays, build their skills of comprehension and critical reading, and just plain have fun working collaboratively with their peers.
Folger Education promotes performance-based teaching of Shakespeare’s plays, providing students with an interactive approach to Shakespeare’s plays in which they participate in a close reading of the text through intellectual, physical, and vocal engagement. Newlin’s The 30-Minute Shakespeare series is an invaluable resource for teachers of Shakespeare, and for all who are interested in performing the plays."
ROBERT YOUNG, PH.D.
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY
002To my brother
Bill Newlin
For turning
words into deeds
We came into the world like brother and brother; And now let’s go hand in hand, not one before the other.
William Shakespeare
The Comedy of Errors
Act V, Scene I
Special thanks to Joanne Flynn, Bill Newlin, Eliza Newlin Carney, William and Louisa Newlin, Michael Tolaydo, Hilary Kacser, Sarah Juckniess, Katherine Little, Eva Zimmerman, Leah Gordon, Julie Schaper and all of Consortium, Leo Bowman and the students, faculty, and staff at Banneker Academic High School, and Robert Young Ph.D., and the Folger Shakespeare Library, especially the wonderful Education Department.
✴ NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
I was not a big actor type
in high school, so if you weren’t either, or if the young people you work with are not, then this book is for you. Whether or not you work with actor types,
you can use this book to stage a lively and captivating thirty-minute version of a Shakespeare play. No experience is necessary.
When I was about eleven years old, my parents took me to see Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, which was being performed as a Broadway musical. I didn’t comprehend every word I heard, but I was enthralled with the language, the characters, and the story, and I understood enough of it to follow along. From then on, I associated Shakespeare with fun.
Of course Shakespeare is fun. The Elizabethan audiences knew it, which is one reason he was so popular. It didn’t matter that some of the language eluded them. The characters were passionate and vibrant, and their conflicts were compelling. Young people study Shakespeare in high school, but more often than not they read his work like a text book and then get quizzed on academic elements of the play, such as plot, theme, and vocabulary. These are all very interesting, but not nearly as interesting as standing up and performing a scene! It is through performance that the play comes alive and all its academic
elements are revealed. There is nothing more satisfying to a student or teacher than the feeling of owning
a Shakespeare play, and that can only come from performing it.
But Shakespeare’s plays are often two or more hours long, making the performance of an entire play almost out of the question. One can perform a single scene, which is certainly a good start, but what about the story? What about the changes a character goes through as the play progresses? When school groups perform one scene unedited, or when they lump several plays together, the audience can get lost. This is why I have always preferred to tell the story of the play.
The 30-Minute Shakespeare gives students and teachers a chance to get up on their feet and act out a Shakespeare play in half an hour, using his language. The emphasis is on key scenes, with narrative bridges between scenes to keep the audience caught