Reading Shakespeare 2014: 1/12 completed

For January, I chose The Comedy of Errors. As far as Shakespeare plays go, it’s a lightweight, so I thought it would help me ease into my resolution. I also wanted a comedy to liven up the cold, dull winter days. It turned out to be a very quick read- only 25 pages (though I’m reading it in a large-bound, small-print, double-columed anthology, so they are long pages. Still, that’s less than a page a day).

I had a lot of fun reading this play, but I had even more fun imagining what it would have been like if Shakespeare had presented the play to a writing workshop before producing it onstage.

Here’s how I think it would go down…

William Shakespeare (handing out scripts): Hi, this is my new play, The Comedy of Errors. It’s a comedy, obviously. Basically, it’s a play about two sets of twins-

William Shakespeare’s writing teacher (let’s call him George) interrupts.

George: Hold on a sec, Will. Did you say two sets of twins?

(The class laughs a little.)

William: Uh, yeah.

George: That’s ridiculous. One set of twins is rare enough, but two? Maybe in a few centuries when fertility drugs are commonplace, but in the 1590s, I think not.

William: All right, I know it’s a little farfetched, but let me just continue and you’ll see where I’m going with this. So the two sets of twins are separated in childhood.

George: Both of them?

William: Yes, one set is in indentured servitude to the other set. Their ship is sinking, so the parents tie one of each together, and attach them to different parts of the ship.

George: Hold on, hold on. So they didn’t keep the twins together? They mixed-and-matched? In a life-or-death situation?

William: Yeah.

George: Those parents are idiots.

William (exasperated): Everyone in this play is an idiot.

George: I wonder why that is?

(The class laughs)

George: I really don’t see where you’re going with this, Willy, but proceed.

William: Many years later, Antipholus of Syracuse and his bondsman, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which coincidentally is where the other Antipholus and Dromio ended up.

George: Wait. Just wait. The twins both have the SAME NAMES?

William: Well, yeah. I mean, they have to, or no one would confuse them and there’d be no play.

George: William, that is insane. What parents name twins exactly the same name? You have a pair of children that you can’t tell apart anyway, and now they don’t even have a way of telling each other apart? What the hell would have happened if they hadn’t gotten separated in childhood? Hello, identity crisis! This is a seriously dysfunctional family.

William: But that’s the point. Antipholus and Dromio from Syracuse keep getting confused with Antipholus and Dromio from Ephesus, even by the Ephesian’s wife, friends and debtors.

George: I suppose they’re coincidentally wearing the exact same clothes, too?

William: Well, yeah. I mean, I haven’t checked with the costume department yet, but they’ll have to if the play’s going to make any sense.

George: This play will never make sense, William. I suggest you stick to your day job. NEXT!

(Exeunt)

 

I’m glad William didn’t listen to hypothetical George, though, because while the premise of The Comedy of Errors really IS ridiculous, it’s a fun play. I especially loved Dromio of Syracuse’s rhyming puns.

I’m going to alternate comedies and tragedies, so February’s play will be Romeo and Juliet (for Valentine’s day).

Have yourself a good laugh today!