Comedy of Errors

One particular critic pointed out that the essential part of the play, doesn’t matter the set of twins on stage, that the pairs will be mismatched until the comic denouement.

Comedy of Errors

In one movie version of a play, there was a near-perfect set of twins, brother and sister, and with just a touch of makeup, looked close enough to fulfill the staged-fantasy, with more modern movie requirements being answered.

The stage convention I’m most familiar with, though, is simple enough, the twins are dressed in identical attire, and that satisfies the illusion of being twins. Dressed identical means they are the same.

Comedy of Errors

Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors is built around two sets of twins, and their mishaps one day afoot in a strange town. While I’ve seen this one a time or two before, the opening night for UT’s Shakespeare Winedale was a resounding success. There were a few lines lost in translation, but the show started on time, spirited right along, and the actors did a superlative job of the show. Timing, despite the loss of lines, was impeccable. Or comically impeccable. Brilliant, nothing short of brilliant.

Comedy of Errors

From my seat, it was as if the various blows, beatings, and various pratfalls were about half a beat off from the sound effects — but almost like that was on purpose. Rim shot.

Didn’t know it, but we caught that’s opening night, and we were well-rewarded. The show was a little rough around the edges, but the joy, drive, and execution was near-flawless, from an audience member point of view. Then, too, the hair bit?

Ant: Why, but there’s many a man hath more hair than wit.
Dro: Not a man of those but he hath the wit to lose his hair.

• (2.ii.65-6)

There was a young audience male with long, luxurious locks, and two seats over, a fellow who was mostly male-pattern bald. The actors engaged them as examples.

Well-played, well-played indeed.

Just a wonderful production. While I’ve seen several version, this one made more sense, in part, the intimate nature of the barn, in part, the production, with its bare essentials, and mostly, due to the sheer exuberance of the actors.

There’s a fine respect for the language, and using the language itself to dictate what is shown in stage, no fancy special effects or digital chicanery, just actors and their skills evoking the emotion and pronouncing all the words.

There’s a some pretty seriously fun word play in that show.

The play’s the thing.

Comedy of Errors

Shakespeare at Winedale (Round Top, TX) — and I would see that show again, it was that much fun.

Comedy of Errors

Previously, in Austin.