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''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from
slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such ...
and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and
word play Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, pho ...
. It has been adapted for opera, stage, screen and musical theatre numerous times worldwide. In the centuries following its premiere, the play's title has entered the popular English lexicon as an idiom for "an event or series of events made ridiculous by the number of errors that were made throughout". Set in the
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
city of
Ephesus Ephesus (; grc-gre, Ἔφεσος, Éphesos; tr, Efes; may ultimately derive from hit, 𒀀𒉺𒊭, Apaša) was a city in ancient Greece on the coast of Ionia, southwest of present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built i ...
, ''The Comedy of Errors'' tells the story of two sets of identical twins who were accidentally separated at birth. Antipholus of
Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States * Syracuse, New York ** East Syracuse, New York ** North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, M ...
and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-
seduction Seduction has multiple meanings. Platonically, it can mean "to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty", or "to lead astray, usually by persuasion or false promises". Strategies of seduction include conversation and sexual scripts, paralingual ...
, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of
infidelity Infidelity (synonyms include cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair) is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, sexual jealousy, and ri ...
, theft, madness, and
demonic possession Spirit possession is an unusual or altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors purportedly caused by the control of a human body by spirits, ghosts, demons, or gods. The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and ...
.


Characters

* Solinus –
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, t ...
of Ephesus * Egeon – A merchant of Syracuse – father of the Antipholus twins * Emilia – Antipholus' lost mother – wife to Egeon * Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse – twin brothers, sons of Egeon and Emilia * Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse – twin brothers,
bondmen Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which developed ...
, each serving his respective Antipholus * Adriana – wife of Antipholus of Ephesus * Luciana – Adriana's sister, love interest of Antipholus of Syracuse * Nell/Luce – kitchen wench/maid to Adriana, Wife of Dromio of Ephesus * Balthazar – a merchant * Angelo – a
goldsmith A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Nowadays they mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, goldsmiths have also made silverware, platters, goblets, decorative and servicea ...
* Courtesan * First merchant – friend to Antipholus of Syracuse * Second merchant – to whom Angelo is in debt * Doctor Pinch – a conjuring schoolmaster * Gaoler, Headsman, Officers, and other Attendants


Synopsis

Act I Because a law forbids merchants from Syracuse from entering Ephesus, elderly Syracusian trader Egeon faces execution when he is discovered in the city. He can only escape by paying a fine of a thousand marks. He tells his sad story to Solinus, Duke of Ephesus. In his youth, Egeon married and had twin sons. On the same day, a poor woman without a job also gave birth to twin boys, and he purchased these as slaves to his sons. Soon afterward, the family made a sea voyage and was hit by a tempest. Egeon lashed himself to the main-mast with one son and one slave, and his wife took the other two infants. His wife was rescued by one boat, Egeon by another. Egeon never again saw his wife or the children with her. Recently his son Antipholus, now grown, and his son's slave Dromio left Syracuse to find their brothers. When Antipholus did not return, Egeon set out in search of him. The Duke is moved by this story and grants Egeon one day to pay his fine. That same day, Antipholus arrives in Ephesus, searching for his brother. He sends Dromio to deposit some money at The Centaur, an inn. He is confounded when the identical Dromio of Ephesus appears almost immediately, denying any knowledge of the money and asking him home to dinner, where his wife is waiting. Antipholus, thinking his servant is making insubordinate jokes, beats Dromio of Ephesus. Act II Dromio of Ephesus returns to his mistress, Adriana, saying that her "husband" refused to come back to his house, and even pretended not to know her. Adriana, concerned that her husband's eye is straying, takes this news as confirmation of her suspicions. Antipholus of Syracuse, who complains "I could not speak with Dromio since at first, I sent him from the mart," meets up with Dromio of Syracuse who now denies making a "joke" about Antipholus having a wife. Antipholus begins beating him. Suddenly, Adriana rushes up to Antipholus of Syracuse and begs him not to leave her. The Syracusans cannot but attribute these strange events to witchcraft, remarking that Ephesus is known as a warren for witches. Antipholus and Dromio go off with this strange woman, the one to eat dinner and the other to keep the gate. Act III Antipholus of Ephesus returns home for dinner and is enraged to find that he is rudely refused entry to his own house by Dromio of Syracuse, who is keeping the gate. He is ready to break down the door, but his friends persuade him not to make a scene. He decides, instead, to dine with a courtesan. Inside the house, Antipholus of Syracuse discovers that he is very attracted to his "wife's" sister, Luciana of Smyrna, telling her "train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note / To drown me in thy sister's flood of tears." She is flattered by his attention but worried about their moral implications. After she exits, Dromio of Syracuse announces that he has discovered that he has a wife: Nell, a hideous kitchen-maid. The Syracusans decide to leave as soon as possible, and Dromio runs off to make travel plans. Antipholus of Syracuse is then confronted by Angelo of Ephesus, a goldsmith, who claims that Antipholus ordered a chain from him. Antipholus is forced to accept the chain, and Angelo says that he will return for payment. Act IV Antipholus of Ephesus dispatches Dromio of Ephesus to purchase a rope so that he can beat his wife Adriana for locking him out, then is accosted by Angelo, who tells him "I thought to have ta'en you at the Porpentine" and asks to be reimbursed for the chain. He denies ever seeing it and is promptly arrested. As he is being led away, Dromio of Syracuse arrives, whereupon Antipholus dispatches him back to Adriana's house to get money for his bail. After completing this errand, Dromio of Syracuse mistakenly delivers the money to Antipholus of Syracuse. The Courtesan spies Antipholus wearing the gold chain, and says he promised it to her in exchange for her ring. The Syracusans deny this and flee. The Courtesan resolves to tell Adriana that her husband is insane. Dromio of Ephesus returns to the arrested Antipholus of Ephesus, with the rope. Antipholus is infuriated. Adriana, Luciana, and the Courtesan enter with a conjurer named Pinch, who tries to exorcize the Ephesians, who are bound and taken to Adriana's house. The Syracusans enter, carrying swords, and everybody runs off for fear: believing that they are the Ephesians, out for vengeance after somehow escaping their bonds. Act V Adriana reappears with henchmen, who attempt to bind the Syracusans. They take sanctuary in a nearby priory, where the Abbess resolutely protects them. Suddenly, the Abbess enters with the Syracusan twins, and everyone begins to understand the confused events of the day. Not only are the two sets of twins reunited, but the Abbess reveals that she is Egeon's wife, Emilia of Babylon. The Duke pardons Egeon. All exit into the abbey to celebrate the reunification of the family.


Text and date

The play is a modernized adaptation of '' Menaechmi'' by Plautus. As William Warner's translation of the classical drama was entered into the Register of the
Stationers Company The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers (until 1937 the Worshipful Company of Stationers), usually known as the Stationers' Company, is one of the livery company, livery companies of the City of London. The Stationers' Compan ...
on 10 June 1594, published in 1595, and dedicated to Lord Hunsdon, the patron of the
Lord Chamberlain's Men The Lord Chamberlain's Men was a company of actors, or a "playing company" (as it then would likely have been described), for which Shakespeare wrote during most of his career. Richard Burbage played most of the lead roles, including Hamlet, Othel ...
, it has been supposed that Shakespeare might have seen the translation in manuscript before it was printed – though it is equally possible that he knew the play in the original Latin, as Plautus was part of the curriculum of grammar school students. The play contains a topical reference to the wars of succession in France, which would fit any date from 1589 to 1595. Charles Whitworth argues that ''The Comedy of Errors'' was written "in the latter part of 1594" on the basis of historical records and textual similarities with other plays Shakespeare wrote around this time. The play was not published until it appeared in the
First Folio ''Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies'' is a collection of plays by William Shakespeare, commonly referred to by modern scholars as the First Folio, published in 1623, about seven years after Shakespeare's death. It is cons ...
in 1623.


Analysis and criticism

For centuries, scholars have found little thematic depth in ''The Comedy of Errors''.
Harold Bloom Harold Bloom (July 11, 1930 – October 14, 2019) was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was described as "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking worl ...
, however, wrote that it "reveals Shakespeare's magnificence at the art of comedy", and praised the work as showing "such skill, indeed mastery – in action, incipient character, and stagecraft – that it far outshines the three ''Henry VI'' plays and the rather lame comedy ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona''". Stanley Wells also referred to it as the first Shakespeare play "in which mastery of craft is displayed". The play was not a particular favourite on the eighteenth-century stage because it failed to offer the kind of striking roles that actors such as David Garrick could exploit. The play was particularly notable in one respect. In the earlier eighteenth century, some critics followed the French critical standard of judging the quality of a play by its adherence to the
classical unities The classical unities, Aristotelian unities, or three unities represent a prescriptive theory of dramatic tragedy that was introduced in Italy in the 16th century and was influential for three centuries. The three unities are: #''unity of action' ...
, as specified by
Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical Greece, Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatet ...
in the fourth century BC. ''The Comedy of Errors'' and '' The Tempest'' were the only two of Shakespeare's plays to comply with this standard. Law professor Eric Heinze, however, claims that particularly notable in the play is a series of social relationships, which is in crisis as it sheds its feudal forms and confronts the market forces of early modern Europe.


Performance

Two early performances of ''The Comedy of Errors'' are recorded. One, by "a company of base and common fellows", is mentioned in the ''Gesta Grayorum'' ("The Deeds of Gray") as having occurred in
Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wa ...
Hall on 28 December 1594 during the inn's revels. The second also took place on " Innocents' Day", but ten years later: 28 December 1604, at Court.


Adaptations


Theatrical

Like many of Shakespeare's plays, ''The Comedy of Errors'' was adapted and rewritten extensively, particularly from the 18th century on, with varying reception from audiences.


Classical adaptations

* ''
Every Body Mistaken ''Everybody Mistaken'' is a 1716 comedy play by the British writer William Taverner. The title is also written as ''Every Body Mistaken''. A farce, it is a reworking of '' The Comedy of Errors'' by William Shakespeare. It premiered at the Lin ...
'' is a 1716 "revival" and directorial adaptation of Shakespeare's play by an anonymous author. * ''See If You Like It''; ''or, 'Tis All a Mistake'', an anonymous adaptation staged in 1734 at
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...
, performed in two acts with text from Plautus and Shakespeare. Shakespeare purists considered it to be the "worst alteration" available. * ''The Twins,'' by
Thomas Hull Thomas Hull may refer to: *Thomas Hull (actor) (1728–1808), English actor and dramatist *Thomas Hull (MP) (1528–1575/1576), English politician *Thomas Gray Hull (1926–2008), American judge *Tom Hull (American football) (born 1952), American f ...
produced an adaptation for Covent Garden in 1739, where Hull played Aegon. This production was more faithful to Shakespeare's text, and played for several years. This adaptation was performed only once in 1762, and was published in 1770. Hull adapted the play a second time as ''The Comedy of Errors. With Alterations from Shakespeare.'' This version was staged frequently from 1779 onward, and was published in 1793. Hull added songs, intensified the love interest, and elaborated the recognition scene. He also expanded roles for women, including Adriana's cousin Hermia, who sang various songs. * ''The Twins; or, Which is Which? A Farce. In Three Acts'' by William Woods, published in 1780. Produced at the Theatre-Royal, Edinburgh. This adaptation reduced the play to a three-act farce, apparently believing that a longer run time should "pall upon an audience." John Philip Kemble (see below) seemed to have extended and based his own adaptation upon ''The Twins.'' * ''Oh! It's Impossible'' by
John Philip Kemble John Philip Kemble (1 February 1757 – 26 February 1823) was a British actor. He was born into a theatrical family as the eldest son of Roger Kemble, actor-manager of a touring troupe. His elder sister Sarah Siddons achieved fame with him o ...
, was produced in 1780. This adaptation caused a stir by casting the two Dromios as black-a-moors. It was acted in York, but not printed. Later, nearly 20 years after slavery had been abolished within British domains,
James Boaden James Boaden (23 May 1762 – 16 February 1839) was an English biographer, dramatist, and journalist. Biographer He was the son of William Boaden, a merchant in the Russia trade. He was born at Whitehaven, Cumberland, on 23 May 1762, and at ...
wrote, "I incline to think emble'smaturer judgement would certainly have consigned the whole impression to the flames.")


Modern adaptations

* The Flying Karamazov Brothers performed a unique adaptation, produced by Robert Woodruff, first at the Goodman Theater in Chicago in 1983, and then again in 1987 at New York's Vivian Beaumont Theater in
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...
. This latter presentation was filmed and aired on MTV and PBS
The Comedy of Errors
* ''The Comedy of Errors'' adapted and directed by Sean Graney in 2010 updated Shakespeare's text to modern language, with occasional Shakespearean text, for The Court Theatre. The play appears to be more of a "translation" into modern-esque language, than a reimagination. The play received mixed reviews, mostly criticizing Graney's modern interpolations and abrupt ending. * ''15 Villainous Fools,'' written and performed by Olivia Atwood and Maggie Seymour, a two-woman clown duo, produced by The 601 Theatre Company. The play was performed several times, premiering in 2015 at
Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint e ...
, before touring fringe festivals including Portland, San Diego, Washington, DC, Providence, and New York City. Following this run, the show was picked up by the
People's Improv Theater The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT), also known as the PIT, is a comedy theater and training center in New York City, founded by comedian Ali Farahnakian in 2002. Shows combine improvisational comedy, sketch comedy, stand-up, theater, and varie ...
for an extended run. While the play included pop culture references and original raps, it kept true to Shakespeare's text for the characters of the Dromios. * ''A Comedy of Heirors, or The Imposters'' by feminist verse playwright, Emily C. A. Snyder, performed a staged reading throug
Turn to Flesh Productions
in 2017, featuring
Abby Wilde Abigail Miriam Dauermann (born February 25, 1989), known professionally by her stage name Abby Wilde, is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Stacey Dillsen in ''Zoey 101'', ''iCarly'', and ''Sam & Cat''. Early life Abby ...
as Glorielle of Syracuse. The play received acclaim, being named a finalist with the American Shakespeare Center, as part of the Shakespeare's New Contemporaries program, as well as "The Top 15 NYC Plays of '17" by ''A Work Unfinishing.'' The play focuses on two sets of female twins, who also interact with Shakespeare's Antipholi. The play is in conversation with several of Shakespeare's comedies, including characters from ''The Comedy of Errors,
Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins V ...
,
As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has ...
,'' and ''
Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...
''.


Opera

* On 27 December 1786, the opera '' Gli equivoci'' by Stephen Storace received its première at the
Burgtheater The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in ...
in Vienna. The libretto, by Lorenzo da Ponte, Mozart's frequent librettist, worked off a French translation of Shakespeare's play, follows the play's plot fairly closely, though some characters were renamed, Aegeon and Emilia are cut, and Euphemio (previously Antipholus) and Dromio are shipwrecked on Ephesus. * Frederic Reynolds staged an operatic version in 1819, with music by Henry Bishop supplemented lyrics from various Shakespeare plays, and sonnets set to melodies by
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
, Thomas Arrne, and others. The opera was performed at Covent Gardens under
Charles Kemble Charles Kemble (25 November 1775 – 12 November 1854) was a Welsh-born English actor of a prominent theatre family. Life Charles Kemble was one of 13 siblings and the youngest son of English Roman Catholic theatre manager/actor Roger Kemble, ...
's management. The opera included several additional scenes from the play, which were considered necessary for the sake of introducing songs. The same operatic adaptation was revived in 1824 for Drury Lane. * Various other adaptations were performed down to 1855 when Samuel Phelps revived the Shakespearean original at Sadler's Wells Theatre. * The Czech composer
Iša Krejčí Iša František Krejčí (10 July 1904 – 6 March 1968) was a Czech neoclassicist composer, conductor and dramaturge. Life Krejčí was born in Prague. He studied history and musicology at Charles University and concurrently piano playing wi ...
's 1943 opera ''
Pozdvižení v Efesu ''Pozdvižení v Efesu'' (Turmoil in Ephesus) is a Czech-language opéra bouffe by Iša Krejčí to a libretto by Josef Bachtík based on Shakespeare's ''The Comedy of Errors''. It was written from 1939 until 1943.Michael Neill, David Schalkwyk, ...
'' (Turmoil in Ephesus) is also based on the play.


Musicals

The play has been adapted as a musical several times, frequently by inserting period music into the light comedy. Some musical adaptations include a Victorian musical comedy (Arts Theatre, Cambridge, England, 1951), Brechtian folk opera (
Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre censorship by the Lord Chamber ...
, London, 1956), and a two-ring circus ( Delacorte Theater, New York, 1967). Fully original musical adaptations include: * ''
The Boys from Syracuse ''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play '' The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contempo ...
'', composed by
Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most well-known American ...
and lyrics by
Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", " Bewitched, ...
. The play premiered on Broadway in 1938 and
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...
in 1963, with later productions including a
West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...
run in 1963 and in a Broadway revival in 2002. A film adaptation was released in 1940. * ''A New Comedy of Errors, or Too Many Twins'' (1940), adapted from Plautus, Shakespeare, and
Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
, staged in modern dress at London's Mercury Theatre. *''The Comedy of Errors'' (1972) adaptation by James McCloskey, music and lyrics by Bruce Kimmel. Premiered at Los Angeles City College and went on to the American College Theatre Festival. *'' The Comedy of Errors'' is a musical with book and lyrics by
Trevor Nunn Sir Trevor Robert Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is a British theatre director. He has been the Artistic Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He has directed drama ...
, and music by Guy Woolfenden. It was produced for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1976, winning the
Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...
for best musical on its transfer to the
West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...
in 1977. * ''Oh, Brother!'' is a musical comedy in one act, with music by Michael Valenti and books and lyrics by Donald Driver, which premiered at ANTA Theatre in 1981, also directed by Driver. The musical takes place during a revolution in an oil rich Middle Eastern country on the Persian Gulf in a quaint resort town where its populace of merchants and revolutionaries mix Eastern tradition with Western consumerism. Unfortunately, the New York Times gave it a poor review, criticizing Driver's heavy handedness, while praising some of the music and performances. * '' The Bomb-itty of Errors'', a one-act hip-hop musical adaptation, by
Jordan Allen-Dutton Jordan Allen-Dutton (born April 16, 1977) is an American writer, producer, and director. He is best known for co-creating the play, '' The Bomb-itty of Errors,'' and for his writing on the stop motion television series, ''Robot Chicken''. Biogra ...
, Jason Catalano,
Gregory J. Qaiyum Gregory James Qaiyum (born February 7, 1976), better known by his initials GQ, is an American actor, writer and rapper. The son of an American mother of German and English descent and a Pakistani father, GQ was raised in Chicago, where he atten ...
, Jeffrey Qaiyum, and Erik Weinner, won 1st Prize at HBO's Comedy Festival and was nominated opposite Stephen Sondheim for the Best Lyrics
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
in 2001.


Prose

In India, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar adapted Shakespeare's play in his Bengali novel ''Bhranti Bilash'' (1869). Vidyasagar's efforts were part of the process of championing Shakespeare and the Romantics during the Bengal Renaissance.


Film

The film ''
Big Business Big business involves large-scale corporate-controlled financial or business activities. As a term, it describes activities that run from "huge transactions" to the more general "doing big things". In corporate jargon, the concept is commonly ...
'' (1988) is a modern take on ''A Comedy of Errors'', with female twins instead of male.
Bette Midler Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden Gl ...
and Lily Tomlin star in the film as two sets of twins separated at birth, much like the characters in Shakespeare's play. Indian cinema has made nine films based on the play: * ''
Bhrantibilas ''Bhranti Bilas'' () is a 1963 Bengali-language comedy film based on the 1869 play of the same name by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, which is itself based on William Shakespeare's ''The Comedy of Errors''. The film starring and produced Uttam Kuma ...
'' (1963 Bengali film) starring Uttam Kumar * ''
Do Dooni Char ''Do Dooni Char'' () is a 1968 Bollywood musical, which is a remake of the 1963 Bengali film '' Bhrantibilas'' based on the 1869 play of same name by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar which was loosely based on William Shakespeare's ''The Comedy of Er ...
'' starring
Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born as Abhas Kumar Ganguly (); 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of Indian music. He w ...
* '' Angoor'' starring Sanjeev Kumar * '' Oorantha Golanta (1989 film)'' starring
Chandra Mohan Chandra Mohan or Chandramohan may refer to: * Chandra Mohan (Hindi actor) (1905–1949), Hindi actor * Chandra Mohan (Telugu actor) (born 1947), Telugu actor * Chandra Mohan Patowary Chandra Mohan Patowary is an Indian politician from Assam. A ...
* A movie in the Kannada language titled '' Ulta Palta'' starring Ramesh Aravind * A movie in the
Telugu language Telugu (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken by Telugu people predominantly living in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. It is the most widely spoken member of the Dravidian language f ...
titled '' Ulta Palta'' starring Rajendra Prasad * A movie in the
Tamil language Tamil (; ' , ) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. Tamil is an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the sovereign nations of Sri Lanka and Singapore, and the Indian territory of Pud ...
titled ''
Ambuttu Imbuttu Embuttu ''Ambuttu Imbuttu Embuttu'' is a 2005 Indian Tamil-language comedy film directed by Ashok Kashyap. The film stars Ashok Kashyap, Ashwini, Mohana, Tejaswini Prakash and Crane Manohar with Vinaya Prasad, Sudheesh, Madhan Bob, Sathyapriya and Ada ...
'' * A movie in the
Tulu language Tulu () in Kannada script, ml, ത‍ുള‍ു ഭാഷെ in Malayalam script. ''bhāṣe'', , ''bhāśe'', and ''bāśe'' are alternative spellings for the Tulu word ''bāse'' in the Kannada script. The correct spelling for the word " ...
titled ''Aamait Asal Eemait Kusal'' starring Naveen D Padil * '' Double Di Trouble'' (2014 Punjabi Film) directed by Smeep Kang and starring Dharmendra,
Gippy Grewal Rupinder Singh "Gippy" Grewal (born 2 January 1983), is an Indian actor, singer, film director and producer whose works span over Punjabi and Hindi film industry. His single "Phulkari" was very successful in the Punjabi music industry. He mad ...
* ''
Local Kung Fu 2 ''Local Kung Fu 2'' is an Indian Assamese language Kung fu comedy film. It is directed by Kenny Deori Basumatary and produced by Durlov Baruah. It is the sequel to 2013 film '' Local Kung Fu''. The film is based on William Shakespeare's The Com ...
'' (2017
Assamese Assamese may refer to: * Assamese people, a socio-ethnolinguistic identity of north-eastern India * People of Assam, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious people of Assam * Assamese language, one of the easternmost Indo-Aryan language ...
martial arts film) * 2022 movie in Hindi language titled ''
Cirkus CirKus are a trip hop band formed by Burt Ford (Cameron McVey), Karmil (aka Matt Kent), Lolita Moon and Neneh Cherry. History DJ and producer Karmil was recruited by Burt Ford (Neneh's husband Cameron McVey) as an assistant recording engi ...
'' starring Ranveer Singh * In 1940 the film ''
The Boys from Syracuse ''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play '' The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contempo ...
'' was released, starring Alan Jones and Joe Penner as Antipholus and Dromio. It was a musical, loosely based on "Comedy of Errors".


Television

* Roger Daltrey played both Dromios in the BBC complete works series directed by James Cellan Jones in 1983. * A two-part TV adaptation was produced in 1978 in the USSR, with a
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...
n– Georgian cast of notable stage actors. * In the ''Yes Prime Minister'' episode "
The Patron of the Arts This is a list of '' Yes Minister'' and ''Yes, Prime Minister'' episodes. Thirty-eight episodes were made in total, running from 1980 to 1988. This includes a one-hour special that aired in 1984. All other episodes were a half-hour in length. ...
" Prime Minister James Hacker complains that "they
he National Theatre He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
set ''The Comedy of Errors'' in Number 10 Downing Street". * The '' Inside No. 9'' episode ”Zanzibar” (season 4, episode 1) was based on The Comedy of Errors


References

(See p. 778; section Dramas.)


Editions of ''The Comedy of Errors''

*
Bate, Jonathan Sir Andrew Jonathan Bate, CBE, FBA, FRSL (born 26 June 1958), is a British academic, biographer, critic, broadcaster, poet, playwright, novelist and scholar. He specialises in Shakespeare, Romanticism and Ecocriticism. He is Foundation Profess ...
and Rasmussen, Eric (eds.), ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The RSC Shakespeare; London: Macmillan, 2011) * Cunningham, Henry (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The Arden Shakespeare, 1st Series; London: Arden, 1907) * Dolan, Francis E. (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The Pelican Shakespeare, 2nd edition; London, Penguin, 1999) * Dorsch, T.S. (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The New Cambridge Shakespeare; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988; 2nd edition 2004) * Dover Wilson, John (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The New Shakespeare; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1922; 2nd edition 1962) * Evans, G. Blakemore (ed.) '' The Riverside Shakespeare'' (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1974; 2nd edn., 1997) * Foakes, R.A. (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The Arden Shakespeare, 2nd Series; London: Arden, 1962) * Greenblatt, Stephen; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean E., and Maus, Katharine Eisaman (eds.) ''The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Shakespeare'' (London: Norton, 1997) * Jorgensen, Paul A. (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The Pelican Shakespeare; London, Penguin, 1969; revised edition 1972) * Levin, Harry (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (Signet Classic Shakespeare; New York: Signet, 1965; revised edition, 1989; 2nd revised edition 2002) * Martin, Randall (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The New Penguin Shakespeare, 2nd edition; London: Penguin, 2005) * Wells, Stanley (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The New Penguin Shakespeare; London: Penguin, 1972) * SwipeSpeare ''The Comedy of Errors'' (Golgotha Press, Inc., 2011) * Wells, Stanley; Taylor, Gary; Jowett, John and Montgomery, William (eds.) ''The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986; 2nd edn., 2005) * Werstine, Paul and Mowat, Barbara A. (eds.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (Folger Shakespeare Library; Washington:
Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pub ...
, 1996) * Whitworth, Charles (ed.) ''The Comedy of Errors'' (The Oxford Shakespeare: Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002)


Further reading

*


External links

* * *
"Modern Translation of the Play"
– Modern version of the play

– HTML version of this title.
Photos of Gray's Inn Hall
– the hall where the play was once performed

at Web English Teacher
Information on the 1987 Broadway production
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comedy of Errors, The 1592 plays Shakespearean comedies English Renaissance plays British plays adapted into films Plays set in ancient Greece Twins in fiction Plays based on works by Plautus Works based on Menaechmi