The Comedy of Errors
William Shakespeare wrote The Comedy of Errors during the latter part of 1594. This play stands as one of his earliest works and remains his shortest comedy to date. Scholars point to a specific entry in the Register of the Stationers Company on the 10th of June 1594 for William Warner's translation of Plautus' Menaechmi. That publication appeared in print the following year, dedicated to Lord Hunsdon. It is possible Shakespeare saw this manuscript before its official release or knew the original Latin text directly. A topical reference within the play mentions wars of succession in France, which fits any date between 1589 and 1595. Charles Whitworth argues that historical records support a composition date in late 1594. The play did not appear in print until it was included in the First Folio in 1623.
Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus with his servant Dromio of Syracuse. They encounter Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant Dromio of Ephesus, who are identical twins separated at birth. When the Syracusans meet friends and family of their brothers, wild mishaps follow based on mistaken identities. A series of wrongful beatings occurs when Antipholus beats Dromio of Ephesus for denying knowledge of money. Adriana rushes up to Antipholus of Syracuse begging him not to leave her. She claims he refused to come back to his house earlier. Antipholus and Dromio attribute these strange events to witchcraft since Ephesus is known as a warren for witches. Angelo of Ephesus claims Antipholus ordered a chain from him. Antipholus of Ephesus returns home for dinner but finds himself rudely refused entry by Dromio of Syracuse. He decides instead to dine with a courtesan. Later, Dromio of Ephesus delivers money meant for bail to Antipholus of Syracuse by mistake. 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. Adriana, Luciana, and the Courtesan enter with a conjurer named Pinch who tries to exorcize the Ephesians. They are bound and taken to Adriana's house. The Abbess enters with the Syracusan twins, revealing she is Aegeon's wife Emilia. Everyone understands the confused events of the day.
For centuries scholars found little thematic depth in The Comedy of Errors. Harold Bloom wrote that it reveals Shakespeare's magnificence at the art of comedy. He praised the work as showing such skill indeed mastery in action incipient character and stagecraft. Stanley Wells 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 striking roles actors like David Garrick could exploit. Some critics followed the French critical standard judging quality by adherence to classical unities specified by Aristotle 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 argues that particularly notable in the play is a series of social relationships in crisis as they shed feudal forms and confront market forces of early modern Europe.
Two early performances of The Comedy of Errors are recorded in historical documents. One occurred in Gray's Inn Hall on the 28th of December 1594 during the inn's revels according to Gesta Grayorum. Another took place ten years later on Innocents' Day, specifically the 28th of December 1604, at Court. These identical dates may not be coincidental given the Pauline and Ephesian aspect linked to the holiday season. Every Body Mistaken served as a 1716 revival directed by an anonymous author. See If You Like It; or, 'Tis All a Mistake appeared anonymously in 1734 at Covent Garden performed in two acts with text from Plautus and Shakespeare. Thomas Hull produced The Twins for Covent Garden in 1739 where he played Aegeon. This adaptation was more faithful to Shakespeare's text and played for several years before being published in 1770. John Philip Kemble produced Oh! It's Impossible in 1780 which caused a stir by casting the two Dromios as black-a-moors. James Boaden wrote nearly 20 years after slavery had been abolished within British domains that Kemble's judgment would have consigned the whole impression to flames.
On the 27th of December 1786 the opera Gli equivoci by Stephen Storace received its première at the Burgtheater in Vienna. Lorenzo da Ponte wrote the libretto working off a French translation of Shakespeare's play though some characters were renamed. Frederic Reynolds staged an operatic version in 1819 with music by Henry Bishop supplemented lyrics from various Shakespeare plays. The Czech composer Iša Krejčí created his 1943 opera Pozdvižení v Efesu Turmoil in Ephesus based on the play. Richard Rodgers composed The Boys from Syracuse with lyrics by Lorenz Hart premiering on Broadway in 1938. A film adaptation was released in 1940 starring Alan Jones and Joe Penner as Antipholus and Dromio. Trevor Nunn wrote book and lyrics for The Comedy of Errors musical with music by Guy Woolfenden produced for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1976. It won the Laurence Olivier Award for best musical upon transfer to the West End in 1977. Oh Brother! premiered at ANTA Theatre in 1981 taking place during a revolution in an oil rich Middle Eastern country. The Bomb-itty of Errors is a one-act hip-hop musical adaptation that won 1st Prize at HBO's Comedy Festival in 2001.
The film Our Relations released in 1936 starred Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy adapting W.W. Jacobs story The Money Box though no twins existed in Jacobs' original tale. As in the Shakespeare play the story revolves around confusion of two pairs of identical twins named Stan Alf Oliver and Bert. The Three Stooges film A Merry Mix Up from 1957 expanded confusion by telling the story of three sets of identical triplets Bachelors Moe Larry and Joe; husbands Max Louie and Jack; newly-engaged brothers Morris Luke and Jeff. Start the Revolution Without Me released in 1970 starring Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland involves two pairs of twins switched at birth meeting during the French Revolution. Big Business from 1988 is a modern take with female twins played by Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin. Indian cinema has made nine films based on the play including Bhrantibilas from 1963 starring Uttam Kumar and Cirkus from 2022 starring Ranveer Singh. Roger Daltrey played both Dromios in the BBC complete works series directed by James Cellan Jones in 1983. An episode titled Zanzibar from Inside No. 9 season four drew directly from The Comedy of Errors structure.
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Common questions
When was The Comedy of Errors written by William Shakespeare?
William Shakespeare wrote The Comedy of Errors during the latter part of 1594. Scholars point to a specific entry in the Register of the Stationers Company on the 10th of June 1594 for William Warner's translation of Plautus' Menaechmi as evidence supporting this timeline.
What is the plot summary of The Comedy of Errors play by William Shakespeare?
Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus with his servant Dromio of Syracuse and encounters Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant Dromio of Ephesus who are identical twins separated at birth. A series of wrongful beatings and mistaken identities ensue until the Abbess reveals she is Aegeon's wife Emilia and resolves the confusion.
Who performed The Comedy of Errors in early recorded performances?
One performance occurred in Gray's Inn Hall on the 28th of December 1594 during the inn's revels according to Gesta Grayorum. Another took place ten years later on Innocents Day specifically the 28th of December 1604 at Court.
Which operas and musical adaptations were created from The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare?
The opera Gli equivoci by Stephen Storace received its première at the Burgtheater in Vienna on the 27th of December 1786. Richard Rodgers composed The Boys from Syracuse with lyrics by Lorenz Hart premiering on Broadway in 1938 and Trevor Nunn wrote book and lyrics for The Comedy of Errors musical produced for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1976.
What films have been adapted from The Comedy of Errors play by William Shakespeare?
A film adaptation was released in 1940 starring Alan Jones and Joe Penner as Antipholus and Dromio. Our Relations released in 1936 starred Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy adapting W.W. Jacobs story The Money Box though no twins existed in Jacobs original tale.