The Comedy of Errors
Two sets of twins, each with the same name—what could go wrong? Everything, apparently. Leave logic behind and delight in the confusion of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, where servants misplace their masters, wives overlook their husbands, and sons forget their fathers. The blunders double, triple and cube until chaos reigns—and everyone is pretty sure that everyone else is completely insane. With a cast of beloved STC performers, Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul (Camelot; Romeo & Juliet) brings the madcap world of The Comedy of Errors to life in all its antic, anarchic glory.
Reviews
“[Alan] Paul has a showbiz aesthetic that’s refreshing.” –The Washington Post
“GUT-BUSTING…Alan Paul’s deft direction supplies some of the finest comedic moments of the D.C. theater season.” –BroadwayWorld
“FABULOUS…plenty of hijinks with a splash of Broadway.” –DC Theatre Scene
“FUN…a rollicking good time.” –DCist
“UPROARIOUS… this Comedy of Errors delivers with virtuosity.” –DC Metro Theater Arts
“WONDERFUL… a romp of pure fun.” –MD Theatre Guide
“BRILLIANT…an evening of music, farce and folly.” –The Georgetown Dish
“HILARIOUS…[a] silly, light-hearted farce that will have you laughing out loud.” –PG County Sentinel
“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED…an indescribable mash-up of frothy, farcical slapstick.” –Whisk and Quill
“EXCELLENT…[Alan] Paul’s production is heaps of fun.” –Two Hours Traffic
From the Director
Alan Paul
Like all the great romance plays in Shakespeare’s canon, The Comedy of Errors begins with a shipwreck. And while this play is all the things you might think of first – zany gags, physical comedy, mistaken identities and goofy hijinks – it also contains so many of the ideas that Shakespeare brings to full fruition later in his career: the reunion of twins in Twelfth Night, the improbable encounters of The Tempest, the search for redemption and reunion of a family in Pericles and The Winter’s Tale. Errors shares DNA with all of these plays, and I’m excited to dig into the elegant and romantic moments of the show, exploring Shakespeare’s experimentation early in his career.
One final thought: the two sets of twins in this show drive the action, and the twin relationship is an extremely important one that I intend to take seriously. After all – though we weren’t separated by a shipwreck in the Mediterranean – I’m a twin myself.
All titles, artists and dates subject to change.