Studyguidecomedy by Maegan Clearwood

Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest-running touring company

STUDY GUIDE TOUR 65, 2013-14

SUMMARY OF CURRICULUM STANDARDS Table of Contents

Summary of Curriculum Standards...........................2 About National Players .............................................3 William Shakespeare ................................................4 Shakespeare’s World.................................................5 The Comedy of Errors: Synopsis ..............................6 Meet the Characters ................................................7 Background................................................................8 Comedy......................................................................9 Themes....................................................................10 National Players’ Production...................................11 Glossary ..................................................................12 Key Words and Names......................................13, 14 Bibliography.............................................................15

The exercises and information in this study guide are geared towards fulfilling the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy for Grades 11-12. Writing • Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. • Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. • Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. • Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. • Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Speaking and Listening • Prepare and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. • Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task. • Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.

Getting the Most from this Guide Our study guides are designed with you and your classroom in mind, with information and activities that can be implemented in your curriculum. National Players has a strong belief in the relationship between actor and audience. Without either participant, there is no theatre. We hope this study guide will help bring a better understanding of the plot, themes, and characters in the play so that you can more fully enjoy The Comedy of Errors. Feel free to copy the study guide for students and other teachers and to use any essay, exercise, or discussion question as you see fit.

History

ABOUT NATIONAL PLAYERS

Now celebrating its 65th season, National Players is America’s longest-running touring company, and has earned a distinctive place in American theatre by bringing innovative and accessible productions to audiences across the country. Founded in 1949 by Father Gilbert Hartke, a prominent arts educator and Catholic priest, National Players has performed in theaters, gymnasiums, opera houses, and outdoor playing spaces all around the country. Hartke’s mission—to stimulate young people’s higher thinking skills and imaginations by presenting classic plays in surprisingly accessible ways—is as urgent and vital today as it was over 60 years ago. Since 1952, Olney Theatre Center has been the artistic home of National Players and has broadened its engagement to stimulate all learners, regardless of age, background, or location. Through the years, Players has been privileged to perform on 10 USO tours, at five White House visits, in the Arctic Circle, and throughout 42 states and territories. Having performed for over 2.8 million audience members,

National Players is proud to continue collaborating with audiences around the world today. Committed to excellence on and off the stage, over 700 artists have been proud Players, and continue to promote good work in New York, Hollywood, and other communities across the country.

TOUR 65

National Players offers an exemplary lesson in collaboration and teamwork-in-action: the actors not only play multiple roles onstage, but also serve as stage managers, teaching artists, and technicians. This year, the Players consist of 10 actors, traveling across the country, visiting schools and art centers. A self-contained company, National Players carries its own sets, lights, costumes, and sound; that means that the actors you see rebuild the set and hang lights for more than 70 performances. They also memorize lines for three different plays—Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors and The Odyssey—often performing more than one a day. It is a lot of work, but the Players are dedicated to celebrating and teaching literature and performance to as many audiences as possible.

2Tour 25, 1973-74

Pictures are two images from past National Player productions of The Comedy of Errors. In each restaging of the play, the director and actors bring something new, through costumes, setting, and more. Consider: What do you notice about the pictures above? What mood do they invoke? What kind of story do they appear to be telling?

Tour 52, 2000-01 Tour 11, 1959-60

William Shakespeare

About William Shakespeare Despite being history’s most produced and studied English playwright, little is known of William Shakespeare’s life. One of six siblings, Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on or about April 23, 1564. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582 and had three children. For the seven years after, Shakespeare fell off all record. Eventually, he arose in London and joined The Lord Chamberlain’s Men acting troupe. In 1603, when the troupe came into King James’ favor, they officially became The King’s Men. Shakespeare’s professional days are a mixture of fact and legend. In 1601, he and his business partners purchased property on the south bank of London’s Thames River, where they established The Globe Theatre. There, the acting company performed many of Shakespeare’s 37 plays. Famed for using the iambic pentameter writing style, Shakespeare’s works are deep in metaphor, illusion, and character; sometimes even taking precedence over plot. A diverse playwright, he began his career writing historical plays,

bawdy comedies, and the occasional tragedy. Later in life, his plays became more structurally complex, featuring his iconic Hamlet and Macbeth and the curious tragicomedies Cymbeline and The Tempest. William Shakespeare died on or about April 23rd, 1616, and is interred at a chapel in Stratford-upon-Avon.

A copper engraving of Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout, published on the title page of the First Folio in 1623.

Hearing Shakespeare Sometimes Shakespeare’s language can be difficult to understand, but with practice, it becomes second-nature. Here are some tips to help you enjoy and appreciate the onstage action: • You do not have to understand every word in order to understand the play. Try to grasp the gist of what each character is saying. After a while, you won’t even have to think about it. • Watch body language, gestures, and facial expressions. Actors communicate what they are saying through their body. You can understand much of the play without hearing a word.

• Although he uses prose as well, Shakespeare often uses verse in his plays, a form called iambic pentameter. This rhythm, which uses stressed and unstressed syllables, makes it easier to both understand and to learn Shakespeare. The rhythm guides the ear to the important parts of each phrase. • The plays aren’t meant to scare or confuse you. Shakespeare wrote to entertain, and he was pretty good at it (he was one of the most popular playwrights of his time, after all).Even his tragedies have comedic moments, so feel free to laugh and react to the actors’ jokes and antics.

Most early modern playwrights did not publish their work, but 18 of Shakespeare’s plays were printed before he died. Luckily, his plays survived because friends and colleagues commemorated his life in a publication known as the First Folio. A century after his death, questions began to arise; his birthdate, deathdate, and even the spelling of his name are in question. No definitive portrait exists of the man, and no government record lists his theatric profession. Many scholars have questioned the ability of a minimally educated man to create such challenging writing. Some theorists have long held that “Shakespeare” was a nom de plume for another playwright, nobleman, or even collection of writers. However, the vast majority of scholars believe that unofficial documentation provides proof of Shakespeare’s existence and prolific abilities. Regardless, Shakespeare’s plays have been translated to 118 languages and are now in constant production around the world.

Words, Words, Words Shakespeare coined more than 1,700 words, many of which we still use today. Here are some of his most famous:

• Compromise • Cold-blooded • Puking • Eyeball • Blanket • Torture • Bloodstained • Amazement • Deafening • Elbow

The Performance

Shakespeare’s World The Theatre

During Shakespeare’s day, new The Globe Theatre was a circular wooden structure constructed plays were written and performed of three stories of galleries (seats) continuously. A company of actors surrounding an open courtyard. might receive a new play, prepare It was an open-air building, and it, and perform it every week. a rectangular platform projected Because of this, each actor in into the middle of the courtyard the company had a specific type served as a stage. The perforof role that he normally played mance space had no front curtain, and could perform with little rebut was backed by a large wall with hearsal. This role was known as a one to three doors out of which stock character. Such characters actors entered and exited. In front might include romantic lovers, of the wall stood a roofed housetragic soldiers, fools and clowns, like structure supported by two and women characters. Because large pillars, designed to provide a women were not allowed to perplace for actors to “hide” when not form on the stage at the time, in a scene. The roof of this strucyoung boys whose voices had yet ture was referred to as the “Heavto change played the female charens” and could be used for actor acters in the shows. entrances. Other than a few pieces of The theatre itself housed up to stock scenery, like forest and 3,000 spectators, mainly because palace backdrops, set pieces Although there are no surviving illus- a great number had to stand. were very minimal. There was trations of the original Globe Theatre, The seats in the galleries were no artificial lighting to convey historians think it looked something reserved for people from the uplike the Rose Theatre. The Rose was per classes who primarily came time and place, so it was up to right down the road from the Globe, to the theatre to be prominently audience to imagine what the and some of Shakespeare’s early plays full scene would look like. Beseen. Sometimes, wealthy patrons were performed there. cause of this, the playwright was were even allowed to sit on or forced to describe the setting in above the stage itself. These seats, greater detail than would normally Did You Know? known as the “Lord’s Rooms,” were conbe heard today. For example, in order The original Globe Theatre sidered the best in the house despite to establish weather in one scene in burned down in 1613 during a the poor view of the back of the actors. Macbeth, Macbeth says, “So foul and performance of Henry VIII when The lower-class spectators stood in the fair a day I have not seen,” referencing a prop cannon caught fire, forc- open courtyard and watched the play the stormy evening. ing 3,000 visitors to scurry out- on their feet. These audience memThe costumes of this period, by side for safety. Miraculously, bers became known as groundlings and contrast, were far from minimal. Rich everyone survived. According gained admission to the playhouse for and luxurious, Elizabethan costumes to an eyewitness account by Sir prices as low as one penny. The groundwere a source of great pride for the Henry Wotton, the only serious lings were often very loud and ramperformers who personally provided recorded injury was sustained bunctious during the performances and them. However, they were rarely his- by a poor fellow “breeches set would eat, drink, shout at the actors, torically accurate, which again forced on fire, that would perhaps have and socialize during the performance. the audience to use their imaginations broyled him, if he had not...put Playwrights were therefore forced to into envision the play’s time and place. it out with a bottle of ale” (Per- corporate lots of action and bawdy humor in their plays in order to keep the cy, Timbs 195). audience’s attention.

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS: SYNOPSIS

The strict penalty for any Syrcusian entering the city of Ephesus is execution. Egeon, a Syrcusian merchant, has breached the city in search of his long-lost wife and son. Facing certain death, he welcomes his fate: “Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall, and by the doom of death end woes and all”...

He explains that his twin sons, both named Antipholus, and their twin slaves, both named Dromio, were separated during a storm many years ago. He saved one Antipholus and one Dromio, but their brothers and his wife were lost at sea. The Duke of Ephesus pities Egeon, but cannot bend the law; instead, he gives the Syracusian one day to raise his own ransom money and purchase his freedom. Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse, who were raised by Egeon, also arrive in Ephesus, looking for their shipwrecked twin brothers. Shortly after Antipholus sends Dromio to make a reservation at an inn, Dromio of Ephesus appears. Confusing Antipholus of Syracuse for his master, Dromio bids him come to dinner. Furious and bewildered, Antipholus of Syracuse beats Dromio of Ephesus for his foolishness. Dromio of Ephesus returns to Antipholus of Ephesus’ house and recounts to Adriana, Antipholus’ wife, and Luciana, her sister, his odd encounter with the man he thought was his master. Adriana leaves to fetch her husband and finds Antipholus of Syracus. Intrigued, he joins her for dinner. As Antipholus of Syracuse dines with his brother’s wife, Antipholus of Ephesus arrives with Dromio of Ephesus and his guests Angelo and Balthazar. Adriana, who believes her husband is already inside, bars Antipholus of Ephesus and his guests from entering the house. Furious, Antipholus of Ephesus invites his guests to dine at the house of a courtesan. To further spite his wife, he sends Angelo to fetch an

ornate necklace, which he decides to give to the courtesan instead of Adriana. Antipholus of Syracuse declares his love for Luciana. She chides the man she believes to be her brother-in-law for betraying Adriana. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant flee, determined to leave Ephesus and avoid any more bizarre happenings. He encounters Angelo, who gives him the necklace, thinking he is Antipholus of Ephesus. Later, Angelo requests his payment from Antipholus of Ephesus, who insists that he never received the necklace. He refuses to pay, so Angelo has Antipholus of Ephesus arrested. Antipholus sends Dromio of Syracuse to Adriana to collect bail money. Adriana is quick to give Dromio of Syracuse the money, but on his way to save Antipholus of Ephesus, Dromio runs into his real masThis is costume designer ter and is surprised Pei Lee’s rendering of the to find him free. The Antipholus twins’ costume. Courtesan arrives to Consider: What do you demand either the ring Antipholus of imagine the Dromios lookEphesus took from ing like? The Duke? The her at dinner or the Courtesan? necklace. Antipholus and Dromio believe she is a witch and flee. Meanwhile, Adriana and Luciana employ Doctor Pinch to examine Antipholus of Ephesus, believing he is insane. Pinch has Antipholus and his servant carried away, but onlookers think they have escaped when they see the Syracusian pair fleeing the Courtesan with their swords drawn. The merchant finds Antipholus of Syracuse wearing the gold necklace and challenges him to a duel, but he is interrupted when Adriana tries to force the Syracusians to go back to Pinch. They escape to the abbey, where the Abbess scolds Adriana and refuses to turn the men over to her. Adriana begs the Duke, who has entered with Egeon, to intervene, when Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus suddenly arrive. Egeon recognizes his son and servant, but they insist they do not know him. The Abbess brings the second pair of twins to the Duke, and everyone realizes the root of their confusion. Egeon also recognizes the Abbess as his longlost wife. The Duke frees Egeon and everyone gathers for a celebratory feast.

MEET THE CHARACTERS

Just like Shakespeare’s players, the National Players have to play multiple roles. The text calls for more than 20 characters, so in addition to each actor playing multiple roles, some characters were combined. Use this chart to keep track of who’s who and how they relate to each other.

Ephesus

Syracuse

Citizens

Duke Jacob Mundell Angelo—Goldsmith Alexander Korman

Long-lost spouse

Egeon—Merchant Christopher Richardson

Abbess/Emilia Leah Filley

Spouse

Balthazar—Merchant Jacob Mundell

Long-lost twin brother

Antipholus of Syracuse Danny Cackley

Antipholus of Ephesus Drew Feldman

nt va r e

Sis te r

a erv

Adriana Eliza Rose

Dromio of Ephesus Adam Turck

Luciana Theresa Bucchler

Courtesan Leah Filley

Long-lost twin brother

Dromio of Syracuse Antonia

Dr. Pinch Jacob Mundell

“

Shakespeare’s Influences At only 1,787 lines, The Comedy of Errors is Shakespeare’s shortest play (compared to Hamlet at 4,042) and, like most of his plays, it draws on other sources as inspiration. The blueprint for The Comedy of Errors was derived from two classic plays, both written by the Roman playwright Plautus. Menaechmi, Plautus’ most renowned comedy, follows the farcical plight of twin brothers Menaechmus of Epidamnus and Menaechmus of Syracuse. The Dromios’ subplot was borrowed from Plautus’ tragicomedy Amphitryon, which includes twin servants with the same name.

Along with the templates for his plot, Shakespeare used comedic conventions from Plautus’ work. Plautus’ plays were staged between 205 and 184 BCE, making them the earliest works of Latin literature that survive today. Plautus, in turn, borrowed the plots and structure of his plays from ancient Greek comedies, adhering to the unities of time, place, and action set forth by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Taking his cue from Plautus, Shakespeare also adheres to Aristotle’s unities and includes classical stock characters, slapstick humor, and violence.

Stock Characters One of the conventions Shakespeare adapted from Plautus’ work was his extensive use of stock characters. Although Elizabethan drama had its own stock characters, Shakespeare borrowed numerous examples from Roman theatre. These include: The Comic Slave: One of the most iconic Roman stock characters, the Comic Slave is usually a central character in Plautus’ plays. Resourceful and cunning, he is loyal to his master (usually the Young Lover) but primarily motivated by earning his freedom. The Young Lover: Blinded by his love, this character’s foolishness fuels the main conflict of the play. The Domineering Wife: Smarter than her husband, this character is violently suspicious of her spouse, often for good reason. Parasite: This character’s name derives from his tendency to leech off of the play’s main characters. Instead of sucking their blood, however, he cleans their tables. He spends most of the

play asking characters for food in exchange for entertainment and company. The Comic/Evil Courtesan: Clever, deceptive and beautiful, the Courtesan manipulates those around her, usually to win the heart of the Young Lover. The Old Man: Often the father of the Young Lover, the Old Man serves as an authority figure who imparts wisdom upon others and adheres to traditional values. The Quack Doctor: A professional called upon for his medical advice, the Quack Doctor is just what his name implies: a fraud. Consider: 1. Identify the above stock characters in The Comedy of Errors. How do Shakespeare’s versions they differ from Plautus’? 2. What are some modern versions of stock characters? Identify a contemporary example of one of these stock characters from TV, film or literature. How does this character adhere to the listed characteristics? How does he or she differ?

BACKGROUND Aristotle Early in his writing, Shakespeare relied heavily on traditional forms of drama while exploring his ability to push beyond their limitations. The Comedy of Errors, for exaple, was influenced by the doctrines of the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Born in 384 BCE, Aristotle was a prolific writer and thinker whose interests covered a wide variety of subjects, from science and politics to art and drama. In Poetics, his discount on dramatic theory, he asserts that drama should follow three rules, which came to be known as the classical unities: The unity of action: a play should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots. The unity of place: a play should cover a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should the stage represent more than one place. The unity of time: the action in a play should take place over no more than 24 hours. Although many of Shakespeare’s contemporaries formatted their work around Aristotle’s rules, only two of the Bard’s plays—The Comedy of Errors and The Tempest—follow these unities. Consider: 1. How does The Comedy of Errors adhere to these classical unities? 2. How do these unities contribute to th e play as whole? How do they make the story more or less realistic? 3. Imagine the play taking place over the span of a few days, weeks, even years. How would the story’s mood and tone change? 3. What other stories can you think of that adhere to Aristotle’s unities? These can be plays, books, fairy tales, or movies. What effect do the unities have on the story?

COMEDY

9 Within the formal structure of Roman drama, Shakespeare experimented with different types of comedy. He employed both major genres of comedy: high comedy, which appeals to an intellectual sense of humor, and low comedy, which relies on slapstick and physical gags. Although it contains elements of various comedic genres, The Comedy of Errors is most commonly categorized as a farce, a form of low comedy. Farcical

Farce

comedy includes highly improbably situations, exaggerated characters, and slapstick elements. Rather than focus on character development, a farce focuses on one skillfully exploited situation to drive the story. Farce relies heavily on physical comedy and violence to evoke humor rather than character development. Consider: How is Comedy of Errors a farce? Which characters and situations are particularly farcical?

Elements of Comedy The Comedy of Errors contains many farcical elements—violence, slapstick, mistaken identity—but characteristics of other comedic genres resonate in the play as well. In fact, one of the reasons Shakespeare’s comedic work was so popular is probably that he was adept at utilizing both high and low comedy in his plays. Even his farcical, early works, like The Comedy of Errors, evoke elements of high comedy. Some of these elements include: Dramatic irony: The spectator is aware of information to which at least one character ignorant. Satire: A mix of both humor and

social commentary, satire exposes and criticizes someone or something. The sub genre political satire denounces the government and public figures using wit and caricature. Wordplay: Shakespeare is particularly adept at wordplay in his dialogue; he uses words that have multiple meanings to create puns, innuendos, and misunderstandings. Parody: An imitation of another person, genre or work that uses deliberate exaggeration or distortion for comedic effect. Consider: Which of these comedic elements can you identify in Comedy of Errors?

Warner Brothers’ Tom and Jerry are two characters who embody farcical comedy. What other characters from your favorite comedic films, TV shows and books also fit these farcical traits?

Make ‘em Laugh Humor is an elemental part of Shakespeare’s plays; even his tragedies diverge into comedy to alleviate otherwise stiflingly heavy stories. In turn, some of Shakespeare’s comedies contain surprisingly tragic or violent moments. Read the following excerpt from Act II, scene ii. Antipholus of Syracuse, incensed at the man he mistook for his servant, attacks Dromio of Syracuse for his supposed insolence. Dromio of Syracuse, however, is ignorant to his master’s accusations:

DROMIO: I pray sir, why am I beaten? ANTIPHOLUS: Dost thou not know? DRO: Nothing sir, but that I am beaten. ANT: Shall I tell you why? DRO: Ay sir, and wherefore; for they say every why hath a wherefore. ANT: Why first for flouting me, and then wherefore, for urging it the second time to me. DRO: Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season, when in the why and the wherefore, is neither rhyme nor reason. Consider: 1. What makes this scene funny? How much of the dialogue is funny, and how much of it relies on the actors’ performance of the text? 2. In what ways is this scenario not funny? Do the scene’s circumstances—a man beating his servant—still reverberate with contemporary audiences? Why or why not? 3. What other aspects of The Comedy of Errors might not be considered humorous out of context? Might any scenes, plot points or characters be considered tragic in another situation?

THEMES Identity

Witchcraft Status

The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s lightest, most improbable stories. Although this early play relies heavily on slapstick and farce, Shakespeare was already wrestling with larger philosophical questions within the relatively simple plot. His mature plays explore many of the themes seen in The Comedy of Errors, including sanity, violence, servitude, reality, parent-child relationships, and identity. While unrealistic, the use of two sets of twins allows for an in-depth, almost literal, approach to this last theme. Both Dromios and Antipholuses long for their missing half, and the story is not complete until they find each other. They question their own purpose and sense of self throughout the play, as expressed by Antipholus of Syracuse in Act I, scene ii:

“

Late sixteenth century England was a strictly hierarchical world. The Elizabethan English believed in the Great Chain of Being, a dictate that God has an ordered system for both nature and humankind, within which every creature has an allotted place. At the top of this Chain of Being ruled the English monarch. According to this belief, attempts to change one’s station in life, or remove another from his or her station, is an offense against God. Shakespeare investigates and undermines these hierarchical notions in many of his plays, weaving together stories of kings and peasants, servants and masters. The Comedy of Errors explores multiple types of hierarchies; in the very first scene, for example, Egeon, a working class outsider, interacts with the native country’s highest authority. The story also dissects household hierarchies, through servant-master and husband-wife relationships. According to Elizabethan social standards, title and wealth unwaveringly correlated with status; a Duke always outranked a merchant, a husband his wife, a master his servant. In The Comedy of Errors, however, members of varying social ranks socialize, work, challenge, and even fight amongst each other. Consider: How does Shakespeare subvert traditional hierarchical standards in this play? Which characters accept their place in the Great Chain of Being, and which resist? What do you think the story says about status and authority?

I to the world am like a drop of water That in the ocean seeks another drop... So I, to find a mother and a brother, In quest of them, unhappy, lose myself.

Consider: How do people in real life define themselves by those around them? How is this phenomenon evident in the play? What do you make of the twins’ reunion at the end; is their quest for identity and purpose complete?

Seeing Double

Carmel Shakespeare Festival 2008

Yale University, 2009

Twins are often used as comedic plot devices in stories, even today. From The Parent Trap to The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, stories featuring twins lend themselves to entertaining scenarios, often revolving around mistaken identity and miscommunication. Although Shakespeare’s twin-filled comedy is one of his funniest, it presents a unique staging challenge: how does a director cast two sets of twins? Because it is so difficult to find two pairs of identical actors, many productions rely on suspension of disbelief—the notion that an audience will accept the world of the play, despite its unrealistic qualities, in order to enjoy the story. Consider: 1. How might a director convey to an audience that two characters are identical twins? Consider performance choices, costume details, and makeup. 2. Many humorous stories about twins involve switching places or mistaking one sibling for the other. In groups, think of a situation in which mixing up the identity of two twins might be funny or problematic. Write a scene that plays out this scenario and perform it for the class.

Yale University, 2009

NATIONAL PLAYERS’ PRODUCTION

National Players’ production of The Comedy of Errors is heavily influenced by the American vaudeville movement of the 1880s through the 1920s (Image 4). A form of variety entertainment, a vaudeville act consisted of multiple, unrelated acts, which might include dance, music, comedy sketches, magic, acrobatics, and more. The development of vaudeville marked the beginning of popular entertainment as a reputable business, dependent on the organizational efforts of white-collar workers. The vaudeville circuit was also emblemat-

Text to Stage

ic of a shifting, diversified audience. An increasing number of Americans had the leisure time and spending power to enjoy live entertainment, and in turn, vaudevillians needed to appeal to a broader audience. National Players’ interpretation reimagines Shakespeare’s comedy as a traveling variety show, much like audiences might have seen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (Image 3). Using props, scenery and costumes from their trunks, the actors’ performance is metatheatrical—the characters are aware that they are

Image 1

Influences

performing for an audience—and they break out into variety sketches between scenes. The Players were particularly inspired by the slapstick comedy of Buster Keaton (Image 2) and Charlie Chaplin (Image 1), two major vaudeville and silent film stars. Keaton was lauded for his physical comedy; many of his acts involved stuntwork and trick falls, giving the appearance Chaplin was best known for his portrayal of “The Tramp,” a bumbling, good-natured vagabond who often falls victim to misunderstandings.

Image 2

Pictured are some of the visual inspirations for National Players’ staging of The Comedy of Errors. Consider: National Players’ staging is an example of a performance reimagining one of Shakespeare’s stories in another time or place. What other setting might be an effective choice for The Comedy of Errors? Choose another time or place for your retelling of the play, then write a description of how you would direct the production. Consider costumes, casting, scenery, and staging choices. Explain why your choice of setting would be effective thematically.

Image 3

Image 4

GLOSSARY

Below are some of the more challenging words in Shakespeare’s vocabulary. Knowing what they mean will help you follow the plot more easily.

Shakespeare’s Word A mere anatomy Aspect Become disloyalty Beads Bereft Beshrew Bespoke Choleric Circe Coil Cozenage Cuckold Disannual Excrement Fallacy Flout Guilders [By] inspiration Maw Niggard [A husband’s] office Pate [Common] rout Sconce Sirrah Strumpet Wherefore

Meaning Skeleton

Attitude shown on the face Make disloyalty seem becoming

Rosary Lacking Curse Talked about Irritable, prone to anger Sorceress of Greek mythology Fuss Cheating, deception Husband whose wife has cheated on him, symbolized by horns on his head To cancel That which grows out of the body, such as hair Mistake, illusion To mock or make a fool of Money Through magical means Stomach Stingy person The duty of husband to wife

Head Crowd Small fort or protective screen A term used for addressing inferiors Woman of low morals Why

Thou and You

Because “thee” and “thou” are so antiquated today, they sound more formal to the modern ear. However in Shakespeare’s day, it was quite the opposite. “Thou” and “thee” indicated a special intimacy, used for addressing God, among close friends and relations, or with the lower class. “You,” on the other hand, was more formal. It was used to address superiors—children to parents, servants to masters, people of the upper class. These two forms of address were social indicators of respect and status. Using “thou” inappropriately would have been a serious breach of social standards. Shakespeare took advantage of these words’ connotations in his plays to establish character and class. When a form of address shifts in dialogue, therefore, it conveys a contrast in meaning— an altered attitude or relationship. Listen for how characters use these two forms of address, and consider: 1. What does a character’s choice in words say about his or her status? What does it indicate about the relationship between two characters? 3. Read the dialogue between the Duke and Egeon in Act I, scene i: Duke: Therefore by law thou art condemned to die. Egeon: Yet this my comfort: when your words are done, My woes end likewise with the evening sun. What does this indicate to you about relationships and mood? What do the characters’ titles of “thou” and “you” imply here?

KEY WORDS AND NAMES

Amphitryon: Plautus’ farcical comedy, from which Shakespeare’s subplot of the separated twin slaves was derived. Aristotle (384-322 BCE): A Greek philosopher and writer, whose interest in literature and drama influenced Western theatre. Chaplin, Charlie (1989-1977): A vaudeville and silent film comic performer, best known for his role as “The Tramp.” Classical Unities: Aristotle’s doctrine that defines three rules for a work of drama: unity of action, place, and time. Comic/evil Courtesan: Clever, deceptive, and beautiful, this Roman stock character manipulates those around her to win the heart of the Young Lover. Comic Slave: A Roman stock character. Usually a central character, he is resourceful and cunning, loyal to his master, but primarily motivated by earning his freedom. Costumes: Anything actors wear—pants, skirts, shirts, accessories—that delineate character. Costumes in early modern England were elaborate and indicated status, gender and relationships. Dramatic Irony: The spectator is aware of information to which at least one character ignorant, often used for comedic effects. Domineering Wife: A Roman stock character. Smarter than her husband, she is violently suspicious of her spouse. Farce: A genre of low comedy that relies on highly improbably situations, exaggerated characters, and slapstick elements. First Folio: The works of William Shakespeare, compiled by his friends and colleagues in 1623. Globe Theatre: Built by Shakespeare’s company in 1599 and rebuilt after a fire in 1619, one of the most popular early modern theaters in London. Great Chain of Being: A belief that God has an ordered system for nature and humankind. Attempting to change one’s station is an offense against God. Groundlings: Frequenters of the Globe Theatre who paid one penny to stand in the pit before the stage. Seats were reserved for higher-paying audience members. High comedy: A form of entertainment that appeals to an intellectual sense of humor. Iambic Pentameter: A metrical line used in traditional verse. The rhythm has ten syllables per line, alternating between unstressed and stressed syllables. It sounds something like this: deDUM de-DUM de-DUM de-DUM de-DUM. For example: “good THINGS of DAY beGIN to DROOP and DROWSE.” Keaton, Buster (1895-1966): An American vaudevillian and silent film comedian, renowned for his self-deprecating slapstick humor. King’s Men: The name of Shakespeare’s acting company after King James I was crowned in 1603. Low comedy: A form of entertainment that relies on slapstick and physical gags.

KEY WORDS AND NAMES

Metatheatricality: A theatrical device in which the performers are aware they are in front of an audience. Menaechmi: Plautus’ renowned farce about a separated pair of twin brothers. Non de plum: A pseudonym adopted by an author. Old Man: A Roman stock character, often the father of the Young Lover. He serves as an authority figure who imparts wisdom and adheres to traditional values. Parody: An imitation of another person, genre or work that uses deliberate exaggeration or distortion for comedic effect. Plautus (254-184): A popular Roman playwright, whose work influenced Shakespeare’s comedic plays, including The Comedy of Errors. Prose: Natural flow of speech. Quack Doctor: A Roman stock character, called upon for his medical advice, but is revealed to be a fraud. Satire: A mix of both humor and social commentary that exposes and criticizes someone or something. Stratford-upon-Avon: William Shakespeare’s birthplace, located in south Warwickshire, England. Stock character: A specific type of role that frequently appears in plays. Examples from Shakespeare’s day include fools and clowns, romantic lovers, tragic soldiers, and women. Stock Scenery: Generic set pieces used for to indicate place. These might include backdrops and basic furniture, and might represent anything from a forest to a grand palace. Suspension of Disbelief: The idea that an audience will accept unrealistic aspects of a play for the sake of storytelling. Theme: The central topic or idea of a text. Essentially, “what the work is about.” Vaudeville: An American entertainment movement, from about 1880 through 1920. Traveling vaudevillian circuits performed variety acts for a diverse audience. Acts included, music, dance, acrobatics, comedy sketches and more. Verse: Poetic composition. Often used in early modern plays. Compare with prose. Wordplay: The manipulation of words and meanings for a comedic effect. Young Lover: The protagonist of a Roman comedy, this stock character is blinded by love and fuels the conflict of the play.