Shakespeare has done it again! The critically acclaimed author of such hit comedies as "Measure for Measure" and "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" delivers more non-stop laughs with his uproarious new farce, "The Comedy of Errors." This time around, the writer sets his sights on two sets of identical twins who, separated at birth but sharing the same names, wind up wandering around a seaside town without ever crossing paths. They do, however, continually run into an assortment of friends, acquaintances, and family members, who grow more and more confused with each encounter. For example, there’s Angelo, the goldsmith, who has promised to make a chain for Adriana, the wife of his good friend Antipholus of Ephesus. Unfortunately, he meets up with Antipholus of Syracuse instead and giving him the chain, makes arrangements to collect his fee later that evening. When one of Angelo’s creditors suddenly appears and threatens to have him arrested if he does not pay the debt, he goes to Antipholus of Ephesus seeking payment for the chain. This Antipholus, of course, denies ever receiving such a gift. As a result, tempers flare, accusations are cast, and violence nearly erupts before the situation can be resolved. It’s the sort of confusion that lies at the very heart of this play; a wife unknowingly take the wrong man for her husband. A servant unknowingly does the will of two masters. An angry mob chases them through the streets. It’s a simple case of mistaken identity taken to ridiculous, yet hilarious, lengths. The only complaint I, as a critic, have is that the resolution comes too neatly and nicely packaged to be believed. When pushed to such emotional extremes, most people could not be calmed by a few choice words and a rather far-fetched explanation. I would rather the show ended with the whole town being burned to the ground; but then again, I’m not the one that wrote it.
--B. Zanetti, TV critic

Special thanks to our sponsor for the evening, The Olive Market.