The Comedy of Errors

William Shakespeare

Edited by Alex Thorpe

This 90-minute adaptation was the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for 7 to 13 year olds.

Imagine arriving somewhere new, only to find that everyone there already seems to know who you are. When Antipholus arrives in Ephesus in search of his family, he gets a little more than he bargained for. Strangers say hello as if they’ve known him for years, people give him expensive jewellery and someone rather odd seems to think they are married.

Two sets of identical twins later, everyone is very confused…

Young performers from across the country joined a professional cast in this unique collaboration between the RSC, our Regional Theatre Partners and Associate Schools. Venues included the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Grand Theatre in Blackpool, York Theatre Royal, and schools in Nuneaton, Birmingham, Northampton, Blackpool, Middlesbrough, Bishop Auckland, Kent, Hull, York, Bradford and Stoke-on-Trent.

First Encounters with Shakespeare: The Comedy of Errors was a twin-tastic 90 minutes of comic confusion and mistaken identity aimed at 7 to 13 year olds, but hugely entertaining for all ages.

The First Encounters with Shakespeare The Comedy of Errors Teacher Pack is still available, including ways to introduce the text and insights into the production itself.

Cast

Hasan Dixon - Antipholus of Ephesus
Jessica Dyas - Angelo/Egeon
Aruhan Galieva - Luciana/Duke Solinus
Lewis Griffin - Dromio of Ephesus
Rhiannon Handy - Adriana
Paula James - Emilia
Nicholas Karimi - Antipholus of Syracuse
Thomas Pickles - Dromio of Syracuse

Creatives

Director Alex Thorpe | Designer Amelia Jane Hankin | Music Eamonn O'Dwyer | Movement Simon Pittman | Fights Lisa Connell | Puppetry Director Edie Edmundson