Shakespeare’s shortest play, adapted from Plautus (lesson from Shakespeare to up and coming writers: if you’re going to learn how to write, adapt an existing work – either historical record or something out of copyright. Also if you’re going to learn structure, write a farce). The plot is about two sets of twins who wind up in a town – mix ups result, accentuated by the fact that each twin has the same name, and revolving around. Throw in a ticking clock where an arrested man has a day to pay a fine or else he’s going to be killed.
The humour is very broad - jokes where masters beat servants (not really funny), jokes about a fat girl describing countries in her body, about going bald. It lacks any really memorable characters although I enjoyed the squabbling married couple, vicious in their insults (she’s convinced he’s cheating and gets a witch doctor to deprogram him).
On the the whole this is good fun – there's plenty of action, good structure, a bit of romance and a happy ending. It’s like a good solid sitcom, and that’s not a back handed compliment at all.
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