Shakespeare in Performance: Film
The Comedy of Errors (1984, James Cellan-Jones)
| Title | The Comedy of Errors |
|---|---|
| Year | 1984 |
| Release Locations | GB |
| Director | James Cellan-Jones |
| Medium | Color video |
| Length | 1 hrs, 50 mins |
| Languages | English |
| Audience | general public |
| Play Connections | The Comedy of Errors (interpretation) |
| Series | The Shakespeare Plays |
Description
As with all the BBC television productions, the text is based on the Peter Alexander edition with cuts and alterations made by the BBC's own editor, in this case Mr. David Snodin. A main feature is the "doubling" of the principal characters, the Antipholuses and the Dromios, the latter being portrayed by rock star, Roger Daltrey. The director felt that doubling was called for not just in the context of trick photography but also because of internal textual evidence suggesting the same actor played both roles even in Shakespeare's time. The commedia dell'arte style allows integration of mimes and street players into the plot and mise en scène. Equally attention-getting is the huge map of the eastern Mediterranean that makes up the market floor and the marvelous lighting that gives the illusion of a sun-drenched Mediterranean seaport town. Subtly underscoring the play's adherence to the neoclassical doctrine of the unities of time and place is the lighting on the set's small houses that shifts with the sun's movements
Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14
Cast Overview
Production Team and Crew Overview
Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell