Shakespeare Wows the Crowd
I think that Shakespearian plays always beg a presentational style, at least to some degree. There are too many asides, sneaky puns, and comments about the theater in general, and I think that presentational aspect should not be ignored. In the very first scene of Comedy of errors, the Duke and the twins's father are discussing the father's rough lot. This scene is really simple in the action, it's mostly just an old man going on about a tragedy that befell him... but if he really plays it up to the audience it could be a great way to hook them. Scene two and most of the second act would be fairly representational. These scenes are more true-to-life representations of characters going about their goals. However, when the mixup between the two Dromios occur, I can see each of the Dromios building rapport with the audience. When other Dromio enters and gets in trouble for mistaking this new dude in town for his master, I can just see him shooting looks to the audience like "what the heck? he's losing his marbles!" And whenever one of the dromios cracks a joke, I visualize him checking the audience for approval-- as in "that was a good one, huh?" I would put Luciana in this group of presentational actors as well. I feel like some of her lofty speeches might be directed at the audience, and she might share a shake of the head at her sister with the people watching.
However, there are other characters I see as strong representational characters. Both of the Antipholuses seem pretty focused on themselves. (well... I guess we haven't met the one yet, but from the way his wife talks!) And Adriana seems similarly self occupied. I feel like these characters are too concerned with meeting their own goals to even notice the audience, whereas people pleasing characters would want to bring the audience in on the relationship too.


Aha!
Somehow I missed the double-people...it is not easy to read when you're sick I suppose, but it makes a lot more sense now!
I'm still a representational advocate, and I agree that some of the characters just don't seem like they would sink to interacting with the audience; they seem rather full of themselves.
-Hilary
Dromio
I agree with the Dromio part. Both of them are so witty, it's hard to imagine them as not interacting with the audience. It would be more fun for everyone if they really got into it and hammed it up. They, in my mind, are the main comedians in the play.
-Renee Ward
Fools?
From what I've seen so far, I might peg them the fools of the play... it seems like the fools in Shakespeare's plays are always saying witty, thoughtful, funny things and getting smacked around for it.
As a side note, I was sad that Antipholus1 was so quick to smack the Dromios around.
Erin Kay Schulz
I Pity Da Fool
They also tend to play the more intelligent of characters, but because they are foolish and goofy, their intelligence is usually brushed aside and thought of as an accident or that they don't know what they are talking about. I know we haven't read King Lear, but in the play the king's fool was actually more like his personal advisor from the shadows.
*Tina
Nice point...
I really like how you pointed out scene two and how it would be fairly representational because the scenes are "more true-to-life representations" of the characters. I hadn't really given some real thought to that. I also like how you brought up the Dromio twins building up rapport with the audience. I can definitely see that whole interaction in a play and the audience finding it funny.
Jennie