Sunday, 2 pm, October 20, 2002
Dr. A. Raia, "The Comic Spirit"

We are attending Aquila Theater’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” so that you can apply what we have learned about comedy to the actual performance of a comedy and so that you can “apprentice to professionals” in preparation for your final project, which entails your rewriting and performing, as a group, a scene from an ancient comedy. I urge you to attend as well to the Playbill you receive, since you will need to provide one to accompany your performance.

1. The Rewrite:
How did Shakespeare recast Plautus’ “The Brothers Menaechmus”? In your opinion, did his changes add to the comic effect (give evidence for both your “yes” and “no” answer)?

2. The Performance:
In discussing the qualitative elements of drama, Aristotle ranks music and spectacle at the bottom of his list. How does the Aquila company use music, choreography, costume, gesture, scenery, the theater, and staging to increase the comic effect of the plot, characters, language, and thought of the play? What kind of comedy does performance seem to contribute — wit, humor, farce?

3. The Experience:
What did you anticipate before you entered the theater? What role did you play as a member of the audience in this live performance? What did you feel at the end of the play, i.e., was your attitude changed from when you entered the theater? What do you understand “comic catharsis” to mean now?