A Comedy of Errors, National Theatre

After the success of the National Theatre's Romeo and Juliet for younger audiences, writer and director duo Ben Power and Bijan Sheibani collaborate again to make Shakespeare scintillating for children ages six to 12.

And instead of tragic, star-crossed lovers, it will be comedy taking centre stage at the Temporary Theatre with the fantastically farcical Comedy of Errors, where two pairs of twins, separated at birth, meet in the city of Ephesus to the confusion of all, the ensuing havoc testing their relationships and their very identities.

Ben Power, A Comedy of Errors Adaptation

Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre Ben Power, as we have seen in his translation of Medea, has a talent for getting to the core of the idea, cutting out excess language. After the success of The Temporary Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet, this playwright and adaptor is experienced in the art of modernised Shakespeare. Who better, then, to carve the already playful play The Comedy of Errors into something that under-12s can understand and relish?

Comedy of Errors London 2015

Expect uproarious music, brightly colourful sets, non-stop dancing and audience participation, all packed into an hour of stage-time. The story, a classic confusion of two pairs of identical twins trying to find each other, is sure to capture little ones interested in mischief and mayhem, while accompanying adults may enjoy the subtler themes hidden in Shakespeare’s work.

Recommended for children ages eight to 12.