“They Talking Cash-Money-Shit About a Big Bitch!”
As October opened, the ensemble was about midway through The Comedy of Errors—a play that’s as chaotic and short as it is confusing. This has posed some challenges that are fairly unique to this piece. There is not a lot to discuss in terms of important themes or even the richness of Shakespeare’s language. It’s pretty much all plot, and it’s presented in very terse and straightforward verse. The plot is very confusing though, and it has taken most of the discussion time to work out exactly what is happening. With the story deep in its web of mistaken identities, the group dove into the middle acts, navigating the growing chaos of two sets of twins, two sets of debts, and a city convinced everyone’s gone mad.
Early in the session, the group addressed some logistical frustrations, laughing before settling into the reading. The conversation turned thoughtful when one participant shared that she had recently lost a young person in her life. The ensemble offered support and began the night’s work with quiet focus and care.
The reading brought renewed laughter and energy. One participant announced that she wanted “redemption” after feeling nervous the last time she read, and another boldly declared, “I like playing Angelo—that’s my part!” When Antipholus began pursuing Luciana, someone leaned in with delight: “He wants her—I was like ooooh!” Another participant added, “I read it cover to cover—I didn’t want to spoil it!” Everyone laughed, but there was also admiration for how Shakespeare’s quick banter reveals attraction and misunderstanding in the same breath.
The mood shifted to pure comedy when the ensemble reached the scene in which Dromio mocks his wife’s appearance. One participant exclaimed, “They talking cash-money-shit about a big bitch,” and another added, “If I was that woman, my feelings would be hurt!” It is very funny, very tawdry, and pretty classic trope. It’s right up there with a Rodney Dangerfield routine or “Yo Mama” jokes; it’s not very sophisticated stuff, but funny that even Shakespeare– the king of high brow sophistication to those who are unfamiliar with him– has several lines of fat wife jokes. “This sounds like some prison transactions!” one participant said later, comparing Shakespeare’s barter scene to everyday exchanges on the inside.
By the end of the night, the ensemble was laughing through scenes, experimenting with accents, and starting to get the text on its feet. The evening closed with a game that left everyone laughing—the kind of joy that fills the room after good, honest work.