The Comedy of Errors and Dave Features                        

                                                      Introduction

“The guy who kinda looks like me is the guy that brings me a joy” is true for both Dave Letterman’s Late Show and William Shakespeare’s play The Comedy of Errors. Both the Comedy or Errors and Dave Feature contain many mix-ups. These features result from the existence of look-alikes. However, the confusion that results from look-alike effect and usually makes the public laugh is not the only effect of the play. The true idea of both programs has a far more profound effect on the public making people rethink their attitude to each other and the role in this life.

                                                                   Dave Feature

For the past ten years, Dave Letterman has become popular for its Late Show. Mr. Letterman appeared on the Late Show over fifty times. The main idea of the show is to acquaint people with “the guy who kinda looks like me”. The recent show pictured Jeff whose appearance had very close resemblance with that of Dave. That very fact helped Jeff to close the show for Dave when “he mysteriously went down backstage”. (David Letterman impersonator & lookalike. Retrieved from http://www.talentbookingusa.com/look-a-likes/david-letterman-jp.htm) At the top of that is Jeff’s latest attempt to play Dave at a birthday party. Jeff even presented a birthday cake to Dave’s Mom in Indiana.

The recent look-a-like show included such characters as Mel Gibson and Jeff Reed. A whole show was just unbelievable since both men had not only visual similarities but “some common issue with anger management”.

 

                                    Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors

The Comedy of Errors can be regarded as the shortest play in the Shakespearean canon. This play is considered to be one of Shakespeare's earliest and least romantic comedies. For a long period of time The Comedy of Errors has been viewed as an immature work. The major statement in support of this idea is the fact that play relies too heavily upon elements of farce and slapstick.

The Comedy of Errors has undergone numerous series of reevaluations. The reevaluation of the play pushed many critics to change their idea about the play. Now many critics express the idea of a deeper issues and themes that lie beneath the work's madcap surface. As for the wildly implausible plot, it involves two sets of identical twins that have been separated at birth: the Antipholus brothers—one of Syracuse and the other of Ephesus—and their servants, who are both named Dromio.

The story starts when all four come together in Ephesus. Here the reader is given a chance to laugh at numerous instances of mistakes come as a result of wrong identification of these two people. The situation is exacerbated by the shared sets of names. Shakespeare's primary source for The Comedy of Errors dates back to ancient Rome. Apparently, the residents of the old world were also enjoying the fun of look-a-like comedies. Shakespeare added to the mayhem of his play. The goal has been achieved by introducing a second pair of look-alikes. This measure only increased the comic effect of the play. However, the main comic effect in the novel is brought by mix-ups. In fact, the comedy is featuring two sets of twins. The twin effect combined with the description of the situations the twins might find themselves in makes people laugh.

Though the Comedy of errors is one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays, it is one of the funniest. It depicts identical twin boys, who get separated in infancy by a storm. The reunification takes place only when the boys will reach their adulthood. In general, the production can be characterized as superb.

Similar ideas make the basis of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. The story of mistaken identities and misadventures that come as a result of mistaken identities is so hilarious in its essence that it lives successfully till the present time. The best proof of this statement is Dave’s Show picturing famous look-alikes. Bret Pitt, Madonna, Donald Trump and hundreds of the other celebrities’ look-alikes can be seen in the show.

Underlying witty dialogue that is present in the show is accompanied by unexpected bursts of rib-tickling but authentic sound effects. The outstanding performance of the twin altogether with witty portrayals of celebrities adds to the humoristic effect of the novel.

The comedy of errors reveals the reader the parallel stories of two groups of people who look exactly alike, Antiphilous and Dromio. What is more astonishing is that people who resemble each other so much have also have the same names.

Just the same can be told about Dave’s show the main peculiarity of which is a dialogue with people who resemble celebrities. Moreover, twins appear to have similar manners, style of dressing even the same expression of anger.

In the Comedy of Errors two different groups are from Sracuse and Egeon. The members of the group appear to be brothers. At the final stage of the play, all four brother find each other.

Dave’s show has a little bit different idea since it gathers people from different areas. All these people have nothing to do with the famous stars. The only similarity is their appearance.

To conclude, both works have similar ideas – to make public laugh at the comic situation that results from a lookalike effect. However, there is something more that mere desire of the author to make public laugh. While depicting visual similarities the author makes people think of the deeper meaning that is hidden inside of twin effect. In other words, both Dave’s show and Shakespeare’s play make people rethink their place in society as well as the role that are attributed to them in this world.   

 

                                                                References:

David Letterman impersonator & lookalike. Retrieved from http://www.talentbookingusa.com/look-a-likes/david-letterman-jp.htm

Shakespeare W., The Comedy of Errors. New York University Press. 2003