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Darragh Kennan and Steve Haggard in The Comedy of Errors, 2009. (Photo by Zane Williams)

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There is one current DVD available from the BBC Shakespeare. The CBC/Stratford production is worth looking for, but listed as officially unavailable.
There is a musical adaptation of this play called "The Boys From Syracuse." It was adapted by George Abbott, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The 1940 film version of the play has never been released in any video format.
None of Plautus' plays has ever been recorded in any video format that I know of.

Just five hours from east central Illinois and half an hour west of Wisconsin's state capital is Spring Green. It is in the heart of Frank Lloyd Wright country and the home of the American Players Theatre. Here until mid-October, you can experience stage classics both outdoors and indoors.

A recent trip there reminded this eternal theater-goer how much one can miss after a decade of absence. The "play in the woods" is better than ever, and now an indoor option doubles your pleasure. APT's production of Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors" is that perfect reminder of what this company is all about.

Since 1980, The American Players Theatre has given the upper Midwest the finest summer classical repertory in the business. Its June to October schedule has expanded from strictly Shakespeare to modern classics, and this season, it has an indoor venue as well. It is worth looking at what made this company go in the first place - the works of the Bard - to see just how the decades have fine-tuned the craft of this famed company.

Why not start with Shakespeare's first comedy, "The Comedy of Errors?" Its origins may predate 1594, and its complex plot is borrowed from the Roman playwright Plautus (who gave modern musical audiences "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"). It is Shakespeare's shortest play, but its 1,777 lines are crowded with mistaken identities, confused identical twins and an off-stage execution time ticking down to zero hour. In the hands of the right director, this play is sheer magic.

William Brown is no stranger to Chicago area theater-goers. His fine work on stage and his exceptional work as a director has made him one of the most sought-after stage professionals in Illinois and Wisconsin. His work as director of "The Comedy of Errors" will do much to keep him in demand. His casting is wonderful from the two brothers who play the noble twins to the actors who play their twin servants. These two servants have show-stealing moments and Brown doesn't miss a single one of them as Steve Haggard and Darragh Kennan almost walk away with the show. Yes, they do look alike and do believe they are long lost twin brothers.

Perhaps it is easier for for Marcus Truschinski and Andy Truschinski to look and act like twin brothers, but playing the straight roles in a mad-cap comedy can be challenging and they pull it off superbly. Even Susan Shunk and Carey Cannon, who play sisters, look like sisters.

Here you can seen director Brown's years of experience at work with such an eye for casting. Putting these talented look alikes through their paces, keeps the laughs coming and the audience with it for every minute of the two hours.

The season at APT runs until October 13. "The Comedy of Errors" will performed in the outdoor theater until October 6. Don't throw away your program. The background material in it is excellent. Call: 608-588-2361, or www.playinthewoods.org