MOVIE • 1987

The Flying Karamazov Brothers a Comedy of Errors

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The Karamazovs perform a unique, broad adaptation of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors at Lincoln Center. Aired live on the PBS program Live from Lincoln Center, on June 24, 1987, the Karamazovs are joined by such "new vaudeville" acts as Avner the Eccentric and members of the troupe Vaudeville Nouveau. The five members of the Karamazovs all play major roles: Patterson and Magid as the twins Antipholus, Nelson and Williams as the twins Dromio, and Furst as William Shakespeare himself. Their modern farcical take on the play manages to incorporate everything from juggling, acrobatics and faux knife-throwing to gospel, jazz and a cross-dressing brothel madam. Many jokes make reference to American culture of the 1980s. One running gag is that nobody can pronounce "Epidamnum," a place mentioned several times over the course of the play. After each stammering attempt, all onstage actors stop, point toward the supposed location, then resume their activities.