I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I walked into the black box theater to see the school play. I went to support a friend, and to say I was clueless of what play was about is an understatement.

Bomb-itty of Errors, based off of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, is a rap adaptation including a set of quadruplets, both named Antipholus and Dromio, who were separated at birth. When one Antipholus and Dromio go and find their identical siblings, many accidents occur due to the confusion of who is who. From mistaken love triangles to stolen property, the quadruplets cause a lot to happen in a little amount of time. Reminder, all of this is happening while the Shakespearean lines are being rapped. 

Within the first 15 minutes of the production, my forehead hurt from furrowing my eyebrows. The plot was confusing, and because I knew nothing about the background of the play before sitting down to watch, I had to put all my focus towards understanding the lyrics. It was my fault for not thinking to research what this play was about, but the rapping was difficult to understand at first. To be honest, I didn’t fully catch on until after the introduction. 

Although the rapping and Shakespeare-like speech led to some confusion, this play was the best school production I have ever seen. It was humorous, to the point where there were tears in my eyes from laughter. The production was advertised to be for audiences 13 years old or older. Although the age guideline was not enforced, it left room for scandalous humor that was refreshing to see in a high school production, and I could tell the cast was having fun.

Additionally, the production was interactive, where the actors acknowledged the audience and encouraged clapping and shouting. Personally, I was more entertained because I felt involved in the act. It was nice to have an opportunity to contribute to the experience. The live DJ, played by senior Ash Chavez, perfectly encapsulated the stylish vibe of the play. They interacted with the characters and audience, which added a lot, considering the DJ was the only constant throughout the production. 

Even though the rapping was difficult to understand at first, there were many moments when my jaw dropped because I was so impressed. Specifically, junior Grace Troelstrup’s rapping and overall acting as the sister of Antipholus’ wife was incredible. She brought humor in her expressions and everything she did looked natural on stage. Overall, this production was unlike anything I have seen within the theater program. I’m sad I saw it on the last night, because I definitely would’ve gone back to see it again.