SEVERAL years ago, I presented a paper before the Shakespeare Association arguing against the modern custom in productions of The Comedy of Errors of allowing one actor to play both roles of the Antipholus Twins (and one for both of the Dromios). I suggested that such doubling was contrary to Shakespeare's intent and, indeed, nullified some of the effects of choric juxtaposition of the two Twins that Shakespeare had been at pains to produce. As a specific instance of Shakespeare's intention, I cited Act III, scene i, where on two occasions—both before and after the scene—one twin makes his exit and immediately the other twin makes his entrance—what I call immediate juxtaposition. That these two near-meetings are not chance occasions, just dropped in by the Poet to amuse us, is evident from their placement in the play. They occur immediately before and immediately after the central scene of the play, III.i. The stage directions (in edited texts, not in the Folio which lacks this detail) are explicit both at the beginning of the scene:

and at the end of the scene: