The Guthrie Theater of Minneapolis and The Acting Company of New York will combine to bring Shakespeare’s “A Comedy of Errors” to campus at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Young Auditorium.

“A Comedy of Errors” is known as one of Shakespeare’s funniest play. The Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company play on this aspect by embarking on flavors of slapstick comedy.

Actor Whitney Hudson, who plays the character of “Adriana” in the play, said the actors interpreted slapstick comedy in a very physical way. There are always people falling down, and people getting punched in the face, she added.

“It is such a workout,” Hudson said. “Some of the actors are just dripping with sweat by the end of the play.”

The play revolves around two sets of identical twins who were accidently separated at birth. The plotline then follows the twins as they try to find each other. This journey leads to mistaken identities, adultery, theft and demonic possession.

“It’s kind of like a soap opera,” Marketing Specialist at the Young Auditorium Leslie LaMuro said. “There are many twists and turns.”

All of the madness occurs in the time span of a single day.

Hudson said it isn’t just a story about people finding each other but about them finding themselves.

“It is about finding the balance between the crazy world that we live in and the search for the truth,” Hudson said.

Portraying this balance was not always easy for the directors or actors.

Hudson said it was a challenge for her personally to find the balance between the zaniness and high-energy performances that the other characters brought to the stage while her character, “Adriana,” has a mellow and calm exterior.

“I had to bring the same level of energy that they were delivering, but I had to interpret it differently,” Hudson said.

Due to the fact that the play occurs in such a small time frame, the fashion directors wanted to play on “fashion icons” such as Charlie Chaplin, Sofia Loren and various other modern styles to give the play a classic and timeless feel.

“The costumes range an entire century,” Hudson said.

The set also solely consists of changing curtains in order for the setting of the play to remain unknown.

LaMuro said this particular play was chosen after working with the UW-Whitewater English Department and seeing what works of literature they were possibly going to teach this semester.

“Shakespeare is much easier to understand when it’s acted out,” LaMuro said. “You need to keep your eye on the stage, what the actors do with their bodies interpret the language on stage.”

It can be argued that seeing a play in person makes the experience much more personal.

“You start to see why people speak, not just what they’re saying,” Hudson said. “It allows you to see yourself in the characters.”

For students who need to write a paper about the play, it is recommended that they attend the “SoundBite” event right before the beginning of the show.

The event will feature The Acting Company’s Staff Reparatory Director Adriana Baer at 6:30 p.m. in the main lobby of the Young Auditorium.

“She will talk about the play and the merging of the two companies,” LaMuro said. “Students will also be able to ask questions about the play.”

The Acting Company and The Guthrie Company’s stop at UW-Whitewater is one of many on their 31-city tour.

“We are so excited to come do this show, it is such a pleasure to be asked to come out,” Hudson said. “Get ready to have some fun.”