This book is about comedy, and, like most books about comedy, it does not contain nearly enough jokes; for that I apologise. I hope the book contains enough of interest to convey something of the excitement Plautus and Terence have brought me over the past several years. Stagecraft and performance are a challenge to document, and the separation of twenty-two centuries has done little to make it easier. I have attempted to present a consistent, credible, and comprehensive picture of how the mechanics of the Plautine stage functioned, and in most respects the picture remains true for Terence. I have tried to remain grounded in the text of the plays, but a lack of evidence has meant that some speculation has been necessary, and I know that not all readers will accept all the conclusions. It is possible to isolate various claims – to agree with what I say about masks, but not about improvisation, for example – but taken together, it is hoped that the resulting picture remains true to what we understand of the text of Plautus, even given the necessary limits that such a claim must entail.

Roman comedies were intended for production. My purpose is to examine a number of aspects of the performance and stagecraft of Roman comedy, with an emphasis on Plautus.