This book explores the influence of commedia dell'arte improvisation, sight gags and wordplay on Shakespeare's comedies and how these techniques can be applied when producing the Bard's comedies today. When commedia troupes and players were invited to England in the mid 1500s, and their performances impacted upon the performance styles of English players. Artemis Preeshl blends historical research and practical case studies from specific companies to illustrate the combination of these techniques on a play-by-play basis.