Two Gentlemen of Verona is a parody by William Shakespeare, predicted to
have been composed somewhere between 1589 and 1593. It is viewed by some
to be Shakespeare's first play and is frequently viewed as showing his
first speculative strides in spreading out a portion of the subjects and
themes on which he would later write his plays. For instance, it is the
first of his plays where a courageous woman dresses as a boy. The play
manages the subjects of friendship and treachery, the conflict between
friendship and love, and the stupid way of behaving of individuals in
love. The main feature of the play is viewed by some to be Launce, the
clownish worker of Proteus, and his dog Crab, to whom "the most
scene-stealing non-speaking role in the canon" has been credited. Two
Gentlemen is viewed as Shakespeare's most vulnerable play. It has the
littlest named cast of any play by Shakespeare.