At the hotel Zanzibar bellboy Fred welcomes prince Rico and his minder, the treacherous Henry. The prince's double Gus brings girlfriend Amber to the hotel whilst suicidal Mr Green also checks in. Henry aims to dispose of Rico, helped by prostitute Tracey but Amber falls for another guest Robert. Much confusion results before order is restored and the twins are reunited.
This episode contains examples of:
- Bath Suicide: The old man intends to commit one.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Done several times by having characters address the audience directly.
- Camp Gay: Robert.
- Chekhov's Gun: Collette mentions how Vince De Trans hypnotized his audience earlier on with the signal phrase "spaghetti bolognese!". At the end Vince manages to disable Henry by using said Trigger Phrase.
- Comically Missing the Point: The sex worker suggests a spit roast but Henry is unaware of the slang and says he already had a sandwich.
- Dead Sparks: Gus and his fiancee have ended up there.
- Distinguishing Mark: The birthmarks on their butts is proof that Prince Rico and Gus are in fact the old man's sons.
- Double Entendre:"What if I pop it quickly in and out?"
- Driven to Suicide: Green, though he ultimately doesn't go through with it.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Fred and Collette earn theirs by taking care of the guests' various problems.
- Easy Amnesia: The old lady has been suffering from anterograde amnesia ever since she hit her head in 1953. She's getting her memory back via an Injury Bookend.
- Electrified Bathtub: When Green asks Collette for a plug for the bath, she thinks he wants an electric plug and tells him this would be very dangerous.
- Everybody Lives: One character is intent on murder, another on suicide, but both are averted.
- Evil Redhead: From Gus' point of view as he is disgusted with the redheaded escort girl peeing on him.
- Farce: Naturally, the episode is based upon Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.
- French Maid: Downplayed with Colette who wears the proper dress but does not actively seduce anyone.
- Good Night, Sweet Prince: Said by Henry when referring to Prince Rico whom he attempts to kill.
- How Many Fingers?: Robert asks his mother after she fell. She says she cannot see because of the missing glasses.
- Hypno Fool: Used against Henry.
- I Am Spartacus: When Henry demands to know which of the two Identical Strangers was the prince, they both say "I" and even the old lady claims to be him.
- Inheritance Murder: Henry plans to kill Rico believing that the shock of losing his son will kill off the elderly king; Henry's father, who apparently has a claim to the throne, will then be able to take over, making Henry the new Prince and in line to be king himself.
- Injury Bookend: The Scatterbrained Senior lady starts to remember her son's name after hitting her head on the floor.
- Iris Out: The episode ends with this effect.
- Love at First Sight: Amber for Robert, thanks to being hypnotised.
- Love Potion: The contemporary equivalent: A love spell via hypnosis.
- Mistaken for Cheating: Gus, through various contrivances.
- Mistaken Identity: Happens frequently with Rico and Gus throughout the story.
- Obligatory Earpiece Touch: Henry, the bodyguard, has a habit of talking to his cuffs.
- Pastiche: Of Shakespearean comedy.
- Precious Photo: The old man keeps a photo of his twin sons in his wallet.
- Questionable Consent: The Prince apparently has sex with the old lady who doesn't seem to know what was going on.
- Rhyming Episode: The episode is written entirely in iambic pentameter.
- Scatterbrained Senior: Alice due to her dementia.
- Separated at Birth: Rico and Gus are initially presented as Identical Stranger, but are then revealed to be this. Foreshadowed by the old man's backstory.
- Sexiled: The last scene with the bellboy placing a "Do not disturb" sign on the doorknob.
- Sinister Switchblade: Henry has a sinister facial expression when holding up the switchblade with which he plans to kill the prince.
- Slipping a Mickey: Henry plans to sedate Prince Rico so that the latter could be Slain in Their Sleep. Things turn out differently.
- Surprisingly Happy Ending: Only the second episode of Inside No.9 to have an unambiguously happy ending, following "Empty Orchestra".
- Talking to Themself: At one point, Henry has a discussion with himself suggesting that he suffers from split personality disorder.
- Teeny Weenie: Robert mentions to have one.
- Theme Naming: Red, Amber, Green. It's also mentioned that Henry and Rico checked into the hotel under the aliases of "Mr Brown" and "Mr Blue".
- Toilet Humour: Many instances.
- True Love's Kiss: How Gus breaks Amber out of hypnosis.
- Wacky Marriage Proposal: Was planned romantically, but turns wacky when the tart is not.
- Water Wake-up: The bellboy tries this to wake up Vince De Trans. It only works temporarily.
