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.