The Comedy of Errors - 2005 production

Directed by Nancy Meckler
Designed by Katrina Lindsay

at the Novello Theatre

7.30 pm

Aldwych

Tube: Charing Cross Road

The Comedy of Errors may have been written as early as 1590 and was performed at Gray's Inn in 1594. It was published in the First Folio of 1623 and is Shakespeare's shortest play. It follows the neo-classical unities of time, place and action. The play on which it is based is Plautus's Menaechmi, although Shakespeare adds a number of new elements such as a new pair of twins both named Dromio.

Dramatis Personae:

DUKE SOLINUS                   Duke of Ephesus

AEGEON                            a merchant of Syracuse

AEMILIA                            wife to AEgeon, an abbess at Ephesus

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE twin brothers, and sons to AEgeon and AEmilia

ADRIANA                           wife to Antipholus of Ephesus

LUCIANA her sister.

LUCE servant to Adriana.

DROMIO OF EPHESUS

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE        twin brothers, and attendants on the two Antipholuses

BALTHAZAR                       a merchant

ANGELO                            a goldsmith

First Merchant, friend to Antipholus of Syracuse

Second Merchant, to whom Angelo is a debtor

DR PINCH                          a schoolmaster

A Courtesan

Gaoler, Officers, and other Attendants

SCENE Ephesus.

Short plot summary:

The story so far...
Thirty-three years before the play begins Egeon, a merchant of Syracuse, became the father of twin boys. He named them both Antipholus and bought another pair of twins, both named Dromio, to be their servants. Egeon and his wife were travelling home with their sons and the servants when they were shipwrecked in a violent storm. Egeon managed to save only one Antipholus and one Dromio and has never seen the rest of his family since.

The play...
Antipholus and Dromio arrive in Ephesus in search of their long-lost twin brothers, unaware that their father Egeon has also arrive there on the same quest. As a citizen of Syracuse, a city at war with Ephesus, Egeon has landed illegally in Ephesus and is arrested and condemned to death unless a ransom is paid by sunset. Unknown to all of them, the lost Antipholus and Dromio have been living in Ephesus for many years.

Suddenly the strangers find themselves greeted like old friends, Antipholus finds that he has acquired a wife, and everyone in Ephesus seems to be behaving very strangely...

Detailed plot summary:

Act I

Set in Ephesus, the play begins on a serious note with the Duke of Ephesus condemning the Syracusian merchant Aegeon to death, as there is currently a law forbidding citizens of Syracuse to visit Ephesus and vice versa, because of strife between the cities, unless they can pay a penalty of a thousand marks. A

Aegeon then relates to the Duke what led him to take such a risk: he has come in search of his son, Antipholus. He explains that originally he was happily married with twin sons and that he bought twin brothers to be servants to his own sons. While on a voyage home from Epidamnum, while the boys were babies, the family were separated in a shipwreck. His wife Aemilia, one son and one servant were taken up by fishers of Corinth, whereas Aegeon and the other son and servant were rescued by another ship that took them home. When Antipholus of Syracuse reached the age of eighteen, he set out in search of his brother and mother, with his servant Dromio. This was a number of years ago and Aegeon has been looking for them. Giving up hope, he announces his willingness to die.

We then see Antipholus of Syracuse, who, coincidentally, has just arrived in Ephesus. He sends Dromio to their inn with a purse of money. The first confusion occurs when Dromio of Ephesus enters and, mistaking Antipholus for his brother of Ephesus, attempts to persuade him to come home to dinner. When questioned as to what he has done with the money he was given, Dromio of course disclaims all knowledge of it and is beaten.

Act II

Adriana, the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, laments her husband’s lateness and complains to her sister Luciana about the way she is treated. Luciana argues that women should be patient with men because men are superior to women. Dromio of Ephesus enters and is beaten again by Adriana for bringing the bad news that his ‘master’ has denied knowledge of his wife and house and asked him for a thousand marks of gold.

In the next scene, Antipholus of Syracuse meets up with Dromio of Syracuse and berates and beats him for denying knowledge of the money. Dromio complains in vain that he knows nothing about this. Adriana and Luciana enter to persuade them to come ‘home’ to dinner. Although confused and wondering if he is dreaming or mad, Antipholus agrees, hoping to find out what is going on!

Act III

Antipholus of Ephesus enters for the first time, slightly puzzled by Dromio of Ephesus’ insistence that his master beat him, asked him for a thousand marks in gold and repudiated all knowledge of his wife and household. He has invited Angelo, a goldsmith, and Balthasar, a merchant, home to dinner. His embarrassment is therefore all the greater when he is denied entry to his house, his wife being convinced that he and Dromio are already inside. To punish his wife, Antipholus decides to visit ‘a wench of excellent discourse’ and to bestow upon her the chain that he had asked Angelo to make for his wife. He requests Angelo to bring it to him at the Porpentine, the Courtesan’s house.

Meanwhile, Luciana tries to persuade Antipholus of Syracuse to treat ‘his wife’ with at least a semblance of courtesy. To her horror, Antipholus declares his love for her. She leaves and Dromio of Syracuse enters, complaining to his master that one of the kitchen wenches is claiming him sexually. They decide to leave, despite Antipholus’ attraction to Luciana, and Antipholus sends Dromio to the bay to see about a ship. Antipholus meets Angelo, who gives him the chain destined for Antipholus of Ephesus to give the Courtesan and declines payment, thinking he will receive it at another time.

Act IV

Angelo is importuned for money by another merchant, so needs his money for the chain from Antipholus of Ephesus. Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus enter and Antipholus sends Dromio to buy a rope’s end, so that he can beat his wife and household for denying him entry to his house. Antipholus then charges Angelo with having failed to deliver the chain as he had promised; Angelo protests that he has given it to him and demands his money. When Antipholus refuses, Angelo has him arrested for being in debt. Dromio of Syracuse turns up to report that a ship is ready to sail. Confusion arises for Antipholus as he sent his Dromio to buy a rope! He dispatches him to Adriana to fetch money to bail him out of prison.

Luciana tells Adriana that ‘her husband’ has declared his love for her. Adriana is distressed. Dromio of Syracuse enters and asks for the money to bail Antipholus of Ephesus, which he is given. Of course, Dromio meets Antipholus of Syracuse and delivers the money to him instead. They meet the Courtesan, who asks Antipholus for the chain she was promised or a ring that she gave ‘him’. Antipholus calls her a witch and leaves. The Courtesan decides to go and see Adriana in an attempt to recover her ring, if there is no prospect of her getting the chain.

The unfortunate Dromio of Ephesus turns up with the rope he was sent for, only to be beaten by Antipholus of Ephesus, who is expecting a purse of ducats for his bail. Antipholus is confronted with Adriana, Luciana and the Courtesan, who have brought Dr Pinch, as they now think he is mad. The various and compounding confusions are related and the men of Ephesus are bound and carried off. All are terrified when Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse enter with their rapiers drawn, as they do not understand how they got loose. The others run away. The men of Syracuse decide to leave as soon as they can.

Act V

Angelo sees Antipholus of Syracuse wearing the chain that is at dispute, and accuses him of having denied its receipt. They are about to fight when the other characters enter and the men of Syracuse run into the priory. The abbess Aemilia enters and asks the other characters what they are doing there. Adriana says that she has come to fetch her demented husband. The Abbess asks the cause of his madness, deliberately leading Adriana on to say that she has nagged at her husband. Aemilia announces her intention of curing Antipholus herself. Adriana decides to appeal to the Duke, and is told that he will be passing by to see Aegeon’s execution. She asks him to allow her to take her husband away. Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus enter, to general consternation.

The various confusions are rehearsed again. Aegeon, thinking he recognises Antipholus of Syracuse, appeals to Antipholus for help and acknowledgement, which Antipholus refuses, saying that he does not know him. As the dramatic tension reaches its peak, Aemilia enters with Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse and identifies herself as Aegeon’s wife and mother of the Antipholus brothers, saying that she became separated from Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. At last the errors are understood, and Antipholus of Syracuse assures Luciana that he meant his protestations to her. Aemilia invites all to go into the abbey to continue talking about the amazing events, and the company are followed into the abbey by first the newly-reunited Antipholus twins, and finally the rejoicing Dromios.