Plot And Character Overview
The Basic PlotThe Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s shortest and most funniest plays: a major part of the humour comes from hilarious slapstick and mistaken identities, combined with the comic script. The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins, one born to a wealthy merachnt, the other set into a servants status. The twins are separated at birth in a shipwreck, one merchant twins and one servant twin, together, leading to each twin believing his brother is dead. The story is complicated by the fact that the boys in each set of twins have the same name. The merchant twins are named Antipholus and both of the servant twins are named Dromio. One Antipholus and his servant Dromio grew up in Syracuse, and so, for identification purposes, they are called Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse.
The other Antipholus and his servant Dromio came to live in Ephesus, and so they are called Antipholus of Ephesus and Dromio of Ephesus. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, one set of twins, arrive in a town in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. (Both sets of twins share the same names, being separated at birth, they kept to one name, thinking the other twin was dead)When the Syracusan twins encounter the friends and families of their twins in Ephesus, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, husbands mistaken by wives, wrongful arrests, and thefts until the Syracusian twins are convinced the town in Ephesus is full of crazy townsfolk and wicked sorcerers.
· The play will be performed at the Riverside theatre at the end of term 2.
· Major roles have been filled, however some minor role and back stage crews are still needed.
· Anyone interested in being involved rehearsals are held in the Drama room Thursdays during sport until 4:30pm
· Catherine Mcauley girls will also be auditioning this Thursday after 3:00pm
Plot summary
Poster for a performanceEgeon faces execution, as a Syracusan trespassing in Ephesus, unable to pay a thousand marks’ fine. He tells his sad story. In his youth, he married and had twin sons. On the same day, a poor woman also gave birth to twin boys, and he purchased these as slaves to his sons. Soon afterwards, the family made a sea voyage, and was hit by a tempest. Egeon lashed himself to the main-mast with one son and one slave, while his wife lashed herself to the mizzen with the others. The wife was rescued by one boat, Egeon by another. Egeon never again saw his wife, or the children with her. Recently, his son Antipholus of Syracuse, now grown, and his son’s slave Dromio of Syracuse, left Syracuse on a quest to find their brothers. When Antipholus of Syracuse did not return, Egeon set out in search of him.Solinus, Duke of Ephesus, is moved by this story, and grants Egeon one day to pay his fine.That same day, Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus, searching for his brother. He sends Dromio of Syracuse to deposit some money at the Centaur (an inn). He is confounded when the identical Dromio of Ephesus appears almost immediately, denying any knowledge of the money and asking him home to dinner, where his wife is waiting. Antipholus, thinking his servant is making insubordinate jokes, beats Dromio.Dromio of Ephesus returns to his mistress, Adriana, saying that her “husband” refused to come home, and even pretended not to know her. Adriana, concerned that her husband’s eye is straying, takes this news as confirmation of her suspicions.Antipholus of Syracuse meets Dromio of Syracuse, who (truthfully) denies claiming that Antipholus had a wife. Antipholus beats him. Suddenly, Adriana rushes up to Antipholus and begs him not to leave her. Her sister Luciana supports her plea. Confused, the Syracusans attribute this event to witchcraft, but nevertheless go off with these strange women.Antipholus of Ephesus returns home for dinner and is enraged to find that he is rudely refused entry to his own house by Dromio of Syracuse, who is keeping the gate. He is ready to break down the door, but his friends persuade him not to make a scene. He decides, instead, to dine with a Courtesan.Inside the house, Antipholus of Syracuse discovers he is attracted to Luciana. She is shocked to be courted by her sister’s husband, and leaves to tell her sister what has happened. Dromio of Syracuse discovers that Nell, an obese kitchen-maid, lays claim to him. He describes her as “spherical, like a globe; I could find out countries in her,” which leads to a series of bawdy puns. (Ireland is “in her buttocks: I found it out by the bogs.”) The Syracusans decide to leave town. Antipholus of Syracuse meets Angelo, a goldsmith, who gives him a chain, saying that he will return for his money.Antipholus of Ephesus dispatches Dromio of Ephesus to purchase a rope with which to beat Adriana. He is then accosted by Angelo, demanding payment. Antipholus denies receiving the chain, and is promptly arrested. Dromio of Syracuse enters, announcing that he has booked passage on a ship for himself and his master. Antipholus, confused, sends him back to Adriana’s house to get money for his bail.After completing this errand, Dromio of Syracuse mistakenly delivers the money to Antipholus of Syracuse. The Courtesan spies Antipholus wearing the gold chain, and says he promised it to her. The Syracusans deny this, and flee. The Courtesan resolves to tell Adriana that her husband is insane. Dromio of Ephesus returns to the arrested Antipholus of Ephesus, with the rope. Antipholus is infuriated. Adriana, Luciana and the Courtesan enter with a conjurer named Pinch, who tries to exorcise the Ephesians, who are bound and taken to Adriana’s house. The Syracusans enter, carrying swords, and everybody runs off for fear: believing that they are the Ephesians, out for vengeance after somehow escaping their bonds. Adriana reappears with henchmen, who attempt to bind the Syracusans. They take sanctuary in a nearby priory, where the Abbess resolutely protects them.The Duke and Egeon enter, on their way to Egeon’s execution. Adriana begs the Duke to force the Abbess to release her husband. Then, a messenger from Adriana’s house runs in and announces that the Ephesians have broken loose from their bonds and tortured Doctor Pinch. The Ephesians enter and ask the Duke for justice against Adriana. Egeon believes he has found his own son, Antipholus, who will be able to bail him, but both Ephesians deny having ever seen him before.Suddenly, the Abbess enters with the Syracusan twins, and everyone begins to understand the confused events of the day. Not only are the two sets of twins reunited, but the Abbess reveals that she is Egeon’s wife, Emilia. The Duke pardons Egeon. All exit into the abbey to celebrate the reunification of the family.
Below is a brief plot synopsis of the play and the character list
Character Influences:
Balthasar: Mr Collins (Pride & Prejudice)
