The Comedy of Errors

Propeller Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, Edward Hall, Roger Warren, Edward Hall, Roger Warren

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781783195107
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literatur
• Subtopic: Shakespeare-Drama

The Comedy of Errors is a brilliant piece of theatrical mechanism, a story of mounting confusion involving two pairs of twins. But it also explores the relations between lovers and between husband and wife, and ends with the warmth and reconciliation of a multiple family reunion.

Characters

The DUKE of Ephesus

AEGEON, a merchant of Syracuse

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE		his twin sons
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE		their twin servants
DROMIO OF EPHESUS

ADRIANA, wife of Antipholus of Ephesus

LUCIANA, her sister

BALTHASAR, a merchant

ANGELO, a goldsmith

NELL, the kitchen-maid

OFFICER

COURTESAN

PINCH, an exorcist

AEMILIA, the Lady Abbess

SCENE ONE

	The action takes place in and around the ‘mart’ or marketplace at Ephesus, here a modern-day Mediterranean tourist resort. Within a metal-work frame, the stage is festooned with fairy lights. In the centre is a moveable unit with double doors, and an upper window, for appearances above. There are graffiti on the walls. Before the action begins, Ephesians wearing sombreros and mirrored sunglasses play 1980s pop music. Enter the DUKE of Ephesus, with AEGEON the merchant of Syracuse, and JAAILER.
AEGEON	Proceed Solinus, to procure my fall, And by the doom of death end woes and all.
DUKE	Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more. I am not partial to infringe our laws. The enmity and discord which of late Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your Duke To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen, Who wanting guilders to redeem their lives, Have sealed his rigorous statutes with their bloods, Excludes all pity from our threatening looks. For since the mortal and intestine jars ’Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us, It hath in solemn synods been decreed, Both by the Syracusians and ourselves, To admit no traffic to our adverse towns. Nay more, if any born at Ephesus Be seen at any Syracusian marts and fairs; Again, if any Syracusian born Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies, His goods confiscate to the Duke’s dispose, Unless a thousand marks be levièd To quit the penalty and to ransom him. Thy substance valued at the highest rate, Cannot amount unto a hundred marks, Therefore by law thou art condemned to die.
AEGEON	Yet this my comfort: when your words are done, My woes end likewise with the evening sun.
DUKE	Well Syracusian, say in brief the cause Why thou departed’st from thy native home, And for what cause thou cam’st to Ephesus.
AEGEON	A heavier task could not have been imposed Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable. Yet that the world may witness that my end Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence, I’ll utter what my sorrow gives me leave. In Syracusa was I born, and wed Unto a woman happy but for me, And by me happy, had not our hap been bad. With her I lived in joy, our wealth increased By prosperous voyages I often made To Epidamnum, till...