Director's Introduction

Rehearsal Diary

Set Design

Costume Design

Before the play begins…..

Many years before the plays begins, a merchant called Egeon and his wife set sail on a journey to their home in Syracuse. With them are their twin sons, both called Antipholus.

Egeon, their father, has also bought two other twins who are to become his son’s servants, both of whom are called Dromio.

During the journey home there is a violent storm and the family is separated. Egeon manages to save one Antipholus and one Dromio.

His wife, his other twin son, Antipholus, and the other servant Dromio, are believed to be lost in the shipwreck and are never seen again. Until now…………..

The play…..

Many years later, Egeon comes to Ephesus to try to find his family.

As a Syracuse merchant, Egeon has broken Ephesus law by landing in the city and, as a result, stands trial before Solinus, the Duke of Ephesus.

Stuart Organ as Egeon - photograph by Manuel Harlan

Egeon tells the Duke his sad tale of separation from his family: of the loss of his wife, his twin son Antipholus and his son’s servant Dromio - all whom he lost in the shipwreck 33 years ago.

In addition, Egeon tells the Duke that when the son he had saved, Antipholus of Syracuse, came to be 18, he and his own servant Dromio went in search of their long-lost brothers and Egeon has not seen his saved son in over 7 years.

The Duke is moved by Egeon’s plight and offers him a way out – he has until sunset to find and pay a ransom of 1,000 marks which will save his life.

Oliver Dimsdale as Antipholus of Syracuse and Michael Matus as Dromio of Syracuse - photograph by Manuel Harlan

Unbeknown to Egeon, his saved son, Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio, are also in Ephesus looking for their brothers.

Unbeknown to the three is the fact that the lost Antipholus and his servant Dromio have been living in Ephesus for many years, and are now married to Adriana and Luce respectively.

Unbeknown to all, the mother of the Antipholus twins, and wife of Egeon, is also alive and well, and living in the city.

What follows is a comedy of mistaken identity, misunderstandings and chaos. A comedy where, in the end, ‘errors’ are finally resolved.

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