Plot Synopsis
Alas, poor Ageon! He left his home in Syracuse in order to search for his son Antipholus – who also left his home in Syracuse to search for his missing twin brother, lost at sea many years ago. Now Ageon has landed in Ephesus – where being a Syracusean is an offense punishable by death. Thanks to the mercies of Ephesus’ ruler Duke Solinus, Ageon has until sunset to find someone to pay his bail and save him from execution. What Ageon doesn’t know is :
Living in Ephesus is one of his missing twin sons (known as Antipholus of Ephesus) and that son’s servant (Dromio of Ephesus), who is also a twin. This son is married to a wealthy woman (Adriana) and is living a very comfortable life with his wife and her younger sister, Luciana. Antipholus of Ephesus is a man about town, enjoying a drink now and then with the local courtesan, and causing his wife no end of jealousy and grief.
Meanwhile, Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant (also named Dromio) have arrived in Ephesus. They are surprised to discover that everyone in town knows them and calls them by name. Even more surprising is the discovery that Antipholus has a wife and Dromio a fiancée! They receive jewelry they didn’t order and are accused of things that they know they did not do. Are they mad or are the townspeople mad? It becomes even more complicated when Antipholus of Syracuse finds he is very attracted to Luciana, the sister of his “supposed” wife. What’s a man to do? And how should a faithful wife care for a husband who is so obviously distracted and not himself? How, you ask? Why call in the witch doctor, of course!
Will Dr. Pinch be able to redeem Antipholus from madness? Will Dromio of Syracuse be forced to marry the fiancée he’s never seen before? Will Antipholus of Syracuse convince Luciana his love for her is true? Will the Courtesan get back her ring? Will the goldsmith get money for the necklace? Will Ageon make his bail? Will the Abbess sort things out in the end? Will the two sets of brothers finally find their twins?
Find the answers to these and other questions when you see Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy of mistaken identities – The Comedy of Errors. |
