The Comedy of Errors
Overview | Synopsis | Cast | Photos
Synposis
Dawn breaks on the frontier gulf port of Ephesus, Louisiana. The Duke, accompanied by a mob of angry local “merchants,” is about to execute a traveling Syracusian named Aegeon. There is rancor between the Dukes of Ephesus and Syracuse that has resulted in a new law stating that if any Syracusian is found in Ephesus or if any Ephesian is found in Syracuse — they will die — unless they have 1000 marks to pay a fine and save their life.
Having no money, Aegeon is about to be killed when the Duke of Ephesus asks him to tell the crowd why he came to Syracuse. Aegeon calms the bloodthirsty crowd with the following story of his life:
A prosperous merchant, Aegeon was happily married and living in Syracuse. After his business partner died, Aegeon was forced to leave his wife to take care of trade affairs across the gulf in Epidamnum. Emilia, his wife, joined him as soon as she could and soon thereafter she gave birth to identical twin boys.
At the same inn where Aegeon and Emilia were staying, an extremely poor couple also gave birth to identical twin sons. Unable to keep or care for the twins, the poor couple sold their sons to Aegeon and Emilia, who bought them to serve as attendants to their own set of twins.
Eager to show their children to their friends in Syracuse, Aegeon and Emilio set sail for home with the four babies. They were not long on board when a treacherous storm ensued. Still far from home, the ship began to sink. The crew and the passengers abandoned the ship, but the young couple was occupied caring for the four babies and were left without a life raft.
Desperate, Emilia tied one of her sons to the end of a mast and fastened one of the other twins to him. Aegean followed her lead and secured the remaining pair. The couple then tethered themselves as well and hoped for salvation.
The seas calmed and two ships were spotted in the distance, but a mighty rock split the mast the family was tied to. Each mast half carried a parent and a set of twins. The divided family was rescued by separate ships and sailed away from one another.
Aegeon returned to Syracuse to raise his son, Antipholus, and his attendant, Dromio. When Antipholus turned eighteen he grew restless with desire to find his lost brother, so he set out, accompanied by Dromio, to search for his twin.
After a few years alone, Ageon embarked on a journey to find his family. His search led him to Ephesus. The Duke is touched by Aegeon’s sad tale of lost wife and sons and grants him until sundown to raise the money, pay the fine, and live. If not he will be executed.
That same day, two young travelers from Syracuse arrive in the city of Ephesus, searching for their lost family too . . .