married to D. of E.) and LUCIANA, her sister, set out to woo Antipholus back home. Due to the identical looks of the twins, they bring home the 'boys from Syracuse'; when A. of S. meets Luciana, they are transfixed by each other but convince themselves that this can't be love. When A. and D. of E. return home late after gallivanting with the local courtesans, they find the doors bolted and Adriana and Luce insisting that their real husbands are upstairs in bed with them! The confusion continues and A. and D. of E. take refuge again with the courtesans, who try by means of a ballet and general cosseting to ease their befuddled minds. Act II In front of Adriana's house, A. of S. tells his slave to find out when the next ship for Syracuse sails - he can't stand Ephesus any longer and they're going home. Luciana is hurt when A. of S. says Adriana means nothing to him - though she is obviously upset that he is leaving. Further mistaken identity confusion occurs over a gold chain that ANGELO has made for Antipholus, but given to the wrong one! Adriana comforts her crying sister (with sarcastic interjections from Luce) saying that marriage always turns out different to expectations and that you have to sing for your supper. The COURTESAN is the next female to be hurt because of the confusion: A. (of S.) denies knowing her and yet only the night before she was entertaining A. (of E.)! She is as confused as the two Syracusans and longs for an honest man. A. and D. of S. then get involved in the confusion over the gold chain and a fight breaks out when A. is accused of being a liar. They escape into the SEERESS' temple and hide. As the Duke enters with Aegean, Adriana pleads with him to get her husband back to his right mind, while he begs for justice against his wife for locking him out of the house. The farcical confusion finally resolves itself with the boys from Syracuse emerging from the temple and recognising Aegean; the money for the gold chain is used by A. of E. to free his father and safeguard his brother; the two Dromios are reunited, as are Adriana with her Antipholus and Luciana with hers. Luce embraces both Dromios, as the company end the show. However, love has triumphed, as the Seeress reveals herself as Emelia Aegean's long-lost wife and the two Antipholuses' mother! CHARACTERS • AEGEAN - The father of the two Antipholuses, he has spent seven years looking for them. • ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS - A womanising rogue who expects too much from his long-suffering wife. A man of standing in the city - he is called 'Sir' - and uses his position of authority and money for having a good time with the Courtesans. • DROMIO OF EPHESUS - A doting slave who is dominated by his wife, Luce, and worried for himself about coming home late with his master. • ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE - A likeable character - unmarried, too! - who is completely thrown by the confusion all around him. He is comically led on by Adriana in her confusion, but is really smitten when he meets Luciana. • DROMIO OF SYRACUSE - A very comical character who is totally bemused by everything, especially Luce's advances on him, with or without the rolling-pin. • ADRIANA - An under-satisfied wife, who is determined to make her us a stay-at-home type. Pity she picks the wrong one! • LUCE - A dominating bundle who likes her man well under her thumb. She picks the wrong one, too! • LUCIANA - More of a dreamer than her sister, she idealises about her perfect husband. She is attracted by the idea of being in love and Antipholus will do fine. • COURTESAN - A typical good-time girl who would secretly like to settle down - but where to find that honest, reliable man? • TAILOR - The first victim of the mistaken identities, when two Antipholuses buy identical suits from him. • ANGELO - The local goldsmith who has made a chain for one Antipholus, only to find 'he' isn't wearing it, denies having had it and refuses to pay for it!
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