Nancy Meckler production 2005

Aegeon (Richard Cordery, top centre) tells the story of the separation of the twins. In this production, Aegeon's speech was brought to life by puppets.

Puppeteers: Bettrys Jones (far left), Stewart W. Fraser (far right)
Solinus, Duke of Ephesus: Neil Mckinvern (centre bottom)
Officer: Eke Chukwu (centre)

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 1 Scene 2

Antipholus of Syracuse A trusty villain, sir, that very oft, / When I am dull with care and melancholy, / Lightens my humour with his merry jests.

Photograph shows Dromio of Syracuse (Jonathan Slinger left) with Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon)

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon, lef) meets a tailor (Oscar Pearce).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 2 Scene 2

Antipholus of Syracuse Yea, dost thou jeer, and flout me in the teeth?
Think'st thou I jest? Hold, take thou that, and that

Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon, right) angrily beats Dromio of Syracuse (Jonathan Slinger).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Dromio of Ephesus (Forbes Masson) larks about at dinner in the Antipholus household, watched by the staff (including Kevin Trainor, left).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

In Nancy Meckler's production, we encounter the Duke having a traditional wet-shave in a barber-shop, the knives and mannequin heads giving the setting a sinister overtone.

In this scene, one of the Duke's officers (Christopher Obi, right) sleeps in the barber-shop while Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon, centre) talks to Dromio of Syracuse (Jonathan Slinger).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 3 Scene 1

Dromeo of Ephesus A man may break a word with you, / sir, and words are but wind:
Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind

Farcial behaviour from the Dromios...

(Left to right): Bettrys Jones, Christopher Robert, Jonathan Slinger, Kevin Trainor (hidden), Alice Barclay and Forbes Masson

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Trying to get into his own house, Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun, left) ropes in Angelo (Oscar Pearce, centre) and Balthasar (Geoffrey Lumb) to use Dromio of Ephesus (Forbes Masson) as a battering ram.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 3 Scene 1

Dromio of Syracuse It seems thous wantest breaking: out upon thee, hind!
Dromio of Ephesus Here's too much 'out upon thee!' I pray thee, let me in.

Dromio of Syracuse (Jonathan Slinger, left) and Dromio of Ephesus (Forbes Masson, right) at the door of Antipholus of Ephesus.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 3 Scene 1

Balthasar Have patience sir; O! let it not be so;
Herein you war against your reputation

Balthasar (Geoffrey Lumb, left) and Angelo (Oscar Pearce, right) restrain Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon, centre) encounters two 'ladies' (Richard Cordery, left and Stewart W. Fraser) on the streets of Ephesus.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon) climbs a mast in Ephesus. Katrina Lindsay's set design mirrorred the shipwreck storyline with its tall masts, battered wooden chests and torn sails.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

In Nancy Meckler's production, the band were on stage throughout the show.

(Left to right): Kevin Waterman, Kevin Street, Simon Phillips, Andrew Stone-Fewings and Ian Davidson.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 3 Scene 1

Antipholus of Ephesus Since mine own doors refuse to entertain me,
I'll knock elsewhere, to see if they'll disdain me.

Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun, left) talks to a courtesan (Diveen Henry, centre with Alice Barclay).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 4 Scene 1

Angelo He had of me a chain: at five o'clock
I shall receive the money for the same.

Angelo (Oscar Pearce, centre) talks to a merchant (Christopher Obi, right) while Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun, back left) talks to a courtesan (Diveen Henry, back centre with Alice Barclay).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 4 Scene 4

Officer Masters, let him go: He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him

Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun, centre) and an officer (Eke Chukwu, left) with Adriana (Suzanne Burden, right) and Luciana (Sinead Keenan, far right).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 4 Scene 4

Dr Pinch I charge thee, Satan hous'd within this man
To yield possession to my holy prayers

Dr Pinch (Tom Hodgkins, left) and his assistant (Alice Barclay, centre) with Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun, right) and an officer (Eke Chukwu, far right).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 4 Scene 4

Antipholus of Syracuse I see these witches are afraid of swords.
Dromio of Syracuse She that would be your wife now ran from you.

Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon, right) threatens Dromio of Syracuse (Jonathan Slinger)

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 5 Scene 1

Abbess Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither?

Emilia (Frances Jeater, left) and a nun (Bettrys Jones) with Ephesians (left to right: Christopher Robert, Stewart W. Fraser, Christopher Obi, Alice Barclay, Oscar Pearce and Diveen Henry).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 5 Scene 1

Adriana I will fall prostrate at his feet, / And never rise until my tears and prayers
Have won his Grace to come in person hither, / And take perforce my husband from the abbess.

Adriana (Suzanne Burden, centre) lies on the ground before the Duke (Neil McKinven). Luciana (Sinead Keenan) watches.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC

Act 5 Scene 1

Dromio of Syracuse I, sir, am Dromio: command him away.
Dromio of Ephesus I, sir, am Dromio: pray let me stay.

The sets of twins meet for the first time since they were separated by the shipwreck when they were babies.

Left to right: Dromio of Syracuse (Jonathan Slinger), Antipholus of Syracuse (Joe Dixon), Solinus, Duke of Ephesus (Neil McKinven), Antipholus of Ephesus (Christopher Colquhoun) and Dromio of Ephesus (Forbes Masson).

Photo by Ellie Kurttz © RSC