Nancy Meckler 2005 production

A colourful energetic riot, fully exploiting the pantomime nature of Shakespeare's silliest comedy.

Katrina Lindsay's set mirrored the shipwreck storyline with its masts, battered wooden chests and torn sails. Her costume designs created colourful characters who would have looked at home in Dickensian London.

Meckler again directed the play for the RSC (with a different company) when the production was revived in 2007 for a nationwide tour

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 Browse and license our images

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).

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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).

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

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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 Browse and license our images

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.

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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 Browse and license our images

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.

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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 Browse and license our images

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