Setting

Click on the images below to find out more about the setting of The Comedy of Errors and what we know about the world the play is set in.
  • A view of the outdoor stage during The Comedy of Errors.
    The whole play takes place in Ephesus, which is a city on the coast with a busy port, over the course of a day.
  • A man in a light blue military uniform with gold trim.
    Ephesus is governed by Duke Solinus. Most of the action takes place outdoors in public or near the market place.
  • Egeon is arrested by an officer in black.
    Ephesus is a place where there are strict laws for Syracusans. Anyone from Syracuse found in Ephesus and not able to pay the fine is sentenced to death.
  • The Courtesan and Doctor Pinch.
    There are a variety of different buildings here, including a brothel, a pub and a priory.
  • Dromio of Ephesus is gripped by Antipholus of Syracuse.
    There is a hierarchy in Ephesus, with the Duke at the top, but also husbands above wives, and masters above servants.
  • A man holds a gold chain.
    A lot of business is done in Ephesus.

Every performance of The Comedy of Errors will be set in a place that has all of the things above but they can do that in lots of different ways. For example, although Ephesus is a real town in Turkey, a production could be set anywhere in the world which is close to the coast with a port, such as a bustling Mediterranean fishing village or a luxury holiday resort close to a war zone, as long as the facts above are included.

If you were staging a production of The Comedy of Errors, where would you set it?  What would you hope the audience would be thinking about the setting?

Teacher Notes

On this page students can explore some of the key things that we know about the setting of The Comedy of Errors by clicking on the pictures.

You can use these pictures, or other images, as a starting point to discuss what they know about the setting of the play and to think about where they would set the play if they were creating their own production. A great way of doing this visually is for students to create a mood board or collage of images that could be used as design inspiration.