The Gazebo Player’s Presents:The Comedy of Errors

The Gazebo Players of Medfield will be back again this summer for their 10th annual Shakespeare in the Park production. This year’s show is The Comedy of Errors, a farce involving two sets of identical twins and a seemingly endless stream of mistaken identities.

The entire action of the play takes place during a single day in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. Aegeon (Steve Small of Medfield), a merchant from the city of Syracuse, arrives in Ephesus and is promptly condemned to death by Solinus (Barbara Schapiro of Sharon), the Duke of Ephesus, due to the state of war existing between the two cities. Aegeon explains how he has been searching for his wife, their identical twin sons, and the identical twin servants of the sons since they were all separated 25 years earlier in a shipwreck. Solinus is moved by Aegeon’s story, and gives him until sundown to raise a ransom and avoid execution.

As can only happen in a farce, Aegeon’s son Antipholus of Syracuse (Mario DaRosa Jr. of Brockton) and his servant Dromio of Syracuse (Steven Young of Canton) arrive in Ephesus on the same day. They are warned by Balthazar (Jim Merlin of Medfield) not to say they are from Syracuse to avoid being arrested, and they move freely about the city. Dromio encounters his master’s identical twin Antipholus of Ephesus (Brandon Homer of Weymouth), and Antipholus encounters his servant’s identical twin Dromio of Ephesus (Ben Medeiros of Somerset), but none of them ever suspect they are meeting someone they haven’t seen in 25 years.  

Once the first case of mistaken identity occurs, another case comes in every scene. Antipholus of Syracuse ends up dining with his brother’s wife Adriana (Shannon Hogan of Randolph) and her sister Luciana (Claire Lukaczyn of Quincy). Antipholus of Ephesus, locked out of his own house, dines with a Courtesan (Marielle Boudreau of Norfolk). A chain made by Angelo the Goldsmith (Cynthia Small of Medfield) intended for Adriana is given to one Antipholus and payment is demanded of the other. Adriana has one Antipholus committed to the care of the unqualified Dr. Pinch (Jen Walsh of Milton), and when he escapes, Antipholus takes shelter in the Abbey run by the Abbess (Cathy Larson of Milton). There are wrongful arrests, unearned beatings, stand-up comedy, raised tempers, spurned lovers, a lusty kitchen wench, and when the Duke tries to sort everything out in time for Aegeon’s execution, a happy ending. Marianne Phinney of Walpole directed Gazebo Players’ first ever production 10 years ago, and is thrilled to be returning to direct this year’s Tenth Anniversary Production.

All performances of The Comedy of Errors start at 5 PM and are free to the public. Performances at the Gazebo in Medfield will be given on July 23, 24, 30, and 31. Performances at the Music Court at Bird Park in Walpole will be given on August 6 and 7. In case of rain, the Medfield performances will be at the Montrose School (29 North Street), and the Walpole performances will be at the Walpole Footlighters (5 Scout Road). Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic. Light refreshments will be available. For more information or directions, visit our web site at www.gazeboplayers.com.

The Gazebo Player’s production of The Comedy of Errors is made possible by grants from the Medfield Cultural Council, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The sound system is provided courtesy of Needham Bank. The Walpole performances are co-sponsored by the Walpole Footlighters.