by William Shakespeare
Adapted as a play with music by Lionel Harris and Robert McNab

At 8.55
Errors abound in this youthful piece (Shakespeare was probably only twenty-six when he wrote it), but it is less a comedy than a farce which makes no claim to probability. Indeed it simply states the improbable and makes no attempt to justify it.

That statement occurs very early in the play, so it is as well to be prepared for it. The scene is a magistrate's court in Ephesus, where the Duke is about to sentence Aegeon, whose crime is that he comes from Syracuse, it having been agreed that there shall be 'no traffic to our adverse towns.' Given an opportunity of explaining why he has broken the ban, Aegeon says that in Epidamnum his wife became: "The joyful mother of two goodly sons; And, which was strange, the one so like the other As could not be distinguished but by names.
And to add to the confusion: That very hour, and in the self-same inn, A meaner woman was delivered Of such a burden, male twins, both alike.
To complete the circle: These, for their parents were exceeding poor, I bought, and brought up to attend my sons."

So there are two pairs of twins and, Aegeon goes on to explain, the pairs were parted during a shipwreck. He is in Syracuse to try to find his missing son. Viewers will not be surprised to learn that he is here, and that the other son has also arrived - and both have their twin servants. The errors that ensue are many and involved.
Tonight's version is a musical one, with solos, duets, choruses, and some dialogue converted into lyrics. The shape of the play remains unchanged.

(Second performance: Thursday at 9.20 p.m.)