Act I
The film opens with a shot of a clock striking twelve
noon. Titles tell us this is “The Duke’s
Palace” in “The Port Of Ephesus.”
Aegeon’s opening speech is cut, and this production begins with Duke’s “Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more.”
Aegeon delivers his long speech out to the audience.
The second scene has a title card as well: “The Market In Ephesus.” The first line,
as spoken, is “Here, sir, say you are of
Epidamnum” rather than “Therefore
give out you are of Epidamnum.” There is some nice physical humor in this
scene, as well as some sexual innuendo (like on “I am invited, sir, to certain merchants”). The clock has a place
above the stage, constantly hanging over the action, and it’s referred to on
the line, “Soon at five o’clock.”
Oddly, when Dromio of Ephesus arrives, a title appears: “The Wrong Twin Servant.” That’s pretty
weak. And if the production had to rely on such things, how was the audience in
the theatre kept apprised? Perhaps it was simply a note in the program.
Act II
The second act begins with a title, “The House Of Antipholus Of Ephesus,” and then with an added line,
as Adriana tells Luciana, “It’s two o’clock,”
time playing a big role in this production. When Dromio recounts his
conversation, “quoth” is changed to “said.” And then rather than Luciana
asking, “Quoth who?” everyone on
stage asks, “Said who?”
The title at the beginning of the second scene is “The Market In Ephesus.” Antipholus of
Syracuse has a very playful, amused attitude toward Dromio, and even when
Adriana (Goldie Semple) and Luciana (Lucy Peacock) enter. He looks up at the
clock on the line “In Ephesus I am but
two hours old,” looking at it after “but.”
After “or idle moss,” there is a
lighting change and all characters but Antipholus freeze. Antipholus then does
his next speech, “To me she speaks…”
to the audience, moving about the stage, and at the end returns to his initial
position so the action can resume. The same thing happens when Dromio speaks of
“goblins, owls and sprites.” It’s an
interesting effect, giving us a stronger sense of the otherworldly forces they
believe are at work here.
Act III
A shot of the clock at the beginning of the third act
tells us it’s 3:15 p.m., and after a cute little dance a title card tells us, “The other Antipholus arrives home.” He,
his Dromio, Angelo and Balthazar have obviously all been drinking. Balthazar
sports a ridiculously tall wig. Because one actor plays both Dromios, the
conversation between them at the gate is played in such a way that we see only
the outside of the gate, and the other Dromio’s lines come from within (perhaps
recorded?). Balthazar hiccups often during his long speech, and belches once.
Antipholus of Ephesus says “Porcupine”
rather than “Porpentine.”
A shot of the clock at the beginning of the second scene
lets us know it’s now 3:30 p.m. Luciana adds a screeching, comical “What?” to this scene when Antipholus
indicates he’s interested in her. When he asks for her hand, she almost gives
it to him before coming to her senses and exiting. Dromio of Syracuse is
hilarious in this scene, when talking about Luce, the kitchen wench. Angelo is
still inebriated when he enters with the chain. He too says “Porcupine” rather than “Porpentine.”
Act IV
There’s an added comic chase with Luce after Dromio. The
fourth act then begins with the title card, “A Street In Ephesus.” The title at the beginning of the second
scene reads, “The House Of Antipholus Of
Ephesus,” and a shot of the clock shows it to be 4 p.m. And the third scene
begins with a title reading, “A Street In
Ephesus.” It opens in that altered state, with everyone frozen except
Antipholus of Syracuse, who delivers his opening speech to the audience. There
is a wonderful moment after Dromio gives him the money and they both think the
place itself is playing with them both, that it’s not the fault of Dromio or
miscommunication. They are both silent in fear, and it’s seriously funny. The
Courtesan is given a rather grand entrance. At the end of the scene she tosses
a flower to a man in the audience, and it’s the only time we see any of the
audience (though this shot might have been done later, for it’s close and
steady on just two people, with everyone else in darkness, and seems
anticipated if not altogether fabricated).
A shot of the clock tells us it’s 4:30 p.m. when the next
scene begins, and a title card reads, “A
Street In Ephesus.” The action freezes again for Dromio’s aside. But this
Dromio’s speech is not related to witchcraft or dreams, so it doesn’t really
work. It feels like the film has sort of broken the pattern, and now it’s
simply about asides. Doctor Pinch is also given a rather elaborate entrance.
Act V
The fifth act begins at 4:45 p.m., with the title card, “Another Street In Ephesus.” In this
version, the Merchant and Antipholus of Syracuse do fight with foils, and the
fight is set to music. A title card reads, “The
Abbey,” and when Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio arrive, their knocking
is in time with music. The clock chimes five o’clock, making the Merchant’s
line “By this, I think, the dial points
at five” comical. Of course at the end, four actors are needed, and so two
others appear, with their backs to the audience. The film of course gives us no
close-ups of the other two. And much of their dialogue is cut. For example, we
go from the Duke’s “Which accidentally
are met together” to Adriana’s “Which
of you two did dine with me today?” And in other cases the main actors
speaks lines of both characters.
The DVD, part of the Stratford Collection, contains no special features.
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