Comedy Act 5

OK, after much delay- Sorry, lots of non-blogging exciting things in life delayed my regular blogging. I'll try to get back on track! and tell you about some of the excitement! OK, I won't make you wait... I am preparing to teach an audition workshop at the Mesa Arts Center this month. This is particularly cool because as a child I used to take a ton of classes here so it's very the teacher has become the master kind of emotional for me. If you live in AZ/especially the East Valley, or know anyone who does and might be interested, CHECK IT OUT!
ANYWAY...  I am here to put Comedy of Errors to bed. I have to say that re-reading this made me really sad I missed the chance this spring to see a PUPPET version done by Class6 Theatre

There's only one scene in the 5th act and it starts with more confusion over which twin has the chain. Then things heat up as the merchant and AofS draw on each other and we get a new place/character introduced:
[They draw
Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, the Courtezan, and others]
ADRIANA 
Hold, hurt him not, for God's sake! he is mad.
Some get within him, take his sword away:
Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house.
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE 
 Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house!
This is some priory. In, or we are spoil'd!

[Exeunt Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse to the Priory]
Is it just me, or do the Syracuse twins seem to have a bit more brains than their counterparts? Of course they think of escaping into the religious institution. The abbess comes out and deals with Adriana first telling her she wasn't strict enough then saying she was way too strict:
The venom clamours of a jealous woman
Poisons more deadly than a mad dog's tooth.
It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing,
And therefore comes it that his head is light.
Of course, this diagnosis is false since it seems Adriana's nagging has not had any effect on either Antipholi... Adriana then tries to get into the Priory but the Abbess is having none of it (interesting textual note- the fact that the name stays Aemelia not Prioress at the beginning)
ADRIANA 
I will not hence and leave my husband here:
And ill it doth beseem your holiness
To separate the husband and the wife.
AEMELIA 
Be quiet and depart: thou shalt not have him.
 Then Adriana appeals to the Duke who seems to have some interesting history with her:
Long since thy husband served me in my wars,
And I to thee engaged a prince's word,
When thou didst make him master of thy bed,
To do him all the grace and good I could.
 Everyone continues with their confusion telling different sides of the stories until it falls to the Courtesan to testify what's what:
DUKE SOLINUS 
Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here?
Courtezan 
As sure, my liege, as I do see your grace. DUKE SOLINUS 
Why, this is strange. Go call the abbess hither.
I think you are all mated or stark mad.
I love the sound of that: mated or stark mad.Then comes what I think is the most touching part of the whole play. Egeon (what's with this script spelling everyone with an extra A?!) but its to the son that doesnt know him. It's just heartbreaking to watch it play out and it justifies a bit the endless monologues at the beginning of the play.
O, grief hath changed me since you saw me last,
And careful hours with time's deformed hand
Have written strange defeatures in my face:
But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice?
 Of course eventually everyone realizes what's going on and everyone meets everyone for a great big ole reunion. including not just father and son or brother and brother but: SURPRISE the prioress is the wife of Egeon.
Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds
And gain a husband by his liberty.
Speak, old AEgeon, if thou be'st the man
That hadst a wife once call'd AEmilia
That bore thee at a burden two fair sons:
O, if thou be'st the same AEgeon, speak,
And speak unto the same AEmilia!
 Happy endings and more confusion over the twins as the play ends.
Stay, stand apart; I know not which is which
Everyone is still confused. more laughter. seriously this play is not half as good to read as it is on stage.
Fin.
Up next: Lear. God knows which version they have on the complete works mit website, but whatever version it is that's what i'll do. And i'll try to get back on the blogging train before my schedule gets a little out of control. but more on that soon...