Antipholus of Syracuse                                                                           

I just arrived in Ephesus, and I had always heard that the city had a bad reputation for eerie happenings, and that the inhabitants were all magicians, but I thought that was only a lot of nonsense. But now, I'm not so sure! People I don't know keep talking to me as though I were their oldest friend, and a strange lady insisted that I was her husband and should come to her house for dinner. So, what's going on?

Antipholus of Ephesus                                                                                  

Perhaps I'm just having a bad day, but it seems to me that everything is out of whack. I give definite orders, and then my servants tell me I told them to do something entirely different. My own wife locks me out of my own house. And now I'm in serious trouble with the law because I won't pay for something I never received in the first place! What's wrong with everyone?

Dromio of Syracuse                                                                            

My master has been acting very strangely ever since we arrived in Ephesus. I'd like to leave this crazy city as soon as possible, but even after I reserved a place for us on a ship that was leaving - just as my master directed - he told me he never gave any such order. Oh, and I almost forgot - this woman came chasing after me, saying I was her husband. There's something evil in the air! I can just feel it!

Dromio of Ephesus                                                         

My master can't seem to make up his mind about anything today. Go here! Go there! Fetch this! Fetch that! And whatever I do - or fetch - it's the wrong thing. Why, just a few minutes ago I brought him a message from his wife, and he told me he wasn't even married. I certainly don't want to hear what she'll have to say about that! It's either him or her beating me over the head no matter what I do.

Adriana                                      

I try to keep an orderly house and provide Antipholus with good food and pleasant companionship, but he's been in the strangest humor today! First, he was late for dinner, and when he did come home there was a commotion in the street - some crazy man claiming he was being locked out of his own house, and yelling so loudly that he disturbed our meal. And then my husband had the nerve to say I never even gave him any dinner at all!

Luciana                                                         

I can't imagine what's the matter with my brother-in-law. Today, all of a sudden, he says he's in love with me! Then he tells me he's not married to my sister at all. I think his business concerns must have been too stressful for him. It's as though he's another person altogether! My poor sister has a lot to put up with!

Luce (a serving maid)

You'd think working for a pleasant couple like Mistress Adriana and Lord Antipholus, and having a jolly husband like Dromio would be an ideal sort of life, wouldn't you.? But today everyone is out of humor, and no one is acting like their old selves.

Lady Friend of Antipholus

I know that Antipholus came to have dinner with me just to aggravate his wife and make her jealous, but that's no excuse for running off with my diamond ring and saying that he never promised me a gold chain in exchange for it. That ring was worth a lot, and I will have some satisfaction - even if I have to go to his wife!

Aemilia

I have served in this holy Abbey faithfully for many long years, but in all that time I've never seen such a lunatic procession of frantic people running in and out of the place and insisting that they're not who everyone thinks they are.

Merchant

I greeted this stranger, Antipholus, to our city, and was the first to make him feel welcome. I advised him not to tell anyone he was really from Syracuse, because merchants from that city are forbidden to do business or even come ashore here in Ephesus. I never would have believed the amount of trouble that man would cause.

Balthazar

My first mistake of the day was to accept a dinner invitation from my old friend, Antipholus. At least, I thought he was my old friend. Let me tell you, everything went downhill from there. In my wildest dreams I could never imagine the problems that could arise over one simple, gold chain.

Officer

I am responsible for keeping the peace in the city of Ephesus, and assisting those who are trying to collect on their debts, but this Antipholus fellow turned into a real wild man when Balthasar accused him of more or less "stealing" that gold chain.

Doctor Pinch

I am a competent doctor, well-known throughout the city for casting spells, exorcising evil spirits and restoring my demented patients to complete health - for a considerable payment in gold, naturally. I prescribed an extended period of confinement and starvation in a freezing cellar to rehabilitate Antipholus and his servant to their former selves. So, why did they object so violently to such a logical course of treatment?

Duke of Ephesus

I have sworn to uphold our law, no matter how difficult my duty may be, and it certainly isn't easy trying to keep all the people in my dukedom happy and agreeable. It's especially troublesome when people you think you know turn out to have entirely different characters.

Aegion

I'm just a poor, old man, who's looking for his wandering son. It was my misfortune to come to this accursed city of Ephesus without knowing that they had this law about killing any merchant from Syracuse who can't pay their fee. Alas! Woe is me! I'll never see tomorrow! That's for sure!

Narrator                                                                       

As the narrator, I am the master storyteller! It's up to me to keep the story alive and interesting with each exciting detail. So, I must read everything with expression and excitement!