Dromio of Syracuse - Dromio of Ephesus

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In the Globe Theatre Company's production of Comedy of Errors, Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus were played by Marcello Magni.

About Marcello Magni

Marcello Magni trained in Paris (with Lecoq), London, Bologna, Milan and Padua. He is a founder member of Theatre de Complicite and has appeared with them in many productions in London and around the world. He has also worked in film, television and as a director for the RSC. This is Marcello’s second season at the Globe, last year he played Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice.

Click on the numbered links to follow Marcello's journey as he creates and plays the characters of Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus in the Globe Theatre.

Marcello Magni - Introduction

The rehearsals take place in rehearsal rooms about 5 minutes walk from the Globe theatre itself. Each rehearsal room is very large and has an outline of the Globe stage marked out in tape on the floor. This helps the actors to prepare for working on the Globe stage. The actors will have very few rehearsals on the Globe stage before production week.

Each day your actor will receive his/her ‘call’ which is the time s/he is expected to report for rehearsal. During the rehearsal period, an actor’s day will vary considerably. Your actor may rehearse scenes, attend a class (voice and/or movement) or have a costume fitting with the wardrobe department. A typical day might begin at 10.00am and finish at 6.30pm – sometimes there are also evening calls.

During the rehearsal period (particularly at the beginning) your actor will research his/her character. To help the actors, the assistant director will find relevant books, pictures, etc. and bring these to rehearsal. Extracts from books and pictures are often stuck onto the rehearsal room walls. Actors will also experiment with using props in rehearsal; these will be rough versions of the final prop and will help the actors to build the prop into the scene. Similarly, some form of rehearsal costume will be worn e.g. long skirts for the women, this will help actors to get used to moving, sitting, etc. in their costume. In particular, actors will use the actual shoes they will wear in performance during rehearsal. This is to wear the shoes ‘in’, as they are made using Elizabethan techniques and most pairs have no specified ‘left’ and ‘right’ foot. Many actors also feel that wearing the correct shoes helps them to ‘get into’ character.

The companies have 5 weeks of rehearsal before the technical and dress rehearsals. Generally, the beginning of this period is spent improvising around the text and in development of character; towards the end of these 5 weeks, actors will rehearse scenes in detail and run parts of the play. The exact method of working in rehearsal is established and shaped by the director.

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Marcello Magni - Character Notes 1

These comments are the actor’s thoughts or ideas about the part as s/he goes through the rehearsal process – they are simply his/her own interpretations and frequently change as the rehearsal process progresses.

Marcello will play both Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus, he appeared in the Globe’s 1998 season and is looking forward to building on his experience of playing in the theatre last year.

At the beginning of the rehearsal process Marcello’s biggest challenge is to find a way of playing each twin which is different for the audience. He is also concerned to ‘get to know’ the other actors in the company and to develop a strong group or ensemble feeling. This helps later in rehearsals as the actors have developed a trust of one another and also a common group identity that they can draw on throughout the season.

The company have played lots of warm up games (Volleyball is a favourite) and also in the first weeks have worked a great deal through improvisation to explore themes and characterization in the play.

Ephesus, where the play is set, is located in modern day Turkey and the production will be set in the company’s own fantasy version of Ephesus.

At one rehearsal, Kathryn Hunter, the director, gave the company a picture and asked them to recreate that picture by depicting the people in it, using random props and costumes from a box. At the end of a twentyminute period of improvisation the actors were questioned in role, by the director. The company then recreated the scene, this time, with Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse working as their characters. The other cast members, initially, had to act as the people in their pictures normally would towards strangers. The activity gave the company a chance to get a feel for Ephesian society (as they will portray it). The play will also use Turkish-style music and dance to help establish the company’s imaginary Ephesus.

Kathryn Hunter gave each actor an animal that she felt might resemble their character in order to help them explore the physicality of their role in greater detail. She suggested that Dromio of Ephesus might be a monkey and Dromio of Syracuse a fish, possibly a pike or a goldfish. Marcello has found the first suggestion very helpful but has found it harder to develop the physicality of a fish!

Marcello has been sent a postcard of twins (please see copy enclosed). Marcello has found the postcard very useful as it has given him a visual point of reference for the Dromios. He feels that the twin on the left of the picture would be Dromio of Ephesus, while the twin on the right could be Dromio of Syracuse. Both twins appear to be angry or upset but the one on the left also seems to be frustrated and on the verge of tears. Marcello feels that Dromio of Ephesus is like this twin – oppressed by his master and the household he lives in to the point where he could ‘snap’ or ‘break down’. Dromio of Syracuse, however has a more peaceful existence and enjoys a much healthier relationship with his master.

Marcello is currently collecting objects which symbolise his character. For Dromio of Ephesus he has chosen worry beads and for Dromio of Syracuse, a handkerchief – this choice reflects their different characters and experiences. It also reflects Marcello’s choices about the physicality of each character – Dromio of Ephesus, he has decided is slow – his movements are heavy – while Dromio of Syracuse is light, like a butterfly. For Marcello the object can encapsulate the person, the worry beads are typically Turkish while Marcello thinks Dromio of Syracuse would need the handkerchief to wipe his brow as he is a visitor to a hot climate.

Marcello has been trying to remember times in his life when someone persistently accused him of doing something wrong yet he knew he was innocent. This is the feeling that both Dromios must experience in the play and Marcello hopes that by recalling such a moment in his own life he will be able to use the memory of that emotion when he plays the scene.

Marcello has also been thinking about Dromio of Syracuse’s description of Nell in Act 3 scene 2. Marcello is interested in exploring the idea that everything in Ephesus seems extraordinary, unreal and disturbing to Dromio of Syracuse and that even quite ordinary occurrences become ‘larger than life’ or extraordinary in his mind.

After working together through improvisation the company are now going on to explore scenes in greater detail. Marcello is exploring how it feels to be constantly wrong. Each Dromio is wrong.. once, twice, many times – so many times in fact that they never know what is real. Everything they see seems to be a mirage.

The company have tried to develop a song or dance that signifies each character, it is however hard for both Marcello and Enzo (who plays both Antipholus’) to develop clear relationships between each Dromio and Antipholus. The confusion starts so early on in the play that the audience does not really see each pair relating to one another ‘normally’. It is however important for Marcello and Enzo to have a sense of their relationship before the play opens in order to make the situation as it evolves within the play clear to the audience.

Marcello feels that Dromio of Syracuse acts almost as an adviser to his master and has the capacity to tease him and change his mood, while Dromio of Ephesus is unjustly treated and is always protesting his innocence. In Act 4 scene 4 Dromio of Ephesus complains that he has served Antipholus…

"..from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have
nothing at his hands for my service but blows. When I am cold, he
heats me with beating; when I am warm, he cools me with beating; I
am waked with it when I sleep, raised with it when I sit, driven out of
doors with it when I go from home, welcomed home with it when I
return…."

These lines are proving central to Marcello’s interpretation of the role of Antipholus of Ephesus.

In order to overcome the problems of one actor playing both Dromios in the final scene, the company have decided to use doubles. Masks have been made of Marcello’s face which will be worn by another actor – not only in the final scene but at various other points throughout the play. In other scenes this challenge is being addressed in another ways – for example a special door is also being built which will extend outwards allowing the audience to see what is happening on both sides of the door. This will allow Marcello to play both Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus in the same scene simply by rotating around the door 180 degrees while the remainder of the company rotates by only 90 degrees.

As he is playing both Dromios Marcello is in nearly every scene which is very physically demanding, but he feels that rehearsals are progressing well and he is beginning to develop individuality and detail in is portrayal of each Dromio.

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Marcello Magni - Activities

These activities are based on the notes above. They are suggestions only; please feel free to devise your own. Please select the activities which are relevant to your group. You can send students’ work and suggestions from any of these activities to GlobeLink and we will be delighted to forward them to Marcello.

The activities have been devised assuming the students know the story of the play.

A Fantasy Ephesus

The production will be set in an imaginary version of Ephesus.

What would your fantasy version of Ephesus look like? Draw a picture or write a description and send it to Marcello.

Music

Kathryn Hunter, the director, is developing pieces of music or songs which will act as a form of signature tune for each character.

Using your own interpretations of the play and Marcello’s notes compose pieces of music which could be used as a signature tunes for Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse. Alternatively find existing songs or pieces of music, which remind you of each Dromio. Whichever option you choose you could send recordings to Marcello with an explanation of why you feel each piece of music to be appropriate.

What is said about Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse?

At the beginning of the rehearsal period actors read through the play and list:

a) everything that is said about his/her character
b) everything that character says about him/her self

Look at each Dromio and make these two lists for both of them. What do you find out about their characters by doing this? Send your lists and observations to Marcello so he can compare them with his own.

Animals

One exercise actors often use in rehearsal is to decide which animal most reminds them of their character. This animal might then influence the way they choose to speak and move as their character. Kathryn Hunter suggested that Dromio of Ephesus might be a monkey and Dromio of Syracuse a goldfish or pike.

Do you agree with Kathryn? Which animal does each Dromio remind you of?
Send your ideas to Marcello.

Telling the story

One of Marcello’s biggest challenges at this stage in rehearsal is to ensure he tells the story of the play in a way which will communicate with the audience. One way the company work to do this is to read a scene and then improvise that scene, remembering it in as much detail as possible.

Working in small groups, try this exercise for yourself. How does it help you to focus on the story of that scene?

Photographs of Twins

Marcello has found the enclosed photograph of twins very useful as it has helped him to identify different characteristics for Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse.

Look in newspapers, books or magazines for photographs of twins. Decide which is Dromio of Ephesus and which is Dromio of Syracuse. Send a copy of the photograph to Marcello with an explanation of which twin you think best represents each Dromio.

Objects

Marcello is collecting objects such as worry beads, or a handkerchief, which remind him of each Dromio.

Which objects do you think would be appropriate symbols for Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse? Send your ideas to Marcello. OR Design worry beads for Dromio of Ephesus and a handkerchief for Dromio of Syracuse. Send your designs to Marcello.

Protesting Innocence

Marcello is trying to remember times (particularly from childhood) when he was accused of doing something of which he knew he was innocent. This has helped him understand and portray the experience of both Dromios.

In small groups try this improvisation for yourselves. Then play one of Dromio of Ephesus or Dromio of Syracuse’s scenes remembering the feelings you experienced during the improvisation. How does this help you play the scene?

Egeon’s Story

One improvisation exercise used by the company in the early stages of rehearsal centred around Egeon’s opening speech. In small groups they improvised the events referred to in the speech, using different genres e.g. Opera or mime.

In small groups try this activity for yourselves. How does it help you focus on the story that is told in that speech?

Rehearsal Calls

Look at the copy of the call sheet for the first week of rehearsal. Work out what Marcello would be doing on each day.

Either write a day or days in the life of your actor OR choose one scene Marcello has worked on during the week and try out ways of playing it for yourselves.

First Night Cards

Many actors are nervous about their first night and feel that cards bring them luck.

Make a first night card for your actor. Be as creative as you wish, you might like to make a card that contains some of your ideas about the character that your actor is playing.

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