IF you happen to be visiting Traquair House, you may be in for a surprise.

While you wander around the maze, the beautiful gardens or peer into the courtyard from an upstairs window, you may hear voices booming, sounds of song or spot the actors and musicians in final rehearsals for this year’s Shakespeare at Traquair production – The Comedy of Errors.

Following on from the success of Twelfth Night in 2012 and King Lear last year, Shakespeare at Traquair is in its 19th year and tackling one of the bard’s earliest comedies and the only play set in real time.

If you haven’t been before, the productions are set in the grounds of Traquair in promenade, the audience moves between scenes and can get up close and personal to the action.

It’s an altogether unique experience at the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland and folk return every year to be a part of one of the Borders’ best theatre events.

This year David Bon takes on the director duties, having trod the boards and been involved in a number of previous productions, including running around half naked as “Poor Tom” (Edgar) in King Lear. David said: “In general I would say that, having done twins many times before, we have been enjoying the new challenge of trying to ‘twin’ two sets of actors this year who don’t really look much alike.  “This has presented actors, wardrobe and make-up with lots of choices and opportunities to explore to pull it off and of course trust in the audience to buy into the illusion in best theatre traditions.

“There is a really good energy about the group with a mix of experienced ‘veterans’, new ‘recruits’ and of course some of the younger members of the group once again taking on major roles in the play. And then there are the young performers who bring to life the busy, mercantile feel of a port city in antiquity.

“We are setting the play in a classical, Hellenistic period - a setting we haven’t tackled before - and there are some interesting allusions to the period and near Eastern setting in costume, make up and set dressing.” The play is based on the ‘errors’ or confusions that arise when the long lost twin brothers of two inhabitants of Ephesus turn up unexpectedly in the city one day.

They are searching for these brothers, albeit they do not know they are there (they’ve been searching the whole Mediterranean region) and wives, sisters, friends and lovers seem incapable of telling them apart. The play is also framed by the impending execution of the father of one set of twins, again in the city but unknown to his sons.

The confusion builds throughout the play - hopefully to hilarious consequences - until we reach the final resolution. Will Aegeon be saved, will Adriana and her husband be reconciled, will Luciana and her newly found brother in law marry? There are questions asked in the play about the nature of identity, what makes me, and what gives someone the right to ‘own’ a name.  Also there is the constraint of time and how much influence fate and chance have in all our lives in determining the outcome.

Live music is also a part of the Shakespeare at Traquair experience and this is ably provided by Chris Dube as musical director. There is always a strong contingent of young people and children, who bring a bit of magic to the plays and a strong production team and back stage crew who provide the glue that holds it all together.

Each production has a cast and crew of more than 100 people, many more when you add in parental support. In all its an admirable and thoroughly fantastic experience, not to be missed rain or shine.

The Comedy of Errors is playing from Wednesday, May 28 to Saturday, May 31, and Wednesday, June 4, to Saturday, June 7. The shoe starts at 7.30pm and visitors are advised to dress for all weathers.

Tickets are available from the Eastgate Theatre Box Office in Peebles by calling 01721 725777 or online at www.eastgatearts.com