A Midsummer Night's Dream – Act 1 Scene 2

QUINCE

Is all our company here?

Are all our actors here?

BOTTOM

You were best to call them generally,

You’d better shout them out generally – I mean individually –

man by man, according to the scrip.

one-by-one, according to the script.

QUINCE

Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is

Here is the list of every actor’s name, which is

thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our

considered appropriate in Athens to perform in

interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his

front of the duke and duchess on their

wedding-day at night.

wedding day evening.

BOTTOM

First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats

First, dear Peter Quince, tell us what the play is

on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow

about, then read out the actors’ names, and quickly get it

to a point.

over and done with.

QUINCE

Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and

Well, our play is called, ‘The tragic comedy and

most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.

cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe’.

BOTTOM

A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a

An excellent play, I assure you, and very

merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your

funny. Now, dear Peter Quince, read out the

actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

actors from the list. Gentlemen, gather round.

QUINCE

Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

Answer when I call your name. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

BOTTOM

Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

Ready. Tell me my part and get on with it.

QUINCE

You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

You, Nick Bottom, will play the role of Pyramus.

BOTTOM

What is Pyramus? A lover, or a tyrant?

Who is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?

QUINCE

A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.

A lover who bravely kills himself for love.

BOTTOM

That will ask some tears in the true performing of

That will demand some real tears from me if I’m to perform it

it: if I do it, let the audience look to their

well: if I do that, the audience will need to check their own

eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some

eyes, for they will be sobbing so much as I express such

measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a

heartache. But on with the other roles… although my preference

tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to

is to play a tyrant: I could play Hercules, or any role that

tear a cat in, to make all split.

requires ranting to make a stir, such as…

The raging rocks

‘The raging rocks

And shivering shocks

And shivering shocks

Shall break the locks

Shall break the locks

Of prison gates;

Of prison gates;

And Phibbus' car

And Phoebus’ car

Shall shine from far

Shall shine from far

And make and mar

And make and mar

The foolish Fates.

The foolish Fates.’

This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.

That was majestic! Now, read out the rest of the actors.

This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is

That was in the style of Hercules, a tyrant’s style; a lover would

more condoling.

be more sympathetic.

QUINCE

Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

Francis Flute, the man who repairs bellows.

FLUTE

Here, Peter Quince.

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.

Flute, you’re taking on the role of Thisbe.

FLUTE

What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?

Who is Thisbe? A wandering knight?

QUINCE

It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

It is the lady that Pyramus will love.

FLUTE

Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.

Oh no, don’t have me playing a woman; I’m growing a beard.

QUINCE

That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and

That doesn’t matter: you’ll be wearing a mask, and

you may speak as small as you will.

you can speak as high-pitched as you can.

BOTTOM

An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too, I'll

If I can hide my face, let me play Thisbe too. I’ll

speak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,

speak fantastically high-pitched. ‘Thisbe,

Thisne;' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! Thy Thisbe dear,

Thisbe;’ ‘Yes, Pyramus, my dear lover! I’m your Thisbe dear,

and lady dear!'

and your dear lady!’

QUINCE

No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisbe.

No, no; you must play Pyramus. And, Flute, you’re Thisbe.

BOTTOM

Well, proceed.

Well, get on with it then.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, the tailor.

Robin Starveling, the tailor.

STARVELING

Here, Peter Quince.

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe's mother.

Robin Starveling, you will play Thisbe’s mother.

Tom Snout, the tinker.

Tom Snout, the tinker.

SNOUT

Here, Peter Quince.

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisbe's father:

You’ll play Pyramus’s father. Me, I’ll play Thisbe’s father.

Snug, the joiner; you, the lion's part: and, I

Snug, the joiner: you’ll play the lion. And, I

hope, here is a play fitted.

hope, that makes the play well cast.

SNUG

Have you the lion's part written? Pray you, if it

Have you got the lion’s part written down? Please, if you

be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

have, give it to me for I’m a slow learner.

QUINCE

You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

You can improvise, for all you have to do is roar.

BOTTOM

Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will

Let me play the lion too: I will roar so well that

do any man's heart good to hear me; I will roar,

it’ll help anyone who hears me; I will roar so well

that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again,

that I’ll make the duke say, ‘Let him roar again,

let him roar again.'

let him roar again.’

QUINCE

An you should do it too terribly, you would fright

But if you make it too terrifying, you will frighten

the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek;

the duchess and the ladies, and make them scream;

and that were enough to hang us all.

and that’ll be enough to get us all hanged.

ALL

That would hang us, every mother's son.

They’d hang the lot of us.

BOTTOM

I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the

I assure you, friends, that if you would frighten the

ladies out of their wits, they would have no more

ladies out of their wits, they would have no choice

discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my

but to hang us. But I will aggravate – I mean, moderate – my

voice so that I will roar you as gently as any

voice so that I will roar as gently as a

sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any

baby dove; I’ll roar at you as if I were

nightingale.

a nightingale.

QUINCE

You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a

You will only play the part of Pyramus, for Pyramus is a

sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a

handsome man; as decent a man as you might see out on a

summer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man:

summer’s day; a lovely gentlemanly man.

therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

Therefore you have to play Pyramus.

BOTTOM

Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best

Well, I’ll do it then. What beard is best for me

to play it in?

to act in?

QUINCE

Why, what you will.

Well, whatever you like.

BOTTOM

I will discharge it in either your straw-colour

I will perform it in either your straw-coloured

beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain

beard, your orange-tawny beard, your dyed purple

beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your

beard, or your French-coin-coloured beard, which is

perfect yellow.

a perfect yellow.

QUINCE

Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and

Some French heads are bald due to syphilis making their hair

then you will play bare-faced. But, masters, here

fall out, so you should act without a beard. But, sirs, these

are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request

are your roles. And I urge you, ask

you and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night;

you and hope you will learn them by tomorrow night,

and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the

and meet me in the palace wood, a mile out of

town, by moonlight; there will we rehearse, for if

town, in the moonlight. We will rehearse there, for if

we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with

we meet in the city, we will be pestered by

company, and our devices known. In the meantime I

people, and our tale will be revealed. In the meantime, I

will draw a bill of properties, such as our play

will create a list of props that our play

wants. I pray you, fail me not.

requires. Please, don’t let me down.

BOTTOM

We will meet; and there we may rehearse most obscenely

We’ll meet you there, and we can rehearse obscene – I mean,

and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.

unseen – and with confidence. Learn your lines well. Goodbye.

QUINCE

At the duke's oak we meet.

We’ll meet at the duke’s oak tree.

BOTTOM

Enough; hold or cut bow-strings.

OK: be there or be square.