A Midsummer Night's Dream Page #2

I could play Ercles rarely, or a part

to tear a cat in, to make all split.

"Francis Flute. "

The raging rocks and shivering shocks

shall break the locks of prison gates.

And Phibbus' car shall shine from far

and make and mar the foolish fates.

Francis Flute.

This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein.

A lover is more, uh, mm...

condoling.

Francis Flute, the Bellows-mender!

Nay.

Here, Peter Quince.

Flute...

Flute, you must take... Thisbe on you.

Thisbe?

What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?

A wandering knight.

It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

A lady.

Nay, faith, let not me play a woman.

- Flute.

- Nay, I have a beard coming.

That's all one. You shall play it in a mask,

and you may speak as small as you will.

Pyramus, Pyra...

As small as you will.

If I may hide my face,

let me play Thisbe too.

- No.

- I will speak in a monstrous little voice.

- No.

- Listen, listen.

Oh, Pyramus, my lover dear.

- No.

Thy Thisbe dear, and lady dear.

No, no!

No.

You must play Pyramus.

And, Flute, you Thisbe.

Well...

proceed.

- "Robin Starveling, the Tailor. "

- Here, Peter Quince, here, Peter Quince.

You must play...

Thisbe's mother.

"Tom Snout, the Tinker. "

Here, Peter Quince.

You, Pyramus' father.

Myself, Thisbe's father.

Snug, the joiner.

You, the lion's part.

And I hope here is a play fitted.

Have you the lion's part written?

Pray you, if it be, give it me,

for I am slow of study.

You may do it extempore,

for it is nothing but roaring.

Let me play the lion too.

I will roar you, that I will do

any man's heart good to hear me:

I will roar, that I will make

the duke say, "Let him roar again!"

"Let him roar again. "

If you should do it too terribly,

you would fright the duchess

and the ladies, that they would shriek,

and that were enough to hang us.

But I will aggravate my voice so

that I will roar you as gently

as any sucking dove.

I will roar you an't were any nightingale.

You can play no part but Pyramus.

Oh, Pyramus.

For Pyramus is a sweet-faced man.

A proper man,

as one shall see in a summer's day.

A most lovely gentleman-like man.

Therefore, you must needs play Pyramus.

Well...

I will undertake it.

But, masters, here are your parts.

Thisbe's mother,

Thisbe's mother, Thisbe's mother.

Pyramus. Pyramus.

- Thisbe's mother, Thisbe's mother.

- And I am to entreat you,

- Oh, Thisbe's mother.

Request you and desire you,

to con them by tomorrow night.

And let us by moonlight

to the palace wood

a mile without the town.

There will we rehearse

for if we meet in the city,

we shall be dogged with company

and our devices known.

We will meet.

And there we may rehearse

most obscenely and courageously.

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