A Midsummer Night's Dream
Project Overview
William Shakespare's classic comedy fantasy of four lovers who find themselves bewitched by fairies; a sly reckoning with love, jealousy and marriage.
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The heroic Duke of Athens, engaged to Hippolyta. Theseus represents power and order throughout the play. He appears only at the beginning and end of the story, removed from the dreamlike events of the forest.
- english
- male adult
- english (british)
- audiobook
Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour draws on apace. Four happy days bring in another moon. But oh, methinks how slow this old moon wanes! She lingers my desires, like to a stepdame or a dowager long withering out a young man's revenue.
What say you, fair Hermia? Be advised, fair maid: to you your father should be as a god, one that composed your beauties, yea, and one to whom you are but as a form in wax, by him imprinted and within his power to leave the figure or disfigure it.
"Merry" and "tragical"? "Tedious" and "brief"? That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow. How shall we find the concord of this discord?
The legendary Queen of the Amazons, engaged to Theseus. Like Theseus, she symbolises order, and only appears at the beginning and end of the play.
- english
- female adult
- english (british)
- audiobook
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night. Four nights will quickly dream away the time. And then the moon, like to a silver bow new bent in heaven, shall behold the night of our solemnities.
Tis strange, my Theseus, what these lovers speak of.
But all the story of the night told over, and all their minds transfigured so tighter, more witnesseth than fancy's images and grows to something of great constancy, but, howsoever, strange and admirable.
Hermia's father, who brings a complaint against his daughter to Theseus: Egeus has given Demetrius permission to marry Hermia, but Hermia, in love in Lysander, refuses to marry Demetrius. Egeus's severe insistence that Hermia either respect his wishes or be held accountable to Athenian law places him squarely outside the whimsical dream realm of the forest.
- english
- male senior
- english (british)
- audiobook
Full of vexation come I, with complaint against my child, my daughter Hermia.
Scornful Lysander, true, he hath my love, and what is mine my love shall render him. And she is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius.
Enough, enough, my lord. You have enough! I beg the law, the law, upon his head. They would have stoln away, they would, Demetrius, thereby to have defeated you and me, you of your wife and me of my consent, of my consent that she should be your wife.
Theseus's Master of the Revels, responsible for organising the entertainment for the duke's marriage celebration.
- english
- male senior
- english (british)
- audiobook
There is a brief, how many sports are ripe. Make choice of which your highness will see first.
A play there is, my lord, some ten words long, which is as brief as I have known a play. But by ten words, my lord, it is too long, which makes it tedious. For in all the play there is not one word apt, one player fitted. And tragical, my noble lord, it is. For Pyramus therein doth kill himself. Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess, made mine eyes water, but more merry tears the passion of loud laughter never shed.
No, my noble lord, it is not for you. I have heard it over, and it is nothing, nothing in the world unless you can find spot tin their intents, extremely stretched and conned with cruel pain to do you service.
A young man of Athens, initially in love with Hermia and ultimately in love with Helena. Demetrius's obstinate pursuit of Hermia throws love out of balance among the quartet of Athenian youths and precludes a symmetrical two-couple arrangement.
- english
- male teen
- english (british)
- audiobook
Relent, sweet Hermia - and Lysander, yield thy crazed title to my certain right.
Oh, why rebuke you him that loves you so? Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.
My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth. Of this their purpose hither to this wood. And I in fury hither followed them, Fair Helena in fact following me. But, my good lord, I wot not by what power but by some power it is my love to Hermia, melted as the snow, seems to me now as the remembrance of an idle gaud which in my childhood I did dote upon. And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, the object and the pleasure of mine eye, is only Helena. To her, my lord, was I betrothed ere I saw Hermia. But like in sickness did I loathe this food. But as in health, come to my natural taste, now I do wish it, love it, long for it, and will for evermore be true to it.
A young man of Athens, in love with Hermia. Lysander's relationship with Hermia invokes the theme of love's difficulty; he cannot marry her openly because Egeus, her father, wishes her to wed Demetrius; when Lysander and Hermis run away into the forest, Lysander becomes the victim of misapplied magic and wakes up in love with Helena.
- english
- audiobook
- english (british)
- male teen
How now, my live? Why is your cheek so pale? How chance the roses there do fade so fast?
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, war, death or sickness did lay siege to it, making it momentary as a sound, swift as a shadow, short as any dream, brief as the lightning in the collied night; that, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and Earth, and ere a man hath power to say "Behold!" the jaws of darkness do devour it up. So quick bright things come to confusion.
(waking) And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake. Transparent Helena! Nature shows art that through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Where is Demetrius? Oh, how fit a word is that vile name to perish on my sword!
Egeus's daughter, a young woman of Athens. Hermia is in love with Lysander and is a childhood friend of Helena. As a result of the fairies' mischief with Oberon's love potion, both Lysander and Demetrius suddenly fall in love with Helena. Self-conscious about her short stature, Hermia suspects that Helena has wooed the men with her height. By morning, however, Puck has sorted matters out with the love potions, and Lysander's love for Hermia is restored.
- english
- female teen
- english (british)
- audiobook
So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, ere I will yield my virgin patent up unto his Lordship, whose unwished yoke my soul consents not to give sovereignty.
Puppet? Why so? Ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare between our statures. She hath urged her height, and with her personage, her tall personage, her height, forsooth, she hath prevailed with him. And are you grown so high in his esteem because I am so dwarfish and so low? How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak. How low am I? I am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
When everything seems doable. Methinks I see these things with parted eye.
A young woman of Athens, in love with Demetrius. Demetrius and Helena were once betrothed, but when Demetrius met Helena's friend Hermia, he fell in love with her and abandoned Helena. Lacking confidence in her looks, Helena thinks that Demetrius and Lysander are mocking her when the fairies' mischief causes them to fall in love with her.
- english
- female teen
- english (british)
- audiobook
Sickness is catching. Oh, were favour so, yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go.
Oh, that a lady of one man refused, should of another therefore be abused!
Fine, I faith! Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, no touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear impatient answers from my gentle tongue? Fie, fie! You counterfeit, you puppet, you!
The overconfident weaver chosen to play Pyramus in the craftsmen's play for Theseus's marriage celebration.
Bottom is full of advice and self-confidence but frequently makes silly mistakes and misuses language. His simultaneous nonchalance about the beautiful Titania's sudden love for him and unawareness of the fact that Puck has transformed his head into that of an ass (donkey) mark the pinnacle of his foolish arrogance.
- english
- male adult
- english (british)
- audiobook
A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that. And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays. The more the pity that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can geek upon occasion.
(as Pyramus) O grim-looked night! O night with hue so black! O night, which ever art when day is not! O night, O night! Alack, alack, alack. I fear my Thisbe's promise is forgot! And thou, O Wall, O sweet and lovely Wall, show me thy chink to blink through with mine eyne!
A nominal carpenter and the nominal leader of the craftsmen's attempt to put on a play for Theseus's marriage celebration.
Quince is often shoved aside the abundantly confident Bottom.
During the craftsmen's play, Quince plays the Prologue.
- english
- audiobook
- english (british)
- male adult
Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play bare-faced. But masters, here are your parts. And I am to entreat you, request you and desire you to con them by tomrorrow night and meet me a mile without the town, by moonlight. There we will rehearse, for if we meet in the city we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.
Oh, monstrous! Oh, strange! We are haunted. Pray, masters! Fly, masters! Help!
(as Prologue) If we offend, it is with out good will. That you think we come not to offend, but with good will. To show our simple skill, that is the true beginning of our end. Consider then we come but in despite. We do not come as minding to contest you, our true intent is. All for your delight we are not here. That you should here repent you, the actors are at hand, and by their show you shall know all that you are like to know.
The bellows-mender forced to play Thisbe in the craftsmen's play for Theseus's marriage celebration. Forced to play a young girl in love, the bearded craftsmen determines to speak his lines in a high, squeaky voice.
- english
- audiobook
- male adult
- english (british)
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.
O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a day during his life. He could not have escaped sixpence a day. An the duke had not given him sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, I'll be hanged. He would have deserved it. Sixpence a day in Pyramus or nothing.
(as Thisbe) O Wall, full often has thou heard my moans, for parting my fear Pyramus and me! My cherry lips have often kissed thy stones, thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.
The tailor chosen to play Thisbe's mother in the craftsmen's play for Theseus's marriage celebration. He ends up playing the part of Moonshine.
- english
- audiobook
- english (british)
- male adult
I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.
He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.
(as Moonshine) All that I have to say is to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this thornbush, my thornbush; and this dog, my dog.
The tinker (tinsmith) chosen to play Pyramus's father in the craftsmen's play for Theseus's marriage celebration. He ends up playing the part of Wall, dividing the two lovers.
- english
- audiobook
- english (british)
- male adult
You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?
O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee?
(as Wall) In this same interlude it doth befall, that I, on Snout by name, present a wall. And such a wall, as I would have you think, that had in it a crannied hole or chink, through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe, did whisper very secretly. This loam, this roughcast, and this stone doth show, that I am that same wall. The truth is so. And this the cranny is, right and sinister, through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.
The joiner chosen to play the lion in the craftsmen's play for Theseus's marriage celebration. Snug worries that his roaring will frighten the ladies in the audience.
- english
- male adult
- english (british)
- audiobook
Have you the lions part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
Masters, the duke is coming from the temple, and there is two or three lords and ladies more married. If our sport had gone forth, we had all been made men.
(as Lion) You ladies, you whose hearts do fear the smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, may now perchance both quake and tremble here, when lion rough in wildest rage doth roar. Then know that I, as Snug the joiner, am a lion fell, nor else no lions dam. For if I should as lion come in strife into this place, there pity on my life.
The king of the fairies, Oberon is initially at odds with his wife, Titania, because sh refuse to relinquish control of a young Indian prince whom he wants for a knight. Oberon's desire for revenge on Titania leads him to send Puck to obtain the love-potion flower that creates so much of the play's confusion and farce.
- english
- creature
- english (british)
- audiobook
- male adult
Thou shalt not from this grove till I torment thee for this injury.
Here comes my messenger. How now, mad spirit? What night-rule now about this haunted grove?
Through the house give glimmering light, by the dead and drowsy fire. Every elf and fairy sprite hop as light as bird from brier. And this ditty, after me, sing and dance it trippingly.
The beautiful queen of the fairies, Titania resists the attempts of her husband, Oberon, to make a knight of the young Indian prince that she has been given. Titania's brief, portion-induced love for Bottom, whose head Puck has transformed into that or an ass (donkey), yields the play's foremost example of the contrast motif.
- english
- creature
- female adult
- english (british)
- audiobook
What, jealous Oberon? Fairies, skip hence. I have forsworn his bed and company.
(waking) What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
First, rehearse your song by rote. To each word a warbling note. Hand in hand with fairy grace will we sing and bless this place.
Also known as Robin Goodfellow, Puck is Oberon's jester, a mischievous fairy who delights in playing pranks on mortals. Though A Midsummer Night's Dream divides its actions between several groups of characters, Puck is the closest thing the play has to a protagonist. His enchanting, mischievous spirit pervades the atmosphere, and his antics are responsible for many of the complications that propel the other main plots: he mistakes the young Athenians, applying the love potion to Lysander instead of Demetrius, thereby causing chaos within the group of young lovers; he also transforms Bottom's head into that of an ass (donkey).
- english
- creature
- male teen
- english (british)
- audiobook
How now, spirit? Whither wander you?
Believe me, King of Shadows, I mistook. Did not you tell me I should know the man by the Athenian garment he had on? And so far blameless proves my enterprise, that I have anointed an Athenians eyes. And so far am I glad it so did sort, as this their jangling I esteem a sport.
If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended; that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream. Gentles, do not reprehend, if you pardon, we will mend. And, as I am an honest Puck, if we have unearned luck, now to scape the serpents tongue, we will make amends ere long. Else the Puck a liar call. So good night unto you all. Give me your hands if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends.
One of the fairies ordered by Titania to attend to Bottom after she falls in love with him.
- english
- creature
- female child
- english (british)
- audiobooks
Ready!
Where shall we go?
Hail, mortal.
One of the fairies ordered by Titania to attend to Bottom after she falls in love with him.
- english
- creature
- male child
- english (british)
- audiobooks
Ready!
Where shall we go?
Hail!
One of the fairies ordered by Titania to attend to Bottom after she falls in love with him.
- english
- creature
- female child
- english (british)
- audiobook
Either I mistake your shape and making quite, or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he that frights the maidens of the villagery, skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern and bootless make the breathless housewife churn, and sometime make the drink to bear no barm, mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm? Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck, you do their work, and they shall have good luck. Are not you he?
Ready!
Where shall we go?
One of the fairies ordered by Titania to attend to Bottom after she falls in love with him.
- english
- creature
- male child
- english (british)
- audiobook
Where shall we go?
Hail, mortal!
What's your will?
I need an artist to draw some scenery that will displayed to indicate each scene change in this production!
- scenescapes
*Say something you think would fit*
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