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Shakespeare on Stage

A sample of upcoming productions around the world.

American Shakespeare Center, Dido, Queen of Carthage. To Apr. 7, 2012.
American Shakespeare Center, Philaster, or Love Lies a-Bleeding. To Apr. 6, 2012.
Atlanta Shakespeare Company, The Merry Wives of Windsor. To Apr. 1, 2012.
Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF, Cymbeline. To Mar. 18, 2012.
American Shakespeare Center, Richard III. To Apr. 5, 2012.
More Performances…
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Much Ado About Nothing (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Grechen Minton
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Iohn and Borachio.
Ioh. It is so, the Count Claudio shal marry the daugh-
ter of Leonato.
Bora. Yea my Lord, but I can crosse it.
785Iohn. Any barre, any crosse, any impediment, will be
medicinable to me, I am sicke in displeasure to him, and
whatsoeuer comes athwart his affection, ranges euenly
with mine, how canst thou crosse this marriage?
Bor. Not honestly my Lord, but so couertly, that no
790dishonesty shall appeare in me.
Iohn. Shew me breefely how.
Bor. I thinke I told your Lordship a yeere since, how
much I am in the fauour of Margaret, the waiting gentle-
woman to Hero.
795Iohn. I remember.
Bor. I can at any vnseasonable instant of the night,
appoint her to look out at her Ladies chamber window.
Iohn. What life is in that, to be the death of this mar-
riage?
800Bor. The poyson of that lies in you to temper, goe
you to the Prince your brother, spare not to tell him, that
hee hath wronged his Honor in marrying the renowned
Claudio, whose estimation do you mightily hold vp, to a
contaminated stale, such a one as Hero.
805Iohn. What proofe shall I make of that?
Bor. Proofe enough, to misuse the Prince, to vexe
Claudio, to vndoe Hero, and kill Leonato, looke you for a-
ny other issue?
Iohn. Onely to despight them, I will endeauour any
810thing.
Bor. Goe then, finde me a meete howre, to draw on
Pedro and the Count Claudio alone, tell them that you
know that Hero loues me, intend a kinde of zeale both
to the Prince and Claudio (as in a loue of your brothers
815honor who hath made this match) and his friends repu-
tation, who is thus like to be cosen'd with the semblance
of a maid, that you haue discouer'd thus: they will scarce-
ly beleeue this without triall: offer them instances which
shall beare no lesse likelihood, than to see mee at her
820chamber window, heare me call Margaret, Hero; heare
Margaret terme me Claudio, and bring them to see this
the very night before the intended wedding, for in the
meane time, I will so fashion the matter, that Hero shall
be absent, and there shall appeare such seeming truths of
825Heroes disloyaltie, that iealousie shall be cal'd assurance,
and all the preparation ouerthrowne.
Iohn. Grow this to what aduerse issue it can, I will
put it in practise: be cunning in the working this, and
thy fee is a thousand ducates.
830Bor. Be thou constant in the accusation, and my cun-
ning shall not shame me.
Iohn. I will presentlie goe learne their day of marri-
age.
Exit.