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Shakespeare on Stage
Original Shakespeare Company, Comedie of Errors. To Jun. 22, 2013.
SIP Editors, Measure for Measure. To Aug. 4, 2013.
SIP Editors, King Henry VIII. To Aug. 4, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, All's Well That Ends Well. To Nov. 29, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Suzanne Westfall
Not Peer Reviewed
A Midsommer nightes dreame.
Bo. A Calender, a Calender: looke in the Almanack: finde
out Moone-shine, finde out Moone-shine.
Quin. Yes: it doth shine that night.
Cet. Why then, may you leaue a casement of the great
chamber window (where we play) open; and the Moone
may shine in at the casement.
870Quin. I: or els, one must come in, with a bush of thorns,
& a lātern, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present the
person of Moone-shine. Then, there is another thing; we
must haue a wal in the great chāber: for Pyramus & This-
by (saies the story) did talke through the chinke of a wall.
Sno. You can neuer bring in a wal. What say you Bottom?
Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him
haue some plaster, or som lome, or some rough cast, about
880him, to signifie wall; or let him holde his fingers thus: and
through that crany, shall Pyramus and Thisby whis-
per.
Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit downe e-
uery mothers sonne, and reherse your parts. Pyramus, you
885beginne: when you haue spoken your speech, enter into
that Brake, and so euery one according to his cue.
Enter Robin.
Ro. What hempen homespunnes haue we swaggring here,
So neere the Cradle of the Fairy Queene?
What, a play toward? Ile be an Auditor,
An Actor to perhappes, If I see cause.
Quin. Speake Pyramus: Thysby stand forth.
895Pyra. Thisby the flowers of odious sauours sweete.
Quin. Odours, odorous.
Py. Odours sauours sweete.
So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby deare.
But harke, a voice: stay thou but heere a while,
900And by and by I will to thee appeare.
Exit.
Quin. A stranger Pyramus, then ere played heere.
Thys. Must I speake now?
D2
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