Dramatis Personae (ACT 1)

Hermia- Vaillete Sarra Theseus- Ajani Baret

Lysander- JB Rellora Hippolyta- Gwyneth Idlisan

Demetrius-Dan Abalayan Philostrates(wedding planner)-Erika Llamoso

Helena- Jovelyn Agna Egeus- Jorelle Hernandez

Peter Quince- Daryl De Leon Nick Bottom- Francis Bandola

Francis Flute-Neil Piolino Tom Snout- Raymund Samar

Robin Starveling- Castillo Snug- James Francisco

ACT 1, Scene 1

Setting: Theseus’ palace; Theseus and Hippolyta are planning their wedding. Theseus is talking to the
wedding planner. As they’re planning their wedding, they are interrupted by Egeus.

THE: Hippolyta, my love, our nuptial hour draws near. In four days, a new moon will come! Oh how slow
moon wanes! *whining*

HYP: Four days will quickly steep themselves at night, four nights are merely four dreams away. And
when the fourth day comes, my Lord Theseus, we shall be wed under the moonlight.

THE: Philostrate, go and stir the Athenians to merriments. Tell everyone that there is no room for
melancholy during this merry occasion! *turns to Hippolyta, kisses her hand* Hippolyta, of whom I have
wooed with my sword, and whose love I have won in combat. I will wed thee in another key: with pomp,
triumph, and celebration.

*Egeus comes in with Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius*

EGE: Good morrow, my Lord Theseus! *bows*

THE: Good morrow, good Egeus! What brings you here?

EGE: My daughter, (*Hermia will bow*) Hermia does not want to marry Demetrius! I want the best for
my daughter, so she should marry him. Instead, she wants to marry her other suitor, Lysander.

THE: Demetrius is a worthy man, what do you think, Fair Hermia? *kukunin ni DEM ang kamay ni HER*

HER: Lysander is as worthy of a gentleman as Demetrius. *HER takes back her hand *

THE: Your father knows what is best for you, then you should marry Demetrius.

HER: I’d rather have my father look at Lysander the way I see him.

THE: But you should trust your father’s judgment.

HER: I am aware of the law, Lord Theseus. The worst may befall upon me if I refuse to wed Demetrius.
THE: Choose, fair Hermia: Would you rather be a priestess, and be forced to live a maiden for the rest of
your life; or would you want to wed this fine, young man, of whom your father is in favor? Or rather face
death, to meet the souls of those departed?

HER: I may live, or I may die, or may be a maiden for ever after. My Lord, pardon me, for I wish not to
decide upon this matter yet.

THE: Take time to think, fair Hermia. Thou shall decide until the next new moon, on the night my love
and I wed.

DEM: Relent, my dear Hermia, and Lysander, yield.

LYS: Her father loves you more than she, Demetrius. Would you rather marry him, instead?

EGE: Lysander! How scornful you are! He has my love and consent, to care for my dear Hermia. All my
right of her I estate unto Demetrius.

LYS: Lord Theseus, I am as well-derived, as fortunate, and as kind as Demetrius! I love fair Hermia more
than he. All that I can boast of is Hermia’s love for me.

THE: I must say I’ve heard enough. This matter should be discussed among yourselves. Demetrius, come!
Egeus, you should come too. As for you, fair Hermia I have given you time to think. Come, Hippolyta, my
love, go forth!

EGE: As you wish, my Lord.

*exit THE, HYP, EGE, and DEM*

ACT 1, Scene 2

Setting:

LYS: Now, my love, why are you so pale? The burden of what you are to do haunts you, I see. Do not
fret, my dear Hermia.

HER: What are we to do, Lysander? I do not want to die, nor would I marry the man my father wants me
to marry. I could not bear the thought of being a priestess, only to spend my days living in a temple!

LYS: I cannot let you marry Demetrius. *holds Hermia’s hands* I love you so much, Hermia. I can’t bear
to see you marry another man.

*moment of silence, Lysander pacing back and forth, thinking*

LYS: Listen to me, my beloved Hermia. We can run way from here! I have a widowed aunt, and she has
no children. Her house is seven leagues away from Athens, and she thinks of me as her only son.
Athenian law cannot pursue us there! If you love me, beauteous Hermia, sneak out your father’s house
tomorrow night. In the woods, a league away from town, there, we will meet and will flee from this
cruel place!

HER: Goodness gracious, Lysander! I swear to the gods above! Tomorrow truly, I will meet with thee.

*Helena comes in mourning over her unrequited love*

HEL: Oh Demetrius! Why don’t you love me back? I was the one you loved before Hermia! Why? Am I
not pretty enough? I am far taller than her! How can you fall in love with a dwarf?

LYS: Look, Hermia! Here comes Helena! *ituturo si HEL*

HER: Fair Helena, where are you going? *approaches Helena*

*Helena wipes her tears and slowly faces Hermia**

HEL: Sweet Hermia, to thee do you call me fair? Demetrius has fallen for your charms and fair! I would
rather be like you, for Demetrius loves you so. Teach me your ways, for him to love me too!

HER: I do not love him, and yet he loves me still.

HEL: Why here I am! Oh, how I love him so!

HER: I push him away, and yet he still follows.

HEL: Oh, how I wish he follows me as he does to you.

HER: I curse in his name, and yet he blesses me with love.

HEL: Oh, I’d bless him with my love if I were you.

HER: Do not fear, do not fret, fair Helena! For I will run away from thee. Lysander and I will flee this
place, to a place far away from here. Before I met my love, Lysander, Athens seemed a paradise to me.

LYS: Helena, to you, we shall share; tomorrow night, we begin our plight! Through Athens’ gates we shall
leave.

HER: And in the forest, where we often meet. There my Lysander and I shall meet. As we go forth, we
will not look back. We will meet new friends and strange acquaintances, but I will not forget thee.
Farewell, my dear friend; pray for us to the gods. May good luck be granted thee, that Demetrius returns
your love! Remember, Lysander! We must stay out of each other’s sight, and we will leave tomorrow
night. *Exit Hermia*

LYS: I will, my Hermia. *hugs before leaving* Helena, adieu! May Demetrius love you, as you love him.

HELENA: Look at how happy those two are! Through Athens they say I am as fair as she. But that means
nothing! Demetrius thinks she is fairer than I. It pains me to see him dote upon Hermia’s eyes, and yet it
makes me love him more! Love can transpose to form and dignity, it looks not with the eyes, but with
the mind. When Demetrius looked upon her eyes, he broke his oath, that he was only mine. And so he
left, and wooed fair Hermia. With every vow he made, left to rot in the dark. Oh I know! I must tell
Demetrius of their plan! Even though it hurts me still, I’d rather be given thanks from he!

*Exit Helena*

ACT 1, SCENE 3

Setting: a room in Quince’s house ; same time

*Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling*

QUI: Is everybody here?

BOT: It is best to call every man by name, according to the script.

QUI: *nods, opens scroll* Written on this scroll are the names of every man, who is fit to play in our
interlude to be performed before the duke and duchess on their wedding night.

BOT: First, good Peter Quince, say how the play goes on, then read the names of the actors.

QUI: Our play is called “The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisby”

BOT: It’s a very good piece of work, I assure you. Now, Peter Quince, read the names of your actors by
thy scroll.

QUI: Answer as I call you.—Nick Bottom, the weaver.

BOT: Here, and ready. What is the part I am to play?

QUI: You will play Pyramus.

BOT: Is he a lover or a tyrant?

QUI: A lover, who kills himself for love.

BOT: That would surely be a challenge for me. I am best suited for a tyrant.

*says this line;

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. *

BOT: That was good, was it not? Now, name the rest of the actors.

QUI: Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

FLU: Here, Peter Quince.

QUI: You must play Thisby, good sir.

FLU: Nay, I say. Do not let me play a woman, I have a beard coming.

QUI: ‘Tis not a problem, you shall play it in a mask. You should speak as small as you can.

BOT: *stands up* Let me play Thisby too! I will speak in a monstrous little voice, if you may.

QUI: No, no, you must play Pyramus. And Flute, you will play Thisby.

BOT:*sits down* Then proceed.

QUI: Robin Starveling, the tailor.

STA: Here, Peter Quince.

QUI: Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby’s mother.--- Tom Snout, the tinker.

SNO: Here, Peter Quince.

QUI: You will play Pyramus’ father, and I will play Thisby’s father. Snug the joiner, you, shall take the
lion’s part. I hope, here is a play fitted.

SNU: Have you written the lion’s part? If you have, hand it over, please; for I am slow of study.

QUI: You may do it extempore. You are to do nothing but roar.

BOT: Let me play the lion too! I will roar, that will make the duke so pleased, he will want me to roar
once again!

QUI: I figure that you are going to do it terribly. You might frighten the duchess and the ladies there.
They would shriek, and the duke would have us hanged.

ALL: He would have us hanged, good Lord.

BOT: I shall make sure not to give the women a fright, for I will roar gently so as not to frighten them out
of their wits.

QUI: You cannot play another man’s part. You are to play Pyramus. He is a sweet-faced man, as you are.
Therefore you must play Pyramus.

BOT: Well then, I shall undertake it. What beard should I use to play it in?

QUI: Whatever beard you wish to use, good sir.

BOT: Which beard should I make use of? The straw-colored one? The tawny beard? The purple in-grain
beard? Oh, I know! How about your French-crown-colored beard? ‘Tis the perfect yellow.

QUI: Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, then you would play barefaced. *turns to
everyone* Masters, here are your parts. I am to fulfill your requests, and to entreat to thee. On the
night of to-morrow, we shall meet in the palace-wood. By the moonlight, we shall rehearse. For if we
meet in the city, we shall have company, and they will follow us across town. I pray that you would not
fail me.

BOT: We will meet, and there we will rehearse discreetly and courageously.

QUI: Adieu, at the duke’s oak we meet, on the night of tomorrow.

*Exit Bottom, Flute, Snug, Snout, and Starveling on the left, and exit Quince, to the right*

End of ACT 1