Act 5, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The scene opens with Theseus and Hippolyta discussing the lovers' story. Theseus shows intelligence in his analysis that "The lunatic, the lover and the poet / are of imagination all compact."

The lovers arrive and Theseus asks Philostrate what entertainments are offered to pass time this wedding evening. He chooses the mechanicals' play "For never anything can be amiss I when simpleness and duty tender [offer] it". Hippolyta however does not wish to see those of little ability overstretched. Theseus explains that it is the thought that counts; "The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing".

Character: Theseus is noble, understanding, fair and keen to see the good in his citizens.

The set part begins with QUINCE as PROLOGUE.

Advice to actor: Quince is nervous, and pauses in the wrong places, eg

Our true intent is. All for your delight, We are not here."

Quince shows them the cast and explains the tragedy - Pyramus kills hiself, wrongly believing the lion has killed Thisbe; Thisbe then takes her life when she finds his corpse.

Advice to actors: be awkward, self conscious and stiff in movement - exaggerate the absurdities of Snout being a wall, Starveling being Moonshine and Snug being Lion

- also Bottom being a handsome, noble lover!

Humour: see advice above; also the contrast between the "ham" acting and the elevated theme and language ("He bravely broached his broiling, bloody breast"). The result is that a tragedy appears as a (well meant) comedy; there is a big contrast between the language and class of Bottom and Flute and Pyramus and Thisbe: this is amusing. Bottom's address to the Wall ("0 sweet, 0 lovely wall. . . ") is amusing. He then curses the same wall when Thisbe is not visible! When Theseus jokes that the wall should curse back, Bottom steps out of his role and 'explains' to him what is happening! - revealing his own simple colloquial, lively language as quite different from that of his part, Pyramus!

Character: Bottom's simple nature is seen again - as is his inability not to comment on or answer eveiything!

Advice to actors: Bottom is to be quite innocent of his fault, and to show genuine concern that Theseus should understand. Thisbe talks to the wall, saying her "cherry lips have often kissed thy stones". Bottom humourously mistakes his line "I see a voice". Both mistake the classical names in their high flown exchange, then kiss the hole in the wall.

Humour: the absurdity of the situation -

a) an actor playing wall

b) a boy playing Thisbe

c) common people playing noble figures

is an effective backdrop for the amateur acting and the mistakes. Contrast tragic intention with comic effect again!

Advice to actors: exaggerate the expressions and gestures of motion - disappointment I high thoughts I frustrated separation I scheming.

The wall goes off when Hippolyta comments "This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard" Theseus indulgently and generously (character points!) says "The best in this kind are but shadows" - it's all play acting anyway. Ironically, none of the young lovers shows any sign of recognising that the melodramatic, over-the-top conduct of Pyramus and Thisbe mirrors their recent behaviour!

Humour: Snug's explanation to the Ladies that he's not a real lion - in the middle of the play! (He's already been introduced!)

The audience make fun of Starveling's explanations about moonshine, the dog and the bush. Thisbe is frightened off by the lion's roar - and drops her mantle. Bottom arrives.

Advice to actors: over-act - Thisbe's fear and distress, the lion's quiet roar (to avoid frightening the ladies!). Bottom exaggerates his gratitude to the moon, his shock, his grief, his suicide (especially when he says "Now am I dead"). The over-acting again turns tragedy to comedy.

Thisbe returns - is pleased, then shocked, then grief-stricken, then suicidal. Bottom ends the play, not understanding an audience joke that Moonshine Wall & Lion will bury the dead, and asks whether they want the epilogue.

After the mechanicals' dance, Theseus orders all the lovers to bed "'tis almost fairy time". He declares a fortnight's celebration. He says the play has well passed the time:

"This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled The heavy gait of night."