Dublin Shakespeare Society – Zoom performance of
” A Midsummers Night Dream”
To be performed as 2 episodes on two separate evenings, dates for performance to be confirmed during rehearsal period, but one episode end of May and the other in June.
Auditions to determine individual zoom capability as well as performance suitability, to be held on 18th and 19th Feb.
Audition Booking with directors is required. Please provide your mobile number and which piece of text you wish to use in audition, A or B or C or D. (See below)
The background and time of audition will be sent to you asap.
Book audition slot send email to: gcarroll2gvc@gmail.com
Zoom Rehearsals to begin Feb 22nd Feb running to last week of May/ June.
Proposers: Co – Directors George Carroll & Brendan O’Daly.
“We would like to add it is our intended aim to present this classic Shakespeare play in similar fashion to the recent zoom performance of “As You Like It” and to further extend technical and performance learning for all involved.”
- Selection of Text for auditions
( A) Act S1
Helena: How happy some o’er other some can be!
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;
Things base and vile, folding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity:
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
And therefore is wing’d Cupid painted blind:
Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgement taste;
For ere Demetrius look’d on Hermia’s eyne,
He hail’d down oaths that he was only mine;.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight:
Then to the wood will he to-morrow night 80
Pursue her; and for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:
But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
To have his sight thither and back again.
**************
( B ) Act 4 S1
Demetrius: My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,
Of this their purpose hither to this wood;
And I in fury hither follow’d them,
Fair Helena in fancy 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
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betroth’d 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.
**************
( C ) Act 2 S1
Titania: These are the forgeries of jealousy: 190
And never, since the middle summer’s spring,
Met we on hill, in dale, forest or mead,
By paved fountain or by rushy brook,
Or in the beached margent of the sea,
But with thy brawls thou hast disturb’d our sport.
The human mortals want their winter here;
No night is now with hymn or carol blest:
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,
Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
That rheumatic diseases do abound: 200
And this same progeny of evils comes
From our debate, from our dissension;
We are their parents and original.
**************
( D) Act 4 S1
Oberon: Welcome, good Robin. [ ENTER PUCK ]
See’st thou this sweet sight?
Her dotage now I do begin to pity:
For, meeting her of late behind the wood,
Seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool,
I did upbraid her and fall out with her;
When I had at my pleasure taunted her
And she in mild terms begg’d my patience,
I then did ask of her her changeling child;
Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent
To bear him to my bower in fairy land.
And now I have the boy, I will undo
This hateful imperfection of her eyes:
And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp
From off the head of this Athenian swain;
That, he awaking when the other do,
May all to Athens back again repair
And think no more of this night’s accidents
But as the fierce vexation of a dream.
But first I will release the fairy queen. [ ENTER TITANIA ]
Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen.
**************
( E ) Act 5 S1
Quince: This man is Pyramus, if you would know;
This beauteous lady Thisby is certain.
This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth present
Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder;
And through Wall’s chink, poor souls, they are content
To whisper. At the which let no man wonder.
This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn,
Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know,
By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn
To meet at Ninus’ tomb, there, there to woo.
This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,
The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,
Did scare away, or rather did affright;
And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,
Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,
And finds his trusty Thisby’s mantle slain:
He bravely broach’d is boiling bloody breast;
His dagger drew, and died.
