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Set

The overhead view of the set is here. The front (house) view is here.

Costumes

The pairs of lovers are given color-coordinated clothes, in a simple, non-time-period-specific, style. Egeus has a vest the same color as Hermia's blouse. The fairy attendants (female for Titania, male for Oberon) have matching clothes for each group. Titania and Oberon have more ornate versions of their Attendants' costumes. Puck gets a modified version of the Oberon Attendant clothing. For the rustics' parts in Pyramus & Thisbe, the costumes appear improvised hurriedly out of household items (curtain, rugs).

The fancy costumes for Titania and Oberon show that they are more powerful than the other fairies. Puck's brown pants show that he is more of an earth spirit than the others. The color-coordination on the lovers helps the audience keep track of them.

Oberon
A green calf length robe embroidered with leaf patterns in gold over white leggings. A gold coronet.
Titania
A green dress with embroidered leaf patterns in gold. A white cape. A gold coronet.
Puck
A short-sleeved green tunic over brown leggings. Horns.
Titania's Attendants (including Fairy)
A green dress (long-sleeved).
Oberon's Attendants
A green tunic (long-sleeved) over green leggings.
Demetrius
An orange shirt and black pants.
Lysander
A blue shirt and black pants.
Helena
An orange blouse and black skirt.
Hermia
A blue blouse and black skirt.
Theseus
A white shirt and black pants with a tie. A coronet.
Hippolyta
A white blouse and black skirt. A coronet.
Rustics
Blue jeans and a brown shirt.
For the characters, add
  • A white scarf and a skirt made of a curtain for Thisbe.
  • A shaggy orange rug for Lion.
  • Two plywood sheets worn as a sandwich board for Wall.
Philostrate
A white shirt and black pants.
Egeus
A white shirt and black pants with a blue vest.

A drawing of Oberon's costume is here.

Key Line

Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove,
Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love.

Oberon, lines 249-250

When he says this line, Oberon is standing. For the first part ("Fare thee well, nymph"), he is looking DR and standing right in front of the stump he just stood up from. He is calling to Helena. After "nymph" he turns to face the audience, steps C, and says says the remainder of his line ("ere he" to "thy love") in a slow, prophetic manner. Oberon stresses the words "him" and "thy".

This is the key line because it foreshadows much of the confusion that will occur between the four lovers. It also highlights the magical powers of fairies.

Motivation

Puck
Overall, Puck tries to have fun while serving Oberon.
In this scene, he wants to impress the fairy and to find the flower with such potential for mischief.
Oberon
Overall, Oberon wants the Indian boy from Titania because he is jealous of her. He also wants to help the mortal lovers.
In this scene, he wants to acquire the flower, mainly to use on Titania, but also to help Helena.
Titania
Overall, Titania wants to keep the Indian boy, mainly to spite Oberon. When she is enchanted by the flower, she loves Nick Bottom.
In this scene, Titania wants Oberon to submit to her right to the boy.
Demetrius
Overall, Demetrius want Hermia to marry him and Helena to stop following him. He is generally quite mean: at the end of the play, he is the only person still affected by the love-juice.
In this scene, Demetrius wants Helena to leave him alone so he can pursue Hermia.
Helena
Overall, Helena wants Demetrius to love her.
In this scene, Helena wants permission to follow Demetrius.

Tactics

Act II, Scene 1

Puck
In the first part of the scene (1-60), Puck is trying to impress the fairy. He mimes out the tricks he performs, bragging of them (45-58). He occasionaly looks at the fairy to see if she is impressed. He also, when talking about the conflict between Oberon and Titania (20-31), is trying to impress her by seeming knowledgeable. In the rest of the scene (150-179 & 251-273), when he is talking to Oberon, he tries to appear humbler and competent, but can't hide his capriciousness entirely. When Oberon is telling him about the flower (158-177), he wanders about the stage, but stops and appears very attentive whenever Oberon looks at him, though, amusingly, he is in a different location each time. He leaves very quickly when to told to get the flower (176), because he wants Oberon to think that he made the right choice in choosing which of his servants to entrust with this mission.
Oberon
In the first part of the scene (61-149), Oberon is talking to Titania, trying to convince her to give him the Indian boy. His tactics include asserting that he is her master (e.g 64, 120). He repeatedly tries to get Titania to look at him. He also tries to make a deal with her (145). When talking to Puck (150-177), he does not really need any tactics to get Puck to do his bidding: in fact, Oberon is so wrapped up in his plan that he doesn't even notice that Puck is always moving. He is curious about the relationship between the mortals (Demetrius and Helena) he sees. He reacts to their dialogue (192-248).
Titania
Titania, in her dialogue with Oberon (61-149), wants him to stop pestering her. She remains aloof from his insistences, turning away from him for her speeches. She also blames him for problems in the mortal world (82-118), in the hope that he will stop requesting the Indian boy from her.
Demetrius
Demetrius, talking to Helena (192-248) does not want Helena following him, so he threatens her with, variously, leaving her to die in the forest (231-232), killing her (215-216), and raping her (218-223, 241). He pushes her away frequently.
Helena
Helena, in her dialogue (192-218), wants to see Demetrius. She mainly just pleads with him, saying that she doesn't care what else happens to her as long as she can see him.

Props

Act I, Scene 1

A wood bench covered by a purple cloth (Theseus & Hippolyta, Hermia & Lysander).

Act I, Scene 2

The same bench with cloth removed (Quince & Bottom). Six scripts (Rustics).

Act II, Scene 1

A stump (Fairy, Oberon). The purple flower (Puck, Oberon).

Act II, Scene 2

The same purple flower (Oberon, Puck). A bed (Titania).

Act III, Scene 1

The same six scripts (Rustics). A donkey head (Bottom). The same bed (Titania & Bottom). A wreath of flowers (Titania, Bottom).

Act III, Scene 2

The same purple flower (Oberon). A white herb (Oberon, Puck).

Act IV, Scene 1

The same bed (Titania & Bottom). The same donkey head and flower wreath (Bottom, Puck). The same white herb (Oberon).

Act IV, Scene 2

The same wood bench (Quince).

Act V, Scene 1

A paper (Philostrate, Theseus). A box and a lantern (Moonshine). A sword (Pyramus). A dagger (Pyramus, Thisbe).

Blocking

Act I, Scene 1

The front curtain is closed, and the bench covered with purple cloth set a foot in front of it, centered.

Theseus and Hippolyta enter R, with Philostrate following behind them. When Philostrate is told to leave, he continues along to exit L. By this point Theseus and Hippolyta are in front of the bench, and they sit down at line 17.

Egeus enters quickly and stands slightly DR of the bench. He bows on line 21. Lysander, Hermia, and Demetrius stand in a slanted line stage right. Lysander is holding Hermia. Demetrius steps forward on line 25, but when Lysander steps forward on line 27, Hermia moves slightly to stay with him. On line 29, when Egeus addresses Lysander, he turns to him and grows angrier and angrier until lines 38 or 39, where he turns back to Theseus.

When Theseus speaks on line 47, he stands up (leaving Hippolyta on the bench) and walks over to Hermia to talk to her. On line 86 he goes back to sit with Hippolyta.

On line 93, when Demetrius and Lysander start arguing, Hermia will step back so the two men can move to face each other.

When Theseus, on lines 116 and 117, tells Demetrius and Egeus to come, they stand behind and on either side of the bench. On line 124 Theseus and Hippolyta stand up. When they exit, it is C through the curtain, and they pull the purple cloth off the bench and exit with it.

Before Lysander says line 130, he pulls Hermia to him and they hug. On line 134 they sit on the bench (Hermia R and Lysander L). On line 158 Lysander will lean in and stage whisper to Hermia.

On line 182, when Lysander sees Helena, he and Hermia quickly stand and Hermia moves L of Lysander. Helena enters L through the curtain. On line 205, when Hermia talks of Lysander, she moves over to him. On line 225, she moves R of him before exiting R through the curtain.

Lysander exits C through the curtain, and Helena moves C, in front of the bench, for her speech. Helena exits L through the curtain, back the way she came.

Act I, Scene 2

The front curtain is still closed, with the bench in the same position. Quince is already seated on the bench, holding six scripts.

Snug and Snout enter R separately at about the same time that Flute and Starveling separately enter L. They act uncertain, and mill about a bit, waiting for something to happen. Bottom enters C through the curtain a moment before Quince stands and asks line 1. The rustics except Bottom then look at Quince and cluster around him.

Bottom moves in front of the bench for line 2. Quince stands on the bench to say line 4. On line 15, the rustics stop swarming the bench and sit to the sides of it they entered from. Quince sits down on the bench R and Bottom, much more relaxed, sits beside him L.

Bottom stands on line 19. On line 21, he begins walking downstage. When he reaches line 35, he turns back and sits before line 38.

Flute stands on line 41, and assumes a heroic pose. He sits down quickly on line 42. Bottom stands on line 46 and sits on line 51.

Snug, on line 60, moves over to Quince and stage whispers his line. He returns on line 62. Bottom stands on the bench on line 63. He kneels on it on line 71.

Bottom sits on line 81. Quince, on line 89, stands and passes out scripts. He stands C for the rest of his speech. Bottom, on line 98, stands directly in front of him. Quince steps out from behind him for line 100. Bottom turns around and leaves C through the curtain while saying line 101. The others exit the way they came in, Quince exiting C and taking the bench with him.

Act II, Scene 1

Both curtains are open, revealing the stage and backdrop. The rotating stage has a tree stump on it.

Puck enters UL and does some gymnastics (e.g. a cartwheel). Fairy enters DR, tired, and moves toward the stump. Puck stands up and asks her line 1. Fairy sits on the stump before answering line 2.

Fairy prepares to stand up on line 16, but Puck is very surprised at line 17 and hurries over to say line 18. On line 32, Fairy stands up and looks at Puck. He stands C on line 43 and mimes his tricks.

Puck suddenly stops after line 58 and says line 59 in an urgent voice. Fairy looks at him and says line 60 before exiting DR. Puck, meanwhile, goes over to the vine net and pulls it over him, hiding.

While the lighting effect "Magic" is going on, the rotating portion of the stage rotates to an apparently identical stump, but with Oberon standing on it and his four Attendants behind him. At the same time, Titania enters UL with her Attendants (Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed, and Fairy) behind her. The lights return to normal.

Oberon steps down from the stump while saying line 61. Titania steps forward to him. When she says line 63, her Attendants reluctantly exit UL. At the same time, Oberon makes a hand gesture dismissing his Attendants, who (also reluctantly), exit DR. Slowly during the course of their dialogue, the Attendants will trickle back in sneakily.

On line 64, Oberon moves toward Titania, arms outstretched, but she folds her arms on line 65. For her long speech on line 82, she turns quarter left away from him. Oberon, on line 119, then moves L of her. She turns away (quarter right) on line 123. Oberon seems to give up on line 140. Titania then turns to him on line 142. On line 146, Titania turns to exit UL then exits with her Attendants. Oberon shouts lines 148 and 149 after her before turning and dismissing his Attendants.

Once they have exited DR, Oberon turns to where Puck is hiding and says line 150. Puck goes and sits on the tree stump. Through Oberon's speeches he moves around and only seems to be paying some attention. On line 172, hearing an actual command, he stops moving (having ended up slightly UL of C). On his line 178, Puck runs toward the stump, jumps over it, and continues off through the UR curtain.

Oberon moves C on line 180, but moves back to sit on the stump for line 190.

Demetrius enters UL and begins moving DC as Helena enters UL and follows him. While they say lines 192 to 230, he continues moving around the DL portion of the stage, she following him. He moves DR on line 231, with her pursuing him. She grabs him and, on line 239 he shakes her off and then exits DR. She continues after him to exit DR.

On line 249, Oberon gets up from the stump, and, looking DR, says his line. Puck enters from the back of the house (carrying the purple flower) while Oberon is speaking. He goes up to Oberon and, on line 253, gives him the flower. Oberon moves C beginning on line 254, but on line 264 turns back and gives part of the flower to Puck. On line 273, Puck exits DR while Oberon exits UL.

Lighting

Light Types and Effects

Areas

Usage

Act I Scene 1

Apron lit Basic.

Act I Scene 2

Apron lit Basic.

Act II Scene 1

UR Half lit Forest. After line 60, UR and UL corners lit Magic Effect until everyone is onstage. DL Half lit Forest on line 190. On line 249 until 260, Aisle lit Forest. On line 252, Flower Effect on Main Stage. Lights down after exit.

Act II Scene 2

UR Half lit Forest. On line 27, Flower Effect on Main Stage. After exit on line 34, UR Half off, DL Half lit Forest. After line 65, DL Half dimmed and UR half lit Forest. Flower Effect on Main Stage on line 78. After exit on line 83, UR Half off, DL Half lit full. Lights down after all exit.