A Midsummer Night's Dream

We went to see Theatre Calgary and Mount Royal University's Shakespeare in the park, performing 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.  http://theatrecalgary.com/plays/sitp/more_info/

Here are some of my favourite photos and quotes:

EGEUS:

"Full of vexation come I, with complaint 

Against my child, my daughter Hermia. 

Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, 

This man hath my consent to marry her. 

Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke, 

This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child; 

Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, 

And interchanged love-tokens with my child: 

Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, 

With feigning voice verses of feigning love, 

And stol'n the impression of her fantasy 

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, 

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers 

Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: 

With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, 

Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, 

To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke, 

Be it so she will not here before your grace 

Consent to marry with Demetrius, 

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, 

As she is mine, I may dispose of her: 

Which shall be either to this gentleman 

Or to her death, according to our law 

Immediately provided in that case."

QUINCE:

"Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is 

thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our 

interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his 

wedding-day at night." 

OBERON:

"I pray thee, give it me. 

    I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
    Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
    Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
    With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
    There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
    Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
    And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
    Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:
    And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
    And make her full of hateful fantasies.
    Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:
    A sweet Athenian lady is in love
    With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;
    But do it when the next thing he espies
    May be the lady: thou shalt know the man
    By the Athenian garments he hath on.
    Effect it with some care, that he may prove
    More fond on her than she upon her love:
    And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow." 

PUCK:

 "Through the forest have I gone. 

    But Athenian found I none,
    On whose eyes I might approve
    This flower's force in stirring love.
    Night and silence.--Who is here?
    Weeds of Athens he doth wear:
    This is he, my master said,
    Despised the Athenian maid;
    And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
    On the dank and dirty ground.
    Pretty soul! she durst not lie
    Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
    Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
    All the power this charm doth owe. 

(He drops the juice on Lysander's eyelids)
    When thou wak'st, let love forbid
    Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:
    So awake when I am gone;
    For I must now to Oberon."

BOTTOM:

"Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them to 

    make me afeard."

PUCK:

"My mistress with a monster is in love. 

    Near to her close and consecrated bower,
    While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
    A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
    That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
    Were met together to rehearse a play
    Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.
    The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,
    Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
    Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake
    When I did him at this advantage take,
    An ass's nole I fixed on his head:
    Anon his Thisbe must be answered,
    And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,
    As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
    Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
    Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
    Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,
    So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;
    And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
    He murder cries and help from Athens calls.
    Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears
    thus strong,
    Made senseless things begin to do them wrong;
    For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;
    Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all
    things catch.
    I led them on in this distracted fear,
    And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
    When in that moment, so it came to pass,
    Titania waked and straightway loved an ass."

   OBERON: 

"Welcome, good Robin.
    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;
    For she his hairy temples then had rounded
    With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers;
    And that same dew, which sometime on the buds
    Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,
    Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes
    Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail.
    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.
    Be as thou wast wont to be;
    See as thou wast wont to see:
    Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower
    Hath such force and blessed power.
    Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen." 

THESEUS:

"Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth. 

    Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love
    Accompany your hearts!" 

OBERON:

 "Now, until the break of day, 

    Through this house each fairy stray.
    To the best bride-bed will we,
    Which by us shall blessed be;
    And the issue there create
    Ever shall be fortunate.
    So shall all the couples three
    Ever true in loving be;
    And the blots of Nature's hand
    Shall not in their issue stand;
    Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
    Nor mark prodigious, such as are
    Despised in nativity,
    Shall upon their children be.
    With this field-dew consecrate,
    Every fairy take his gait;
    And each several chamber bless,
    Through this palace, with sweet peace;
    And the owner of it blest
    Ever shall in safety rest.
    Trip away; make no stay;
    Meet me all by break of day."  

PUCK:

"If we shadows have offended, 

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumber'd here    

While these visions did appear.    

And this weak and idle theme,    

No more yielding but a dream,    

Gentles, do not reprehend:    

if you pardon, we will mend:    

And, as I am an honest Puck,    

If we had unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,    

We will make amends ere long;    

Else the Puck a liar call;    

So, good night unto you all.    

Give me your hands, if we be friends,    

And Robin shall restore amends."