Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1596 [1594-1596] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe · 487 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
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. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on: then read the names of the Actors: and so grow on to a point. Marry our play is the most lamentable Comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbie. A very good piece of work I assure you, and a merry. Now good Peter Quince, call forth your Actors by the scroll. Master's spread yourselves. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the Weaver. Ready; name what part I am for, and proceed. You Nick Bottom are set down for Pyramus. What is Pyramus, a lover, or a tyrant? A Lover that kills himself most gallantly for love. That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes: I will move storms; I will condole in some measure. To the rest yet, my chief humour is for a tyrant. I could play Hercules rarely, or a part to tear a Cat in, to make all split 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. This was lofty. Now name the rest of the Players. This is Hercules vain, a tyrant's vain: a lover is more condoling. Francis Flute the Bellows-mender: here Peter Quince. You must take Thisbie on you. What is Thisbie, a wand'ring Knight? It is the Lady that Pyramus must love. Nay faith, let not me play a woman, I have a beard coming. That's all one, you shall play it in a Mask, and you may speak as small as you will. And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbie too: I'll speak in a monstrous little voice; Thisbe, Thisbe, ah Pyramus my lover dear, thy Thisbie dear, and Lady dear. No no, you must play Pyramus, and Flute, you Thuby. Well, proceed. Robin Starueling the Tailor. here Peter Quince. Robin Starueling, you must play Thisbies mother? the Tinker. here Peter Quince. You, Pyramus father; myself, Thisbies father; Snugge the joiner, you the Lion's part: and I hope there is a play fitted. Have you the Lions part written? pray you if be, give it me, for I am slow of study. You may do it extemporie, for it is nothing but roaring. Let me play the Lion too, I will roar that I will do any man's heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the Duke say, Let him roar again, let him roar again. If you should do it too terribly, you would fright the Duchess and the Ladies, that they would shriek, and that were enough to hang us all.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Here is the ſcrowle of euery mans name, which is thought fit through all Athens, to play in our Enterlude before the Duke and the Dutches, on his wedding day at night. Firſt, good Peter Quince, ſay what the play treats on: then read the names of the Actors: and ſo grow on to a point. Marry our play is the moſt lamentable Comedy, and moſt cruell death of Pyramus and Thisbie. A very good peece of worke I aſſure you, and a merry. Now good Peter Quince, call forth your Actors by the ſcrowle. Maſters ſpread your ſelues. Anſwere as I call you. Nick Bottome the Weauer. Ready; name what part I am for, and proceed. You Nicke Bottome are ſet downe for Pyramus. What is Pyramus, a louer, or a tyrant? A Louer that kills himſelfe moſt gallantly for loue. That will aske ſome teares in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience looke to their eies: I will mooue ſtormes; I will condole in ſome meaſure. To the reſt yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all ſplit the raging Rocks; and ſhiuering ſhocks ſhall break the locks of priſon gates, and Phibbus carre ſhall ſhine from farre, and make and marre the fooliſh Fates. This was lofty. Now name the reſt of the Players. This is Ercles vaine, a tyrants vaine: a louer is more condoling. Francis Flute the Bellowes-mender: Heere Peter Quince. You muſt take Thisbie on you. What is Thisbie, a wandring Knight? It is the Lady that Pyramus muſt loue. Nay faith, let not mee play a woman, I haue a beard comming. That's all one, you ſhall play it in a Maske, and you may ſpeake as ſmall as you will. And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbie too: Ile ſpeake in a monſtrous little voyce; Thiſne, Thiſne, ah Pyramus my louer deare, thy Thisbie deare, and Lady deare. No no, you muſt play Pyramus, and Flute, you Thuby. Well, proceed. Robin Starueling the Taylor. Heere Peter Quince. Robin Starueling, you muſt play Thisbies mother? the Tinker. Heere Peter Quince. You, Pyramus father; my ſelf, Thisbies father; Snugge the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: and I hope there is a play fitted. Haue you the Lions part written? pray you if be, giue it me, for I am ſlow of ſtudie. You may doe it extemporie, for it is nothing but roaring. Let mee play the Lyon too, I will roare that I will doe any mans heart good to heare me. I will roare, that I will make the Duke ſay, Let him roare againe, let him roare againe. If you ſhould doe it too terribly, you would fright the Dutcheſſe and the Ladies, that they would ſhrike, and that were enough to hang vs all.