It’s awfully high up here on the gallery. I do hope I’ll be able to hear the play still. I got here extra early so I’d get a good seat, as everyone’s been talking about it, the play that is. It’s supposed to be highly romantic and magical. Oh, I am excited. My father hasn’t stopped raving on about it. Luckily today the weather is wonderful so the theatre is lit superbly, the sun bouncing of every corner, which is perfect because my father, just yesterday, came back from London with a gift for me, a lovely yellow sunhat, which I am delighted to be wearing now.
The theatre is really filling up now; I can even see the mayor.
At last an actor has come on stage. And what a brilliant actor he is.
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“Now fair Hippolyta…this old moon wanes; she lingers my desire’s” says Theseus.
Oh how romantic, if only I had a man such as him. All the good men in my town seem to be taken, oh well; I’ll carry on dreaming.
I wonder where they’re from, their names sound so exotic and grand, maybe Greece or somewhere abroad, how lovely it would be to visit such a far away place.
“Hippolyta, I woo’d thee with my sword, and won thy love, doing three injuries; But I will wed thee in another key” says Theseus.
Oh, look how much he loves her, how adoring, I believe she wants to marry him, I hope they do, they make such a lovely couple. I wonder what will happen next now that more actors have come on stage.
“Lady Charlotte” shouts someone behind me. I turn around to be faced by my dear friend “Lady Victoria” and her fianc� Sir William.
“Oh how lovely it is to see you” I exclaimed.
“Well, we saw you up here by yourself and thought you might like some company” she replied.
“How nice of you. Have you been watching the play?” I asked.
“Unfortunately we’ve only just arrived, there was some problems with the horse that was pulling our carriage” Sir William said
“Oh dear, please sit down, here I have a spare cushion” I said handing her a sapphire blue bolster.
“Why thank you, how very kind” she said.
“Well, have we missed anything?” Sir William inquired.
“Its only just begun, but essentially Theseus, duke of Athens and Hippolyta, his fianc� were discussing with each other about getting married, and Theseus is ever so romantic, you will see Lady Victoria” I laughed, “well, anyway almost at once there romancing was disturbed by an angry tirade from Egeus, a nobleman of Athens, so lets continue to watch and see what happens!” I said.
“I’ve never heard anything like it before in a play, so much conflict” Lady Victoria chuckled.
“Do you know, it actually reminds me of a court scene?” said Sir William. ” When I visited my beloved uncle Edward, a significant judge, we went to court to see one of his latest cases and it resembles just that.”
“Quite a lot of controversy then” I said
“Well indeed” he replied
“Thou, thou Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes” says Egeus.
“He does repeat thou an awful lot doesn’t he?” I questioned
“Yes, it does seem so, I think this is to get the point across” remarked Sir William.
“With cunning hast thou filch’d my daughter’s heart, Turn’d her obedience (which is due to me)…and she is mine, I may dispose of her” says Egeus
“I think Egeus is defiantly jealous of Demetrius, because he claims that he has stolen Hermia’s obedience and love, and isn’t the language so bewitching!” said Lady Victoria.
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to marry someone you actually loved and wanted to marry.” said Lady Victoria.
“Oh, yes and maybe in the future men and women would be looked upon as equals!” I joked
“Well, I don’t see that happening any time soon!” said Lady Victoria in-between outbursts of laughter.
“Egeus is being ever so hard on Theseus, do you not think? Listen to all this harsh language!”
“Yes, like ‘captured her imagination slyly’, well, I never thought this play would be so drastic and exciting!” I said.
“Theseus, in this part, reminds me of a judge and how whatever he says goes!” said Sir William enthusiastically.
“Oh no! I really don’t think Hermia should be standing up to Theseus; he’s the duke of Athens for heavens sake! Imagine what he could do to her!” I said.
“No, I admire her courage and bravery. You go Hermia! And Theseus is a good man he would never do something horrid to an innocent young girl, look he’s even given her another option to become a nun!” she shouted over the hustle and bustle of the pit below us, “They do make such a racket don’t they” she said
“I know, but its part of the theatre’s atmosphere, you must learn to embrace it!” I laughed.
“I’ve noticed there are an awful lot of references to the moon, I wonder what that means.” I queried.
“Well I think the moon goddess is Diane, who is the symbol of chastity and virginity, which makes sense because Theseus is describing the moon as ‘fruitless’, (meaning loveless and doesn’t mean anything) and is talking about sex at the time.”
“Well this play is certainly not a normal comedy, it has far to many complicated issues!”
“You have her father’s love, Demetrius: Let me have Hermia’s: do you marry him.” Said Lysander.
I started laughing, and from that moment I knew I would enjoy the play.
“With duty and desire follow you” said Egeus.
“Gosh, what a suck up! I really don’t like Egeus, forcing his own to daughter to marry someone she doesn’t love, even if its so common.” said Lady Victoria.
Lysander entered and immediately I noticed all the ladies in the room, swooning over him. He is ever so romantic I must say. ‘How chance the roses there do fade so fast’. And that’s just one part of his romantic speech. How he uses roses, a symbol of love, to describe her, its just beautiful.
“Isn’t it just true romance! How can something like that be broken up?” Lady Victoria said.
“The course of true love did never run smooth, But either it was different in blood.” said Lysander
“I expect the story will be full of unexpected twists and turns and maybe he is thinking about the different classes him and Hermia are from, worlds apart,” thought Sir William.
“O cross…O spite… O hell” said both Hermia and Lysander.
“Listen to all that repetition used!” I said
“I think its to get the point across or even sound like them wailing together!” said and intrigued Lady Victoria
“Onomatopoeia you mean!” Sir William corrected.
“Oh ok then!” she said back.
“It seams all hope is lost then…oh! But wait, Lysander has a plan! To go into his aunt who treats him like a son, and marry, only there, where Athenian law cannot pursue them! But they must meet in the woods before. Oh I am so glad there love drives them this much, but Hermia must disobey her father and leave in the middle of the night. She is so brave.” I commented to Lady Victoria.
“Would you listen to the verses, so rhythmic and some even rhyme” I said
“Yes, indeed, you know, I reckon she is using rhyme to reinforce her decision, how clever” Sir William said.
“There I will stay for thee,” says Lysander
“My good Lysander” finishes Hermia
“They are even finishing off each others sentences (iambic pentameters), they are so in love and in tune with each other” remarks Lady Victoria.
After Hermia climaxes the scene with lots of rhyming, Helena appears.
“God speed fair Helena, whither away?” says Hermia.
“Call you me fair? That fair again unsay,” Helena snaps back.
“Wow that really hit a raw nerve for Helena. And why does she automatically presume she means fair as in pretty not fair personality. Typical women trait I think.” Says Sir William.
“Well thank you for that last comment darling” Lady Victoria said whilst playfully hitting him.
“It sounds like Helena’s jealous of Hermia to me. Listen! She wants her voice, eyes looks, everything, and only because she has the heart of her true love.” I said.
“I couldn’t agree more, and listen to the contrasting words in their verses. Frown and love. But Helena continues the theme.
“O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill”
I notice here that different ideas are linked, contrasted and followed from one to another.
“I think the verses are quite similar to chose in musicals and lyrics, don’t you think?” I said
” Actually yes, I never noticed that before. How funny.” Sir William chortled.
“Oh no! She’s told Helena that they are to flee. You know there going to be trouble now! Somebody knows, perhaps she’ll tell Demetrius and he’ll turn up! Oh what mayhem.” I said
Lysander and Hermia exited the stage to leave Helena all by herself, chanting a soliloquy.
“She is so sad, poor Helena, I understand her pain, if only Demetrius loved her back…”
“But then what good would this play be! No controversy. Oh listen she plans to tell Demetrius!” interrupted Sir William, who was so excited about what was to come in the woods.
“Yes I know I know, but still, she lost her true love, he loved her until he set eyes on Hermia.” I said back.
“Hmm, well no point in complaining about it, just have to wait and see what happens!”
