"No!! You can play no part but Pyramus!!"

One of the whimsical elements within "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the "play-within-the-play." The "crude mechanicals" perform a play for Theseus and the rest of the court after the wedding. It is because of this that each of the mechanicals are given a secondary role within the play. Quince speaks the lines labelled "prologue," while Starveling speaks the lines labelled "Moonshine." Bottom is set down as "Pyramus," and Flute as "Thisbe."

Here is a complete listing of all the mechanicals within the "play-within-the-play."

• Quince as "The Prologue," abbreviated as "PROL" in the scripting.
• Starveling as "Moonshine," abbreviated as "MOON in the scripting.
  
• Snug and Pug as "The Lion," read simply as "LION" in the scripting.
• Bottom as "Pyramus," abbreviated as "PYR" in the scripting.
• Flute as "Thisbe," abbreviated as "THIS" in the scripting.
• Snout as "Wall," read simply as "WALL" in the scripting.

Those of you assigned as "EXTRA MECHANICALS" will have to discuss within your groups as to what you'll be doing during the "play-within-the-play." Maybe you'll pretend to be trees, or act as stagehands. Try to talk with the rest of the mechanicals to see what you'll be doing!!

On a separate topic, please be thinking about what props you'll be needing during the "play-within-the-play." Starveling as Moonshine may need a lantern, as it says in the script. Pug and Snug may want to have some sort of red ribbon to portray the bloody scarf of Thisbe. Wall may want to have some sort of costume that gives the loam and clay of the wall. Be creative and critical about your characters and your lines!!