Best Part to Play?
What is the lead part in this play? And best monologue?
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MovieChat Forums > A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) Discussion > Best Part to Play?
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Although critics say Puck is the protagonist, Nick Bottom is really the main character with the most memorable lines.
There is only one monologue in the whole play and it's Helena's. I personally like Bottom, Helena and Titania. (but I am biased I played Helena in my Shakespeare class)
shareI'm probably partial (I played him in my school's production), but Nick Bottom is the best. You can really go wild with his character, and in my experience the audience connects to his character the most. Plus, his lines in the play-within-the-play are fantastic ("Lion vile hath here deflowered my dear").
"I'm sure you can imagine it's an unimaginable honor to live here."
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I have to agree with SaintAngus. Bottom's very funny. =P
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Bottom is probably the most well-known part of the play (with Robin Goodfellow, aka Puck, a very close second). The thing I think most find appealing and accessible about Bottom is that he speaks in prose more often than iambic pentameter throughout the play. One of the few characters in all of Shakespeare's plays to actually do that.
Also, Bottom is an ass, in every sense of the word. Even before his transformation - or, excuse me, translation - at the hands of Puck. That makes the part fun for actors to play.
I would say it all revolves on you strengths and likes as an actor. Some like Bottom. Some like Puck. I've always thought Flute would be a fun part to play. And, of course, Oberon would be a treat too.
I have to agree that Bottom has the 'funniest' part, but i had a great time playing Oberon. "The Wall" (i forget the players name) was tremendous in the production we put on recently, she made brought us *this close* to cracking up on stage!
share IF WE SHADOWS HAVE OFFENDED
THINK BUT THIS AND ALL IS MENDED
THAT YOU HAVE BUT SLUMBERED HERE
WHILE THESE VISIONS DID APPEAR
AND THIS WEAK AND IDLE THEME
NO MORE YEILDING BUT A DREAM
GENTLES, DO NOT REPREHEND
IF YOU PARDON WE WILL MEND
AND AS I AM AN HONEST PUCK
IF WE HAVE UNEARNED LUCK
NOW TO 'SCAPE THE SERPENTS TOUNGE
WE WILL MAKE AMENDS ERE LONG
ELSE THE PUCK A LIAR CALL
SO GOODNIGHT UNTO YOU ALL
GIVE ME YOUR HANDS IF WE BE FRIENDS
AND ROBIN SHALL RESTORE AMENDS
that's my favorite speech in the whole play
She went that way.
I can capture my own damsel, thank you-Baker's Wife & Prince, Into the Woods
When my cue comes call me and I will answer. My next is "most fair Pyramus"...heigh-ho. Peter Quince? Flute the bellows-mender? Snout the tinker! Starveling! God's my life, stolen hence and left me asleep! I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was- there is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and methought I had...but man is but a patched fool if he offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It will be called "Bottom's Dream," because it hath no bottom; and I shall sing it in the latter end of the play before the Duke. Peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall sing it at her death!
---This is Bottom's famous speech, toward the end of the play. In my opinion, an actor has the most fun with this monologue than any other in Shakespearian literature. Bottom is the man!
Puck's final speech is my favorite too!! I just think it is the perfect way to end such an amazing play.
shareI Played Puck in my year 8 class play and when i did Puck's Final speech everyone went wild. It is a truly amazing part to play! In Another production of the same i played Lysander.
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My favorite speech:
Asleep, my love?
What, dead, my dove?
O Pyramus, arise!
Speak, speak. Quite dumb?
Dead, dead? A tomb
Must cover thy sweet eyes.
These lily lips,
This cherry nose,
These yellow cowslip cheeks,
Are gone, are gone:
Lovers, make moan:
His eyes were green as leeks.
O Sisters Three,
Come, come to me,
With hands as pale as milk;
Lay them in gore,
Since you have shore
With shears his thread of silk.
Tongue, not a word:
Come, trusty sword;
Come, blade, my breast imbrue:
Stabs herself
And, farewell, friends;
Thus Thisby ends:
Adieu, adieu, adieu.
But that because I get to play Thisbe. :D
shareBottom is without doubt the best but i think Hermia and the young lovers are meant to be the main protagonists as they are they ones who get played about most by the fairies. In truth the play is set into 3 seperate stories inter mingled. U have bottom and friends with their play, the fairie queen and king quaralling and the young lovers story. So it depends on which story is u are looking at to who is the main protaganist. I loved playing lovelorn Helena at school.
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