Scene I

Thseus’ Palace in Athens.

THESEUS (To himself.) In four days I will be married. That’s a long time. I can’t wait.

Egeus, Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius enter.

EGEUS My noble duke!

THESEUS Tell me, Egeus, what’s the matter with you?

EGEUS I’m really angry. This man, Demetrius, has my permission to marry my daughter, Hermia. But now, she says she is in love with Lysander.

THESEUS Is it true, Hermia?

HERMIA Yes, I love Lysander.

EGEUS According to our law, she must do what I want or she must die.

HERMIA My lord, what will happen if I refuse to marry Demetrius?

THESEUS Either to die, or to become a nun.

DEMETRIUS Hermia, think twice and marry me.

LYSANDER (To Demetrius.) You have Egeus’ love, why don’t you marry him?

EGEUS Stupid! (Trying to hit Lysander.)

THESEUS Hermia, you must take a decision.

Everybody leaves but Hermia and Lysander.

LYSANDER I have a good plan. If you love me, meet me in the wood tomorrow night. We will run away from Athens.

HERMIA My good Lysander, I’ll be in the wood tomorrow night.

Helena enters.

HERMIA How are you, beautiful Helena?

HELENA Beautiful? Don’t call me beautiful. I love Demetrius but he loves you. I want to be as beautiful as you.

HERMIA I don’t love Demetrius.

HELENA But he loves you.

HERMIA Don’t worry. Lysander and I are going to run away from Athens.

LYSANDER Yes, we are going to meet in the wood tomorrow night.

HERMIA Goodbye, Helena. I wish you good luck with Demetrius.

Hermia and Lysander leave.

HELENA I’ll tell Demetrius Hermia’s plan. Perhaps he will be grateful and I’ll get his love.

Scene II

Quince’s house.

QUINCE Friends, we are going to perform a play before the Duke and the Duchess on their wedding-day.

BOTTOM Which play?

QUINCE The comedy and cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

BOTTOM Which part am I going to play?

QUINCE The part of Pyramus.

BOTTOM My Pyramus will be perfect.

QUINCE Francis Flute, you are going to be Thisby.

FLUTE Is he a strong man?

QUINCE She’s a lady.

FLUTE I don’t want to play a lady.

QUINCE You must play Thisby. Snug, the lion’s part is yours.

SNUG Is it very difficult?

QUINCE Not very difficult, you say: grrrrrr! (He roars.)

SNUG Grrrr!... It’s not as easy as it seems.

FLUTE You can play Thisby.

SNUG I prefer a lion to a lady.

QUINCE No more complaints! We will rehearse in the wood tomorrow night.

Scene III

In the wood. Oberon and Titania enter from different parts of the stage.

OBERON A bad meeting, Titania.

TITANIA Jealous Oberon! I don’t want to see you.

OBERON You know, I just want the little boy.

TITANIA I’ll never give you the boy. His mother was my friend and I’ll always look after him.

OBERON Give me that boy and I’ll go with you.

TITANIA Never! (She leaves.)

OBERON Puck, come here.

PUCK (Entering.) My lord?

OBERON Bring me the magic flower. If you touch someone with that magic flower when sleeping, he o she will fall in love with the first creature he sees.

PUCK I’ll bring you the magic flower. (He leaves.)

OBERON (To himself.) I’ll touch Tatiana with the flower and... Who is coming? No problem, I’m invisible.

Demetrius enters and Helena following him.

DEMETRIUS I don’t love you. Don’t follow me!

HELENA But I love you. I’m your dog.

DEMETRIUS I hate you.

HELENA And I just want to be with you. (They leave.)

Puck enters.

OBERON Have you got the flower?

PUCK Yes, some of them.

OBERON This one for Titania and this other one for an Athenian boy you will find in the wood. I don’t like how he treats his lady.

PUCK Your servant will do it.

Scene IV

The wood.

LYSANDER My sweet Hermia, you must be tired. We can rest here.

HERMIA This will be my bed and that yours. Sweet dreams, my love.

They fall asleep. Puck enters.

PUCK The Athenian boy is here. (He touches Lysander with the magic flower and leaves.)

Helena and Demetrius enter.

HELENA Stop, my Demetrius, stop!

DEMETRIUS Stop following me! (He leaves.)

HELENA I'm too tired to continue. I need a rest. But, who is here?... Lysander!

Lysander wakes up.

LYSANDER Sweet Helena, my love!

HELENA What are you saying? Hermia is your love.

LYSANDER I don't love Hermia, I love you!

HELENA Why are you laughing at me?

LYSANDER I want to be your lover.

Helena leaves and Lysander follows her. Hermia wakes up.

HERMIA Lysander, where are you? Lysander, don’t leave me alone! Lysander!

Scene V

In the wood. Quince, Bottom, Flute and Snug enter.

QUINCE This is a wonderful place for our rehearsal.

BOTTOM Let's start.

QUINCE Pyramus, you begin.

Puck enters.

PUCK What's this? Actors! Let's see.

QUINCE Speak, Pyramus.

PYRAMUS Thisby, you are like a flower. Listen..., a voice, I'll be back in a minute. (He leaves.)

PUCK I don't like this Pyramus; a monster would play better than him. (He leaves after Pyramus.)

THISBY Must I speak now?

QUINCE Yes, it's your turn.

THISBY Gentle Pyramus, I love you. I'll meet you at Ninny's tomb.

QUINCE It's not Ninny's, it's Ninnus'.

Pyramus enters become a monster.

PYRAMUS Thisby, sweet Thisby...

QUINCE Oh, he has become a monster! Help, help!

They run away screaming.

PYRAMUS Why are they running away?

Scene VI

The wood.

TITANIA I'm too tired, I'll try to get some sleep. (She falls asleep.)

Oberon enters.

OBERON This is my chance! I'll touch her with the magic flower. (Touching her with it.) You'll love the first person or animal you see when you wake up.

Oberon leaves. Bottom enters as a monster.

BOTTOM I think they want to frighten me, but I'm not frightened.

TITANIA Who is waking me up?

BOTTOM (Singing.) Dubi-dubi-dubi-da... dubiii... dubiii...

TITANIA What a wonderful voice! It sounds like an angel. Who are you?

BOTTOM My name is Bottom.

TITANIA Bottom, I love you.

BOTTOM I'd like to leave this wood.

TITANIA You can't leave this wood. I love you, you must stay by me.

BOTTOM But...

TITANIA (Holding Bottom.) Nothing! We are lovers and we must stay together.

Scene VII

The wood.

OBERON Tell me , Puck. What do you know about Titania?

PUCK She's in love with a monster.

OBERON What?

PUCK Yes, the first she saw when she woke up was a monster. Actually, he was an actor but I had turned him into a monster.

OBERON And what about the Athenian?

PUCK I touched him with the flower.

Hermia and Demetrius enter.

OBERON Stop...! That is the Athenian.

PUCK That is the lady, but not the man.

DEMETRIUS (To Hermia.) Listen to me, I love you.

HERMIA I’m sure you have killed Lysander.

DEMETRIUS No, I haven’t.

HERMIA I don’t want to see you anymore.

Hermia leaves.

DEMETRIUS It’s no use to follow her. I’ll have a rest. (He falls asleep.)

OBERON That’s not the man I told you.

PUCK A little mistake.

OBERON Bring Helena inmediately. (Puck leaves.)

OBERON (Touching Demetrius with the flower.) Now you’ll see Helena and you’ll love her passionately.

Puck enters.

PUCK Captain, Helena is here.

Helena and Lysander enter.

LYSANDER I’m not laughing at you.

HELENA And Hermia?

LYSANDER Demetrius loves Hermia.

DEMETRIUS (Waking up.) Oh, Helena! How can I get your love?

HELENA Oh, no! You too!

LYSANDER Demetrius, you love Hermia but Helena is mine.

DEMETRIUS No, Lysander, Hermia is for you. I love Helena.

Hermia enters.

HERMIA Lysander, why did you leave me alone?

LYSANDER Because I don’t love you, I love Helena.

HERMIA You are lying!

LYSANDER No, I love Helena with all my heart. Go away!

HERMIA You are joking, aren’t you?

LYSANDER I’m not your lover. Go away!

HERMIA (To Helena.) And you, thief of love, you have stolen Lysander from me.

HELENA Don’t be stupid!

LYSANDER (To Hermia.) Go away! Nobody loves you!

DEMETRIUS (To Lysander.) And you can go with her.

LYSANDER Are you trying to fight?

DEMETRIUS Yes, I am. Come with me.

Everybody leaves but Oberon and Puck.

OBERON Puck, everything you do is wrong.

PUCK But it’s funny.

OBERON Go with them and make them sleep, then try to put things right.

Scene VIII

Helena, Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius are quarreling.

LYSANDER (To Demetrius.) I’ll kill you and Helena will be mine.

DEMETRIUS Try it! (They fight.)

HELENA Stop fighting!

HERMIA Shut up, stupid woman! (They start fighting too.)

Puck enters and throws something into the air saying some magic words.

PUCK When I beep, you go to sleep. (He beeps.)

ALL I’m too tired. (They fall asleep.)

PUCK (Touching Lysander’s eyes.) When you wake up, you will love Hermia again.

Puck leaves and they wake up.

LYSANDER Hermia, my love.

HERMIA Lysander, are you OK?

DEMETRIUS My sweet Helena!

THESEUS’ VOICE Nice day to go hunting.

Theseus and Egeus enter.

EGEUS That’s my daughter, Hermia!

THESEUS How can you be together if you hate each other?

LYSANDER I can’t explain. I remember I met Hermia in the wood to run away from Athens.

EGEUS That’s enough! He must die!

DEMETRIUS My lord, I love Helena. I don’t want to marry Hermia.

HERMIA And I still want to marry Lysander.

THESEUS I have an idea: we will celebrate three weddings in Athens.

Scene IX

Titania and Bottom are walking through the wood.

TITANIA Come with me, my love. Let’s have a rest. Oh, your eyes are so beautiful! Would you like me to sing?

BOTTOM No, please no. It’s a fine day.

TITANIA You are so good-looking, my love!

BOTTOM I know, I know. My beauty is famous around the world.

TITANIA Would you like to dance?

BOTTOM I’d prefer to sleep.

TITANIA Let’s sleep, my sweet love. (They fall asleep.)

Oberon enters.

OBERON It’s horrible! How can you love this monster, Titania? I’ll help you. (Touching her with some herbs.) Wake up and see what you must see.

TITANIA (Waking up.) My Oberon! I dreamt I was in love with a monster.

OBERON Here you have your monster.

TITIANA How ugly he is!

OBERON (Touching Bottom with the herbs.) When you wake up, you will be Bottom again. (Oberon and Titania leave.)

Scene X

The Duke’s Palace.

QUINCE What do you know about Bottom?

SNUG He’s not at home. Nobody knows about him.

FLUTE We can’t perform the play without Bottom.

QUINCE We can’t.

Bottom enters.

BOTTOM How are you, my friends?

QUINCE Bottom! What a happy day!

BOTTOM My good friends, the play must start!

Everybody leaves but Quince.

QUINCE Ladies and gentlemen, this is the play The comedy and cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

Quince leaves and Pyramus enters.

PYRAMUS Oh night! Oh night! I’d like to see Thisby. Where is she?

Thisby enters.

THISBY Oh, my love! Because you are, I think, my love.

PYRAMUS Please, Thisby, give me a kiss.

THISBY Later, my love. I’ll meet you at Ninny’s tomb.

PYRAMUS I’ll be there, darling. (They leave.)

Thisby enters again.

THISBY This is Ninny’s tomb. Where is my love?

The lion enters.

LION Grrrrrrr!

Thisby runs off. She loses her mantle and the lion tears it. The lion leaves and Pyramus enters.

PYRAMUS Here I’ll meet my sweet Thisby. But stay, oh no! That is Thisby’s mantle and there is some blood! A lion has killed my Thisby! I don’t want to live without her. (He pulls his sword out and kills himself.) Now, die, die, die, die, die.

Thisby enters.

THISBY My love, are you asleep?... No..., he is dead! Come with me, sword, and do your work. (She takes Pyramus’ sword and kills herself.) Goodbye, friends, goodbye, goodbye...

Puck enters.

PUCK Hello, friends. Did you enjoy the play? I hope so. Remember: if you have a problem, call Puck: I’ll help you.