[Image shows three actors performing a Midsummer Night's Dream Rough Mechanicals scene]

For my group, I edited a scene from Love’s Labour’s Lost from the top of the show, before it became obvious that men staying away from women would prove impossible. The script is provided below. Due to a prior engagement, I turned up a bit late. My cast of two had read though the script several times and was by then comfortable with the dialogue. We had fun playing with blocking. Our scene was given a cleaning spray bottle and a sponge as our incorporated prop.

[Image shows two actors performing a scene from Love's Labours Lost]

Each group was given an hour or so of rehearsal. We then met in the black box acting space located in the Arts One building and, after a dance warm-up, presented the scenes. All of the scenes were well-received and deserving of applause. There is a good deal of talent in this enthusiastic group of Shakespeareans and no shortage of energy. The evening continued at The Half Moon pub near Stepney Green tube. Get to know this group – they’re fantastic company.

SCENE: Love’s Labors Lost Act I Scene 1

COSTARD 

The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner.

BEROWNE KING In what manner?

COSTARD 

In manner and form following, sir, all those three. I was seen with her in the manor house, sitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park, which, put together, is “in manner and form following.” Now, sir, for the manner. It is the manner of a man to speak to a woman. For the form—in some form.

BEROWNE KING: For the “following,” sir?

COSTARD As it shall follow in my correction, and God defend the right.

KING Will you hear this letter with attention?

. . .

COSTARD [pulling an apple from his pocket] Such is the sinplicity of man to hearken after the flesh.

KING [reads] Great deputy, the welkin’s vicegerent and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul’s earth’s god, and body’s fost’ring patron—

COSTARD Not a word of Costard yet.

KING [reads] So it is—

COSTARD It may be so, but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so.

KING Peace.

COSTARD Be to me, and every man that dares not fight.

KING No words.

COSTARD Of other men’s secrets, I beseech you.

KING [reads] [Costard plays with apple]

So it is, besieged with sable-colored melancholy, I did commend the black oppressing humor to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time when? About the sixth hour, when beasts most graze, birds best peck, and men sit down to that nourishment which is called supper. [Costard takes a loud bite of his apple] So much for the time when. Now for the ground which—which, I mean, I walked upon. It is yclept thy park. Then for the place where—where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most prepost’rous event that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon-colored ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest. But to the place where. It standeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted garden. There did I see that low-spirited swain, that base minnow of thy mirth,—

COSTARD Me?

KING [reads] that unlettered, small-knowing soul,—

COSTARD Me?

KING [reads] that shallow vassal,—

COSTARD Still me?

KING [reads] which, as I remember, hight Costard,—

COSTARD O, me! [jubilant bite of the apple]

KING [reads]sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, which with—O with—but with this I passion to say wherewith—

COSTARD With a wench. [victorious]

KING [reads – stern and pointedly] with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman: him, I, as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on, have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment by thy sweet Grace’s officer, Anthony Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. 

DULL Me, an ’t shall please you. I am Anthony Dull.

KING [reads] For Jaquenetta—[eye brow waggle from Costard] so is the weaker vessel called which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain [bow from Costard] —I keep her as a vessel of thy law’s fury, and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heartburning heat of duty,

BEROWNE This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard.

KING Ay, the best, for the worst. To Costard. But,

sirrah, what say you to this?

COSTARD Sir, I confess the wench.

KING Did you hear the proclamation?

COSTARD I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it.

KING It was proclaimed a year’s imprisonment to be taken with a wench.

COSTARD I was taken with none, sir. I was taken with a damsel.

KING Well, it was proclaimed “damsel.”

COSTARD This was no damsel neither, sir. She was a virgin.

BEROWNE KING: It is so varied too, for it was proclaimed “virgin.”

COSTARD If it were, I deny her virginity. I was taken with a maid.

KING This “maid” will not serve your turn, sir.

COSTARD This maid will serve my turn, sir.

KING Sir, I will pronounce your sentence: you shall fast a week with bran and water.

COSTARD I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge.

KING And Don Armado shall be your keeper. [handing Costard the cleaning bottle and sponge, taking the apple from him] My Lord Berowne, see him delivered o’er,

And go we, lords, to put in practice that Which each to other hath so strongly sworn.

. . .

COSTARD [taking cleaning spray bottle and sponge] I suffer for the truth, sir; for true it is I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl. And therefore welcome the sour cup of prosperity. Affliction may one day smile again, and till then, sit thee down, sorrow.