When the time is scant, in which to arrange a pantomime especially
suited to the material at hand, let the following be performed to
Mendelssohn’s music from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the fairy theme
especially. This music should commence pianissimo when the actress who
plays Cordelia, says: “action for the morrow,” and becomes mezzo-forte
as she hurries away.
After a slight pause, TITANIA trips on with her fairy wand, and
listens right and left, then apparently hears something and tripping
up to some bushes in the background in the centre, she peers through
and dances with delight at her discovery, she comes forward and
beckons right and left;--then dance on the four little fairies
PEAS-BLOSSOM--COBWEB--MOTH--and MUSTARD SEED, two from each side, they
turn about in little circles until they come together in the centre,
forming a little picture with their backs to the audience, stooping
with their hands on their knees and their heads together. Now TITANIA,
who has been up in the centre, trips down and points up to the bushes
and putting her head close to theirs whispers to them, at which they
all dance up and down on their toes and clap their hands with glee.
TITANIA beckons that she wishes to whisper to them again, thereupon
they form the little picture again, this time with faces towards the
audience and TITANIA with her back to it. She whispers to them, at
which they all trip off right and left to the music, TITANIA meanwhile
waving her wand over them and when they are gone she goes to the bushes
at the back and waves a salutation over it. Now the little fairies, two
from each side, come dancing on backwards, beckoning on from near and
far AS MANY OF THE FEMALE CHARACTERS OF SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS AS MAY BE
OBTAINED.
They come on singly, excitedly, shrugging their shoulders in
interrogation, asking in pantomime, what it is all about. TITANIA
trips among them forming them into a half circle, the open side to the
audience, she bades, with her wand, look up at the bushes,--they turn
half away from the audience and await in saucy attitude, with their
hands on their hips, the surprise they have in store for them. TITANIA
directs the little fairies, who trip up to the bushes, carefully
draws them away and discovers SHAKESPEARE asleep on a green bank, an
old-fashioned book lying loosely in his hand.
At sight of him all the characters express joy, kneel with their
hands outstretched in reverence, then they rush to him on their toes,
extending their hands to him. TITANIA placing her wand horizontally,
keeps them away, the little fairies also stand on guard. They try to
peep at him but back away, while he still sleeps. TITANIA comes forward
to the centre with the four little fairies, she encircles them with
her wand, at this they all proceed to trip an elaborate “grand right
and left,” taking bouquets from their belts they strike them as they
pass one another,--they do not take one another’s hand but simply tip
the fingers as they dance past, with their hands held high. They all
keep glancing at SHAKESPEARE, who finally awakens, at which they, each
in turn, dance up and lay the bouquets at his feet, tripping up from
one side and returning the opposite side and forming the original half
circle right and left. SHAKESPEARE rises much pleased and kisses his
hands to them, when they have all arrived in the half circle he raises
his hands as if in benediction, at which they all kneel on one knee,
their hands stretched toward him in appeal.
The MUSIC at this point descends to a pianissimo,--then SHAKESPEARE
speaks as follows:
Children of my dreams, how I love thee!--
Yet more than dream-children; for, down the ages shall ye live as
jewels to adorn those artist souls, painters, players, writers, who
love thee.
Then as _they_ pass to other spheres and other poets, some per
chance, to meet with me again, thou shalt remain to entrance and
cheer and give ambition to the ages soon to come.--
Play on sweet children, thy joy is mine, mine is thine. Would my arms
were great enough to crush thee all, like to a bouquet of sweetest
flowers.
My heart is thine, thine is mine.
Play on. Play on.
They now all sing “Good-night” (words from Romeo and Juliet, music by
Howard Glover). And as SHAKESPEARE retreats amongst the foliage (or
disappears by special light effects), descends the