All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the
lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this
thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.
Starveling - V.I
Character groups:
Rustics, a group of labourers rehearsing a play for an upcoming celebration
Royals, the court of the Duke of Athens
Lovers, a “love rectangle” that gets lost in the woods
Fairies, the woods’ magical, mischievous inhabitants
Crew, the people working backstage
Performers (with major roles in the play)
Rustics:
Bottom, the play-within-a-play’s overbearing leading man as Pyramus
Quince, the play-within-a-play’s
writer-director
Royals:
Theseus, Duke of Athens
Lovers:
Helena, loves Lysander
Lysander, loves Helena, then Hermia,
then Helena again
Hermia, loves Demtrius
Demetrius, courts Helena, then loves Hermia
Fairies:
Oberon, King of the fairies
Titania, Queen of the fairies
Puck, a mischievous guy
Crew:
Co-Director 1, a serious, no-nonsense artiste
Co-Director 2, a gentle, colourful character
Stage Manager, a much-needed practical mind
Vessels (possessed by a spirit from the play)
Rustics:
Flute, plays Thisbe (possessed by Hermia, a Lover)
Tom Snout, plays a wall (possessed by Lysander, a Lover)
Snug, plays a lion (possessed by Oberon, Fairy King)
Starveling, plays the moon (possessed by Quince, another Rustic)
Royals:
Hippolyta, marrying Theseus (possessed by Titania, Fairy Queen)
Egeus, father of Hermia (possessed by Theseus, Duke of Athens)
Philostrate, master of revels (possessed by Helena, a Lover)
Fairies:
Mustardseed, a fairy (possessed by Mustardseed!)
Cobweb, a fairy (possessed by Cobweb!)
Peaseblossom, a fairy (possessed by Peaseblossom!)
Moth, a fairy (possessed by Moth!)
Crew:
Stagehand 1, working hard on scene-changes and odd-jobs
(possessed by Demetrius, a Lover)
Stagehand 2, avoiding working hard
(possessed by Puck, a Fairy)
Understudy, picking up roles when performers are absent
(possessed by Bottom, a Rustic)