Let's Make a Scene: As You Like It! Tuesday Nov 28th 7:30 to 8:30 PM EST


Hey all! Great job on Let's Make a Scene: As You Like It!

I loved every minute of it.


Here is the recording of the Zoom

Our next Le'ts Make a Scene will be Thursday December 28th at 7:30 EST

(I know I said it would be Wednesday but that didnt' work!)

We will be doing Richard III: The 30-Minute Shakespeare


"Now is the Winter of our discontent..."


Here is the PDF of As You Like It: The 30-Minute Shakespeare!



Enjoy and see you later in the month!

Have a great Holiday season,

Nick

*****

Greetings!


Here is the script L:et;s Make a Scene: As You Like It!

You can print out or read it on a tablet etc.

Tuesday, November 28th, 2023 7:30 to 8:30 PM EST


Word doc: Click the tiny blue link below the text box

PDF: (Likewise, click the tiny blue link below)

(We will also paste the script into the chat, so you will have an opportunity to participate whether or not you download any of these scripts.)

Zoom link for Let's Make a Scene:


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87118736788?pwd=UjArT043U3pqbFJoWFZYbi82dHArZz09


Here is the Facebook event link:

And here is the script pasted:

We look forward to seeing you Tuesday Nov 28 at 7:30 EST!


CAST of Characters:

DUKE SENIOR: Living in banishment

DUKE FREDERICK: Duke Senior’s brother, and usurper of

his dominions

ROSALIND: Daughter to the banished Duke Senior

CELIA: Rosalind’s cousin, daughter to Duke Frederick

AMIENS

JAQUES/  Lords attending the banished Duke

OLIVER

ORLANDO  /Sons of Sir Rowland de Boys

TOUCHSTONE: A clown

CORIN: A shepherd

SILVIUS: A young shepherd in love

AUDREY: A goatkeeper

PHEBE: A shepherdess

HYMEN: Goddess of Marriage

 

Scene 1. (Act I, Scene III)

A room in Duke Frederick’s palace.

NARRATOR 

Our play begins in the court of the hateful Duke Frederick, who has banished his brother, the former Duke Senior, to the forest of Arden, and now banishes his niece Rosalind as well. Rosalind and her cousin, Duke Frederick’s daughter Celia, devise a plan to escape to the forest together. 

CELIA

Why, cousin Rosalind! Is it

possible, on such a sudden, you should fall into so

strong a liking with old Sir Rowland's youngest son?

ROSALIND

The duke my father loved his father dearly.

CELIA

Doth it therefore ensue that you should love his son

dearly?  

ROSALIND

Let me love him for that, and do you love him

because I do. Look, here comes the duke.

CELIA

With his eyes full of anger.

DUKE FREDERICK

Mistress, dispatch you with your safest haste

And get you from our court.

ROSALIND

Me, uncle?

DUKE FREDERICK

You, cousin

Within these ten days if that thou be'st found          

So near our public court as twenty miles,

Thou diest for it.

ROSALIND

I do beseech your grace,

Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me.

DUKE FREDERICK

Thou art thy father's daughter; there's enough

CELIA

If she be a traitor, why so am I.

Pronounce that sentence then on me, my liege:

I cannot live out of her company.

DUKE FREDERICK (to Celia)

You are a fool. (to Rosalind)  You, niece, if you outstay the time, upon mine honor,

And in the greatness of my word, you die.

CELIA

O my poor Rosalind, whither wilt thou go?

Wilt thou change fathers?  I will give thee mine.

Let my father seek another heir.

Therefore devise with me how we may fly,

I'll go along with thee.

ROSALIND

Why, whither shall we go?

CELIA 

To seek my uncle in the forest of Arden.

ROSALIND 

Alas, what danger will it be to us,

Maids as we are, to travel forth so far!

Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.

Were it not better,

That I did suit me all points like a man?

We'll have a swashing and a martial outside,

As many other mannish cowards have

That do outface it with their semblances.

CELIA

What shall I call thee when thou art a man? 

ROSALIND  

I'll have no worse a name than Jove's own page;

And therefore look you call me Ganymede.

But what will you be call'd?

CELIA  

Something that hath a reference to my state

No longer Celia, but Aliena. 

ROSALIND  

But, cousin, what if we assay'd to steal

The clownish fool out of your father's court?

Would he not be a comfort to our travel?

CELIA 

He'll go along o'er the wide world with me.

Leave me alone to woo him. Let's away.    

 

Scene 2. (Act II, Scene I)[LG1]

The Forest of Arden.

NARRATOR from 

In the Forest of Arden, Duke Senior and his exiled Lords make the best of their life in the woods, 

where they meet Orlandowho himself has been cast out by his older brother Oliver. 

DUKE SENIOR

Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile,

Are not these woods

More free from peril than the envious court?

Sweet are the uses of adversity,

Which finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones, and good in every thing. 

AMIENS 

Happy is your grace,

That can translate the stubbornness of fortune

Into so quiet and so sweet a style. 

DUKE SENIOR

Why, how now, monsieur Jaques! What, you look merrily!

JAQUES

A fool, a fool!  I met a fool i' the forest,

A motley fool; 

a miserable world!

O that I were a fool!

I must have liberty as the wind,

To blow on whom I please; 

for so fools have;

But who comes here? 

ORLANDO.

Forbear, and eat no more.

JAQUES 

Why, I have eat none yet. 

DUKE SENIOR

What would you have?  

ORLANDO  

I almost die for food; and let me have it.

DUKE SENIOR  

Sit down and feed, and welcome to our table.

ORLANDO

Speak you so gently?  )

Pardon me, I pray you:

I thought that all things had been savage here;       

If ever you have look'd on better days,

If ever from your eyelids wiped a tear

Let gentleness my strong enforcement be:

In the which hope I blush, and hide my sword. 

DUKE SENIOR

True is it that we have seen better days.

ORLANDO

Then but forbear your food a little while,

Whiles, like a doe, I go to find my fawn.

DUKE SENIOR (to Jaques)

Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy:

This wide and universal theatre

Presents more woeful pageants than the scene

Wherein we play in.

JAQUES 

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players: 

They have their exits and their entrances;  

And one man in his time plays many parts,

Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. 

DUKE SENIOR 

Give us some music; and, good cousin, sing.

SONG [sung as they exit]

Blow, blow, thou winter wind.

Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude;

Thy tooth is not so keen,

Because thou art not seen,

Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! Sing, heigh-ho! Unto the green holly:

Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:   

Then, heigh-ho, the holly!

This life is most jolly.

Heigh-ho! 

 

Scene 3 (Act III, Scene II)

NARRATOR 

Orlando hangs love notes for Rosalind in the forest. Rosalind, as Ganymede, and Celia, as Aliena,[LG2] discover the love notes and meet the lovestruck Orlando.

.

[ORLANDO hangs a piece of paper on tree.]

ORLANDO

Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love:

O Rosalind! These trees shall be my books

Run, run, Orlando; carve on every tree

The fair, the chaste and unexpressive she. 

[Enter ROSALIND with a paper, reading].

ROSALIND

From the east to western Ind,

No jewel is like Rosalind.

Let no fair be kept in mind

But the fair of Rosalind.

TOUCHSTONE 

If a hart do lack a hind,

Let him seek out Rosalind.

Sweetest nut hath sourest rind,

Such a nut is Rosalind.   

He that sweetest rose will find

Must find love's prick and Rosalind. 

ROSALIND

Peace, you dull fool! Here comes my sister, reading: stand aside.

Enter Celia from stage right, reading.

CELIA

Nature presently distilled

Helen’s cheek, but not her heart,

Cleopatra’s majesty,

Atalanta’s better part,

Sad Lucretia’s modesty.

Rosalind of many parts

Of many faces, eyes and hearts,    

Heaven would that she these gifts should have,

And I to live and die her slave.

[to Corin and Touchstone]

How now! Back, friends! Shepherd, go off a little.

Go with him, sirrah.

TOUCHSTONE

Come, shepherd, let us make an honorable retreat.

CELIA

Dids’t thou hear without wondering how thy

name should be hanged and carved upon these trees?

Trow you who hath done this? 

ROSALIND

I prithee now 

tell me who it is.

CELIA

O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful

wonderful! And yet again wonderful, and after that,  

out of all hooping!

ROSALIND

I prithee take the cork out of thy mouth, that I may drink thy tidings.

CELIA

So you may put a man in your belly. 

It is young Orlando.

ROSALIND

Orlando?

CELIA

Orlando. 

ROSALIND

Alas the day! What shall I do with my doublet and

hose? What did he when thou sawest him? What said

he? How looked he? Did he ask for me? Where remains he?

and when shalt thou see   

him again? Answer me in one word.

CELIA

You must borrow me Gargantua’s mouth first—

ROSALIND

But doth he know that I am in this forest and in

man's apparel? Sweet, say on.

CELIA

I found him under a tree like a dropped acorn.

Soft! Comes he not here?

ROSALIND

'Tis he: slink by, and note him.

[Aside to CELIA] I will speak to him, like a saucy  

lackey and under that habit play the knave with him.

Enter ORLANDO.

ROSALIND [She speaks in a low, mannish tone.]

ROSALIND

Do you hear, forester?

ORLANDO

Very well: what would you?

ROSALIND

There is a man haunts the forest, that

abuses our young plants with carving “Rosalind” on   

their barks; if I could meet that fancy-monger I would

give him some good counsel, for he seems to have the

quotidian of love upon him.

ORLANDO

I am he that is so love-shaked: I pray you tell me

your remedy.

ROSALIND

Love is merely a madness, 

Yet I profess curing it by counsel.   

ORLANDO

Did you ever cure any so?

ROSALIND

Yes, one, and in this manner. He was to imagine me

his love, his mistress; and I set him every day to

woo me, and thus I cured him. 

ORLANDO 

I would not be cured, youth.   

ROSALIND 

I would cure you, if you would but call me Rosalind

and come every day to my cote and woo me. 

ORLANDO 

With all my heart, good youth.

ROSALIND

Nay you must call me Rosalind. Come, sister, will

you go?    

.

            

Scene 4 (Act III, Scene III)[LG3][LG4]

NARRATOR

Touchstone has a strong attraction to the simple goatherder Audrey, who does not seem to understand his witticisms very well.

TOUCHSTONE

Come apace, good Audrey. I will fetch up your goats, Audrey. 

And, how now, Audrey. Am I the man yet? Doth my simple feature content you? 

AUDREY 

Your features, Lord warrant us!

What features?

TOUCHSTONE)

I am here with thee and thy goats, as the most capricious poet, honest Ovid, was among the Goths. 

Truly, I would the gods had made thee poetical.

AUDREY

I do not know what “poetical” is. Is it honest in deed and word? Is it a true thing?

TOUCHSTONE 

No, truly, for the truest poetry is the most feigning, and lovers are given to poetry

AUDREY

Would you not have me honest?

TOUCHSTONE

Truly, and to cast away honesty upon a foul slut were to put good meat into an unclean dish

AUDREY

I am not a slut, although I thank the gods I am foul (thinks she is flattering herself, not knowing the meaning of the words she speaks

TOUCHSTONE

Well, praised be the gods for thy foulness; sluttishness may come hereafter. But be it as it may be, I will marry thee. 

AUDREY

Well, the gods give us joy

TOUCHSTONE

Come, sweet Audrey. We must be married, or we must live in bawdry. 

 

Scene 5 (Act III, Scene V)[LG5]

Another part of the forest.

NARRATOR 

Silvius, a lovestruck shepherd, vainly woos the scornful Phebe, who falls for Rosalind (as Ganymede)[LG6]. Nothing is simple in love!

SILVIUS

Sweet Phebe, do not scorn me

If ever you meet in some fresh cheek

the power of fancy,

Then shall you know the wounds invisible   

That love's keen arrows make.

PHEBE 

But till that time

Come not thou near me: and when that time comes,

Afflict me with thy mocks, pity me not;

As till that time I shall not pity thee.

ROSALIND)

And why, I pray you? What though you have no beauty,--

Must you be therefore proud and pitiless? 

Why, what means this? Why do you look on me?[(to Celia] I think she means to tangle my eyes too! 

No, faith, proud mistress, hope not after it. 

[to Silvius] You foolish shepherd, wherefore do you follow her,

Like foggy south puffing with wind and rain?

'tis such fools as you

That makes the world full of ill-favor'd children:

[to Phebe] Mistress, sell when you can: you are not for all markets:    

Cry the man mercy; love him; take his offer:

Foul is most foul, being foul to be a scoffer.

So take her to thee, shepherd: fare you well

PHEBE

Sweet youth, I pray you, chide a year together:

I had rather hear you chide than this man woo.

ROSALIND [to Phebe]

He's fallen in love with your foulness 

[to Celia]and she'll fall in love with my anger. I'll sauce her

with bitter words. [to Phebe] Why look you so upon me?    

I pray you, do not fall in love with me,

For I am falser than vows made in wine:

Besides, I like you not. 

[to Silvius]Shepherd, ply her hard

PHEBE 

“Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?”

SILVIUS 

Sweet Phebe,—

PHEBE)

Ha, what say'st thou, Silvius?

SILVIUS 

I would have you.

PHEBE 

Silvius, the time was that I hated thee,

But since that thou canst talk of love so well,

Thy company, I will endure. 

SILVIUS

Loose now and then

A scatter'd smile, and that I'll live upon.

PHEBE 

Know'st now the youth that spoke to me erewhile?

SILVIUS

Not very well, but I have met him oft;

PHEBE

Think not I love him, though I ask for him:

There was a pretty redness in his lip,

The best thing in him is his complexion.

I love him not nor hate him not; (angering a bit)

and yet I have more cause to hate him than to love him:

For what had he to do to chide at me?

I will be bitter with him and passing short.

Go with me, Silvius. 

SILVIUS Phebe, with all my heart!

.

 

Scene 6 (Act V, Scene II)[LG7]

The forest.

NARRATOR 

Oliver, having reconciled with his brother Orlando, tells of his love for Aliena. Meanwhile, Rosalind assures Orlando, Silvius, and Phebe that she can solve all of their love woes, and that they will all be married the next day.

ORLANDO

Is't possible that on so little acquaintance you

should like her? That but seeing you should love

her? And loving woo? And, wooing, she should

grant? And will you persever to enjoy her?

OLIVER

Neither call the giddiness of it in question, my sudden

wooing, nor her sudden consenting; 

I love Aliena; 

consent with both that we may enjoy each other: it

shall be to your good; for my father's house and all  

the revenue that was old Sir Rowland's will I

estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd. 

ORLANDO 

You have my consent. Let your wedding be to-morrow:

 Go you and prepare Aliena. 

ROSALIND 

O, my dear Orlando. 

Your brother and my sister no sooner

met but they looked, no sooner looked but they

they made a pair of stairs

to marriage. They are in the very wrath of love

and they will together;

clubs cannot part them.   

ORLANDO

They shall be married to-morrow, Ganymede. [turns toward her]

But, O, how bitter a thing it

is to look into happiness through another man's

eyes!

ROSALIND

Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve your turn for

Rosalind? 

ORLANDO

I can live no longer by thinking.

ROSALIND 

Believe then, if

you please, that I can do strange things: I have,

since I was three year old, conversed with a

magician. If you do love Rosalind so near the heart

as your gesture cries it out, when your brother

marries Aliena, shall you marry her.

Look, here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers.

PHEBE [to Rosalind]

Youth, you have done me much ungentleness.

ROSALIND

You are there followed by a faithful shepherd;

Look upon him, love him; he worships you. 

PHEBE

Good shepherd, tell this youth what 'tis to love.

SILVIUS

It is to be all made of sighs and tears;

And so am I for Phebe.

PHEBE

And I for Ganymede. 

ORLANDO

And I for Rosalind.

ROSALIND

And I for no woman. 

SILVIUS

It is to be all made of faith and service;

And so am I for Phebe.

PHEBE

And I for Ganymede.

ORLANDO

And I for Rosalind.  

ROSALIND

And I for no woman.

SILVIUS

It is to be all made of fantasy,

All made of passion and all made of wishes,

And so am I for Phebe.

PHEBE

And so am I for Ganymede.

ORLANDO

And so am I for Rosalind.

ROSALIND

And so am I for no woman.    

Pray you, no more of this; 'tis like the howling

of Irish wolves against the moon.

[to SILVIUS]

I will help you, if I can:

[to PHEBE]

I would love you, if I could. To-morrow meet me all

together.  

[to PHEBE]

I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I'll be

married to-morrow:

[to ORLANDO, passionately]

I will satisfy you, if ever I satisfied man, and you

shall be married to-morrow:

[to SILVIUS]

I will content you, if what pleases you contents

you, and you shall be married to-morrow.

 

 

Scene 7. (Act V, Scene IV)[LG8]

The forest.

NARRATOR

The Goddess of Marriage, Hymen, arrives to bring the lovers together and the comedy to a merry ending..

DUKE SENIOR

Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boy

Can do all this that he hath promised?

ORLANDO

I sometimes do believe, and sometimes do not;

As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.

HYMEN 

With great importance and Godliness

Then is there mirth in heaven,

When earthly things made even

Atone together.

Good duke, receive thy daughter

Hymen from heaven brought her,

That thou mightst join her hand with his    

Whose heart within his bosom is.

ROSALIND

[to ORLANDO]

To you I give myself, for I am yours.

DUKE SENIOR

If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter.

ORLANDO

If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind.

PHEBE [to Rosalind]

If sight and shape be true,

Why then, my love adieu!

HYMEN

Peace, ho! I bar confusion:

'Tis I must make conclusion

Of these most strange events:

Here's eight that must take hands

To join in Hymen's bands,

If truth holds true contents.

Whiles a wedlock-hymn we sing,

Feed yourselves with questioning;

That reason wonder may diminish,

How thus we met, and these things finish.

DUKE SENIOR

Proceed, proceed: we will begin these rites,

As we do trust they'll end, in true delights.

 

[Readers each read one line of the song]

It was a lover and his lass

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey-nonny-no,

That o’er the green cornfield did pass

In springtime, the only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding.

Sweet lovers love the spring.

And therefore take the present time,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey-nonny no,

For love is crowned with the prime,

In springtime, the only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding.

Sweet lovers love the spring.


THE END!

 

 

 


views