How would you direct Act One Scene Two of A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, to create comedy for the audience?
At the beginning of the scene Quince would enter to Snug, Flute, Snout and Starveling all seated round the upstage side of a large wooden table, which is situated on the apron of the stage, lively and drunkardly jostling with each other. I would choose to have Bottom standing in front of the table to represent his almost exaggerated feeling of superiority over the others and then seat himself at the centre of the table on the entrance of Quince.
On the line beginning, “Ready. Name what part…” Bottom would stand and dramatically form a pose to suggest a, “lover” and then a, “tyrant” playing up to the other men who, apart from Quince, are absorbed by his act. On his recital of the two stanzas of poetry I would direct him to step forward and dramatically deliver the lines with serious conviction, which is looked on with awe by the men but seen humorously for its pretentiousness by the audience.