i
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THE BEN GREET SHAKESPEARE
EOR YOUNG READERS AND AMATEUR PLAYERS
c
MARCUS BRUTUS
Brutus, thou sleep'' st;
Awake, and see thvself "
^^J^qJ^^^oJ^O^-G^/^-^ QVrL/J^^-.aA
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION
INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN
COPYRIGHT, Igi2, BY DOUBLEDAY. PAGE & COMPANY
?CU32067
A FEW GENERAL RULES OR CUSTOMS
OF ACTING
The letters R and L indicate the position of
players on the stage facing the audience.
R 1, Ll are the entrances nearest the front.
Go up means from the audience; go down
is toward the audience. R C is the right
side of the centre, — and so forth.
When the characters enter, the person speaking
generally comes second.
Do not huddle together; do not stand in lines;
and do not get in such angles that you cannot
be seen by the sides of an audience.
Stand still — keep the leg nearest the audience
back, gesticulate seldom and with the hand
farthest from the audience. Do not point to
your chest or heart when you say I, my and
mine, nor to your neighbor when saying ihoUf
thy, and thine, unless absolutely necessary.
Try to reverse the usual acting of the present
day and eliminate the personal pronoun
vi RULES OR CUSTOMS OF ACTING
as far as possible (Shakespeare does it all the
time). Occasionally the pointing gesture is
necessary — but seldom.
Do not try to say more than six words, or at
most eight, in one breath. Careful punct-
uation and accent are harmonious and neces-
sary. Whatever you do, sound the last
two or three words of the Hne or sentence:
dropping the voice is the worst fault of our
best actors. Do not speak to your audience
or at your audience, but with your fellow
actors, remembering, of course, that you have
invisible hsteners, and that the last man in
the house wants to hear and see.
Do not imitate our star actors. Try to be
natural, spontaneous, and original. At the
same time, keep control of yourself and your
emotions. To appear to be, and not really
to be the character you are acting, is, perhaps,
the perfection of the art.
Don't fidget your hands and feet — forget
them, and let them be where the good
Lord has placed them.
These few hints will be useful for all plays.
I shall give more intimate notes as we go along.
RULES OR CUSTOMS OF ACTING vii
The diagrams show the positions, entrances,
etc.
The plays are cut to the length of an ordinary-
performance. Lines can be restored or further
cut, if desirable, always remembering that a
play given on what we will always call the
Shakespeare stage should be given more rapidly,
with no pauses between scenes or between en-
trances and exits, and with possibly only one
intermission (of perhaps five minutes), as near
as possible halfway through; and most of the
plays can be acted in their entirety in about
three hours, some of them in much less time —
one or two of them take much more. If we can-
not quite reduce ours to the happy medium of
two hours, we must get as near it as possible. It
is better to send your friends away wanting more,
than to have them go home yawning! This is a
word to the wise.
As to stage setting, it can be done in lots
of ways: with scenery, or with screens, or
curtains, or in the open air. Strange as it
may appear, the plays of Shakespeare are
equally effective whichever way we may choose
to give them. I imagine most good plays will
bear that test.
viii RULES OR CUSTOMS OF ACTING
Remember that Shakespeare is the most
perfect English. Do not imitate some of
those professors, especially teachers of what
is called Elocution and Expression, if by any
chance they happen to pronounce it in up-to-
date American or cockney British, or tell you
it was conceived in any other brogue, accent, or
pronunciation than the purest of pure English.
There are a few mistakes in his plays, and some
printer's errors, about which volumes have
been written. Study the humanity, the heart,
the English of Shakespeare, as of the Bible —
those two wonderful Books of the same gener-
ation — the one splendidly revised and per-
fected by many scholars, the other produced
in a state of nature and yet almost perfect —
study them, my young friends, inwardly digest
your Bible and outwardly demonstrate your
Shakespeare: you will then start in life pretty
well equipped.
JULIUS C^SAR
DRAMATIS PERSONS
CiNNA, a poet.
Another
Poet.
I Friends to
JuuiTS CiESAR. Triumvirs
OcTAVius CiESAE, J after LuciLius,
Marcus Antonius, > the death Titinixjs, i
M.^EmiliusLepidus, ) '^J/jfj^^ Messala, ^ ^''"^"^
Young Cato,
volumnius,
Varro,
Clitus
Claudius,
Strato,
Luaus,
Daedanius
PiNDARUS, servant to Cas^
sius.
Cicero
PUBLIUS,
PopiLius Lena,
Marcus Brutus,
Cassius,
Casca,
Trebonius,
LiGARIUS,
Decius Brutus,
Metellus Cimbee,
ClNfNA,
Ccesar.
Senators.
Conspira-
tors
against
Julius
Ccssar.
i and
J Cassius.
Servants
to
Brutus.
Calpurnia, wife to Casar.
Flavius and Marullus, tribunes. Portia, wife to Brutus.
Artemidorus of Cnidos, a teacher Senators, Citizens, Guards
of Rhetoric. Attendants, etc.
A Soothsayer.
Scene: Rome; the neighbourhood of Sardis; the neigh-
bourhood of Philippi.
Note: Where there are not enough actors to fill all these
characters, some must be duplicated. The characters
of Trebonius, Cimber and Decius can speak many lines
in the first and last scenes.
The setting of Julius Ccesar is simple; a cloth
at extreme back of stage to represent a Roman
Street, Square or Public Place. It can stand for
many of the scenes, with an occasional cut cloth of
pillars or arches, to make a change of location if
required.
The tragedy can also be given in the '^ Eliza-
bethan^^ manner, in which form it is most effective.
But in order to keep the atmosphere of Shake-
speare'' s time, the costumes of the period should be
worn, with togas, Roman swords, helmets, shields,
spears, etc.
In the theatre form with Roman setting the cos-
tumes should be correctly Roman. Be careful
not to wear pink fleshings, but flesh tints; under
proper circumstances, bare arms and legs are per-
missible. If Elizabethan, there should be some
green wreaths hung on the pillars, to denote a holi-
day in Rome.
ACT I
Scene I. Rome. A street
Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain
Commoners
Flav. (R C). Hence! home, you idle crea-
tures, get you home:
Is this a holiday? what ! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a labouring day without the sign
Of your profession? Speak, what trade art
thou?
First Com. {L C). Why, sir, a carpenter.
Mar. (R). Where is thy leather apron and
thy rule? (Crosses to R C.)
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?
You, sir, what trade are you?
Sec. Com. (R C). Truly, sir, in respect of a
fine workman,
I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.
3
The scene is crowded with citizens on pleasure
bent. They fill the stage, young men and women,
older people, beggars, hawkers, children. Flavius
and Marullus keep R and R C; the rest of the
crowd mostly L and L C at opening.
- ^The woman presses forivard here as if to speak.
FIav1u3 A\arullu3
Woman <tch*i Id
JULIUS CESAR
Mar. But what trade art thou? answer me
directly.
Sec. Com. {Crosses to LC). A trade, sir, that,
I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which
is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.
Mar. \Miat trade, thou knave? thou naughty
knave, what trade?
Sec. Com. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not
out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend
3-ou.
Mar. \Miat mean'st thou by that? mend me,
thou saucy fellow!
Sec. Com. Why, sir, cobble you.
Fluv. Thou art a cobbler, art thou?
Sec. Com. Truly, sir, all that I live by is
with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's
matters/ nor women's matters, but with awl.
I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when
the}- are in great danger, I recover them. As
proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather
have gone upon m}- handiwork.
Flav. {R C). But wherefore are thou not
in thy shop to-day ? Why dost thoii lead these
men about the streets ?
Sec. Com. (L C ). Truly, sir, to wear out
special Note. — In all cases where omissions
are marked as best for the shortening of these plays,
the lines can, at all times, he restored if desirable.
Indeed, the presentation of this wonderful work, as
Shakespeare wrote it, is most desirable. It takes
three hours played rapidly as in Shakespeare's
time, with no changes of scene or, at the most, the
drawing to and fro of a "traverse,^' or curtain, dis-
closing an inner stage. I have seen several per-
formances with, at least, a third of the text cut, but
with such elaboration of scenery, that the repre-
sentation has lasted four hours.
^The mob begins to be troublesome at this reproof.
^The women throw flowers down and toss them
in the air.
Mt these words the crowd begins to waver as to
rebellion or peace.
Flavius crosses in amongst the people. They
gradually soften to his persuasiveness, then scat-
ter and cross the stage, some going R1-2 and 3
entrances, some going left. The manipulation
of these crowds, especially at colleges, must be
left to individual attention. The great point is to
have them quite natural, not formal or theatrical,
but well disciplined so that there is no shouting
6
JULIUS C^SAR
their shoes, to get myself into more work. But,
indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Caesar and
to rejoice in his triumph. (Shouts.)
Mar. Wherefore rejoice ? What conquest
brings he home ? (Murmurs.)
What tributaries follow him to Rome,
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels ?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than sense-
less things (Murmurs.)
O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey many a time and
oft ? (A general buzz.)
And do you now put on your best attire?^
And do you now cull out a holiday?^
And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone! (They move R and L.)
Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude.^
Flav. (crosses to R C.) Go, go, good country-
men, and, for this fault,
^Assemble all the poor men of your sort;
Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your
tears
or speaking above the characters; all murmurs
should he shaded, growing from a faint buzz to a
big volume gradually, and vice versa; never begin
or end abruptly.
^Pulls the wreaths down from the pillars and
throws them on stage. Marullus pulls down
any .other decoration, later on.
CIoltiofRome
â– Platform O Pompeyb srajuerifrecitih-ed
CIolhwTth Pillars '
O Pillar I 3 PO I I O^ I I O Pillar
Wing 3 R S'epa @^ Step3 Q^ 3tep3 W£nd3L
iSrooI stool ^
AW'ngaR Wmga.L
Wmgl R ^Vftigl.U
Stools can be placed in semi-circular form for Senators,
with important seat above steps for Caesar
This is a useful stage setting for the first part
of play up to the end of the " oration.^'
The scene of Brutus^ orchard can be a front
cloth in 2; of Ccesar^s room a cloth in i^. A plat-
8
JULIUS C^SAR
Into the channel, till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
[Exeunt all the Commoners R and L, their con-
versations gradually dying away.
See where their basest metal be not mov'd;
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way toward the Capitol;
This way will I:^ disrobe the images,
If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies.
Mar. May we do so?
You know it is the feast of Lupercal.
Flav. It is no matter; let no images
Be hung with Csesar's trophies.^ I'll about,
And drive away the vulgar from the streets:
So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's
wing
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
Who else would soar above the view of men
And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt
Flourish. Enter CjiSAr; Antony, /or the course;
Calpurnia, Portia, Decius, Cicero, Brutus,
Cassius, and Casca; a great crowd following,
among them a Soothsayer.
form with steps down can he used up stage to go
right across. This is elective in plays and can
often remain all through. It helps the entrance
and exits oj dignitaries, generals, fairies, etc.
On the floor should he used a cloth of indefinite
hroivn or gray shade, sometimes green, in which
case it should he a good dark colour. The painting
of scenes is an art: in my opinion, indefinite hack-
grounds of neutral colour, are best for these plays.
^A long flourish of trumpets should follow the
exit; distant murmur of crowds, all coming in one
direction from the L. The crowd comes first, some
of them replacing the wreaths; then soldiers, then
the senators; as many as possible, hut eight to ten
at least, half precede and half follow Ccesar. A
great shouting. The Soothsayer is hidden among
the crowd R. The Soothsayer^ s hands go up in the
crowd, he is hardly seen, and a feeble voice trying
to be heard.
^Be sure and emphasize "ides'' (not March,
only, as is usually done).
JULIUS C^SAR
Cces. Calpurnia!
Casca. Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.
Cces. Calpurnia!
Cal. Here, my lord.
Cces. Stand you directly in Antonius' way,
When he doth run his course. Antonius!
Ant. Caesar, my lord?
CcBS. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say.
The barren, touched in his holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.
Ant. I shall remember:
When Caesar says "do this," it is perform'd
, Cces. Set on; and leave no ceremony out.
[Flourish; they are going K}
Sooth. (R). Caesar!
Cces. Ha! who calls?
Casca. {L). Bid every noise be still: peace
yet again!
Cces. Who is it in the press that calls on
me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music.
Cry "Cffisar!" Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.
Sooth. Beware the ides^ of March.
Cces. (C). What man is that?
Brvtus C&c«iiu9
^The Soothsayer is almost pulled out of the crowd.
^They all cross and exeunt Ri; a great crowd
shouting, trumpets braying, all sweep after Caesar
and Antony; who go of through the single file
made hy the crowd; soldiers going first, then follow
Calpurnia, Portia, and other women, and other
senators following, those from L crossing over.
Brutus and Cassius cross, and when Casca, who
JULIUS C^SAR
Bru. (R). A soothsayer bids you beware the
ides of March.
CcBS. (C). Set him before me; let me see his
face.
Cas. (R). Fellow, come from the throng;
look upon Cassar.^
CcBS. (C). What say'st thou to me now?
speak once again.
Sooth. (R). Beware the ides of March.
Cas. He is a dreamer; let us leave him:
pass. (Shouts of " Long live Ccesarl")
[Sennet. Exeunt except Brutus and Cassius.^
Cas. (R). Will you go see the order of the
course?
Bru. (L). Not I.
Cas. (R). I pray you, do.
Bru. {L C). I am not gamesome: I do lack
some part
Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;
I'll leave you {going L).
Cas. (R C). Brutus, I do observe you now
of late : {Brutus stops L)
I have not from your eyes that gentleness
And show of love as I was wont to have:
13
goes last, crosses, he is stopped hy Cassius, who
speaks to him. Brutus, going over to L, does not
notice this; Casca goes of R; Brutus sits on a stool
which is up LbytheLC pillar.
^Cassius begins his playing on Brutus very
warily; at this point he goes across stage to him.
^Brutus looks up very candidly.
14
JULIUS C^SAR
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.
Bru. Cassius,
Be not deceiv'd: if I have veil'd my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself {sits L C). Vexed I am
Of late with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil perhaps, to my behaviour;
But let not therefore my good friends be
griev'd —
(Among which number, Cassius, be you one — )
Nor construe any further my neglect.
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men.
Cas. (R C). Then, Brutus, I have much mis-
took your passion;
By means whereof this breast of mine hath
buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me,^ good Brutus, can you see your face?
Bru.^ No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself
But by reflection — by some other things.
Cas. 'Tis just:
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
IS
^Brutus, although a politician, had a generous,
unsuspecting nature. He is here the type of man
with unsettled convictions, who lets himself drift
under a strong influence, presumably for the good
of his country. A dangerous patriot.
^Cassius here presses his cause very hard. He
may stand almost against the pillar, dominating
the situation.
^Be very careful some reliable person has charge
of all these shouts, which should sound as if half
a mile away. The best way is, to get as many
people as possible, to shout very loud in an adjoin-
ing room with the door closed, and open and shut it
at intervals.
i6
JULIUS C^SAR
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have
heard,
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
(Except immortal Caesar,) speaking of Brutus
And groaning underneath this age's yoke.
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru} Into what dangers would you lead me,
Cassius,
That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?
Cas} Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd
to hear:
And since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of.
[Flourish, and shout
Bru. (rises). What means this shouting?^
I do fear, the people {crosses to Ri)
Choose Caesar for their king.
Cas. {remaining) . Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.
{Going down C.)
17
'^Brutus is looking of R; he turns and finds
Cassius R C to C almost blocking his way; he
pauses; they look at each other.
^Cassius here practically "buttonholes'^ Brutus;
he quietly leads him to the seat up LC once more;
Brutus eventually sits.
^Note. — This speech is very fine, but it is long
unless magnificently given, with changes of voice
and manner. The cut, as suggested, does not
alter the significance and is better than a cut later
on in the speech.
i8
JULIUS C^SAR
Bru.^ (R C). I would not, Cassius; yet I
love him well. ^T^
But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' th' other,
And I will look on both indifferently,
For let the gods so speed me, — as I love
The name of honour, more than I fear death.
Cas.^ (C). I know that virtue to be in you,
Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this hfe; but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
{Brutus sits L C.)
1 was born free as C^sar; so were you:
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,^
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
Caesar said to me "Dar'st thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
19
' ^Cassius looks at Brutus here half expecting
a reply from him, and not receiving one he proceeds
with change of tone and renewed energy.
^Brutus looks up almost astonished, half he-
lieving.
^Cassitis here lets loose his indignation and
crosses up and down toward R.
JULIUS C^SAR
And swim to yonder point?" Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in
And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stermning it with hearts of controversy;
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Caesar cried, "Help me, Cassius, or I sinkj"
I, as iEneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of
Tiber
Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature and must bend his body,
If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.^
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake :^ 'tis true, this god did shake:
His coward lips did from their colour fly.
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the
world
Did lose his lustre:
Ye gods,^ it doth amaze me
A man of such a feeble temper should
^Cassius looks off R.
^Cassius goes over to Brutus here.
Be sure and emphasize masters more than fates.
I do not propose in these places to discourse on
emphasis and accent, hut almost the whole meanings
of Shakespeare can he altered hy wrongly accented
phrases. It is so easy to know the poefs meaning
by his rhythm. Therefore, in places where my soul
has heen horribly disturbed in the theatre, I am
taking the liberty of interfering with the work of the
teacher of diction, and accenting for the guidance
of the actor. ' 'Men at some time are masters of their
FATES." The meaning of the line is so strong.
^Brutus is still unmoved. It is almost incredible
to Cassius that he is not understood.
^Cassius invokes all the gods theatrically.
JULIUS C^SAR
So get the start of the majestic world
And bear the palm alone. [Shout. Flourish
Bru. Another general shout! (Rises)
I do believe that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap'd on Cccsar.
Cas.^ Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow
world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves. (Brutus
sits again; a slight pause.)
Men at some time are masters^ of their fates:
The fault, dear Briitus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underHngs. '"T^
Brutus and C^sar:^ what should be in that
"C^sar"?
Why should that name be sounded more than
yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em.
"Brutus" will start a spirit as soon as "Csesar."
Now, in the names of all the gods^ at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cassar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd !
23
^Cassius waits for an answer and he gets it, very
slowly and deliberately from Brutus, who rises and
looks him straight in the eyes.
'^Through this speech the idea must he accom-
panied by the very distant murmurs of a big crowd
ojf R; trumpets sound; you can almost hear the
tramp of horses^ and men's feet, chariot wheels, etc.
24
JULIUS C^SAR
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the gresit flood,
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they say till now, that talk'd of
Rome,
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have
brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king. (Don't move; there are very
distant murmurs here as if a crowd were breaking
up; a distant flourish.)
Bru} That you do love me, I am nothing
jealous;
What you would work me to, I have some aim:
How I have thought of this and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you.
Be any further mov'd.^ What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
25
^Cassius is sarcastic; he expected his eloquence
to call forth something equally eloquent from
Brutus.
"^Brutus and Cassius go down L conversing; the
crowd gradually reassembles, not in the same order
as before; boys and girls and then elders come on;
the Soothsayer hobbles across from R to L U; then
soldiers, then Antony leading Ccesar, with the
women, very bright; then the senators and more
crowd. Ccesar stops in the centre just as he is
turning to go up L C steps; Cassius and Brutus
salute him from L, which causes Ccesar to halt.
^Antony did never love Cassius, but he is guarded
in his remarks.
26
JULIUS C^SAR
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions, as this time
Is like to lay upon us.
Cas} I am glad that my weak words