Sunday, June 15, 2014

224 Quiz Answer


A Midsummer Night's Dream portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.  These include a group of working stiffs - Shakespeare calls them “rude mechanicals” – who struggle to produce a play as their part of the ceremony.  Among them is the famous Bottom the Weaver, who is later turned into a jassack.

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "W" is for "Whalen")

I wrote the following scenelet, thinking it might suggest one of the Shakespeare plays.  Which play?

Jim: This meeting better be important.  We got three more trucks to load and they gotta be ready to roll out tomorrow morning.

Pete: Right.  We’ll keep this short.  As you know, our CEO is getting married next week and they’re planning a special ceremony for him.  Couple of the departments will be doing some stuff so I thought we could do something too.

Dan: Why?  Mr Whalen is up there on the top floor.  He never comes down to shipping to see what we do.  I don’t think he knows we exist.

Pete: Well, here’s your chance to let him know.

Fred: We’re supposed to perform - sing and dance?

Pete: No.  Mr. Whalen studied classics in college.  He’s very familiar with classical drama, the playwrights from ancient Rome and Greece.  So I had a great idea.  He’d be absolutely bowled over if some of his employees, blue-collar guys, connived to do a scene from Euripides for his entertainment.

Jim: Are you kiddin’?  Maybe bowled over from laughing, more like.  We ain’t actors; we’re working stiffs. 

Dan: There's a certain amount of intrigue here; you got this idea because you think it’ll make you look good to Whalen. 

Pete: It’ll make us all look good.  Now come on, here’s your parts all typed up. You’re going to get a kick out of this once you get into it.

Fred (vehemently): What’s this?  I’m supposed to play a lion?  Forget about it; there’s no way I could remember my part.

Pete: I figured that, Fred.  All it consists of is roaring.  Anyone can do that.

Jim: Why do I have the feelin’ this is a disaster lookin’ to happen?

Pete: If we all get together and work as a team I know we can do a good job.  As I said other departments will be doing something for the occasion too, but if we concentrate on this and rehearse it well we can knock the socks off everyone there.

Dan: They can keep their socks on, far as I care.

26 comments:

kaykuala said...

1. Monsters in Love's Train or
2. Troilus and Cressida

Just shots in the dark!

Hank

naturgesetz said...

"A MIdsummer Night's Dream" — rude mechanicals.

Berowne said...

As has happened in the past, naturgesetz starts us off with the right answer.

Doctor FTSE said...

"Midsummer Night's Dream." The scene where Bottom, Quince etc discuss who shall be the Lion in the play within the play?

Berowne said...

Another correct answer, this time from Doc FTSE.

Kathe W. said...

is it Snug from a Midsummers Night Dream?

Helen said...

A Midsummer Night's Dream ???????

Berowne said...

Kathe W and Helen have joined our merry group with the right answer.

hyperCRYPTICal said...

A Midsummer Nights Dream?
Anna :o]

Berowne said...

HyperCRYPTICal, in her hyperCRYPTICal way, has given us the right answer.

Altonian said...

Will you think me a 'Goodfellow' if I paraphrase Puck, and say: "I'll put a girdle around this quiz in forty seconds", or is that just a Midsummer Night's Dream ?

Berowne said...

Flash: Altonian has just coughed up the correct answer.

Silent Otto said...

This is the strangest decision since Caligula made his horse a Consul ....but thanks

Roger Owen Green said...

Oh, I'm not sure at all. I did read The Merchant of Venice in HS, so I'll guess that...

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking Midsummer Night's Dream. Still remember the old version with Jimmy Cagney as Bottom and Mickey Rooney as Puck. Seems more innocent than the newer version, although Calista Flockheart was a hoot on the bicycle! Amy

Berowne said...

A sharp little right answer just arrived from Sharp Little Pencil.

Sheilagh Lee said...

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Berowne said...

Sheilagh Lee has just checked in with the correct answer.

Old Egg said...

As Shakespeare used this idea several times I will have to plump for my favourite "A Midsummer's Night's Dream".

Unknown said...

A disaster waiting to happen indeed. I would love to see it play out!
By the way, I am lacking in answers. I just enjoyed your creativity.
My creation for the prompt is here.
http://poetryofthenetherworld.blogspot.com/2014/06/you-cant-kiss-movie.html

Cifar said...

difficult to read with such highlighted background ,nicely written anyways

My entry The Path

Berowne said...

Chalk up a correct answer for oldegg.

Eddie Bluelights said...

Will have a go next time, Berowne!
I wouldn't have got it right thiis time!

Fun Quiz

Eddie

Arushi Ahuja said...

great job... a lot o ppl have awready guessed so... i loved reading it!!

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm late again Mr. B...perhaps you might consider keeping the quiz open through Saturday...pretty please...

Berowne said...

Excellent idea, Tess. Roger, wilco.

 
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