!MUCH ADOE ABOUT NOTHING (1598)
The original 1600 Quarto text of MUCH ADOE is particularly interesting because it contains certain telltale signs of having been set from Shakespeare’s own foul papers (or “first draft”). The 1623 Folio, itself, is a pretty faithful reproduction of this Quarto but it adds some further signs of theatrical production.
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For instance, in both the Quarto & Folio texts, the play’s opening stage direction (page 101 of the Comedies section of the Folio) reads “Enter Leonato Governour of Messina, Innogen his wife, Hero his daughter…” and later the Actus Secundus stage direction reads “Enter Leonato, his brother, his wife…”. Well, as it turns out, Innogen — wife of Leonato (and, presumably, mother of Hero) — is a “ghost character”: she does not speak nor appear anywhere else in the play (perhaps she was an initial undeveloped idea of Shakespeare).
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It also appears that, at this point in Shakespeare’s career, he obviously wrote with certain actors in mind. This is made especially manifest on page 116 of the Folio where the speech prefixes for the characters of constables Dogbery & Verges refer to Cowley and Kemp. These were Richard Cowley and Will Kemp, two actors of the Lo. Chamberlain’s men (see the “Names of the Principall Actors” in the Folio’s prefatory pages). Indeed, it is the mention of Kemp (the company’s principal clown) that provides an approximate date for the play, since Kemp (or Kempe or Kempt) left the company in early 1599 (to be replaced by Robert Armin).
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An element that is only found in the Folio text occurs in the stage direction at the bottom of page 107 which reads “Enter Prince, Leonato, Claudio, and Jack Wilson”, while the speech prefixes below refer to Prin., Claud., and Balth. (for Balthazar). There are two songs in MUCH ADOE, one of which “Sigh No More” is sung by Balthazar in this scene. The second, “Pardon Goddess of the Night”, is sung later on page 120, presumably also by Balthazar (who must have been one of those “three or foure” who “Enter … with Tapers”). In all probability, then, Jack Wilson was a singing actor.
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!!X AXIS (abscisses): 2685 lines
The FOLIO’s division of ACTS is the traditional one. There are no scene divisions in the FOLIO.
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Folio’s ACTS along X axis:
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ACT 1: line 1
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ACT 2: line 414
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ACT 3: line 1086
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ACT 4: line 1656
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ACT 5: line 2077
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FINIS @ line 2685
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!!Y AXIS (ordonnées):
Entrances & exits of Characters
According to their order of appearance.
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• (2,80) reads "enters at line 2, exits at line 80".
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• (3578,[3638])
in the absence of either a clear textual indication (i.e. “Farewell”) or stage direction, the entry reads “character enters at line 3578 and “probably” exits at line 3638”
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• (834 [hides 867,1043] 1085)
reads “character enters at line 834, is hidden from other characters onstage from lines 867 to 1043, exits at line 1085”.
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• PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS are capitalized.
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LEONATO (Governor of Messina)
(2,157) (319,343) (415,560) (663,780) (868,1043) (1208,1273) (1595,1647) (1658,1919) (2078,2199) (2341,2422) (2554,2684)
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HERO (Doughter of Leonato)
(2,157) (415,560) (663,780) (1087,1197) (1502,1594) (1658,1919) (2554,2570) (2607,2684)
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BEATRICE (Niece of Leonato)
(2,157) (415,560) (663,737) (1068,1078) ([1111,1197] 1207) (1538,1594) (1658,1919) (2461,2520) (2554,2570) (2607,2684)
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DON PEDRO (Prince of Arragon)
(91,157) (197,318) (493,560) (615,780) (868,1043) (1208,1329) (1657,1772) (2124,2422) (2521,2553) (2588,2684)
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CLAUDIO (of Don Pedro’s retinue)
(91,318) (493,606) (636,780) (868,1043) (1208,1329) (1657,1772) (2124,2422) (2521,2553) (2588,2684)
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BENEDICK (of Don Pedro’s retinue)
(91,318) (493,560) (589,676) (834 [867,1043] 1085) (1208,1273) (1657,1996) (2196,2278) (2423,2520) (2554,2684)
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Balthazar (a musician of Don Pedro’s retinue)
(91,157) (493,560) (868,1043) (2521,2553)
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DON JOHN (the bastard brother of Don Pedro)
(92,157) (197,318) (344,413) (493,577) (781,833) (1278,1329) (1657,1772)
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Antonio (brother of Leonato)
(319,343) (415,560) (2078,2199) (2341,2422) (2554,2570) (2607,2684)
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Conrad
(344,413) (494,577) (781,833) (1422,1501) (1997,2076) (2286,2422)
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Borachio
(381,413) (494,577) (781,833) (1422,1501) (1997,2076) (2286,2422)
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Margaret (lady in waiting to Hero)
(494,560) (1087,1101) (1502,1594) (2423,2447) (2554,2570) (2607,2684)
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Ursula (lady in waiting to Hero)
(494,560) (1087,1197) (1502,1507) (1589,1594) (2509,2520) (2554,2570) (2607,2684)
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DOGBERRY (constable of Messina)
(1330,1421) (1595,1655) (1997,2076) (2286,2415)
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Verges (headborough or “deputy” to Dogberry)
(1330,1421) (1595,1655) (1997,2076) (2286,2415)
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The Watch
(1330,1501) (1997,2076)
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Friar
(1657,1919) (2554,2684)
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Sexton
(1997,2057) (2341,2422)
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!!PLOTS & COLOURING
The action takes place in Messina, Sicily.
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CLAUDIO, a man of the prince of Arragon (DON Pedro), is in love with governor Leonato’s daughter HERO, while BENEDICK (also of Don Pedro’s retinue) and BEATRICE (niece of Leonato) are at each other’s throat. Everyone will seek to match the two pairs of “lovers”.
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“Everyone” excepting DON JOHN who — with his two henchmen, BORACHIO & CONRAD, — will create a deadly rift between Claudio & Hero. Honour is at stake. But Messina’s own “Keystone cops” — DOGBERRY, VERGES, & The WATCH will spoil the plans of Don John and co.
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The evildoers will be “bravely” punished and the end is a double-wedding.
!!METATHEATRE
Masque (489-780)
