"Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:
We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day." Two actors met center stage, Nino watching the two "lovers" as he stood waiting in the wings. So far the show had been going smoothly, especially with a surprise visit from the Queen herself. According to the owner, she did love the theater, but could rarely come due to her duties.
"Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; And to speak troth, I have forgot our way: We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day." Answered the actor dressed one of the main female lovers in the play.
"One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms and one troth.?" responded her love.
"Boy," Nino turned to see the stage manager. "Go to the hut and make yourself useful."
Nino nodded and proceeded around the backstage up to the highest point of the theater.
Up there he found another actor getting settled into the rigging for his next appearance.
"Help me with the wires boy," the rigging manger ordered, Nino nodding, tightening the rigging as the manager secured their passenger.
"Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I; And then end life when I end loyalty! Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!"
"Ready to go," the manager secured his gloves, Nino securing his own as they went to the pulley to allow the actor to descend. The actor nodded in affirmation as another line was said. The manager pulled on the lever, allowing the actor to descend onto the scene of four sleeping lovers.
"Through the forest have I gone. But Athenian found I none, On whose eyes I might approve," the actor began his monologue, suspending over the stage. As they continued to lower the actor, one of the strings snapped, flipping the actor onto his side. The crowd gasped in horror as the actor attempted to continue his monologue. Nino jumped for the rope, managing to catch it before it would fall to the stage.
"Lower him!" Nino ordered the manager, obeying Nino's command as they righted the actor.
"Pretty soul! she durst not lie, Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy," The actor continued as he landed, continuing his role as he administered some of "love potion flower" to the sleeping man.
"Churl, upon thy eyes I throw, All the power this charm doth owe. When thou wakest, let love forbid, Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:"
He hesitantly stepped back to the middle for his exit, Nino giving the actor a thumbs up. He began to pull on the wire, the manager doing the same from the pulley system.
"So awake when I am gone; For I must now to Oberon."
Nino leaned further into the hole as he speedily pulled the actor up into the safety of the hut.
"Thank you, I thought I was a goner," the actor sighed as Nino and the manager rushed to get the harness off of him.
"Go let the stage manager know about the break," the rigging manager ordered.
Nino nodded and proceeded back to the backstage. It didn't take him long to find the stage manager.
"What in the blazes was going on up there?"
"One of the wires broke sir. The system will be out of commission until we can make repairs."
"Get on it then. We need that system for Puck's final scene. And don't go making yourself seen if that happens again. People in the audience may have seen you."
Nino nodded heading to another room to pick up a tool box. He was in such a rush, he nearly bumped into a woman.
"Sorry ma'am," Nino nodded his cap as he head back up the stairs to the hut, not bothering to give the blue cloak woman a second glance.
All Rights Reserved for William Shakespeare.