French Scene I: In this script we have both the standard scenes as listed in the original script and French Scenes. French Scenes are indicated by the entrance or exit of a new character. We decided to have both listed to break up the larger scenes for rehearsals and to better understand entrances and exits. The Shakespearean scenes are listed in Latin and the French Scenes are in English. 

Le Beau: This opening monologue are lines combined from a conversation Oliver has with Charles during Scene 1 of the original script discussing the developments at court. In order to save time we decided to turn this into a monologue at the top of the show to give our audience the information from the beginning. 

Forest of Arden: The Ardennes on the border of Belgium and Luxembourg. The region gains some romantic associations from an incident in Aristo's Orlando Furioso (see "Sir Rowland de Boys", French Scene 3) set in "Ardenna woods" and from a reference in Spenser's Astrophel. Many of his audience would identify it easily with those parts of Warwickshire still known as Arden though no forest of that name survived. 

Robin Hood of England: Although at the time the story of Robin Hood originally became popular, Robin Hood was seen unfavorably as a criminal, by this time public opinion had shifted and the narratives and retellings of Robin Hood had shifted as well to portray him as a noble and good person, in the way we see Robin Hood today. 

ever from their Cradles bred together: They have been raised together from the time they were in cradles; Charles may insinuate that these "cousins" (harlots) are together (mutually engaged as lovers) and that they "breed" (cherish, foster) each other's Cradles (vaginas).

"When I Was a Tiny Boy": The lyrics of this song are taken from Twelfth Night, similarly to a couple other songs in our production. This song is sung by Feste the clown at the end of the play and some believe the song may have been written by Robert Armin who played the fool character in a lot of Shakespeare's original plays. In the song, the refrain "For the rain it raineth every day" could be interpreted as a reminder of the things that rain on our parade on a daily basis and the trials we face in spite of our best efforts. In the context of Twelfth Night, this reminder of hardship would come at the end when all of the couples are engaged to be married reflecting that "our play is done", but that these pairs are not spared from the troubles of life. The song tells us that this cycle of trials and tribulations is the repetitive nature of the world. It is interesting then to place this at the top of our show, when we have yet to see how our characters will face the rain that might fall upon them.

knaves: scoundrel, rascal, rogue

toss-pots: drunkard, sot (blockhead), tippler (habitual drinker of alcohol)