Quote 1
FLUTE
What is Thisbe?—a wand'ring knight?QUINCE
It is the lady that Pyramus must love.FLUTE
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.QUINCE
That's all one. You shall play it in a mask, and
you may speak as small as you will.BOTTOM
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too, I'll
speak in a monstrous little voice: "Thisne,
Thisne!"—"Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisbe dear,
and lady dear!" (1.2.43-52)
When the Mechanicals discuss how Flute will cross-dress and play the role of Thisbe, we're reminded that all female roles were played by male actors on Shakespeare's stage. Usually, these parts were given to prepubescent boys with high-pitched or "monstrous little" voices. Shakespeare is always joking about this in his plays.