Bottom is a terrible actor, but he thinks he is a great actor and can do anything.
Bottom is a terrible actor because he overacts, misses his cues, mangles his lines, and does not listen to the director. When Quince announces the parts, he wants to play all of them.
Bottom has a high opinion of his own acting ability.
That will ask some tears in the true performing of
it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will
move storms; I will condole in some measure. (Act 1, Scene 2)
Of the craftsmen, he probably is the most capable, but that is not saying much. He has a tendency to argue with Quince and give suggestions. He even argues with the audience, breaking character and explaining that Thisbe missed a cue.
Despite this, the others love Bottom and genuinely think he’s a good actor.
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Despite this, the others love Bottom and genuinely think he’s a good actor.
It is not possible. You have not a man in all Athens
able to discharge Pyramus but he. (Act 4, Scene 2)
As Philostrate points out, the craftsmen’s performance of Pyramus and Thisbe is so bad that it brings tears of laughter to the audience. The wedding party enjoys the play, and that is all that matters. Of course, they are not up for an epilogue!
As goofy as Bottom is, his antics move the action of the play along and do provide a lot of comic relief. Audiences will love to see the craftsmen come on the stage, because they know it will be funny!
How would you describe Bottom's acting ability, and what is his opinion of it?
It's difficult to judge Bottom's acting ability from the play as written, because everything depends upon the performance of the play and the interpretation of the role. Bottom is arrogant and controlling, with an aggressive attitude, as shown when he insists he can play every role. In Act 1 Scene 2, when the players are preparing their performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe," every time Peter Quince announces which of the company will play a role, Bottom insists he wants to play it and describes in detail how he will do it better than the actor chosen. For example, in describing how he would play the lion, after Quince says he would be too loud and frightening in the role, he says, "I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale." He goes on to describe the many different colored wigs and beards he has access to, as if this also adds to his prowess as an actor.
Ironically, the ability to portray "bad" acting is generally something that can only be done by a very good actor. Shakespeare used various conceits about acting in a number of his plays. It would be ironic to have Bottom portrayed as a very good actor who, despite his arrogance, is justified in his insistence that he is the best choice for the role. But most performances of this play portray Bottom as a fool who only thinks he is a good actor.
References
Bottom is a great character. He is great because he is so completely enamored with himself that it is hilarious. Actually, it's only hilarious, because I know that he is fake and not one of my friends. I could not be friends in real life with someone like Bottom.
Bottom thinks he is awesome . . . at everything. Especially acting. In fact, he thinks that he is so good that he believes that he could effectively play any or all of the parts in the play. The part does not matter; he believes that he is the best choice to play it.
Unfortunately, he is no good at all. He is laughably bad at acting. All in all, because of his pompous opinion of himself despite his horrible skills, Bottom is a hilarious character made even funnier when Puck turns him into what he's basically like in the first place . . . an ass.