Shakespeare in Love Page #10

INT. WILL'S ROOM. DAWN.

WILL is burning the midnight oil--literally and

metaphorically. His quill has already covered a dozen

sheets. He is inspired.

INT. THE ROSE THEATRE. STAGE/AUDITORIUM. DAY.

It is day one. THE COMPANY is on stage. PETER is passing

pages around a bunch of actors. JOHN, JAMES, and NOL are

looking through their pages.

JOHN:

"Draw if you be men!

(to JAMES)

Gregory, remember thy washing blow."

NOL:

"Part, fools, put up your swords."

WILL is going around pumping hands and slapping

shoulders, flushed with excitement. HENSLOWE is reading

his pages, worried. RALPH BASHFORD is next to him.

HENSLOWE:

It starts well, and then it's all long-

faced about some Rosaline. Where's the

comedy, Will. Where's the dog?

(to RALPH)

Do you think it is funny?

RALPH:

I was a Pirate King, now I'm a Nurse.

That's funny

WILL pulls HENSLOWE aside.

WILL:

We are at least six men short, and

those we have will be overparted,

ranters and stutterers who should be

sent back to the stews. My Romeo has

let me down. I see disaster.

HENSLOWE:

We are at least four acts short, Will,

if you are looking for disaster.

WILL as notices a young scruffy thirteen-year-old actor,

the URCHIN we met before.

WILL:

Who are you, master?

URCHIN:

I am Ethel, sir, the Pirate's

daughter.

WILL:

(furiously)

I'll be damned if you are!

And he helps the URCHIN off with a kick. The URCHIN

glowers with resentment. HENSLOWE finds himself face to

face with FENNYMAN.

FENNYMAN:

Is it going well?

HENSLOWE:

Very well.

FENNYMAN:

But nothing is happening.

HENSLOWE:

Yes, but very well.

WILL:

(shouts)

Gentlemen! Thank you! You are welcome.

FENNYMAN:

Who is that?

HENSLOWE:

Nobody. The author.

WILL:

We are about to embark on a great

voyage.

HENSLOWE:

It is customary to make a little

speech on the first day. It does no

harm and authors like it.

WILL:

You want to know what parts you are to

receive. All will be settled as we go

That's as far as he gets before there is a dramatic

interruption--the public entrance door is flung open and

SIX MEN make a loud entrance, headed by NED ALLEYN, the

actor, who is a handsome piratical figure with a big

voice and a big sword.

ALLEYN:

Huzzah! The Admiral's Men are returned

to the house!

He gets various reactions. HENSLOWE and WILL shout his

name joyfully, some of the actors are friends with the

new group and behave accordingly, others know they are

out of a job. FENNYMAN recovers, or tries to.

FENNYMAN:

Who is this?

ALLEYN slaps him aside with his sword.

ALLEYN:

(roars)

Silence, you god! I am Hieronimo! I am

Tamburlaine! I am Faustus! I am

Barrabas, the Jew of Malta--of yes,

Master Will, and I am Henry VI. What

is the play, and what is my part?

FENNYMAN is impressed.

FENNYMAN:

A moment, sir!

ALLEYN:

(roars)

Who are you?

FENNYMAN:

(bleating)

I am the money!

ALLEYN:

Then you may remain so long as you

remain silent. Pay attention and you

will see how genius creates a legend.

FENNYMAN:

(respectfully)

Thank you, sir.

WILL:

We are in desperate want of a

Mercutio, Ned, a young nobleman of

Verona

ALLEYN:

And the title of this piece?

WILL:

Mercutio

HENSLOWE:

Is it?

ALLEYN:

I will play him!

Half a dozen of the ADMIRAL'S MEN will be given roles in

our play and we meet them and identify them as WILL

enthusiastically shakes hands.

WILL:

Mr. Pope! Mr. Phillips! Welcome,

George Bryan! James Armitage!

(and now greeting SAM GOSSE,

the female star of the

Admiral's Men)

Sam! My pretty one! Are you ready to

fall in love again?

SAM:

(hoarsely)

I am, Master Shakespeare.

WILL:

(concerned)

But your voice

(he thrust a hand between

SAM'S legs)

Have they dropped?

SAM:

(a girlie voice now)

No, no, a touch of cold only. We

suspect he is lying but WILL has

turned away.

WILL:

Master Henslowe, you have your actors.

He leaves, passing by the humbled FENNYMAN.

FENNYMAN:

I saw his Tamburlaine, you know.

Wonderful.

Rate this script:3.0 / 2 votes