Shakespeare in Love Page #11

WILL:

Yes, I saw it.

FENNYMAN:

Of course, it was mighty writing.

There is no one like Marlowe

WILL is used to it. He goes.

EXT. RIVERBANK. DAY.

WILL arrives in a hurry at the wharfside, and looks

vainly in the direction of the DE LESSEPSES' house: no

THOMAS.

EXT. THE ROSE THEATRE. STAGE DOOR. DAY.

WILL looks down the alley:--no THOMAS. He turns away. The

URCHIN, the short-lived Ethel, is sitting in the alley.

WILL:

Better fortune, boy.

URCHIN:

(shrugs)

I was in a play. They cut my head off

in Titus Andronicus. When I write

plays, they will be like Titus.

WILL:

(pleased)

You admire it?

The URCHIN nods grimly.

URCHIN:

I like it when they cut heads off. And

the daughter mutilated with knives.

WILL:

Oh. What is your name?

URCHIN.

John Webster. Here, kitty, kitty.

Because a stray cat is nearby. The cat show an interest.

The URCHIN passes a white mouse to the cat and watches

the result with sober interest.

URCHIN (CONT'D)

Plenty of blood. That is the only

writing.

WILL backs away, unnerved by the boy.

URCHIN (CONT'D)

Wait, you'll see the cat bites his

head off.

WILL:

I have to get back.

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

On stage . . . the actors carry their parts.

NOL AS BENVOLIO:

"See where he comes. So please you step aside; I'll know

his grievance or be much denied."

MONTAGUE:

"I would thou wert so happy by thy

stay To hear true shrift. Come, madam,

let's away."

Onstage "MONTAGUE" and "LADY MONTAGUE" make their exit.

Offstage, WILL appears next to HENSLOWE.

WILL:

Cut round him for now.

HENSLOWE:

(not understanding)

What? Who?

WILL:

Romeo.

HENSLOWE:

The one who came with your letter?

WILL:

What?

NOL AS BENVOLIO (O.S.)

"Good morrow, cousin."

VIOLA AS ROMEO (O.S.)

"Is the day so young?"

The voice is THOMAS'S. WILL turns back to the stage and

sees him. Today THOMAS has a wig as well as his small

mustache.

NOL AS BENVOLIO:

"But new struck nine."

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"Ay me, sad hours seem long. Was that

my father that went hence so fast?"

NOL AS BENVOLIO:

It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's

hours?"

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"Not having that which, having, makes

them short."

WILL:

Good

NOL AS BENVOLIO:

"In love?"

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"Out."

NOL AS BENVOLIO:

"Of love?"

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"Out of her favour where I am in

love."

WILL:

(interrupting)

No, no, no…Don't spend it all at once!

The rehearsal stops.

VIOLA AS THOMAS:

Yes, sir.

WILL:

Do you understand me?

VIOLA AS THOMAS:

No, sir.

WILL:

He is speaking about a baggage we

never even meet! What will be left in

your purse when he meets his Juliet?

HENSLOWE:

Juliet? You mean Ethel.

WILL:

(rounding on him)

God's teeth, am I to suffer this

constant stream of interruption?!

(to THOMAS)

What will you do in Act Two when he

meets the love of his life?

VIOLA AS THOMAS:

(timidly--looking through his

few sheets of paper)

I am very sorry, sir, I have not seen

Act Two.

WILL:

Of course you have not! I have not

written it!

Alone in the auditorium, FENNYMAN looks and listens,

fascinated. So this is theatre!

WILL (CONT'D)

Go once more!

NED ALLEYN comes out of the wings, frowning over his

manuscript.

ALLEYN:

Will…Where is Mercutio?

WILL:

(tapping his forehead)

Locked safe in here. I leave the scene

in your safe keeping, Ned, I have a

sonnet to write.

WILL moves back into the wings where HENSLOWE is looking

anxious.

HENSLOWE:

A sonnet? You mean a play.

WILL moves on, ignoring him. As he goes, we see that

VIOLA is love-struck by him, a riot in the heart.

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. STAIRCASE. DAY.

VIOLA still dressed as THOMAS, sonnet in hand, runs up

the stairs to her room. From the other end of the house

WESSEX can be heard ranting.

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. HALL. NIGHT.

LORD WESSEX is being kept waiting. The NURSE is bearing

the brunt of his impatience.

WESSEX:

Two hours at prayer!

NURSE:

Lady Viola is pious, my lord.

WESSEX:

Piety is for Sunday! And two hours at

prayer is not piety, it is self-

importance!

NURSE:

It would be better that you return

tomorrow, my lord.

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