Shakespeare in Love Page #12

WESSEX:

It would be better that you tell her

to get off her knees and show some

civility to her six-day lord and

master.

VIOLA opens the door. She has changed hurriedly--too

hurriedly:
the effect of her glorious hair falling to her

bare shoulders is spoiled by her mustache. Fortunately,

the NURSE spots her before WESSEX does and by coming

forward to greet her, the NURSE manages to shield Viola

from view, communicate the problem, and announce WESSEX'S

presence, so that by the time the NURSE has passed by

VIOLA and let herself out of the room, the moustache has

disappeared.

WESSEX (CONT'D)

My lady VIOLA.

VIOLA:

Lord Wessex. You have been waiting.

WESSEX:

I am aware of it, but it is beauty's

privilege.

VIOLA:

You flatter, my lord.

WESSEX:

No. I have spoken to the Queen.

(pause)

Her majesty's consent is requisite

when a Wessex takes a wife, and once

gained, her consent is her command.

VIOLA:

Do you intend to marry, my lord?

WESSEX:

Your father should keep you better

informed. He has bought me for you. He

returns from his estates to see us

married two weeks from Saturday.

(pause)

You are allowed to show your pleasure.

VIOLA:

I do not love you, my lord.

WESSEX:

How your mind hops about! Your father

was a shopkeeper, your children will

bear arms, and I will recover my

fortune. That is the only matter under

discussion today. You will like

Virginia.

VIOLA:

Virginia?!

WESSEX:

Why, yes! My fortune lies in my

plantations. The tobacco weed. I need

four thousand pounds to fit out a ship

and put my investments to work--I fancy

tobacco has a future. We will not stay

there long, three or four years . . .

VIOLA:

But why me?

WESSEX:

It was your eyes. No, your lips.

He kisses her with more passion than ceremony. VIOLA

recoils, and slaps him.

WESSEX (CONT'D)

Will you defy your father and your

Queen?

VIOLA:

The Queen has consented?

WESSEX:

She wants to inspect you. At

Greenwich, come Sunday. Be submissive,

modest, grateful and brief.

VIOLA:

(forced to submit)

I will do my duty, my lord.

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. VIOLA'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

She is writing to WILL. His letter-poem is on her table.

We can read part of it. "Shall I compare thee to a

summer's day…"

Now we see what VIOLA is writing.

INSERT:
"Master Will, poet dearest to my heart, I beseech

you, banish me from yours--I am to marry Lord Wessex-- a

daughter's duty… "

She sheds a romantic, unhappy tear.

INT. THE ROSE THEATRE. STAGE. DAY.

SAM is now "JULIET." The play has evidently reached Act I

Scene 5. We are witnessing the meeting of "ROMEO" and

"JULIET" in a simplified version of the changing-partners

dance we saw at VIOLA'S house. NED ALLEYN is in charge.

ALLEYN:

Gentlemen upstage, ladies downstage!

The dance goes wrong. it is THOMAS'S fault.

ALLEYN (CONT'D)

(furious)

Gentlemen upstage! Ladies downstage!

Are you a lady, Mr. Kent?

THOMAS mutters a blushing apology. WILL arrives the

bystanders, clutching fresh pages. He gives these to

PETER. NED ALLEYN sees him and comes over to start an

argument.

WILL:

(preempting)

You did not like the speech?

ALLEYN:

The speech is excellent.

(he does the first line

impressively)

"Oh, then I see Queen Mab hath been

with you!" Excellent and a good

length. But then he disappears for the

length of a bible.

WILL points significantly at the pages he has given

PETER.

WILL:

There you have his duel, a skirmish of

words and swords such as I never

wrote, nor anyone. He dies with such

passion and poetry as your ever heard:

"a plague on both your houses!"

NED nods satisfied and turns back to work. Then he turns

back.

ALLEYN:

He dies?

But the author has escaped.

INT. THE ROSE THEATRE. WRITER'S CORNER. DAY.

Up aloft, WILL has a Writer's Corner where he settle down

to work. We see his private superstition: he spins round

in a circle, rubs his hands together, and spits on the

floor. That done, he picks up his pen.

EXT. STREET. NIGHT.

WILL is charging down a narrow alley, and bumps into

BURBAGE who is emerging from the door of a tavern.

BURBAGE:

Will!

WILL is in too much of a hurry to stop. BURBAGE calls

after him.

BURBAGE (CONT'D)

And where are my pages . . .

WILL hurries on.

EXT. RIVERBANK. DUSK.

VIOLA as THOMAS is being rowed across the river. From

behind, in the direction of Bankside, "he" hears

shouting.

WILL:

(O.S. shouting)

Did you give her my letter?

VIOLA as THOMAS turns to see WILL some way behind,

following in another boat. She takes a letter from her

coat and holds it aloft.

VIOLA AS THOMAS:

(calling)

And this for you.

Rate this script:3.0 / 2 votes