Shakespeare in Love Page #14

WILL:

I am.

VIOLA:

Then kiss me again for I am not

mistook.

They run together and fall into a passionate kiss. VIOLA

fumbles with his clothing, he with hers.

VIOLA (CONT'D)

I do not know how to undress a man.

WILL:

It is strange to me, too.

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

The NURSE has come to listen. She puts her ear against

the door. Because she hears muffled voices, she looks

startled.

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

WILL is half-naked. VIOLA is down to her petticoat, and

chemise. The petticoat comes away. WILL flings it aside.

He takes off her chemise. He is startled to find that she

is tightly bandaged round the bosom. WILL finds the loose

end and spins her naked.

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

The NURSE, drags a chair--a rocker--outside the bedroom

door, and takes up her position. She sits down, keeping

guard. Pretty soon there comes the regular creak of

VIOLA'S bed. The NURSE fans herself furiously with her

little lacy fan. She crosses herself. A CHAMBERMAID comes

along the gallery outside the bedroom door. She is

dusting her way along. The CHAMBERMAID becomes aware of

the regular creaking. She pauses. The NURSE begins to

rock in her chair, keeping time with the creaking from

within. The CHAMBERMAID stares at the NURSE. The NURSE

stares at the CHAMBERMAID.

NURSE:

Go to, go to.

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

WILL and VIOLA have finished making love, and lie in each

other's arms.

VIOLA:

I would not have thought it. There is

something better than a play.

WILL:

There is.

VIOLA:

Even your play.

WILL:

(frowns)

Oh

VIOLA:

And that was only my first try.

WILL:

Well perhaps better than my first.

(he kisses her again)

EXT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. DAWN.

Dawn is breaking. The sun lacing the severing clouds with

envious streaks.

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. OUTSIDE VIOLA'S BEDROOM. DAWN

The NURSE has fallen asleep in her rocking chair.

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

A rooster crows at some distance. VIOLA and WILL are in

bed. She stirs drowsily. VIOLA, coming awake, speaks his

name and he kisses her.

VIOLA:

Will

Then he starts to get out of bed.

VIOLA (CONT'D)

You would not leave me?

WILL:

I must. Look-- how pale the window.

VIOLA:

(pulling him down)

Moonlight!

WILL:

No, the morning rooster woke me.

VIOLA:

It was the owl--come to bed

She is winning. She kisses him and pulls the bedclothes

around them.

WILL:

(giving in)

Oh, let Henslowe wait.

VIOLA:

(pausing, pushing him away)

Mr. Henslowe?

WILL:

(persisting)

Let him be damned for his pages!

VIOLA:

Oh--no, no!

WILL:

(kissing her)

There is time. It is still dark.

VIOLA:

It is broad day!

(the rooster crows again)

The rooster tells us so!

WILL:

It was the owl. Believe me, love, it

was the owl.

He kisses her and starts to make love to her again. VIOLA

gives him a shove which pushes him onto the floor. She

sits up and pulls on her gown.

VIOLA:

You would leave us players without a

scene to read today?!

There's a knock at the door.

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE VIOLA'S

BEDROOM/VIOLA'S BEDROOM. DAWN.

The NURSE is knocking. VIOLA comes to the door.

NURSE:

My lady, the house is stirring, it is

a new day.

VIOLA looks beautified by the hours that have passed.

VIOLA:

It is a new world!

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

The cut is to the middle of a rehearsal. We are coming up

to the moment when "ROMEO" and "JULIET" kiss for the

first time (Act I Scene V) NED ALLEYN is in charge but

WILL is watching. His life has turned perfect.

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"…Have not saints lips, and holy

palmers too?"

SAM AS JULIET:

"Ay pilgrim, lips that they must use

in prayer."

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"Oh then, dear saint, let lips do what

hands to:
They pray: grant thou, lest

faith turn to despair."

WILL is in her eye-line. Her eyes flash an intimate

secret look to him.

SAM AS JULIET:

"Saints do not move, though grant for

prayer's sake."

And VIOLA misses her cue as a result.

SAM:

(prompting her)

It's you.

ALLEYN:

(roars)

Suffering cats!

VIOLA guiltily picks up her line.

VIOLA AS ROMEO:

"Then move not, while my prayer's

effect I take."

In character, VIOLA kisses SAM, demurely, but apparently

not demurely enough for WILL, who gives a twitch.

VIOLA AS ROMEO(CONT'D)

"Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin

is purg'd."

SAM AS JULIET:

"Then have my lips the sin that they

have took."

Rate this script:3.0 / 2 votes