Shakespeare in Love Page #6

TILNEY:

Like you, I found him not at home!

WILL:

So this is the favour you find in the

Chamberlain's Men.

ROSALINE:

Will!

WILL:

(to ROSALINE)

I would have made you immortal.

(turning to go)

Tell Burbage he has lost a new play by

Will Shakespeare.

TILNEY:

What does Burbage care of that? He is

readying the Curtain for Kit Marlowe.

WILL:

You have opened the playhouses?

TILNEY:

I have, Master Shakespeare.

WILL:

But the plague

TILNEY:

(sighs)

Yes, I know. But he was always hanging

around the house.

A bell can be heard ringing outside.

ROSALINE:

(to WILL, leaving)

Will…you're the only one, Will!--in my

heart.

EXT. STREET. OUTSIDE BURBAGE'S HOUSE. DAY.

WILL emerges looking distraught. A burning brazier stands

by the wall. WILL thrusts the pages into the coals. He

watches for a moment as the pages catch fire.

INT. TAVERN. DAY.

WILL walks in to find the place in an uproar of

celebration. A handsome young serving man (NOL) is

bumping through with a tray of tankards.

NOL:

(excitedly)

Mr. Henslowe!

HENSLOWE:

Yes, I heard. The theatres are open.

But where is my playwright?

HENSLOWE finds a seat, and takes a tankard off NOL'S

tray.

HENSLOWE:

Chalk it up, Nol. I'm hungry, too.

NOL:

The special today is a pig's foot

marinated in juniper-berry vinegar,

served with a buckwheat pancake which

has been

They are interrupted by WILL who joins them. He looks

distracted.

HENSLOWE:

Will! Have you finished?

WILL:

Yes. Nearly.

(he taps his forehead)

It's all locked safe in here. We need

Ralph for the Pirate King. Good

morning, Master Nol. You will have a

nice little part.

NOL shouts for you, takes off his apron and flings it

behind the bar. HENSLOWE jumps up and embraces WILL. The

entire staff and half the customers are now crowding

around, actors the lot of them. HENSLOWE bangs the table

to shut them all up.

HENSLOWE:

Ned Alleyn and the Admiral's Men are

out on tour. I need actors. Those here

who are unknown will have a chance to

be known.

ACTOR:

What about the money, Mr. Henslowe?

HENSLOWE:

It won't cost you a penny! Auditions

in half-an-hour!

The din of excited chatter returns. He sweeps grandly to

the tavern door…where he meets RALPH BASHFORD, a big,

burly, middle-aged actor.

HENSLOWE (CONT'D)

Ralph Bashford! I'd have a part for

you but, alas, I hear you are a

drunkard's drunkard.

RALPH:

Never when I'm working.

INT. TAVERN. DAY.

WILL has remained behind, aghast now at his predicament.

He goes to the bar.

WILL:

Give me to drink mandragora.

BARMAN:

Straight up, Will?

VOICE:

Give my friend a beaker of your best

brandy.

WILL turns towards a figure further down the bar. It's

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE.

WILL:

Kit

MARLOWE:

How goes it, Will?

WILL:

Wonderful, wonderful.

MARLOWE:

Burbage says you have a play.

WILL:

I have. And chinks to show for it.

His drink arrives. WILL places a sovereign on the bar.

WILL (CONT'D)

I insist--and a beaker for Mr. Marlowe.

The BARMAN does the business.

WILL (CONT'D)

I hear you have a new play for the

Curtain.

MARLOWE:

Not new--my Doctor Faustus.

WILL:

I love your early work. "Was this the

face that launched a thousand ships

and burnt the topless towers of

Ilium?"

MARLOWE:

I have a new one nearly done, and

better. The Massacre at Paris.

WILL:

Good title.

MARLOWE:

And yours?

WILL:

Romeo and Ethel the Pirate's Daughter.

(beat, sighs despondently)

Yes, I know.

MARLOWE:

What is the story?

WILL:

Well, there's a pirate

(confesses)

In truth, I have not written a word.

MARLOWE:

Romeo is…Italian. Always in and out of

love.

WILL:

Yes, that's good. Until he meets

MARLOWE:

Ethel.

WILL:

Do you think?

MARLOWE:

The daughter of his enemy.

WILL:

(thoughtfully)

The daughter of his enemy.

MARLOWE:

His best friend is killed in a duel by

Ethel's brother or something. His name

is Mercutio.

WILL:

Mercutio…good name.

NOL hurries back to WILL'S side.

NOL:

Will--they're waiting for you!

WILL:

I'm coming.

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