Shakespeare’s Lovers
The book is designed to be used as a script for performances and text study. Like Shakespeare's Women, the plays is divided into two acts and uses a narrative voice- all Shakespeare's words and thoughts - to make a wonderful entertainment for all audiences.
Perfect for university and high school english and drama students, the play, in promptbook format, includes a glossary of terms, notes on obsucre workds and phrases, textual commentaries, musical scores and a list of suggested reading about the works of Shakespeare.
With some simple staging suggested, the scripts are ready to be staged and studied.
Excerpt
Beginning in the darkness, coming from the ensemble area, continuing as the lights fade up
PART I
Discovering Love
VOICES
Love
Pure Love
First best love [Music.]
My heart’s dear love
Heavenly love
Best love
Firm love
Good love
Great love
Sole possessor of my love [Music.]
First best love
Innocent love
Faithful love
Sweet heart
Dearest chuck
Everlasting love
Kind love
First best love
Perfect love
Love-sick love
Most best, most dearest
5
10
15
20
Narrator steps forward out of the ensemble area into the playing area.
25
30
ALL VOICES
First best love [Music.]
NARRATOR
O for a muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention.
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act,
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene.
VOICES
Firm love
Equal love
Sweet chuck
Ever-preserved love
Great love
Narrator moves closer to the audience.
ALL VOICES
First best love [Music.]
NARRATOR
I am a magician. My way is to conjure you, and I’ll begin with the women. I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of this play as you please. And I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women - as perceived by your simpering none of you hates them - that between you and the women, the play may please.
VOICES
Pure love
Innocent love
ALL VOICES
First best love [Music.]
[Romeo and Juliet, I.v]
FIRST MALE
O, she doth teachers the torches to burn bright!
SECOND MALE
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night.
FIRST MALE
Like a rich jewel in Ethiopia’s ear.
SECOND MALE
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
ROMEO
The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
35
40
Like…ear: like an earring worn by an exotic Ethiopian.
dear: expensive, valuable.
5
rude: rough, uncivilized.
The two men and the Narrator who have been watching move toward the dancing couples and cut in; the men who were dancing join the unattached women and the Musician. Romeo and Juliet cross to center stage as the dancing continues around them; soon, they are surrounded in silhouetted shadow by the other two couples.
The couples are dancing to an Elizabethan Galliard or Allemand. Romeo and Juliet’s rhythm is slightly slower than that of two other couples.
This holy shrine: Juliet’s hand, which Romeo is holding
mannerly: proper
15
do what hands do: press together (as in a kiss).
Grant thou: Grant my request to kiss you.
move not: stand still.
again: back again.
by the book: according to the rules of etiquette.
ROMEO
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
JULIET
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this:
For saints have pilgrims’ hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
ROMEO
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
JULIET
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
ROMEO
O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do:
They pray. Grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
JULIET
Saints do not move, though grant for prayer’s sake.
ROMEO
Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.
JULIET
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
ROMEO
Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.
JULIET
You kiss by the book.