Act One Flashcards
Shakespeare leave him be.
Burbage what is he doing here?
He told me he was here to do a jig of sorts.
A jig!
Kate
And you didn’t stop him.
Will I made it quite clear that kemp not do a jig. A speech nothing more.
You knew of this? And still you’d still allow him to mar are inaugural show in the globe. After what he’s done.
Kemp caught me in the mermaid and asked to promote some wonder if his
What wonder is this?
I saw him play falstaff and bottom the weaver. I thought he was funny.
Gather some years and you’ll learn to feel different
Beware your bite William the boy means no harm.
I needn’t say more. Burbage can tell you just how comic kemp is.
They both have their gifts no mistake little John. But let this be proof that two strong wills can never work well together
It wouldn’t be an issue if the prancing fool just kept to the script. And when I kindly insisted that he stick to the page he raised such a stink we had to cancel three shows.
Look will. I barred him from playing but I don’t see the harm in promoting his work.
No? He’s playing for alleys now! Images he discovered our prompt script and brought it to bed with falstaff suck bake in it. What harm it would be if bed alleys played your king Henry.
Could he do that
Don’t think he wouldn’t.
He could but he won’t.
You don’t know kemp as I do my kate.
It’s still well enough. You may not like him but that doesn’t make him a thief
Se if he’s not mistress Kate and I will eat my words.
…., I warn you now silence is not so great a defence as you might suppose.
It’s good to see you again kemp.
Oh remind me dear shakes after a draught to bend your ear with an idea for a new play
Oh no I fear I must beg off.
Not in the least. You wrote this triumph. Lacking though it may be in one noble knight.
Noble is hardly the word for what you had done! Jigging through the play. Speaking to the audience and running free with your words no kemp falstaff died for thy sins long before I scratched out his name. It could not be helped.
But could you not at least show his death.
Forget not I had. A great Heros death in the battle of shrewsbury. But likes base coward thou wouldst not stay dead but rose resurrected to say thou dissembled
…. Did you not pen it in?
Yes.
… The words in the play are but fine trimmings in our effort.
Is that so?
Aye by my tongue so it is
Then I must thank you kemp. For telling me so. In my folly I thought that some might have come to hear a story but now I see there’re here for thee. Kemp. And any praise that I receive is a mere fools fancy.
… Who with wit and jug did send thy words to the heights of Olympus.
May god grace thee for it kemp for I know I cannot. But what of mistress Kate?
Yes do shakes make sense.
How couldn’t thou play thy roles without her pins? ‘Twas she that made bottom into a perfect ass and padded falstaffs gluttons belly with special hose. She sewed thy bells polished thy buttons and oft did make a mostly fool of thee. So tell me dear kemp if you will. How is it a player may thrive without stage not words nor clothes of any kind?
…. Hence the nine days wonder.
What wonder is this?
To dance a Morris from London to Norwich.
London to Norwich in nine days. That’s madness.
…or how could I save my fame in each town on the way.
A fine fools idea.
No wonder. It’s yours.
Mine?
… Nine days dancing will bring more than a year in the chamberlains men.
Then go dance thy nine men’s Morris. I wish thee the best.
Will you not bury your hatchet?
I would bury it in him. But by all means go in good faith. Drink with him a pot of ale and say what thou wilt of me. I’m sure there is much to say.
You sure you won’t join us?
No. I am in pain.
So they do. Good night to you all
Well master rice. You have played your first role.
I’m sorry if I offended sir.
No John. Yours is not the apology I seek. Did you enjoy playing Katherine?
I enjoyed speaking your words.
We’ll see if you still feel the same after saying a few more of them. How came thee to the playhouse?
By the river.
An apprentice wit as well i see. I meant how came you to your apprenticeship?
…. Watermens sons are oft pressed to service.
Ever pilot a bark?
Wouldn’t be a boatman a sin if I hadn’t. Sir how came you to acting?
My fathers a glover. He sat in the guilding hall at Stratford where the traveling players preformed till some strife over sympathies encouraged him to sign me to bed alleyns company.
His fathers a catholic.
Kate!
Is he not?
Leave it be.
And we’re you there with will kemp?
Long ago. We were once good friends.
Do tell us. Will what is your next play?
It’s not about kemp.
So it’s a betrayal.
Perhaps. Oh now you’ll laugh.
Come on. The title
The tragedy of Julius Caesar.
A ha what did I say. A betrayal. And what a betrayal it is.
I knew you would laugh.
…can all men be so found in twit art?
Art is an echo of the person who made it. But you’ll need an astute ear to locate it’s source. If a man wished to know me. He’d be much better served to buy me a pint.
And how will they know you a hundred years hence?
If my work is known a hundred years hence. I’ll buy you that pint.
Don’t you think they’ll endure?
Plays are nothing but a product of their times. Likely to wane with the fashion of the day. No mater rice if anything it is by the strength of the youth that our art shall live so be attentive and studious and the length of your days shall be the legacy of mine.
With any luck I’ll be out of this dress before then.
Hahaha
Don’t encourage him
No no. Of course. You see master rice for all my dark sonnets Kate knows me too well.
I know burbage better. They may be your word but he bring them to life.
Good thing he does. My wife wouldn’t approve.
Do you think he does?
I try not to wonder. Have you ever told him?
Oh zounds will. What’s past is past.
He’s still my best friend.
….I might add. I’m sorry.
Please don’t. Will you never wed?
Now for that you must wait. Master rice. (Door knock)
If that’s some well wisher I’ve gone out.
Alas. Master bacon. Shakespeare has gone for the night.
Francis bacon you say?
Aye. But Tis pointless for me to tell him you’ve gone when you shout his name so.
Master bacon. A pleasure to see you outside the queens court.
… Do you always tell your servants to turn away gentlemen of breeding?
No of course. Thank you Kate. Master bacon an honour. I must thank you again for the gift of your essays last winter at Richmond. Such well informed thoughts so concisely put.
Yes.
And uh. What brings you to visit chamberlains men?
…. Although the magic does wear off somewhat backstage.
Oh. Our apprentice John rice. Francis bacon.
My most notable shakes rags.
Kemp!
