PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts

Announcer

Funding for APT's "Out of the Woods" is provided by Boardman Clark Law Firm, Arcadia Books, Dane Arts, Nancy A. McDaniel, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Orange Tree Imports, Wilson Creek Pottery, Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

bird squawking

bugs buzzing

light music

Announcer

This cannot be right. Did I, am I, am I? Okay, okay.

gentle music

Announcer

Uh, can you tell me if the lens is scratched or is that my glasses? Get off the camera. You gotta get off. - I know that's the camera. Son, get off the camera. - I'm about to win!

woman humming

Announcer

I love my kids, I love my kids, I love my kids, love 'em. Oh, I have a better idea. - Get off of me. Hey, Jimmy.

man groaning

muffled talking

Announcer

Jimmy, are you frozen? Places.

Man

I'm here, I'm here, coming. Places, everyone. This is places.

light dramatic music

Man

I really gotta pee. Oh, what's up, Marcus? How you doing? Good luck, everybody.

light music

bird squawking

Man

Brenda

Hello everybody, hello, hello. Hello, it's our last reading. Welcome, welcome thank you so much for joining us tonight. This is our last in our series of six readings for our "Out of the Woods" series, and it's been such an amazing adventure for all of us. And here at APT to see all of you pile on the Zoom on Sunday night. We are so grateful, so, so much gratitude. The time when we wish we were just with you. We're used to seeing a thousand of you out in the house in the theater up the hill, but when we can't be together, this has been such remedy for our hearts and to be in the room with the actors and the artists creating, has just been a gift, so thank you. Thank you for responding so positively. And for being with us. And the adventure continues, because tonight we have a world premiere of a new play and you are here to watch it, so thank you very much. I think that the crowd's pretty big tonight, so thank you so much for being here. I wanna make sure I say all the thank yous to everyone. PBS Wisconsin, who has partnered with us throughout this entire process and been incredibly patient and supportive, they are going to be having these up

and it started on Friday night at 7

00 pm. We premiered our first of the six readings and it will be up, that is the "Chekhov One Acts" started on Friday night, and every Friday night for the next five more Fridays, we will be premiering another reading, and those will stay up online for you to see if you'd like. It was a big success, they had a Face, uh Facebook live, performance on Friday night, 7:00 pm. They'll do the same thing this coming week as well. So please, if you haven't seen the other pieces or you'd like to see them again, go online, please share that link with your friends. We want our work to be shared and enjoyed by everyone, so I appreciate that. I need to shout out to Jack Whaley and Chris Corkery, the first opening video that you saw of all the actors getting ready, which was how it felt every day, trying to get ready for these readings. And I want to thank those guys for creating that video. They did that by themselves in about two days, and I appreciate you all for doing that, Chris Corkery and Jack Whaley. I also want to make sure I say thank you to our staff. It's been a really hard time at APT, with so much uncertainty and when we had this idea eight weeks ago and we just came up with it and decided to do it, the staff at APT is the best and the hardest working and they say yes all the time. And I wanna make sure I say thank you to Carrie Van Hallgren, to Sara Young, Michael Broh, Cari Stebbins, the entire direct report team, the board of directors, just for saying yes, the devo department, the development department, thank you so much, marketing, Hannah and Jess thank you. You guys are simply all the best and if I missed someone I apologize. Sharon Moshure, our IT person. Thank you so much, Sharon. I wanna make sure I say thank you to Jake Penner, the artistic associate here at APT and Carey Cannon, my artistic associate, my associate artistic director and dear friend keeps me sane. Thank you, Carey. I'd like to say thank you to the stage management crew who worked double time. We thought June on the Hill was hard. You should try June on Zoom when you're a stage manager. And I wanna say thank you to Jacki Singleton and Evelyn Matten for all of your diligent expertise when you were not experts and you are now, so thank you so much for that. Last but not least, I wanna make sure I thank our sponsors. Our season sponsors are remarkable friends and stewards of APT. And when we had to cancel the season, they stayed with us and, and continued to support us. And I wanna make sure I say thank you to them personally, Stephen and Laurel Brown Foundation, Dave and Sherry Caves, JJJ Productions, Kasieta Legal Group, Sherry and Rick Lundell, Ann and Fred Moore, Nelson-Jameson Allison and Dale Smith, Steve Brown Apartments, the Mr. and Mrs. CJ Williams Storage Foundation, and US Bank. Thank you, thank you, thank you couldn't do it without you clearly. And finally to say thank you to the artists, who jumped in on this project. I wanna say thank you to Jim DeVita for writing it, Tim Ocel for directing. I wanna thank the cast for jumping in on this and making it as beautiful, this beautiful night for everyone. You are simply the best, appreciate you. So and Greg Coffin for your gorgeous music tonight and Eva Breneman for voice and text coaching I appreciate you. All right, without further ado, please enjoy tonight's world premiere of James DeVita's An Improbable Fiction.

bright upbeat music

and it started on Friday night at 7

in British accent

NARRATOR

"An Improbable Fiction" by James DeVita. Act One. The play opens in the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap, London. It is the early 1600's during the time of the plague. It is evening. There is an outside door to the tavern which opens inward. Inside, we see a bar, a table, and some chairs. At the back of the room is a short run of stairs which lead up to a railed landing, off of which there is a bedchamber. Mistress Quickly, the owner of the inn, is behind the bar lazily cleaning, but keeping a watchful eye on Sir John Falstaff who is sitting in a chair, drumming his fingers on the table, staring off. Oh Mistress mine, Where are you roaming Oh stay in here Your true love's coming Banish not this old heart so Trip no further, pretty sweeting Journey's end in lovers meeting Every wise man's son doth know Every wise man's son doth know

loud and unrestrained sigh of satisfaction

QUICKLY

Excellent good, i' faith.

FALSTAFF

Time.

QUICKLY

But new struck nine.

sighs loudly

FALSTAFF

Ay me, sweet Nell, sad hours seem long. A pox o' the plague! What, shall we have no more cakes and ale!? No laughter? No love? Faith, I can still cut a capon and the mutton to it! Now, come, come! Shall we raise the night-owl, love?

Falstaff laughs

QUICKLY

Careful now, Sir John.

FALSTAFF

Shall we chime the chimes of midnight and make the welkin dance!?

QUICKLY

Oh, Sir John! Sir John!

NARRATOR

They dance.

sings

FALSTAFF

There dwelt a man in London town of reputation great with Fame He took to wife a lovely lass Mine Hostess was she called by name A woman fair and true was she

QUICKLY

Oh, sir.

laughs

sings

FALSTAFF

Lady, lady, lady! So give me drink, ye, give me song, Lady, Lady, Lady! A merry heart lives hap'ly long! Lady Love!

NARRATOR

The tavern door suddenly opens and a Messenger rushes in.

MESSENGER

Pardon me,

my lord. - FALSTAFF

Cease!

But... - FALSTAFF

Halt!

MESSENGER

But...

FALSTAFF

Speak not, reply not, do not answer me.

MESSENGER

But there's a...

FALSTAFF

Draw thy speech to a close, or thus will I draw and quarter thee.

NARRATOR

Sir John draws his sword.

FALSTAFF

Very well then, approach. No, no, no, near enough. Who art thou?

MESSENGER

Who art I?

FALSTAFF

'Tis I asked you.

MESSENGER

Who art I.

FALSTAFF

By heavens, he echoes me. Go to, go to, you are a saucy boy. Come, villain, thy place, thy position, character, role, capacity-- divulge, impart, speak!

MESSENGER

I...uh, I...

FALSTAFF

Oh, by the mass, I'd hoped for a battle of wits, yet I see you are clearly unarmed.

NARRATOR

Falstaff puts his sword away.

FALSTAFF

Well, convey, sir; what's your will?

MESSENGER

I've a message for ye, sir.

FALSTAFF

From whom?

MESSENGER

The Author.

FALSTAFF

Indeed, I smell it, upon my life. Thou hast a touch of the Stratford-ian about thee or I am no two-legged creature. From which of William's pages didst thou crawl forth?

MESSENGER

My lord?

FALSTAFF

Thou comest to use thy tongue; thy story quickly.

MESSENGER

Oh, I don't have a story. I just bring the news from abroad.

FALSTAFF

Indeed, yes; but who art thou?

MESSENGER

Who do you want me to be?

FALSTAFF

Dost thou mock me, villain?

QUICKLY

He means the play, lad, what play are you from?

MESSENGER

Oh.

laughs

MESSENGER

Well, uh, all of 'em, actually. You don't know me, do you?

FALSTAFF

Damned if I do, thou surly-mouthed, beetle-headed, flap-eared knave. Never in my life have I spied the likes of you.

MESSENGER

Ay, I know. Ye never notice me. I've watched ye all your life, sir, but ye've never said a word to me.

FALSTAFF

I never--? Why, thou misbegotten bat-fowling bootlicker... who are you, goodman boy? Thy name.

MESSENGER

Don't 'ave one, sir; not in particular, that is.

FALSTAFF

Elucidate, brazen-face!

MESSENGER

Well, uh, you may have heard of me. I'm actually pretty well known throughout the canon as 'The Messenger'. THE Messenger, mind you, not just one of, you know, those every-day messengers. It's a very important character. Without those messages, you know, nothin' happens. I am nuthin' if not plot. I am also, at times, uh, Soldier, Servant, Gentleman, Officer, Shepherd, Sentry, Sailor, Citizen, Page, Serving Man, Clown, Musician, Eunuch, and other Attendants.

FALSTAFF

Extensive. Unremarkable, but extensive. Now come, boy, your message now relate. Is it about the Prince?

MESSENGER

Nay, my lord. The Privy Council's passed a new decree, sir, clapped up 'n down Park Street as far as Gatehouse Square. The playhouses stay closed till the numbers rise not above thirty a week.

QUICKLY

But 'tis posted forty.

MESSENGER

'Tis thirty, now, madam; the Lord Mayor 'imself made the proclamation.

FALSTAFF

Death and damnation!!

MESSENGER

The entire canon is closed, sir. They've locked the doors o' The Globe, The Rose, The Curtain, Swan, Blackfriars, The Fortune, all of 'em sealed tight as oak.

FALSTAFF

And what of Marlowe's characters? Webster's and Middleton's? My fellow fustilarians. Wander any of them this way?

QUICKLY

I'll 'ave none o' Webster's characters in my place!

FALSTAFF

Peace, I pray you!

MESSENGER

I know not about all of 'em, sir, but Marlowe's characters, and quite a few o' master Shakespeare's, 'ave been passin' the time over at Mistress Bull's house in Deptford.

QUICKLY

And Master Shakespeare?

MESSENGER

Oh, he's shut up over at his place on Silver Street. Runnin' about like a madman, he is, scroungin' paper, ink. He's got a new play ticklin' his brain, something on a heath somewhere.

FALSTAFF

How fares great Tamburlaine? Where's lies Volpone? What has become of Bardolph and Master Shallow? ZOUNDS! I am barren and bereft of the friends, and you may know by my size that I require a like quantity of companions. It's not the damn plague will kill me; it's the solitude. Where the hell is Hal!?

QUICKLY

Sir John, don't.

FALSTAFF

Banished I am of my Harry's company, and why?

QUICKLY

John!

FALSTAFF

Tell me that, Mistress! You tell me that!

QUICKLY

Best not to dwell upon such things.

FALSTAFF

I'll dwell upon this theme until my eyelids no longer wag!

QUICKLY

Good sir, confine thyself a little!

FALSTAFF

I'll confine myself no finer than I am!

QUICKLY

Come, come, and sit you down, you shall not budge.

FALSTAFF

I cry you mercy. I am parched for companionship, which pains me greater than. Tell me, lad... the other characters, do, do they ask after me?

MESSENGER

Oh, indeed they do, sir, never fear that. Ay, if there was ever a man to last out a siege like this with, it'd be Sir John Falstaff,

that's what they say

Parson Hugh and Pistol, Poins, Peter Simple.

FALSTAFF

Know you their whereabouts?

MESSENGER

Indeed, sir,

I was tryin' to tell ye before

the whole lot of 'em stayin' at Mistress Bull's.

FALSTAFF

What the devil do they all in Deptford!? Are we not consanguineous!? Nearly! Our house is not yet sealed!

MESSENGER

No, it's not that, sir; marry, they closed the bridge down at Bankside, and Master Marlowe can't get out of Deptford either. He stays at Mistress Bull's now; and he's been usin' his time there to revise Tamburlaine a little bit, and, well, the others are all stickin' around to see how he turns out.

FALSTAFF

Blasts and fogs upon it! I need no revisions! The Merry Wives and I are most obscenely and courageously prepared; the children are rehearsed and ready, driving me insane, and even Master Ford is on the cheer about it. Is there no place where the players might perform? A courtyard? Cranny? Why a brace of barrel-heads and a few oaken boards were all the actors needed in my day.

MESSENGER

There's nowhere to gather here, Sir John; it's decreed 'n posted. Every theater is closed, streets are almost empty; there's nary a physician to be found, and but a few apothecary.

QUICKLY

Winters not gone yet if the wild geese fly that way.

MESSENGER

I do have some good news, though!

FALSTAFF

Oh, say you?

QUICKLY

Aye?

MESSENGER

Master Shakespeare wants to take Merry Wives out on tour.

FALSTAFF

Oh, ye gods.

MESSENGER

Out in the provinces, away from the crowds, he might still be able to get a play up. The horses are all dead, but it's only a three-day walk.

FALSTAFF

On the hoof, say ye?!

MESSENGER

Ay.

FALSTAFF

I'd rather be set quick i' the earth and bowled to death with turnips.

MESSENGER

Well.

FALSTAFF

I abhor touring! Three days walk, indeed. Eight yards of uneven ground is threescore and ten miles afoot to a man of my kidney. 'Sblood, I'll not have my flesh borne so far afoot for all the coin in the king's exchequer. Let William write some other character into a buck-basket and mark how they like it! There's not another character in the canon t'would suffer it.

MESSENGER

Master Shakespeare's meetin' with the Mayor to try 'n get a license. He's not a penny left, sir, and nothing comin' in on account of the closures.

FALSTAFF

Tour and be hanged!

MESSENGER

The rent is due, my lord; the actors have to eat, they've no place to sleep.

FALSTAFF

Actors never needed food or sleep before; Just a crowd, an open space, and words!

MESSENGER

There are no crowds allowed, sir!

FALSTAFF

ZOUNDS!

MESSENGER

We might lose the theater, Sir John.

FALSTAFF

The Globe. Our wooden O.

MESSENGER

Ay, sir. It's that bad. Something's got to be done.

FALSTAFF

Unless we have the Globe in which to sing, there is no music in the nightingale; If we lose the world of stage on which we play, There is no world for us to look upon; It is our essence. Of course. Of course, I'll do the tour.

NARRATOR

Falstaff moves off and pours himself a drink.

QUICKLY

Is it true, son? About the Globe?

MESSENGER

I'm afraid so, mum.

QUICKLY

How do you know all this?

MESSENGER

I'm the messenger.

NARRATOR

Falstaff kicks a chair into the corner of the room.

QUICKLY

Now, now, Sir John, keep ye heart high. The theater will outlast this blasted plague.

FALSTAFF

Yea, but will I?

QUICKLY

We've been through hard times before, love.

FALSTAFF

Never like this. Never, never, never, never, never.

QUICKLY

Come now, my melancholy knight. Let us embrace adversity bravely, eh? Like smug newlyweds. -

Falstaff chuckles

QUICKLY

Ay, there's my Sir John. We'll ne'er wail our losses, but seek their remedies.

MESSENGER

Ay, 'n heaven help us that way.

QUICKLY

Look not to the heavens, lad, nor the crown. We've to help ourselves now, remember that. They care none for us, the great folk, never 'ave.

FALSTAFF

Remember that, boy.

QUICKLY

Heartless, is what they are. Heartless.

MESSENGER

They're all leavin' the city-- the court 'n judges, magistrates-- the lot of 'em.

FALSTAFF

Well, of course they are, the rogues. Damn their eyes! A stoup of wine, say I, and LIVE! Come, lad, thou lack'st a cup of canary.

MESSENGER

Uh, thank you, no.

FALSTAFF

Pourquoi, my boy? Wherefore should these joys be forsworn?

MESSENGER

Oh, I uh, I just don't... no. Thank you, though.

FALSTAFF

Lack of experience, lad. I will instruct thee. Ah! A plague o' the pox! Now come, my Muse! Let's sing us a bawdy song 'n be merry!

sings

FALSTAFF

And let me the cannikin, clink, clink! And let me the cannikin, clink! A soldier's a man, Man' life's but a span, Why then let a soldier drink! Clink! Ha, ha!

NARRATOR

The front door of the tavern swings open, and Othello is standing there. He is dressed for battle, a weapon at his side.

FALSTAFF

How fared you, General?

QUICKLY

Was she at Emilia's?

OTHELLO

No.

NARRATOR

Othello slams the door shut.

OTHELLO

Back she has been taken to her father's Till this pestilence is passed. He will not allow me the house.

NARRATOR

Falstaff draws his sword.

FALSTAFF

By heavens he shall allow thee, or I'll so Carbonado his shanks!

OTHELLO

Nay, nay, put up your sword, Sir John! Believe me, were I once to stir, or did but lift This arm, the best of them should sink in my rebuke. But, enough of this.

NARRATOR

Othello takes off his sword-belt and places it on the bar. Mistress Quickly pours him a drink.

QUICKLY

I never did like that Brabantio; A man who hates upon no better ground But that he hates.

OTHELLO

Let him do his spite. My time will come.

NARRATOR

Othello takes his drink. He picks up a deck of playing cards off the bar and joins Falstaff at the table.

OTHELLO

Come, sir. Shall we hazard a game To pass the time e're I must leave.

FALSTAFF

Well, to speak true, I prefer to dice.

OTHELLO

Nay, nay, I know of thy dicing, Sir John.

FALSTAFF

Ah, very well then, toss a hand.

NARRATOR

Othello begins shuffling the cards.

FALSTAFF

Oh say, now, what news of the Ottoman fleet? Have ye any work at hand?

OTHELLO

Othello's occupation's gone.

FALSTAFF

I am sorry to hear this.

NARRATOR

The Messenger, who has gone unnoticed by Othello, steps forward.

MESSENGER

Um, excuse me, sir? General?

NARRATOR

Othello quickly rises.

OTHELLO

How now, what news abroad? Some business of the state?

MESSENGER

Well, actually, sir...

OTHELLO

The Duke's in council and our noble self Is sent for, I am sure.

NARRATOR

Othello hurries to the bar and grabs up his sword,

ready to leave. - MESSENGER

Uh, no, no, sir. That's not... Sir!

OTHELLO

Yes?

MESSENGER

Um, that's, that's not the news, sir.

OTHELLO

No?

MESSENGER

No. There is no news today. Sir. For you. That's the news.

OTHELLO

My most potent, grave, and reverend signors, They send no word for me?

MESSENGER

Uh, not that I know of.

OTHELLO

Goats and monkeys!

NARRATOR

Othello slams his sword-belt down on the table.

OTHELLO

Well, what is the matter, then? Speak.

MESSENGER

It's just that, um, well, ye' dropped this over by the bar, sir.

OTHELLO

Gentle heavens.

NARRATOR

The Messenger holds out a silk handkerchief spotted with strawberries, which he hands to Othello.

OTHELLO

I thank you. This handkerchief did an Egyptian To my mother give;

it is bewitched

A sibyl that had numbered in the world The sun to course two hundred compasses, In her prophetic fury sewed the work; The worms were hallowed that did breed the silk. My mother told me, that while I kept it, 'Twould bring good health and fortune of the Gods. She dying, gave it me. To lose it were such perdition as nothing else could match; chaos would come again.

MESSENGER

Well, better 'ang on to it a little tighter then, eh? Ha,

ha. - OTHELLO

HA!? Wherefore?

MESSENGER

Sir?

OTHELLO

Say'st thou?!

MESSENGER

Sorry?

OTHELLO

Dost laugh at me?!

MESSENGER

Why, I, no, sir, no! I was just makin' a joke, sir.

OTHELLO

Thinks thou I am such stuff as jokes are made of?!

MESSENGER

Why, no, no, my lord!

QUICKLY

He's just a boy, my lord!

FALSTAFF

Come, good sir!

NARRATOR

Falstaff walks Othello to the table and sits with him.

OTHELLO

I swear, 'tis better to be much abused Than but to know it a little. Boy. Approach. Forgive me my wrath; 'tis an old wound of mine. I have known thee e're now, have I not?

MESSENGER

Ay, sir.

OTHELLO

Where?

MESSENGER

Cyprus, sir.

OTHELLO

Thy name?

MESSENGER

Don't 'ave one.

OTHELLO

Say you?

MESSENGER

Cypriot Gentleman number four, sir.

OTHELLO

Ah... Ah! Oh, I see you now... yes. Act 2,

scene 2

the fight With Iago and my lieutenant; As I enter the fray, Cassio hits, With the wiggen bottle, your head.

MESSENGER

Ay, sir, that's me.

OTHELLO

Very well-spoken, that scene; ay, with good accent And good discretion.

MESSENGER

Ye-yes, sir. Yes. Thank you, sir.

OTHELLO

You may go away now.

NARRATOR

The Messenger retreats.

OTHELLO

This fellow's of exceeding innocence, Yet doubtless sees and knows more, much more, Than such characters as you and I.

FALSTAFF

Well, he's the messenger.

OTHELLO

Ay.

FALSTAFF

And he's a good lad, sir; just having a laugh.

OTHELLO

Many a good man's son has put the laugh to me, John; And though not front to front, the foul whisperings By me go not unheard; and yet 'tis always I Must forebear. Something too much of this. Come, our game.

NARRATOR

As Othello deals the cards, Falstaff gets up from the table, grimacing in pain as he does. Othello speaks to Mistress Quickly.

OTHELLO

I like not that.

QUICKLY

Nor I, my lord.

FALSTAFF

What say'st thou?

QUICKLY

Nothing, John.

FALSTAFF

Tell me, now, heard'st thou of the Prince in thy travels?

OTHELLO

Faith, I did range the town to seek him out. He stays not at the court; nor The Tabard Inn, The George, the Bankside, or The Lamb and Flag. Where he keeps himself, I could not discern.

FALSTAFF

Ah, 'tis no matter.

NARRATOR

Falstaff returns to the table with his drink.

OTHELLO

I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

FALSTAFF

Not a jot, not a jot.

OTHELLO

I'faith, I see you are moved.

FALSTAFF

No, not much moved. Come, let us the cannikins clink!

OTHELLO

Nay, nay, John, clink not. I... I do desire speech with thee. Thou know'st I have not those easy parts Of conversation as others have...

NARRATOR

Falstaff puts down his cards.

FALSTAFF

What is this? Thou speakest as if there were some monster In thy thought too hideous to be shown. If thou dost love me, show me thy thought.

OTHELLO

John, you must know that... John, you and I, we are declined Into the vale of years.

FALSTAFF

I deny the inference! Oh, some smack of age we may have about us; A relish only of the saltness of time.

OTHELLO

John!

FALSTAFF

Very well, proceed.

OTHELLO

If it be now, 'tis not to come; If it be not to come, it will be now; If it be not now, yet it will come; The readiness is all.

FALSTAFF

Clink, CLINK! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

OTHELLO

S'blood, but you'll not hear me!

NARRATOR

The door suddenly flies open and Cleopatra bursts into the room.

CLEOPATRA

Where the hell is he?!

FALSTAFF

Of whom do you speak, my Queen?

CLEOPATRA

You know damn well of whom I speak, John. Play not the fool with me! Where lies he now? With Fulvia again? Octavia? Charmian perhaps? The goddamn soothsayer? I wouldn't put it past him.

QUICKLY

What's the matter, lovey?

CLEOPATRA

Antony! Antony! What is ever the matter, but Antony!

QUICKLY

Oh dear. -

Cleopatra weeps conspiciously

CLEOPATRA

O, never was there queen so mightily betrayed.

FALSTAFF

Cleopatra!

CLEOPATRA

Why did I think he would be mine and true, when he hath played false a hundred times ere now!

OTHELLO

Most sweet queen.

CLEOPATRA

Most false love! Cut my lace asunder, Mistress. Quickly! Ay, that my pent heart may have scope to beat!

Cleopatra weeps loudly

CLEOPATRA

Oh, my oblivion is a very Antony!

MESSENGER

Pardon me, madam.

CLEOPATRA

Stay a moment! I know you. Act 2, scene 5.

gasps

CLEOPATRA

You're the messenger.

MESSENGER

I am?

CLEOPATRA

You're expository.

MESSENGER

Well, I prefer to think of it as...

CLEOPATRA

You know all.

MESSENGER

Well, not really, but a bit.

CLEOPATRA

Speak then, what news abroad?

MESSENGER

Madam, Antony is...

CLEOPATRA

Dead! Dead for a ducat! I knew it! For there's no goodness in thy face if Antony Be free and healthful.

MESSENGER

Madam, he is...

CLEOPATRA

If thou say't, villain, I will unhair thy head!

MESSENGER

Madam, Antony is very...

CLEOPATRA

Dead! Very dead.

weeps

CLEOPATRA

Oh, melt Egypt into Nile and kindly creatures Turn all to serpents! Oh, I faint! Iras, Charmian!

QUICKLY

They're not here, madam.

CLEOPATRA

Tis no matter. Husband, I come! Pity me, mistress, but do not speak to me.

OTHELLO

Madam, will it please you hear the boy?

NARRATOR

Cleopatra eyes the Messenger again.

CLEOPATRA

The gods confound thee, dost thou hold here still!? Villain, thou ha'st lived too long! AH!

NARRATOR

Cleopatra lunges at the Messenger and a scrappy tussle ensues. Falstaff and Othello try to control Cleopatra, as the Messenger slips out of the tangle and hides.

OTHELLO

Good madam, keep yourself within yourself, and hear him speak.

CLEOPATRA

I am tame, sir. Your message, now, pronounce.

QUICKLY

He's afeared to come, madam.

CLEOPATRA

I will not hurt him. Approach, boy; though I am sharp I will not bite. Come hither. Speak what you know; what news abroad?

MESSENGER

Madam, to punish me for saying what you would make me say I feel is most unequal.

CLEOPATRA

Though it be honest, it is never good To bring bad news.

MESSENGER

But I bring no bad news, Madam.

CLEOPATRA

No?

MESSENGER

No! Antony is very much alive.

CLEOPATRA

Oh, heavens! There's gold for thee!

MESSENGER

You might even say he is extremely alive. -

Cleopatra laughs

CLEOPATRA

There is more gold for thee!

MESSENGER

But yet, madam, he...

CLEOPATRA

I do not like 'But yet'. Fie upon 'But yet'.

MESSENGER

Madam... he lies at Mistress Bull's house in Deptford with Master Marlowe, and uh, well, John, and Tommy Dekker, Beaumont, Fletcher.

CLEOPATRA

John, did you say? John who?

MESSENGER

Webster.

CLEOPATRA

John Webster. Is the Duchess with him?

MESSENGER

Duchess, my lady?

CLEOPATRA

Of Malfi.

MESSENGER

Ay, Madam.

CLEOPATRA

AH!

MESSENGER

It's not my fault, madam! I'm just the messenger! I didn't write this! -

Cleopatra cries loudly

CLEOPATRA

O, Nell, Nell, what a falling off was there. That it should come to this. So loving was he once That he might not beteem the winds of heaven visit my face too roughly. Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Why he would hang upon me as if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet... Let me not think on't; frailty thy name is Antony.

QUICKLY

Consider it not so deeply, love.

CLEOPATRA

The Duchess? Oh, god, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have behaved more wisely! He cannot call it love, for at his age, The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble and waits upon the judgement; and what judgement would step from this, to such a thing as... You. Thy, thou. Come nearer.

NARRATOR

Cautiously, the Messenger approaches.

CLEOPATRA

Didst thou behold this... her... the Malfi woman?

MESSENGER

Ay, dread Queen.

CLEOPATRA

Say. Is she as tall as me?

MESSENGER

She is not, madam.

CLEOPATRA

Is she stately-tongued or low?

MESSENGER

She is... low-spoken, madam.

CLEOPATRA

Diminutive and dull of tongue. He cannot like her long.

MESSENGER

No, madam, not possible.

CLEOPATRA

Thinks thou so?

MESSENGER

Ay.

CLEOPATRA

What majesty is in her gait, her stride?

MESSENGER

She creeps, madam.

CLEOPATRA

This fellow has good judgement. I repent me much that I so harried him. Why methinks by him, this woman is no such thing.

ALL

None at all, madam. No. Of course not. No. Nothing.

CLEOPATRA

Ha! A diminutive, limping widow Of two-score... or more! Ha, Ha!

MESSENGER

Uh, actually, madam, I do believe she's thirty.

CLEOPATRA

Alright, alright! THIRTY! She's THIRTY! Repeat it again, please, so all can hear! O, God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart In the marketplace!

QUICKLY

Madam! My Queen,

attend thou my words

Thou knowest, look at me! Thou knowest As well as I... youth's a stuff will not endure.

CLEOPATRA

'Tis certain. Ay, Nell... 'tis certain. Oh, why did I marry? These past few weeks, since our sequestering, Antony has... well, he's been sneaking out to visit Characters from other plays; and, as you know now, Not just Shakespeare's; although that too, I' faith; Sir John, Forgive the news, but Mistress Ford and Mistress Page Ne'er broke their word when they rendezvoused With Antony at Herne's Oak.

NARRATOR

She glances at the Messenger.

CLEOPATRA

Didn't know about that, did you?

MESSENGER

No, madam.

CLEOPATRA

Women always know. And then there was Bianca, Adriana, Lady Montague, and now this Amalfi woman... Italians!

scoffs

CLEOPATRA

He adores women. I was adored once too. I was adored o' the world once; I had a world once; I was adored of a Caesar too, and he had a world once; He had a Cleopatra too, and she had once An Antony.

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly offers Cleopatra a glass of wine.

CLEOPATRA

Thank you, Nell. Caesars, Cleopatras; queens, kings, titles, Melt away in these sad days as breath into the wind; An infectious ill-dispersing wind, Scouring away all but a kind of truth, perhaps; A truth of who we really are? What we really need? Timon-like, it seems, exposing those who truly Love us, and those who truly do not... and perhaps never have.

QUICKLY

Alas, sweet Queen.

CLEOPATRA

Oh, I live with bread like you, feel want, Taste grief, need friends-- subjected thus, How can you say to me I am a Queen?

QUICKLY

There, now, my honey-heart.

NARRATOR

As Cleopatra moves away and pours herself another drink, the door of the tavern flies open again and a young woman rushes in.

JULIET

Uncle Jack!

FALSTAFF

Juliet! What make you out-o-doors?!

JULIET

Forgive me, I knew not where else to go. O, sweet Uncle, cast me not away!

QUICKLY

How is it with thee, lambkins?

JULIET

Alack, alack, is there no pity sitting in the clouds to see into the bottom of my grief!?

QUICKLY

What is it, dear?

JULIET

Oh, these men, these men!

FALSTAFF

Who hath wronged thee, Jules!? Is it that villain Romeo again? Fetch me my rapier, boy! By heaven, I'll shake the muddy-mettled-Montague by the ears! I'll hurt him in eleven places!

JULIET

Uncle Jack, no, no! It is my father; Ever and always the father.

FALSTAFF

Oh. Capulet.

JULIET

Again and again, refusing to lend an ear Unto my purposes, bidding me do only that which has been set down for me.

QUICKLY

Ah, methinks I know what vexes Capulet so; Nay, I do bear a brain; tell me,

love

where is thy Romeo?

JULIET

Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore am I only ever asked about Romeo! Can I not be written a single scene In which our names are not entwined as if we're twins? I possess a life of my own! Wants of my own! Much to the surprise of my father... and the world It seems!

QUICKLY

I was only askin'.

JULIET

Day, night, work, play, Alone, in company...Romeo, Romeo! And if not that,

it's father and mother

Paris! 'Valiant' Paris! 'Summer's flower' Paris! Ever and anon, their care hath been only To have me matched, as if I were a china dish, Worthless until made a set! God's bread, it makes me mad!

QUICKLY

Perhaps it's best not to talk about it.

JULIET

Now, by St. Peter's church, and Peter too, I'll talk though the heavens themselves do bid me hold my tongue; albeit I am twice-treble Weary of the need to make such a speech In the first place!

FALSTAFF

Juliet!

JULIET

Oh, these parents, these men, this world! Ever and anon endeavoring to fashion My life according to their desires! Not merely must I suffer boundless talks Of marriage and position, but now, With this appalling pestilence imprisoning us all within, utter Bedlam on our household Hath descended, and bear I the brunt of it myself; for all save father and I have quit the house.

CLEOPATRA

What mean you, Juliet?

JULIET

Sampson and Gregory do now defer the days at Madam Bull's in Deptford; my cousin Tybalt with great Titania is in love, casts me aside, and in her close and consecrated bower, with her endures these tortuous days and hours; Mother in private chamber pens herself, shuts up her windows and locks fair daylight out; The nurse with Friar Lawrence has gone to stay, and, to pass the time, does nothing there but pray.

So 'tis I alone at whom father takes his aim

"Awake, awake! "The morning cock hath crowed! "'Tis four o' the clock! "Look to the baked meats! "Quench the fire, the room hath grown too hot! "Tend the fire, the room hath grown too cold! "More light, more light! "Time to read! "Time to study! Now to sew, now to cook, now to pray..." Marry, I'll go mad if I stay another day!

FALSTAFF

Fie, Jules, how you cross your father.

JULIET

I cannot choose! Sometimes he angers me; With telling me of our 'noble parentage,' And my 'duties bound.' I tell you what, he kept me last night at least nine hours in reckoning up the several wealthy names of his choice whom I should be 'grateful' to marry! I cried 'Hum,' and 'Well, go to!' but marked him not a word. O, he is as tedious As a tired horse!

FALSTAFF

Juliet!

JULIET

Ay, Ay, very well, I have done. Yet, by the gods, to keep me sane, I need a drink ere I can face him once again. A stoup of wine, mistress.

FALSTAFF

Hold! Hold, ladybird!

JULIET

Uncle...

FALSTAFF

Unhand that brewage on the instant!

JULIET

Uncle...

FALSTAFF

Thou art too young.

JULIET

My gracious uncle...

FALSTAFF

Tut, tut, grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle!

I know thy age unto an hour

Thou hast not yet seen the change of fourteen years.

JULIET

Uncle, dost think I look of fourteen years?!

FALSTAFF

Master Shakespeare...

JULIET

Oh, Master Shakespeare wrote me that age upon the page, But never has the role been enacted, Since William first inscribed my very name, But by one who was also of an age to drink! Therefore I say a stoup of wine before I go.

QUICKLY

Tilly-vally, Sir John, tilly-vally; The girl speaks true enough.

FALSTAFF

Very well, very well. Let us crack a quart together!

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly sets out glasses on the bar.

CLEOPATRA

And another for me, Nell; to remedy my nerves. Feel you, Juliet, feel how I shake, look you; Yea in truth, see; as 'twere a very aspen leaf.

JULIET

What sadness is it grieves your majesty?

CLEOPATRA

Not having that, which having, grieves me more.

OTHELLO

'Tis Antony again.

JULIET

Oh. I am sorry. And Desdemona, my lord, how fares she?

OTHELLO

She too is suffering her father's house.

JULIET

God be with her.

OTHELLO

A man, Juliet, that hath cleft my heart in twain. He once did love me, oft invited me, Still questioned me the story of my life; The battles, sieges... Well, that is a whole play to tell that story. Enough.

CLEOPATRA

Sit, Jules, and stay a while.

JULIET

Nay, my father surely will run mad when he finds me gone.

CLEOPATRA

Yet, stay but a little?

JULIET

Of course, your majesty.

NARRATOR

Juliet takes off her cape and jacket as Mistress Quickly turns to the Messenger.

QUICKLY

Why so quiet, lad?

MESSENGER

When my cue comes, I will answer it.

QUICKLY

Oh. Well, while you're waitin' for it; come 'n help me with these drinks.

NARRATOR

As the Messenger pours the wine, Mistress Quickly turns to Falstaff.

QUICKLY

Strange, is it not? His news delivered, yet still he tarries here.

NARRATOR

The Messenger hands Juliet a drink.

JULIET

Thank you, sir. Serving Man number 3, yes?

MESSENGER

Ay,

the party

Act 1, scene 5.

JULIET

Those were happy days, those scenes. What news abroad?

MESSENGER

None but that the world's grown honest.

JULIET

Then is doomsday near. But your news is false, sir, for to be honest as this world goes is to be one person picked out of ten thousand.

FALSTAFF

In that, my child, we are in accord. Let us, therefore, like to a little kingdom, sit jointly in council; and we two, as one, shall rail against the world together.

CLEOPATRA

Nay, we three as two shall rail against... we one as three shall rail... we... whatever. Ay, Jules, ay, thou art not alone, child, in thy woes. Speak'st thou of thy father's house? My father was a King, now there's trouble at home. Of course, Master Shakespeare didn't write me any of those scenes; no, no, much more interested in my running around after Antony for three and half hours. Why, by Isis, in my salad days I spoke nine languages, was schooled in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, astronomy; lead a naval fleet into battle, and ruled a kingdom for 22 years! Thanks to William, what am I remembered for in the world today? Antony and an asp.

JULIET

Forgive me, your Majesty, but heaven knows you need not suffer it as you are wont to do.

CLEOPATRA

Pardon me, my child, do not presume upon our friendship. I do not suffer it. I do not suffer anything. Or anyone. I am rendered as the Author intends.

JULIET

Well... alter the rendering then.

FALSTAFF

What say you?

JULIET

Alter it.

CLEOPATRA

That's absurd, child.

JULIET

Why? Why is it absurd?

QUICKLY

Alter it?

JULIET

Yes.

OTHELLO

That is not possible.

JULIET

Why?!

CLEOPATRA

Because this is our script, our life!

JULIET

No, it isn't. It's his script and his life!

OTHELLO

They are all the same, child.

JULIET

No they are not. And everyone please stop calling me child! We are all of us merely players; we have our exits and entrances as he wills them. We exist only in his imagination, And only we can change that?

MESSENGER

How?

CLEOPATRA

I do not exist only in some man's imagination!

JULIET

Of course you do! You were written into it. All of us were... besides, you just said as much!

CLEOPATRA

I did not!

JULIET

Antony?!

CLEOPATRA

Speak not of Antony!

OTHELLO

Ladies...

JULIET

I didn't, you did! You just said All you're known for is Antony!

CLEOPATRA

I did not!

QUICKLY

I think you did, lovey!

MESSENGER

Ay, she did!

CLEOPATRA

Darest thou wag thy tongue at me, villain!? AH!

QUICKLY

Your majesty!

JULIET

He does nothing but speak true!

OTHELLO

Now, by heaven, my blood begins my safer guides to rule. That shall suffice!! By heaven... I'll make a ghost of they that disobey.

FALSTAFF

I thank thee, General. All of you now, attend me... Now, this is not the time for friend against friend. We will have no cursing or vexing of each other here... except mine own mellifluous metaphors, resplendent swearings, and my strikingly alliterative, long-winded, and might I add, highly original plethora of oathings! Thou fobbing, dread-bolted, logger-headed, motley-minded, flock of Popinjays! We'll have no more of discord and dismay, the world provides us quite enough of that today. Othello, my friend! Let us play!

NARRATOR

Falstaff takes out his sword.

OTHELLO

Play, my lord?

FALSTAFF

Ay, play a match with me to shake off this great frost of misery. I say, come!

NARRATOR

They push aside chairs and tables as Falstaff begins warming up.

FALSTAFF

The key, my friends, to maintaining... a physique such as mine, is... resist, Cleopatra, resist, -

Cleopatra giggles

FALSTAFF

is daily exercise in the art of defense.

NARRATOR

Falstaff takes a lunge from which he pretends he cannot rise. Juliet and Cleopatra, seeing the joke, rush in to help.

FALSTAFF

Thank you, my ladies, thank you. By the mass, I had forgot me, hast either of thee heard aught of my mad wag, Hal?

JULIET

I'm sorry, Uncle, no.

CLEOPATRA

Nor I.

FALSTAFF

By my troth, I care not! The Prince is a Jack! And he were here I would cudgel him like a dog; For the snipe cannot move a man to laughter More than a joint-stool! He hath no more wit in him than a mallet. -

laughter

OTHELLO

Come, my friend, we are too old for such dallying.

FALSTAFF

Old, say you!? Why this young trunk of mine hath yet the very pith of life in't!

NARRATOR

Falstaff takes a deep stretch, trying to touch his toes.

OTHELLO

Can'st see the toes thou'rt striving for, Sir John?

FALSTAFF

Ay, goodman-wit; I see them, feelingly.

QUICKLY

Well, lie down then, lovey, 'n see if that helps!

FALSTAFF

Have you any levers to lift me up again, being down? -

laughter

CLEOPATRA

Alas the day, good heart, this is excellent sport!

FALSTAFF

Weep not sweet Queen, for trickling tears are vain.

CLEOPATRA

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

FALSTAFF

For god's sake, friends, convey my tristful Queen for tears do stop the floodgates of her eyes.

CLEOPATRA

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

FALSTAFF

Come, sir, thou Hector to my Achilles, come!

NARRATOR

Othello and Falstaff, swords out, take their positions.

FALSTAFF

Hold! I'll wager, sir, that in a half dozen passes, you shall not exceed me three hits.

OTHELLO

What is the wager?

FALSTAFF

My bar bill.

OTHELLO

Nay! Too rich for me.

FALSTAFF

Very well, then, very well... a bottle of my Mistress' finely brewed sack. Be the terms satisfactory?

OTHELLO

They be.

FALSTAFF

And so it begins.

NARRATOR

The men take en garde positions.

QUICKLY

Don't break anything, Sir John!

FALSTAFF

Fear not, sweet wench, I am lithe and limber.

QUICKLY

I mean the furniture, John!

FALSTAFF

Come, sir, begin. And you the judges, bear a wary eye.

NARRATOR

They play a bout of sword play. It is very fun, very friendly throughout. Othello is clearly the better of the two, but we see occasional bursts of Sir John's expertise.

OTHELLO

One!

FALSTAFF

No!

Judgement. - QUICKLY

A hit!

JULIET

A hit!

CLEOPATRA

A palpable hit!

FALSTAFF

Well, sir, again.

QUICKLY

Stay! Give them drink! Here's to thy health, my hearty Hector!

FALSTAFF

Achilles, woman, I am Achilles!

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly offers Falstaff a drink.

FALSTAFF

Nay, I'll play this bout first. Set it by a while. Have at you now!

NARRATOR

They play again. Sir John, begins to get a little more winded as they play.

OTHELLO

Another hit, what say you?

FALSTAFF

I do confess't.

CLEOPATRA

I'faith, Sir John, you're as red as any rose.

FALSTAFF

Flushed with victory, that is all, my Queen!

OTHELLO

What, art thou hurt, man?

FALSTAFF

Nay, nay, a scratch, a scratch. Come again, sir!

NARRATOR

Falstaff is trying to catch his breath, and all are beginning to get a little concerned, except for the Messenger, who still thinks it's just a game.

QUICKLY

I' faith, Sir John, ye've drunk too much canaries.

FALSTAFF

I know not the meaning of the phrase, 'Too much.' Come again, sir!

OTHELLO

Nay, nay, Sir John, prithee, give me leave to breathe a while.

FALSTAFF

Certes, say I. Certes.

NARRATOR

Falstaff is helped into a chair.

FALSTAFF

I do concede thy concession, with grace, And allow thee rest. Behold, though, how I am barely breathed.

MESSENGER

Barely breathed? Ha, ha! Ye can barely move, Sir John! Marry, he's fat and scant of breath, i'n't he!

QUICKLY

Not now, lad, sh!

OTHELLO

Nay, young sir.

MESSENGER

There's no room for breath in that ancient bosom, it's all filled up with guts and midriff! Ha, ha! Ha, ha!

NARRATOR

Falstaff rises and approaches the Messenger.

MESSENGER

What?

Uncle Jack. - OTHELLO

Good sir.

All's well. - MESSENGER

What? I didn't mean nuthin', my lord. 'Twas my cue to speak.

FALSTAFF

Ay, so it was, my boy, so it was; You could not 'alter' that, could you?

MESSENGER

Well, uh, no, I don't think so, my lord; I was just havin' a bit of a laugh, like the rest.

FALSTAFF

Ay, ay, 'tis no fault of yours.

NARRATOR

Falstaff takes up another sword and holds it out to the Messenger.

FALSTAFF

Come. Will you play a bout with me?

MESSENGER

Play a... uh, I'm just the messenger, sir. I never been written into a fight.

FALSTAFF

Yet, I heard thee say even now thou fought'st in "Othello," Act 2, scene 2.

MESSENGER

Ay, but that was just gettin' knocked about wi' a wiggen bottle, sir. I cannot play at this.

FALSTAFF

Oh, come, I'll teach thee. Thou art young and strong, ay?

NARRATOR

Falstaff places the sword in the Messenger's hand.

FALSTAFF

Very well then.

NARRATOR

Falstaff takes an en garde position.

FALSTAFF

Now. Have at me, boy.

MESSENGER

My lord,

I cannot. - FALSTAFF

I pray you.

MESSENGER

Believe me, I cannot.

FALSTAFF

I do beseech you.

MESSENGER

I know no touch of it, my lord.

FALSTAFF

It is as easy as mocking.

NARRATOR

Falstaff puts down his weapon and helps the Messenger with his sword.

FALSTAFF

Grasp thou the pommel with your fingers and thumb, thus; give it motion with thine arm, and it will thrust and parry most efficiently. Look you, here is the grip. Come, come, 'tis only a game.

MESSENGER

But this I cannot command to any semblance of proficiency, my lord. I have not the skill. Forgive me, I cannot play!

FALSTAFF

Why look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me. You would play upon me, you would seem to know the breadth of my worth, you would pluck at the heartstrings of mine age; You would scorn me in my lowest days, at the height of mine infirmity; And there is much skill, much death in this little instrument, yet cannot you make it sing?

NARRATOR

Falstaff takes up his sword again.

FALSTAFF

'Zounds, here's my fiddlestick. Here's that shall make you dance!

NARRATOR

Othello, weapon in hand, steps between them.

OTHELLO

Put up your sword, Sir John!

NARRATOR

Falstaff, with amazing agility, quickly disarms Othello. His sword is now at the Messenger's throat.

FALSTAFF

Thou unthinking, unmannered, unexceptional, boy. There was once much spirit, much vigor, joy, life, skill, strength, expertise and expectation in this old grayness of mine. The glory of my youth may be on the wane, but not my heart. Yea, I am not now of that strength which in the old days could move hearts and fell men; that which I am, I am; made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to survive, to seek, to live, and not to yield. Call me what you will, though you fret me you cannot play upon me.

NARRATOR

Suddenly, Falstaff drops his sword and stumbles up the stairs to the bedchamber, clearly pained from the exertion. Cleopatra and Mistress Quickly go to him.

CLEOPATRA

He's feverous and doth shake.

QUICKLY

Juliet, I prithee, come with us.

NARRATOR

The women help Falstaff into the bedchamber.

MESSENGER

I... I didn't mean it. I am sorry.

OTHELLO

'Tis better playing with a lion's welp, than with an old one dying.

MESSENGER

Dying? Is it...? I mean, does he 'ave...?

OTHELLO

Fear not, my boy, 'Tis not the plague that is killing our friend, it is his heart.

NARRATOR

End of Act One. Act Two. It is very early the next morning. Othello and the Messenger are alone at a table. Othello is teaching the Messenger a card game. They are using nuts from a wooden bowl to bet.

OTHELLO

Queen Elizabeth... she is unusually fond of this game. She did take Lord North for thirty-three pounds I am told.

NARRATOR

Othello shuffles the cards.

OTHELLO

If thou playest among strangers, beware of him that seems simple or drunken; For under this habit the most special cozeners are presented, and while you think that by their simplicity and imperfections you may beguile them, it is yourself will be most overtaken.

MESSENGER

You seem very well versed in this, my lord.

OTHELLO

Ay, I never prospered since I yielded myself to Primero.

NARRATOR

We hear a loud coughing coming from Sir John's chamber.

OTHELLO

The web of our lives is as a mingled yarn, the good and bad together. Come, let us toss another hand.

NARRATOR

Othello deals two cards each.

MESSENGER

Alright, so... first off, I 'ave to Bid, Stake, or Pass.

OTHELLO

Verily, 'tis true.

MESSENGER

I bid two.

OTHELLO

Nay, nay... recover your nuts again. You must first declare your points, and state your hand

MESSENGER

Um... Primero 20, bid 2.

OTHELLO

Very good, i'faith! See how quickly thou dost prosper. Now, look you, I am in possession two sevens, for 42, which I could then pass, risking not a nut;

or I bid myself

Primero 34, Bid 15.

MESSENGER

Does that mean I 'ave to give up more o' me nuts?

NARRATOR

Cleopatra enters from Falstaff's chamber, holding a paper in her hand.

CLEOPATRA

I prithee, lend a hand, where's Juliet?

MESSENGER

Gone.

CLEOPATRA

What mean you gone?!

MESSENGER

There's an apothecary, which late she'd noted, and hereabouts he dwells; she's gone to seek him out.

CLEOPATRA

If the searchers of the city do but her suspect of being where the pestilence doth reign, there shall they keep her confined-- what need the risk?

OTHELLO

'Tis Juliet, my Queen, she reasons not the need. Speak to her I did, but she would have her way.

MESSENGER

The Warders have marked no houses there yet, nor posted papers on the doors.

CLEOPATRA

What doth she hope to gain? There are no medicines she can procure... The fees are thrice-doubled now.

OTHELLO

I did give her forty ducats for the nonce.

CLEOPATRA

How long hath she been gone?

OTHELLO

Since the bell struck two...

CLEOPATRA

Heavens keep her safe.

OTHELLO

How does Sir John?

CLEOPATRA

Faith, very ill. In the heaviness of sleep we bathed him and put fresh garments on him, but the fever lingers. It will not break. I prithee, help.

NARRATOR

Cleopatra hands the paper to Othello.

CLEOPATRA

I was given that of Dr. Caius once, may be it will his fever ease. Pray you, search with me.

OTHELLO

"Take of sage, rue, briar leaves,

elder leaves

of each a handful."

CLEOPATRA

I know there's rue, there's always rue.

OTHELLO

"Stamp and strain them with a quart of white wine."

MESSENGER

That we have, i' faith.

OTHELLO

"And put thereto a little ginger, and a good spoonful of the best honey."

CLEOPATRA

Here's elder, but I see no sage.

OTHELLO

"And drink thereof morning and evening."

MESSENGER

What's the look of briar leaf? I found some honey.

CLEOPATRA

There's no briar, no sage, nor ginger... now by Apollo, we've not half here of what is needed!

OTHELLO

Aqua vitae and chicory set with lemons, did my mother give.

MESSENGER

Violet and strawberry leaves mixed in almond milk; My grandmother gave to us.

CLEOPATRA

We've a tavern here, not the blasted London market! Soft you, what monies have we all together now?

MESSENGER

Nay, it matters not, Madam. The merchants have closed theirs shops for good, taken their wares and left the city with all the great folk. There's naught to be done.

CLEOPATRA

The God's confound thee! AH! By Isis! I will give thee bloody teeth If thou once again bring no better news than bad!

MESSENGER

I have made no fault, madam!

OTHELLO

Cleopatra!

CLEOPATRA

I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry. So oft my fears convert to anger. Beshrew these sad, unhelpful tears! Like Niobe. Come, friend; pray, forgive and forget.

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly enters from Falstaff's bedchamber.

QUICKLY

Any luck, love?

CLEOPATRA

Little. Half, at that.

QUICKLY

Bring it up then; make use o' what we can.

OTHELLO

How fares he?

QUICKLY

Alas, poor heart, he's so shaked of a burning. His heart is fracted, sure. He asked for a song. Poor dear, only for song and sack he asks. Can any of you play?

MESSENGER

Ay! First Musician; Act 4, Scene 5; Juliet's Chamber. Among other plays. What tune, Mistress?

I know 'em all. - QUICKLY

I don't know, lad;

what you will. - MESSENGER

Oh, ay! I got one.

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly starts toward the bedchamber. Othello stops her.

OTHELLO

May't please you, Mistress, tender this to Sir John.

NARRATOR

He takes out his mother's handkerchief and holds it carefully in his hands.

OTHELLO

My mother did bid me once, if ever Fate should show me brother or sister in more need of it than myself, then 'tis I should give it they. So please you now, I offer it Sir John.

NARRATOR

He places the handkerchief in her hands.

Take heed on't

there's magic in the web of it.

QUICKLY

Indeed, I'll give it him, my lord.

OTHELLO

It is required we do awake our faith.

QUICKLY

Ay, my lord. The song, sir.

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly exits with the handkerchief. Cleopatra goes with her.

MESSENGER

This is Act 2, scene 5 in "As You Like It." My character is a little hard to see in that scene, but I'm in there, to the left o' the second sycamore.

William writes

"Enter Amiens, Jacques, and Others."

That's me

'Others.' And, mind you, I am not like some o' those other clowns who say more than the Author actually sets down for them... no, tha's not me. For there be 'o them that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too; though, in the mean time some necessary question of the play be then to be considered. That's villainous... that's what Master Shakespeare says... and shows 'a most pitiful ambition in the fool that does it'.

NARRATOR

Cleopatra rushes out of the bedchamber.

CLEOPATRA

Now by Jupiter and by Juno too... the song!

MESSENGER

Ay, Ay, sorry. Sorry, here i'tis.

NARRATOR

Cleopatra slams the bedchamber door shut.

MESSENGER

Sorry.

OTHELLO

Warble, my son; make passionate his sense of hearing.

sings

MESSENGER

Under the greenwood tree Who loves to lie with me And turn his merry

NARRATOR

We hear a loud commotion coming from Sir John's chamber-- unintelligible shouting. Something smashes against the wall. Mistress Quickly enters.

QUICKLY

Peace, lad, peace! Another tune, he likes it not!

MESSENGER

A love song or a song o' good life?

QUICKLY

Nay, he cares not for good life-- something bawdy-- faster, louder!

NARRATOR

She exits.

MESSENGER

I got one.

sings

MESSENGER

Do nothing but eat And make good cheer And pray to God for a merrier year When Drink is cheap and friends are dear And loves are found both far and near... Be merry, be merry, for life is all! So do me right And dub me knight Fill the cup And let it come I'll pledge you to the bottom! Say, hey, a merry heart lives long! Do nothing but sing and dance the hall, And woo your loves both short and tall; 'N treasure the days you can recall Of those who did your hearts enthrall. Be merry, be merry, for life is all! So do me right and dub me knight Fill the cup and let it come; I'll pledge you to the bottom! Say, hey, A merry heart lives long!

OTHELLO

Well, that was... an enthusiastic rendition.

NARRATOR

Othello pays the Messenger with some of the nuts they used in the card game.

OTHELLO

There is for thy pains.

MESSENGER

No pains, sir, I take pleasure in singing.

OTHELLO

I'll pay thy pleasure then.

MESSENGER

Truly, sir, and pleasure will be paid one time or another.

NARRATOR

The front door flies open and Juliet rushes in.

JULIET

We are undone, my lord, we are undone!

OTHELLO

How dost thou, Juliet? What news?

JULIET

Oh, break my heart. Poor bankrupt, break at once. I saw them in the streets; saw it with mine eyes, God save the mark, poor souls; pale, pale as ashes. I swounded at the sight.

OTHELLO

And the apothecary?

JULIET

Oh God... I have an ill-divining soul! My father. Methinks I see my father Nnow as one dead in the bottom of a tomb--

OTHELLO

Juliet.

JULIET

I want to go home. I need to go home, my lord.

NARRATOR

Juliet takes up a sword and runs for the door.

JULIET

See well to my uncle.

OTHELLO

Juliet, hold!

JULIET

I will not, sir.

OTHELLO

It is not yet near day; wait for the sun to show itself.

JULIET

Nay, my lord, I dare no longer stay.

NARRATOR

Othello steps between Juliet and the door.

JULIET

Do not bar my way, good sir.

OTHELLO

Look ye, now! I have known battles and sieges; Accidents of flood and field, and hair-breadth scapes in the imminent deadly breach of war. This is but another battle. This I know. Allow me council.

JULIET

Speak, my lord.

OTHELLO

Here we are yet well. Here we are all safe. We have each other. All this is comfort. Yes? Now. In the morning, early, I myself and... What is your name?

MESSENGER

Sorry... I don't have one, sir.

OTHELLO

I and the messenger will escort thee to thy father's house.

JULIET

And if it then be sealed and I shut out?

OTHELLO

'Tis almost morning-- an hour more is all I say; if danger there is to face, See it better by the day.

NARRATOR

Juliet puts down her sword.

JULIET

Oh, God, God, think'st thou these dark days will ever end?

OTHELLO

I doubt it not.

JULIET

I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins.

OTHELLO

As do I, Juliet. Never battle has there been, where, before the like, I have not felt the same. We are none of us ourselves these days. Now. Tell me. Founds't thou the apothecary?

JULIET

Indeed I did, sir, but seeing it was a house where the infectious pestilence did reign, I did not dare to enter... I am sorry, I could not.

OTHELLO

You did well and right.

JULIET

As I was leaving, the searchers of the town sealed up the doors of the house along with all that stood nearby. I myself escaped by nary a breath or they'd have sealed me in too.

OTHELLO

Darkness and devils!

NARRATOR

Cleopatra enters.

CLEOPATRA

How now, Juliet, what said the apothecary? Can he minister to a heart diseased?

JULIET

The doors were shut upon me, madam; To him I spoke not.

CLEOPATRA

Oh, would that you had... And that he might, with some oblivious sweet antidote, cleanse too the disease that weighs upon our land, and purge it to a sound and pristine health.

JULIET

How does my Uncle Jack?

CLEOPATRA

Scarce half-awake. Resting, yet still weak and fever-shaken. I'll let them alone a while.

JULIET

I hope all will be well.

MESSENGER

The tour might help him a bit; out in the country, the open air; n' spring is well-nigh here. I know a bank where the wild thyme grows, and these violets... beggar all description.

OTHELLO

Tour? What mean you tour?

MESSENGER

Oh, Master Shakespeare's puttin' together a tour for everyone.

OTHELLO

Othello's occupation's found!

NARRATOR

Othello rises quickly.

OTHELLO

I will a commission forthwith dispatch. Arm I pray you for this speedy voyage.

MESSENGER

Uh, sorry, sir... no! No, sir. No again. My fault. I was saying that Will's put together a tour for everyone that's in "Merry Wives."

OTHELLO

Not "Othello?"

MESSENGER

I am sorry, sir, no.

OTHELLO

Why... why is this?! Thinks he I can make a life of complacency? Sure he that made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that capability and godlike reason to fust in us unused!

MESSENGER

Oh, no, it's not that, sir, it's just that "Merry Wives," well, all ya need is a couple o' chairs, table, and a buck basket; and then, for Herne's Oak we can use wha'ever woods we find there; But with "Othello," ye got Cyprus, Venice; Venice, Cyprus; the Venetian and Cypriot Costumes; Senators; we got wiggen bottles... It's just too much to lug along.

CLEOPATRA

Well, thank the gods it's not Antony and I; We'd devour each other e're the first night's call; I'd rather go Roman and swallow hot coals.

JULIET

I can't believe touring to be such a hardship.

CLEOPATRA

At your age, my dear, of course you cannot; Trust me, the allure dissipates. Quickly. I was toured for 15 years in my day, with a scant 12 actors and a brace of juvenile hirelings picked up along the way, to play 66 characters and 34 speaking parts in 42 scenes; and then, for the Battle of Actium, a burnished boat which literally burned on the water. Every night. Thank you, no. I'm quite content to wait until the theaters reopen again.

JULIET

Well, why can't we tour "Juliet and Romeo?" Not much is needed for that.

MESSENGER

Uh, balcony.

JULIET

I'll see to Uncle Jack.

NARRATOR

Juliet starts up the stairs but is stopped by a sudden, loud, banging on the front door. Everyone freezes. The knocking continues. When it stops, the Messenger carefully opens the door. There is now a large RED CROSS painted across it, with a paper NOTICE nailed beneath. The Messenger stares at the notice.

OTHELLO

Pray, sir, can you read?

MESSENGER

Ay, mine own fortune in our misery.

OTHELLO

I mean what you see.

MESSENGER

Ay, sir. It reads, "LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US." There'll be no leavin' this place now.

CLEOPATRA

Why so? None here are ill.

MESSENGER

They need only suspect, madam.

NARRATOR

The Messenger peers down the street.

MESSENGER

They got Warders stationed at every corner... And they're armed.

OTHELLO

Let me see.

JULIET

How may this be prevented?

MESSENGER

It may not, madam. Confined we are till further direction be given.

JULIET

My father shall grow sick with fear, He knows not where I am.

CLEOPATRA

How long will it last, think you?

MESSENGER

That's up to the Privy Council, my lady. Eight, ten days... could be as much as forty.

JULIET

Oh, God.

CLEOPATRA

There's not food enough for forty days.

MESSENGER

We can entreat more food o' the Warders.

OTHELLO

Say you?

MESSENGER

Place we what coin we have in a bowl o' vinegar, and set it outside the door.

OTHELLO

How know you that?

MESSENGER

Messenger.

OTHELLO

Ah. Juliet, the forty ducats I did give thee! Boy, discern thou the provision of water. My lady, get me some ink and paper; I'll draw the form and model of our charge.

NARRATOR

As everyone busies themselves, Mistress Quickly enters from the bedchamber and stands silent on the upper landing. Everyone stops.

QUICKLY

Bristle thy courage up; for Falstaff he is dead.

CLEOPATRA

Oh, break my heart.

OTHELLO

Is it e'en so?

JULIET

Can heaven be so envious?

QUICKLY

Ay, that it can. His immortal part with angels lives. A' made a finer end and went away an' it had been any christom child;

a' parted even now

for after I saw him fumble with the sheets and smile upon his fingers' ends, I knew there was but one way; for his cheeks were pale as lead, and a' babbled of green fields. 'How now, sir John!' quoth I 'what, man! be o' good cheer.' So a' cried out 'God, God, God!' three or four times. Now I, to comfort him, bid him a' should not think of God; I hoped there was no need to trouble himself with any such thoughts yet.

So a' bade me lay more clothes on his feet

I put my hand into the bed and felt them, and they were as cold as any stone; then I felt to his knees, and they were as cold as any stone, and so upward and upward, and all was as cold as any stone. He cried out for sack, he did. And a song.

CLEOPATRA

There's a great spirit gone.

JULIET

Heaven make a star of him.

OTHELLO

What can I say? His spirit exceeds my speech.

CLEOPATRA

He never lifted up his voice but people laughed. He was too full of life to live long; We shall not see his like again.

FALSTAFF

Do not think so, sweet wags, ye shall not find it so! Ha, ha!

NARRATOR

Falstaff is wearing a night shirt now and has Othello's handkerchief tied around his forehead.

QUICKLY

God save us!

OTHELLO

What's this?

CLEOPATRA

Praise, Isis.

JULIET

Heaven bless us!

QUICKLY

Sweet, sweet, sweet, honey lord!

CLEOPATRA

And they say miracles are past!

OTHELLO

The handkerchief!

QUICKLY

But I saw thee breathless and cold, pale as lead!

FALSTAFF

Tut, tut, my love, 'twas but my time to counterfeit! Or that hot termagant of a tapster death had found me sure 'n pressed me for payment... 'tis not due yet! I would be loath to pay him before his time!

JULIET

If this were played upon a stage, I would condemn it as an improbable fiction.

QUICKLY

I thought thou hadst left me, John!

FALSTAFF

Nay, nay, a death-counterfeiting slumber, t'was all it was. If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep, my dreams presage some joyful news at hand. I dreamt that Hal returned and found me dead... strange dream, that gives a dead man leave to think... and breathed such life with laughter into my heart that I revived and was an Emperor. Ha, ha!

CLEOPATRA

Hark, how hard he fetches breath.

FALSTAFF

Why, look you! Here comes the rascally wag now, as I am a knight true-bred!

NARRATOR

Falstaff is speaking to the air.

There is no Hal before him. - FALSTAFF

Ha, ha! HAL! HAL!!! God save thee, sweet boy! My prince! My Jove!

QUICKLY

Alas, Sir John, how is't with you, that you do bend your eye on vacancy?

FALSTAFF

I knew thou wouldst ne'er deny my love!

He knows not what he says

and bootless 'tis that we present thus to him.

QUICKLY

John, John, whereon do you look?

FALSTAFF

Why, on... on...

NARRATOR

Falstaff falters, the vision before him begins to fade, when suddenly the Messenger steps into Falstaff's line of sight.

FALSTAFF

On him! Ha, ha! On him! Come closer, ye rogue ye!!

NARRATOR

The Messenger steps closer, remarkably Prince-like now. Falstaff turns to Othello.

FALSTAFF

I told thee, Master Shallow, did I not, I would be sent for in private by him? Ha, ha! He disavowed me not. Look you... he will be King here one day, and so in public must he seem to stand aloof from me.

NARRATOR

He turns back to the Messenger.

FALSTAFF

Hal, my heart's life, where hast been, lad? I should chide thee horribly for vexing me so with thy absence. Ay, father-like, as I have always been to thee, I shall examine thee on the particulars of thy life, thou heart-ruiner, thou. Ha, ha. Thy father is a King, is he not? As am I, in this my dominion of companions... yea, thou, and thou, and thou, yea all of thee be the riches of my kingdom. Canst thou?

NARRATOR

Falstaff, noticing his change of shirt, loses his way again and turns to Mistress Quickly.

FALSTAFF

Pray, do not mock me, but all the skill I have remembers not these garments, nor do I know where I did lodge last night.

QUICKLY

We're at the Boar's Head, John... oh lord, your hands are ice cold.

FALSTAFF

Ay, that's well said, Master Ford; a good heart's worth gold.

QUICKLY

Juliet, your cloak.

FALSTAFF

Ay, fetch me my robe! I have immortal longings in me!

NARRATOR

He addresses Cleopatra and Mistress Quickly.

FALSTAFF

Mistress Page. Mistress Ford. My sweet dears, my does; setting the attraction of my good parts aside, would you be so kind as to help a foolish, fond, old man.

NARRATOR

They help Falstaff to sit down.

FALSTAFF

This shall be my chair of state.

NARRATOR

He calls to Othello.

FALSTAFF

Bardolph! Give me a cup of sack to make mine eyes look red, that it may be thought I have wept for my Hal's absence; for I must speak in passion.

NARRATOR

Falstaff is distracted suddenly by the sight of Juliet.

FALSTAFF

You are a spirit, I know; where did you die?

JULIET

Uncle Jack, dost thou know me?

FALSTAFF

To speak plainly, I fear that I am not in my perfect mind. Methinks I should know you, but I am doubtful. Pray do not laugh at me, for, as I am a man, I think this lady to be Lear's child, Cordelia. Ah! Be your tears wet? I pray you, weep not, my nightingale. Though I am mightily abused, know that I shall chastise my wayward one-time son. Stand aside, nobility!

NARRATOR

Everyone obeys Falstaff and moves away... everyone except the Messenger, who remains standing as Prince Hal.

FALSTAFF

We are amazed, and thus long have we stood to watch the fearful bending of thy knee because we thought ourself thy lawful king.

NARRATOR

The Messenger kneels.

FALSTAFF

Harry. Harry. I do not only marvel where thou spendest thy time, but also how thou art accompanied; yea, in what villainous fellowship thou dost pass thy days. And yet, there is a very virtuous man I have often noted in thy company, but I know not his name.

MESSENGER

What manner of man, an it like your majesty?

FALSTAFF

A goodly portly man, i' faith, and a corpulent; of a cheerful look, a pleasing eye and a most noble carriage; and, as I think, his age some fifty, or, by'r lady, inclining to three score; and now I remember me, his name is... his name is...

MESSENGER

Falstaff.

FALSTAFF

Falstaff! So it is! Harry, I see virtue in this man. Thou shoulds't with him have kept and banished all the rest. Tell me now, thou naughty varlet, tell me, where hast been? Ungracious boy, deny'st me thy love for my age? That I am old, the more the pity, these white hairs do witness it; but that I am less the friend because of it, that I utterly deny. If sack and singing be a fault, God help the wicked! If to be old and merry be a sin, then many an old host that I know is damned. If to covet friendship be a vice, then I am the most offending soul alive. If to be fat is be to be hated, why then 'tis a fault 'gainst heaven, for 'twas heaven created me as I am. No, my boy; banish illness, banish piousness; banish falsehood,

hatred and hypocrisy

but for sweet Jack Falstaff, kind Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff, valiant Jack Falstaff, and therefore more valiant, being, as he is, old Jack Falstaff, banish not him thy Harry's company,

banish not him thy Harry's company

banish plump Jack, and banish all the world.

MESSENGER

I do not. I will not.

NARRATOR

The Messenger takes Falstaff's hand and kisses the back of it.

FALSTAFF

Why, is not this, then, all?

Now art thou what thou art

my son, my Icarus, my blossom.

NARRATOR

Falstaff is suddenly distracted again and shouts to a vision before him.

FALSTAFF

You get thee gone, huh! I've been drinking all night; I am not fitted for it.

NARRATOR

He turns back to the Messenger.

FALSTAFF

Here again, by my side, Hal. Indeed, thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion and showed thou mak'st some tender of my life in this fair rescue that thou has brought me.

NARRATOR

He speaks again to the vision.

FALSTAFF

Avaunt and quit my sight! There'll be a time for such a word tomorrow!

NARRATOR

He turns back to the Messenger.

FALSTAFF

You do look, my son, in a moved sort, as if you were dismayed. Be not disturbed by my infirmity, 'tis but my revels which are now ending, and this... is all spirit, and soon to be melted into air, into thin air; and, like the baseless fabric of this vision, shall fade and dissolve; as must we all, for we are such stuff as dreams are made on.

NARRATOR

Again he turns and speaks to the vision.

FALSTAFF

Oh, very well, very well! ye crook-pated pester-y rascal. You shall have gold enough to pay the debt twenty times o'er. My reckoning, Mistress! It is a heavy one, but well spent. Ha, ha! I would 'twere bed-time, Hal, and all well.

NARRATOR

Falstaff rises and confronts the vision before him.

FALSTAFF

Oh, marry, I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need be, virtuous enough! I swore little; I diced not above seven times a week; I drank too much once in a quarter... of an hour; I paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; I lived well and in good company... mostly. Nay, nay... you work your work, and I mine, and there's the rendezvous of it!

NARRATOR

He turns back to the Messenger, who he no longer sees as Hal.

FALSTAFF

Give us a song, lad! Give us a... who are you?

MESSENGER

I'm the messenger.

FALSTAFF

Ay, that ye are, lad, that ye are. There must be conclusions, eh? Then sing to me the while, my good he-Mercury, sing.

MESSENGER

A love song or a song of good life?

FALSTAFF

A love song. I've had a good life.

MESSENGER

Which one, my lord?

FALSTAFF

That strain again, it had a dying fall.

MESSENGER

My lord?

FALSTAFF

That piece of song, that old and antic song you played, to which I cried 'no more'; Some things seem sweet now, which were not so before. Come, but one verse. Mark it, mistress, it is old and simply sung; It dallies with the innocence of love; The days of splendor... when we were young.

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly helps Falstaff sit down.

FALSTAFF

Ah, Nell, give me thy lips! Is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance? Ha, ha! By my troth I kiss thee with a most constant heart. Farewell, mistress.

NARRATOR

They kiss.

FALSTAFF

Fear not, sweet chuck, I am a fiction; I cannot die.

QUICKLY

I pray you, sweet John, love, 'n what when it's time to go?

FALSTAFF

Then come death and welcome, the Author wills it so. A song, I say! And sack!

QUICKLY

Sir John...

FALSTAFF

Sh, sh, sh. Let be. Let be... I go to it merrily. Sing!

sings

MESSENGER

Under the greenwood tree Who loves to lie with me And turn his merry note Unto the sweet bird's throat Come hither, come hither, come hither Here shall YOU see No enemy But winter and rough weather Here shall you see No enemy But winter and rough weather

NARRATOR

Othello checks on Falstaff. He nods to Cleopatra. She goes to Mistress Quickly.

CLEOPATRA

He's gone, Mistress.

QUICKLY

Say?

CLEOPATRA

Sir John. He's gone.

QUICKLY

The breaking of so great a thing should have made a greater crack.

MESSENGER

Shall I... let the Warders, know, madam? They can... well...

QUICKLY

Not yet, lad, not yet.

NARRATOR

Mistress Quickly sits by Sir John, and takes his hand.

JULIET

Would that Master Shakespeare might write us out of this scene.

MESSENGER

He cannot write us out of it, 'twas he that wrote us into it. He has no choice in the matter; he's got to write from his heart; to write otherwise t'would be a lie. For we are the brief and abstract chronicles of the time; Indeed, and 'tis we must hold the mirror up to nature.

QUICKLY

You are in the right, my young friend. 'Tis your time. Sir John would often chide me, and bade me 'With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.' Let us try to do so, and with grace. We shall have a heavy miss of him, but come, good friends, for so you are; when time shall serve, there will be smiles again. I prithee, sing.

sings

MESSENGER

Sigh no more, dear ones, sigh no more The Fates are deceivers ever One foot in sea and one on shore To one thing constant never Then sigh not so, but let them go And be you blithe and bonny Converting all your sounds of woe Into hey, nonny nonny Sing no more ditties Sing no more Of dumps so dull and heavy The fraud of Fates was ever so Since summer first was leafy Then sigh not so, but let them go And be you blithe and bonny Converting all your sounds of woe Into hey, nonny nonny Converting all your sounds of woe Into hey, nonny nonny End of play.

bright upbeat music

clapping

Brenda

Hello, everybody, hi, everybody! Hi.

Tracy

Bravo, Jimmy.

Brenda

What?

Tracy

Bravo, Jimmy.

Brenda

Bravo, Jimmy. The author. Hi!

Jim

Thank you all, congratulations.

Brenda

Good job guys. Well done, well done, so weird. I just wanna talk to the audience. I want them all right here with us. Is Tim on?

Tim

Yes. Tim, hi, Tim, hi Greg. - Hi. How are you guys doing? - Good. We're doing well. - Great. Nice, really nice job.

Jim

Good job everybody, congratulations.

Brenda

Yeah, that was, that was amazing. It was just amazing. My phone's kind of been lighting up. So many people watching. I just want to say hi to everybody. We had this huge crowd. There was lots of folks

watching tonight

like Lee and Sandy Ernst were out there watching, and Chuk Iwuji was out there watching, Bob Morgan was out there watching. Triney, of course, our fan club, Triney and Ted and Mahri were out there. But like tons of people, my phone's... Val and Steve. So many people. Chuk just said "Bravo, bravo. I'm so happy for you guys, so happy for you guys." And so many of our board is out there. I wanted to just turn it over Carey. There's so many questions about the play. I think there's like 17 comments up here.

Carey

Hello everyone, it's Carey Cannon. And yes, lots of versions of, for Jimmy, when did you start writing this play? When did you begin writing this piece? Did you start writing prior to the current pandemic, was the seed there and the plague was a timely addition? Was it inspired or influenced by COVID-19? There are about four end versions of that question.

Jim

Yeah, no, I started it... Well, I got home-- I was doing a show down in Florida with Greg Coffin actually in Florida at the Oslo and we finished there. I got home about March 8th or 9th or 10th, somewhere around there. And no, I was completely depressed-- I kind of, more depressed than I am usually. And long story short, I usually write every day no matter what. For 25, 30 years now, I always write and I had no desire to write anything. I was going on about three weeks of kind of moping around on the porch. And it was one night Brenda and I were having a cocktail on the porch. And she was probably trying to get me out of my misery and said, well, why don't you write something about what's going on in the world right now? And I like, doesn't interest me at all. Who wants to read about, listen to more sadness? Then she said, well maybe something about the plague, during Shakespeare's time, I said like no, no, God no, it doesn't interest me at all. And then half-jokingly I just said, what we should write is like a play about like Shakespeare's characters out of work like we are-- Bored, you know? And then, all of a sudden, it didn't sound so crazy. And I said yeah, the Boar's Head Tavern, Mistress Quickly, Falstaff. And that started to generate the idea. So I wrote very quickly for me, so I think I pounded out a very, very rough first draft in about three weeks. But I was unemployed, so I was writing every day for you know, early in the morning, for eight to 10 hours a day. So I got a rough draft. And this was before we even knew we were doing any Zoom stuff. This is very early on. And I was very fortunate because I showed it to the folks at APT and they thought that might have some promise in it. And then they said-- then they started doing these readings and said do you want to do it in the readings and I said no at first. I just couldn't get my mind around like showing a new play on Zoom, where it could be captured for you know and, new plays are very, you like to nurture them and take care of them for a while. But eventually they kind of talked me into it and I said I had-- need to get support so, so lucky to get Eva on board with this and I needed a great director and Tim Ocel I worked with, I know he's good with new works. Greg Coffin, I love his work and then they gave me this cast, whom I wrote the play for. So yeah, so that's a long story to, no I did not have this written already. We developed this over the last eight weeks, right eight weeks or so? Give or take.

Brenda

Yep, about eight. Yeah.

Carey

Along those lines, Jim, the question about which Shakespearean characters you decided to include. How did you decide which characters to bring to life in this play, says India Paul, from the Asolo.

Jim

Hi, India, I miss you. I hope you're well. Hi, Frank. I actually only started-- you'll think this is silly-- but I just started with Mistress Quickly and Falstaff and I waited to see who came in the door, and that may sound kind of like artsy... It's not really, it's your imagination as a writer. You sit down and say the door opens. And it was-- Othello walked in, and the door opens... And it's funny because we said like, no Richard the Third's came to the door. No Iagos or Edmunds, or... came. It was interesting, what did not come to my imagination unplanned. But the play's about lots of things, of course, but originally, you know, the original subtitle was a play about friendship and for some reason what was happening in the world and is happening in the world right now, both the pandemic and the social pandemic that we have. I think, for me started to see who are the real people that you love in this world that you know are good people and you want to be around and I think these things like this really show ourselves to each other. Cleopatra has a speech about that. So I guess, the people that walked in the door, in my imagination, were friends with each other. And that, and then lots of other stuff developed unconsciously.

Carey

Triney would like-- -

crosstalk

Tim

Can you talk about the Dickens quote?

Jim

Oh yeah, well, it wasn't a quote. I was also, this is-- the logic of this play could be really fun to wrap your mind around. But, I had written a play some years ago for my friend and colleague Jim Ridge called "Dickens in America," which is about Dickens' American speaking tour that he did, but I researched Charles Dickens a lot. And there's a very famous painting of Charles Dickens asleep at his desk, with, like, a hundred of his different characters all floating around his head, and different characters from different books, you know, Chuzzelwit and Professor Gradgrind and Scrooge, and all these different characters kind of talking to themselves in his head. So that was one of the, the kind of water I swam in to play with this was this was Shakespeare dreaming about all of the characters from his plays, basically taking taking control of their own lives a little bit and doing what they want. And the original-- one of the subtitles was originally 11 drafts ago was "Shakespeare's Dream." And with that, I was a little too on the nose for...

Brenda

Somebody wanted you to call it-- I got a text from someone saying you should call it "The Messenger."

laughs

Jim

Yeah...

Carey

There is a question there. There's a question from Jim Winship. Where did the idea of the messenger come from?

Jim

He was the first one that came in the door, I had no idea what he was gonna be, to be honest with you. And I'm not being facetious about that. Things happen when you're writing and then Tim and I and the group, all of us, and I just want to say I don't know if you knew how blessed I am to have actors of this caliber, and a design team. This is our little design team here and speech and my stage managers to develop a piece. I just wanted to say that. It's-- kind of in awe of that. Because everybody in this room contributed to making this play. So things happen like that, the messenger starts to, "No, maybe there's something more to him" and we develop him more. So he just came to life in the development of the play and started to take on more meaning. We were like, who's that, he's still there. Why didn't he leave yet? And we just kept on developing that theme as it continued. And what was fun is writing for actors that I knew-- I know very, very well and writing for actors that have, Juliet who has played Juliet and Cleopatra who has played Cleopatra. I know them very well so I was-- I call it the movie in my head when I was writing. I was just-- I would let Tracy do what Tracy would, and I would just literally see Tracy doing the role in my head. And then, copy the dictation, copy down what she did, so I stole from all of you.

Brenda

I just wanted to say that like what Brian, I want to ask you specifically what it felt like to revisit Falstaff in this manner. Because, you know, we love your Falstaff and you've done him several times now in different plays and different places, and he lives so, so clearly inside you. I just wanted to know what it felt like to step into this. I mean, how did this feel to you?

Brian

It's amazing to step into his soul again in a new play. This is sort of like Falstaff in between the cracks of the Henry histories and the, and the Merry Wives. I enjoyed it, I felt like I was swimming in very familiar waters. And I also felt like there was a little bit of Lear in there so I mean, it was such a vehicle for me to, in a way visit and another way explore in this piece. To me, it feels like a Valentine tour to Falstaff and it's very sweet, very sweet to play, and be a part of.

Brenda

That's awesome. It's just awesome.

Carey

There's a lot of Shakespeare's words in the play and there are different versions of this question. And they are, what percentage do you say is Shakespeare's and what is yours? How did you choose the plays? How many plays are those words from? How did you choose whose mouth those words went into? Juliet has a lot of Hotspur in her in this, which some of you enjoyed Juliet's ability to kind of grab the bull by the horns there and have a little Hotspur in her.

Jim

Mm-hmm.

Brenda

Yeah, I kept getting texts from people. There were mashups, all the mashups. They're like, Oh my god, it's dah da dah, dah da dah. They were like all the mashups were showing up for all the people who know Shakespeare so well. It was really fun, I think for them. So go ahead, Jim.

Jim

I have no idea how many plays, I just know my big Shakespeare has about 1,000 Post-It notes in it and but I don't know, but I would think I'll bet you about 75 or 80% is Shakespeare verbatim, but in different contexts. Cleopatra has Hamlet and Richard the Second and Othello. And so everybody's saying different lines from different plays. And I just think as I've been blessed to be around this work for over 30 years, and so when I would put the characters in a situation, either something would come to me, I played Hotspur twice. So I knew that kind of, I wanted that, that came to me easily for Juliet. And the other ones or I would remember, like one line, there's a line from this play that sounded right. And then I would Google that, I would type it in and find out where it's from and see what I could use of that. So the research was fun. When you find something that works and giving Othello some of Iago's lines and things like that were fun. And so yeah, but I bet you about 80% of it is verbatim and then the other 20% is me adapting Shakespeare's words and twisting them around. And maybe 5% is just original iambic poetry that I wrote. But it's pretty much all Shakespeare in there.

Tim

Occasionally, I did have to ask, is that from a play or is that you?

Jim

There's a few things, you know, like Cleopatra's speech. And there's only one word that I can find that was not in use at Shakespeare's time, and I'm not gonna tell anybody what it is. No, I did try to check that any words that I used had to be in his vocabulary. -

laughter

Jim

And there was one that I know of in the play that was not. I'll find a better word--

Brenda

Oh, no, you're not gonna tell us?

Jim

No!

Brenda

For real? That is such a Jimmy thing to do that, you're just not going to tell us now.

Carey

You guys can all guess on the Q&A. Just throw some guesses out there.

Jim

There's also only one quote, one adapted quote, that is not from Shakespeare.

Brenda

Where's it from?

Another-- - Tim

I know.

Brenda

What is it, Tim?

Tim

The card game stuff, right?

Jim

Oh, no, you're right. That is not from Shakespeare, but that's not the quote I'm talking about. That is from the 1600s, on what to be wary of when you're playing Primero with card sharks.

Carey

There's more really specific questions, and this one was fun because I was thinking that when you're listing the ingredients today. Where did the ingredients from the apothecary come from? Are they from actual plays or other sources or from that period?

Jim

No, that yeah-- I researched supposed remedies for the plague. There's all kinds of them together. So I did do a lot of research about the play. I purposely kept this. I didn't say it was the plague of 1606 or 1590. I just said a time of plague. Because we don't get it, we don't want to get bogged down into specific where are we in Shakespeare's life? That's not what the play is about.

Carey

Okay, we have some guesses though.

Jim

That was, that was research on the plague itself and things like putting money in a bowl of vinegar and putting it outside the door, the waters, the red cross. That was all research on the actual life at the time of the plague in London.

Carey

Marco Barricelli says "a duel of wits."

indistinct

Carey

Tennyson, Marco says "You showed up unarmed." Ulysses, Tennyson says Bret.

Jim

You got it, yep, it's Tennyson, Ulysses.

Carey

Yep, that's Bret Breneman. Eva, you come from smart people.

laughter

Carey

Bret actually had a question earlier that I thought was really interesting. I'm trying to find it again and it was about Juliet espousing both altering and being within the author's will. The sort of existential questions that when you let characters ask both those questions.

Jim

That's not from Shakespeare.

laughing

Brenda

Juliet, that's not from Shakespeare. Hey Melisa, how are you? Did, do you like this version of Juliet?

Melisa

I do, yes. - You like this version of Juliet? It's amazing, it's great. It's a really great, I was just texting Jimmy about it earlier, like what an epic way to revisit something, not just that it's a character I love dearly, but uh, that we've worked on together before. It was the first role that I played for APT and then now under these circumstances to work in, in this format with this character. This is very meta on that level for me, but um, but it's great and I love, you know I love that she's not there for a boy. Yep. How that she's discussing family matters, and that was important to me. And I loved that that was sort of what she begins her journey with, it's really cool.

Brenda

Hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm. Beautiful.

Carey

Tim, we have some questions about directing on Zoom. Kevin Aselin, our friend and colleague

indistinct

Carey

says-- and there was other versions of this-- Tim, in your work as a director curious to learn if you

inaudible

Carey

directing on Zoom. What sort of challenges did you confront? And there's also questions for stage managers about the challenges of managing this storytelling on Zoom.

Tim

I would say the biggest thing was to try to decide how much or little action to do. And obviously, you saw that we did-- we did not act out a whole lot. We decided early, Jimmy, I think even, I mean right from the top that we were gonna have a narrator, narrating stage direction, we had decided that so to do a kind of staged reading. And so a lot of it was interpretational. Sometimes I would not look at them, because I wanted to hear the play through our ears. So the radio, it's actually a really good radio play. Mm-hmm. Streaming, I challenge you to turn it on and not watch and hear the play, it's really quite astounding. And so that was the biggest thing, is that. And then because it was a new play to try to listen for any time, um, either the actors or my direction or the play seem to lie or not be consistent, or to actually encourage those places of contrast, and relationships. Some of the things that we worked on in this last week was just actor beats and how nothing can be transitional. It all has to be part of the play. So if there were small three line beats, we wanted to shape the three line beat, and then go on to something else. And we talked a lot about what the movie in our heads would be, if we were staging. Like, the movie in my head says this would happen. And when we talked about actually having images, that it really did change what the actors did. So that was really my job is just, it was kind of, in a way, the same thing, it's like, I just raised my hand and go "stop" if I think there's a lie happening, or maybe a better way to do it. Anytime, I'm distracted or taken out of the piece, whether that's in terms of action or in terms of too much or whatever. But the tricky thing is you're actually playing for a camera here and you're not on a theater stage.

Brenda

And listening because-- I mean acting is listening, right? But it seemed to me, it seems to me watching these readings over the last six weeks how much you guys have to be literally just audibly hearing, trying to lift your choices out of what you're hearing, not even seeing and hearing. Is that, how is that, how is that, Trace, to do that? I mean, how does that feel like that? I mean, because you're such responsive actors. How does it work?

Tracy

I don't know. It has been very interesting these eight weeks to act without a face in front of you. The faces are there on the screen, but I don't know how everybody else does it but I pushed everybody's faces to the side. We have our scripts right in front of us, if you haven't watched one of these yet and heard this in a talk back. The scripts are in front of us on the screen and so we're scrolling while we're acting also so that the next line comes up. But so in order to keep the words as close to the camera as possible, we try to, I try to put the people to the side so that my words are right next to the camera so it kind of looks like I'm not reading but acting. But I'm sure y'all can tell when we're reading. Our eyes go back and forth. We are not memorized, we are reading. But because we can't look at the people if I was looking at them, I wouldn't be looking at the camera. It really is about acting with their voices. But these actors are extraordinary and we all know each other so it-- they're my family members. So you know when Nate has a certain tone in his voice or Brian or May or Sarah or Gavin, I can see their face in my mind's eye because I already know them. So that was a-- that's a gift. I don't, I think doing this with strangers would be much more difficult. I wouldn't necessarily know what that tone meant, but because I know and love all of these people, um, I sort of could see their faces, when I heard them.

Brenda

Yeah, Brian.

Brian

On the other side of it, I don't think I will ever get a chance to whisper Shakespeare. -

laughter

Brian

Certainly not at APT. -

laughter

Brian

-

Brian whispering Shakespeare

Brenda

No, it's true, it's so true.

Brian

It's amazing--

Carey

We have a bunch of questions for Greg or comments for Greg.

David Daniels

"Hi, do you just have these tunes in your pocket? Pull them out when you need one? Marco Barricelli says, "Hello, it's been 100 years." - Marco! Jennifer Vosters loves the soundscape and heard some "Book of Will" in there. What was the process.

Greg

A wee bit of "Book of Will." What a-- Thank you all, what a gift to be able and how increasingly rare to write music for a Shakespeare play between 1590 and 1610. So it was great to be able to kind of listen to a bunch of research and be able to know my voices. I've worked with both Brian and Nate before so, and it was a wonderful stretch. And it was wonderful to work with Jimmy on the placement of the songs and they come from so many different plays, and so many other situations too. To challenge a melody of a song to be something that must serve this moment and not a moment from, from a a play that it, that it began in. It's really a wonderful time. And especially with "Sigh No More." To be able to take a piece that would move us out of the very present moment of Falstaff's passing and into a charge to the, to the audience. It was a great time. I had a really fun time writing.

Brenda

I really love that contemporary feeling on that last song after they kind of hand the torch over to the young people. I kind of felt that transition in that moment and that's really beautiful. I didn't see that in the play when we, when you first were writing that. It's just a, it was gorgeous. Gives you kind of hope at the end of the play. I know all of us are weeping and weeping watching this. Like, everyone's crying, sending the crying emojis and stuff on the phones, and it's just a really emotional play. Especially if you love Shakespeare, right? And I wonder how it is for the folks that were watching, maybe everybody watching was all Shakespeare fans. I wonder how that plays to people who don't know, and how many people? I know when you first read it, Tim, you were saying like you, you're kind of it's clever enough that you're like, "oh, that line's from, that's 12th Night, That's dah, dah, dah," and I wondered how that, how people were reacting to listening to it. I wish they could answer in the Q&A sections, let us know, how that went for them. Do you know I'm saying about, Tim, when you first started reading the play. Yeah. And how it's morphed now, away from that because the story

is so much stronger. - Tim

Yeah. Yeah, in working on the play,, we never reference the plays that they're from, the characters, you know. And the only time I think we actually seem to quote is Nate, yeah,

In the lesson about acting. - Brenda

Yes.

Tim

He says and Shakespeare says...," and "Will Shakespeare said this." And he seems to quote something that he's heard. Mm-hmm.

Jim

Yeah, if we're successful, if I'm successful with the play, people will not be quote, saying, doing "Oh, that's from this play."

Right. - Jim

But they're doing that. Of course, those of us in the business steeped, we will smile inside, but hopefully for 80% of the audience, they'll be watching people and their lives and will not be doing that. As we develop this, if we find lines like that we will cut them.

laughing

Tim

I was just gonna say it was only a couple weeks to go that we actually stumbled on "Sigh No More," right?

Jim

Yeah, we went through a few different songs, yeah. And there were things, there were quite a few lines that got in there at first, and they were just too on the nose, or they sounded too much like, Oh, you would use that there. But yeah, I mean it's still a brand new play. So if it were ever to see a production, we would continue to develop it, of course.

Carey

We do have some feedback from the audience about the Shakespeare and Jan Gist, our dear Jan says, "It was fun to recognize which lines "came from which plays and to recognize lines "but not be able to place them. What a delight." My cousin Sarah from, who's calling from California, said, "As someone who isn't well-versed "in Shakespeare, it didn't matter. "The feel, the language, the rhythm of the language totally drew me in and I kept thinking I need to take a class."

laughing

Brenda

Yeah, I got a text from Val Lance. He said "The play drawn from different plays "but never felt like a gimmick. It just-- the story just kept, just took over." And I feel like they just all so, they're all so smart. And I love to hear what they have to say, every one of them, even the Messenger.

Jim

Yeah, the danger in a play like this, it does get gimmicky or get clever. And thanks to everybody in the cast and Tim, we've taken pains to try and decipher all those potential pitfalls.

Brenda

Anything else?

Carey

We're getting close but I, the um, yeah, other feedback on the Shakespeare, it started out as an exercise recognizing the lines. The play came itself, to be itself. Tears came, lines belonged to the characters that spoke them. The mix of Shakespeare was not distracting. Eva, if you have any, speaking to text coaching a play that is and isn't Shakespeare, do you have any words about the language and working with these actors on this play?

Eva

I mean, I approached it the same, with the remit that Tim and Jim and I talked about initially, which was, we don't wanna get sidetracked as to "Well, in the play, this is, in the, in the original, this is what that is about." You know, it was just taking what is written in this moment for this character in this play, and doing what you would normally do in terms of discovering, using all of the tools that we have to do Shakespearean text work, antithesis and what is the saying and where are the switches and changes to take us to the next beat and all of that work was the same. We just had this immensely rich tapestry to work with, that also had Easter eggs.

laughing

Carey

We do, Jacki Singleton, our wonderful stage manager is letting me know we're at, we're just about at time and I just wanted to share that both Bob Birkhauser and Jan Swenson want to know when they can see this on the stage.

laughs

Carey

Love that both Bob and Jan are like, "When, when can we see it?"

Brenda

From soon as we can be together, we'll try to figure out how to do this play on the stage. Feels like it's of its time, right? I hope that everybody enjoyed tonight. I think we have to say goodbye and I don't wanna say goodbye cause I know we're not going to do this again. So, it's just been such a gift and I think we should try to share all these comments. There's so many comments. Try to figure out how to let the actors all know what this has meant. I know they're all sitting in their own homes in front of a screen. We can't see and feel you guys but it's been such a gift. Thank you, thank you everybody. Thank you to the audience showing up every Sunday. We had 300 people on, over 300 people on tonight. So thank you to the most amazing audience! We love you and, and we will be in touch. We will see you, stay tuned, and get on PBS and watch, and send a link and, if anybody wants to say anything. Anybody, anybody, Sarah Day, do you want to say something? Want to say something, want to say goodbye? You just wanna cry over there in your corner?

laughs

Brenda

I know, I see you, I see you.

Brian

I'll say, this has been so amazing to be a part of. I hope we never ever have to do this again. -

laughter

Brian

But if we do, I think we can do this.

Brenda

Yeah.

Brian

But I hope it never comes to that, because it's gonna be so sweet when we actually get on the stage and get up in front of people in person. It's gonna be so much sweeter, but this has been fantastic.

Tracy

You're all gonna get such a hug.

Brenda

Yeah.

laughs

Brenda

That's what we'll do at the top of the hill. We'll just hug everybody at the top of the hill as they come up. -

laughter

Brenda

I can't wait to be outside in the stars. I've just missed the night. I missed the nights so, but this is great. All right, I guess it's time to say goodbye. Thank you, everybody. See you someday. - See you up the hill. Thank you. - Bye! We'll see you up the hill. Take care, everybody take care.

bright upbeat music

Brenda

Narrator

Funding for APT's "Out of the Woods" is provided by Boardman Clark Law Firm, Arcadia Books, Dane Arts, Nancy A. McDaniel, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Orange Tree Imports, Wilson Creek Pottery, Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.