Doc Sherwood's Richard III, Act III

Cast:

King RICHARD the Third

King EDWARD the Fifth, Richard's young nephew

The Duke of YORK, Edward's younger brother

DEIGHTON, an assassin

FORREST, an assassin

LOVEL, a courtier, loyal to Richard

BUCKINGHAM, a courtier, loyal to Richard

CATESBY, a courtier, loyal to Richard

RATCLIFFE, a courtier, loyal to Richard

DANCERS

SOLDIERS

SCENE 1. A prison cell in the Tower of London.

The stage in almost total darkness. Under a spotlight, EDWARD and YORK asleep in bed together, a prayer-book lying open on the pillow.

Enter LOVEL, in another spotlight. He addresses the audience.

LOVEL: It’s done. The bloodiest and most tyrannous act this land was ever guilty of.

Enter DEIGHTON and FORREST, silently. They slowly walk over to the bed while LOVEL continues to speak to the audience.

LOVEL: Deighton and Forrest, who I sent to do the deed, are murderous brutes, villains through and through…and yet they wept like two children themselves when they told me the story.

DEIGHTON and FORREST are by now standing by the bed.

LOVEL: “They lay like this,” sobbed Deighton, “their arms around each other, cheeks like alabaster, lips like roses.” Forrest went on, “There was a book of prayers lying open on the pillow, which they must have been reading when they fell asleep. The sight of it almost stopped me. Almost. But — oh! Somehow, even then, the Devil made his way in…!”

DEIGHTON and FORREST smother the two boys with their pillow.

LOVEL: Then Forrest could speak no more, and Deighton finished for him, “So we slew the most beautiful and blessed babes nature ever made.” With that, the wretched men took their leave of me, crushed by conscience and remorse. As am I. And now I must go, to carry these tidings to our blood-soaked King.

Exit LOVEL, and on the other side of the stage exit DEIGHTON and FORREST, dragging the bodies of EDWARD and YORK.

SCENE 2. The royal palace.

RICHARD, at his coronation. Music and a decadent dance.

Exit DANCERS. Enter LOVEL.

RICHARD: Ah, Lovel! I haven't even thanked you yet, for making this happy occasion possible.

LOVEL: If my having done what you told me to is something that makes you happy, sire, then I'm sure you're welcome.

RICHARD: You saw the bodies, right? Can't be too careful.

LOVEL: I did, your grace. It wasn't a sight I'll soon forget.

RICHARD: Good man! And no snooping around by the likes of Dorset's going to turn up anything incriminating against me?

LOVEL: Brakenbury interred both boys somewhere in the Tower, although to be honest, by then I didn't like to ask exactly where.

RICHARD: Come to me at supper, Lovel. I'll look forward to hearing the whole story from you then, over drinks. Now you may go.

LOVEL: Glad to, sire.

Exit LOVEL. Enter CATESBY, hurried.

CATESBY: My lord!

RICHARD: This better be good, Catesby, barging in here on my coronation day.

CATESBY: Sire, it concerns the lord Dorset —

RICHARD starts.

RICHARD: What? The bodies?

CATESBY: Bodies, sire? I come to tell you the lord Dorset has fled to Wales, to forge an alliance with Henry Richmond who resides there.

RICHARD: Dorset and Richmond? This is troubling news indeed. Leave me!

Exit CATESBY. Enter BUCKINGHAM.

BUCKINGHAM: Good morrow to my liege! I come to claim that which you promised would be mine this coronation day — the Earldom of Hereford.

RICHARD: Not now, Buckingham. Dorset has joined forces with Henry Richmond!

BUCKINGHAM: Yes, sire, I've heard that too. Now, about the Earldom —

By now RICHARD is talking to himself, distractedly, ignoring BUCKINGHAM.

RICHARD: Richmond was only a child when the wars were going on, but as things now stand, he and his House of Tudor are next in line on the Lancaster side. His uncle, King Henry the Sixth, told me Richmond would one day succeed him!

BUCKINGHAM: My lord —

RICHARD: And they do say Henry the Sixth had the power of prophecy. I killed him in the war. Should I have done the same for Richmond then?

BUCKINGHAM: Your Majesty, about the Earldom —

RICHARD: Buckingham, what's the time?

BUCKINGHAM: I just wanted to remind you, sire, that you said you'd make me Earl of Hereford when you became King.

RICHARD: Yes, but what's the time?

BUCKINGHAM: It's ten o'clock, sire.

RICHARD: Ah! Ten o'clock, is it? Not my time for handing out Earldoms, in other words. So shut that whining and let me concentrate!

BUCKINGHAM: But, sire —

RICHARD: Wrong day to come begging favours, Buckingham!

Exit RICHARD.

BUCKINGHAM: Wrong day to cross me, Richard. If that's your idea of repayment, just wait until you see mine!

Exit BUCKINGHAM.

SCENE 3. The royal palace.

RICHARD, on his throne. Enter CATESBY.

RICHARD: What news of Richmond and Dorset?

CATESBY: It’s both good and bad, my liege.

RICHARD: Oh, a riddle! Good news and bad news! And tell me, was your opinion solicited?

RICHARD rises and strikes CATESBY.

RICHARD: How about you answer my question and spare me the insights? Haven’t you heard men of few words are best?

RICHARD strikes CATESBY again.

RICHARD: If I wanted a fable, I’d have gone to Aesop! The news!

CATESBY: Richmond is on the seas.

RICHARD: Then let him sink, so the seas will be on him! What’s that miserable usurper doing on the seas?

CATESBY: He and Dorset are sailing from Wales with an army, to claim your crown. But they’ll never be able to land, sire! That’s the good news! Our coastline is too well defended!

Enter RATCLIFFE.

RATCLIFFE: My lord, Buckingham has turned against us! He and his men repelled our forces by the sea at Milford Haven, guaranteeing Richmond and his army safe passage to these shores! Now we must fight, or surely be overthrown!

RICHARD: If I hear one more prophecy of doom…!

RICHARD strikes RATCLIFFE, who falls.

RICHARD: Let that teach you to bring me better news!

RATCLIFFE: But, sire! Buckingham himself is among the missing. Our soldiers prevented him from joining Richmond and Dorset!

RICHARD: Then forgive me, Ratcliffe. Here, get yourself a leech for that bruise.

He throws down a coin to him.

RICHARD: I take it a reward’s been offered for the man who brings me that traitor?

RATCLIFFE: Such proclamation has been made, my liege.

Enter SOLDIERS. With them is BUCKINGHAM, in chains. They throw him onto his knees before RICHARD.

CATESBY: The lord Buckingham is taken!

BUCKINGHAM: How observant, Catesby. Ah, and there’s Ratcliffe too. The cat, the rat, and Richard the dog. A fine condition our country’s come to, with the likes of you in charge. Though I die, I've played my part in ending your reign. Long live the House of Tudor, and long live Henry Richmond!

RICHARD, with a roar of rage, seizes a soldier’s sword and kills BUCKINGHAM with it.

RICHARD: Is the throne empty? Is the rightful King dead? Who rules the nation, if not the last living heir of the House of York? To arms, and we'll meet these treacherous fools in open battle. Let sword and shield speak for us now!

Exit all, the SOLDIERS dragging the body of BUCKINGHAM.

End of Act III