1506: The Moon King Decides

Cast:

  • Royal Court
  • Jester
  • Town Crier
  • Fortinbras
  • Yorick
  • Ophelia
  • Minor Roles
    • Peasant 1
    • Peasant 2
    • Peasant 3

Synopsis:

The Jester welcomes the audience, but as he does, some peasants who are looking for the butcher, the baker, and the maker of candlesticks interrupt him. He sends them on their way with the aid of his own secret GPS device.

The action moves on when the Half-Act Players do not show up in time for a command performance before the King. The Jester, Mertonsire, and the Town Crier leave the castle to look for them. No sooner have they left than the Half-Act Players arrive. They propose to do a play of historical significance, like the one about the ancient Greeks crossing the Delaware on their way from Paris to London by way of Norway. But the King wants something more contemporary, such as a play about himself.

Following the lead of that “self-aggrandizing French Sun King,” he declares that he is now the Moon King .

“I do my best stuff when the sun goes down and nobody can see. . . my good deeds and such.”

When the Half-Act Players hesitate to do a play featuring the Moon King, he abruptly fires them. The Royal Court is critical of the firing, sensing that it is politically motivated with the actors leaning way too far to the left. But the King counters,

“Before we know it we will have socialized acting.”

However, the King agrees to discuss it with his trusted advisors, the Jester, Mertonsire, and the Town Crier. In the absence of these three, the clever actors don masks and costumes and masquerade as his trusted advisors. As soon as they succeed at getting the King to un -fire the Half-Act Players, the real Jester and his pals return to the castle. Of course confusion ensues and is finally sorted out with a series of contests.

Do we end up with two jesters? Maybe, maybe not. Two Mertonsires? Hopefully not. Two Town Criers? We could work with that. A simple song about everyone working together completes the action. This is a zany, fun script with a good moral message at the end. Your performers will love it!