How Cloud lost his gift and Seph Alleyn a chief part
Welcome to the second part of Shakespeare in love, 2! First of all I have to tell you that the story still doesn't belong to me, nor do the characters. But that doesn't matter too much, I like as well!
So, that's all I wanted to say. Now you're going to see what happens INT.ELENA MOTH'S HOUSE. DAY. and which chief part unlucky Seph Alleyn lost. Much fun!
Cloud enters and closes the door carefully. An old and nearly rotten sign next to the intrance says: Dr. Elena Moth, apothecary, alchemist, astrologer, seer, interpreter of dreams, and priest of psyche.
INT. ELENA MOTH’S HOUSE. DAY
A stuffed chocobo hangs from the ceiling, pills, potions, amulets and charms, star charts and mystic paraphernalia festoon the place. Testimonials and framed degrees hang on the walls. Cloud is lying on a couch, on his back. His eyes are closed and his face is deathly pale.
Dr. Elena Moth sits by the couch, listening (?) to Cloud and ocasionally making notes on a pad she holds on her knee. What we have here is nothing but the false dawn of analysis. The session is being timed by a hour-glass.
Dr. Elena Moth : Now, Cloud... Don’t you want to tell me what’s wrong?
Cloud : Words, words, words...
Dr. Elena Moth : What about words?
Cloud : Once, I had the gift... I could make love out of words as .... love that overthrows the lifestream, love that binds two hearts together come hellfire and brimstone.... for sixpence a line, I could destroy the greatest combines... but now...
Dr. Elena Moth : You don’t have a girlfriend, do you?
Cloud seems unwilling to answer. Dr. Elena Moth refers to her notes.
Dr. Elena Moth : You didn’t have a girlfriend for quite a long time, except this strange women. What’s she called again?
Cloud : ...Scarlet...
Dr. Elena Moth : Yes, that’s it! Forgot to note it... (hurrily writes it down)
Cloud : Oh!... But I don’t see her too often. Unfortunately... I don’t know...
Dr. Elena Moth : What does that mean?
Cloud : (puzzled) Huh?
Dr. Elena Moth : ‚I don’t know‘
Cloud : Um... Well... I don’t know!
Dr. Elena Moth : (sighs) Just forget it!... I’m here to help you.
Cloud : As long as I can pay you...
Dr. Elena Moth : Uhm... Yes, that’s right! But what of it? You have lost your gift!
Cloud : You may not have imagined, but I already knew about that...
Dr. Elena Moth : (laughs embarassed) Well... Yes, I know that you know... That I know... But, you know, ... Aaaah! Never mind! I.Am. Here. To. Help. You. No matter why! Just tell me in your own words: What happened?
Cloud : I thought you know...
Dr.Elena Moth : (draws a deep breath) Yes, I know. But please tell me in your own words!
Cloud : Hmm... (not finding this easy) I have lost my gift.
Dr. Elena Moth : I KNOW!
Cloud : Then... why d’you ask?
Dr. Elena Moth : (counts to ten in a low voice) Okay, well, you’ve lost your gift. What else?
Cloud : I cannot write.
Dr. Elena Moth : Interesting... (yawns) And that’s all?
Cloud : I feel useless...
Dr. Elena Moth : You always do.
Cloud : You think me to be useless as well. Even though I pay you.
Dr. Elena Moth : That’s not true! I really need this money!
Cloud : And that’s why you allways keep me from committing suicide?
Dr. Elena Moth : Yes, exactly! (smiles, then realises what she said) Äh... no! No!
Cloud : Never mind...
Dr. Elena Moth : (lost the thread) Uhm... You lost your gift. You lost your gift.
Cloud : Yes, I know...
The sand rans through the hourglass, and the conversation continues just like that.
Not much sand left.
Dr. Elena Moth : So as a ‚resumée‘ we could say that you lost your gift, is that right?
Cloud : (nods sadly) M-hm-
Dr. Elena Moth : (shrewdly) Oh, I could have thought so! I really could have thought so!
Cloud : (turns towards her. How did she know that?) Will you help me? (hopefully)
Dr. Elena Moth : Of course I will! Next session... (smiles)
Cloud : I’m worthless... (hangs his head)
Dr. Elena Moth : Oh no! Never say die! You’re not!... D#you have the money?
Cloud : Yes, of course.... I’m worthless...
She holds out her hand. Cloud drops a sovereign into it and leaves.
EXT. DR. ELENA MOTH’S HOUSE. DAY.
Cloud comes out. Vincent Henslowe is waiting, sitting in a dark corner. Cloud walks slowly past him and Vincent Henslowe follows.
Vincent : Now where? Cloud?
Cloud : ...Palace at Whitehall
Vincent : ‘you okay?
Cloud : M-hm. (nods)
Vincent : I mean... You look even more depressive than before...
INT. WHITEHALL PALACE. BACKSTAGE. DAY.
Whitehall means nothing yet. We are behind closed curtains on a stage busy with preparations for the imminent performance of ‚Two Gentleman of Verona‘. This is not a theatre but a banqueting hall, as we will see.
Zack Burbage is to play „Proteus“. A Boy Player will play „Silvia,“ and last improvements to his makeup etc. are being applied by Burbage’s mistress Scarlett. „Launce“, one of the clowns, is the famous comedian Rude Kempe. „Launce’s“ canary bird, Crab is in Rude Kempe’s charge and is not helping a lot. There is no set. A helpful placard reading JUNON – AN OPEN PLACE, is ready to hand. Musicians can be heard tuning their instruments. From the other side of the curtain there is an expectant hubbub.
Rude Kempe leads the canary bird into the wings and rummages in a box of props. He finds his sunglasses. He has one foot on the box, his elbow on his knee, he looks at the sunglasses... in other words he reminds us of Hamlet (the queer guy who’s talking to a skull). We see this from the POV of Cloud, who is just entering through a door backstage.
Cloud : (approaching) ...
Rude Kempe : Crab is nervous. He has never played the Palace. When will you write me a tragedy, Cloud? I’d like to do it...
Cloud : I’d love to write a tragedy, but Vincent Henslowe doesn’t allow me to do so... (Cloud’s attention has been caught by Scarlett, Burbage’s mistress. Scarlett is big-breasted, scanty dressed, sexual.)
Zack Burbage : (to Scarlett) My sleeve wants for a button, mistress Scarlett, where were my seamstress’s eyes? (kisses her mouth and slaps her behind) Ah, how much I love this new fashion! You don’t have to pay much for cloth... (he comes over to greet Cloud)
(Cont’d) There is no canary bird in the first scene, Rude Kempe, thank you. How goes it Cloud?
Cloud : Got some money for this play...
Zack Burbage : Not from me. I only stole it. When are you coming over to the Chamberlain’s men?
Cloud : When I found my muse... And fifty pounds.
Zack Burbage : What for?
Cloud : Dr. Elena Moth...
Zack Burbage : Don’t tell me you still visit this b- Ah, that’s good!
Scarlett brings over the last elements of Zack’s costume and wants to help him into them, but he pushes her away.
Zack Burbage : (to Cloud) Are you writing?
Cloud : (nods somewhat defensively) A comedy. All but done, a pirate comedy. Wonderful...
Zack Burbage : You don’t seem too happy about that.
Cloud : Vincent Henslowe told me to write it. I’d rather have written a tragedy... But he didn’t want me to.
Zack Burbage : Seems lieke Mister Henslowe is a pretty wise man after all. – what is the chief part?
Cloud : Romeo. Wit, swordsman, lover.
Zack Burbage : Damn cool! Just like me... The title?
Cloud : Romeo.
Zack Burbage : Well then, I will play him. Bring it tomorrow. (Conten’d)
Cloud : ...It’s for Henslowe... He paid me...
Zack Burbage : How much?
Cloud : (shows him 10 fingers)
Zack Burbage : Ten pounds? You’re a liar! (digs under his costume for his purse, which is on a waistband, over hhis corset)
Cloud : (Actually meant 10 schilling, but never mind...) He wants Romeo for Seph and the General’s men...
Zack Burbage : Seph is wrong for it.
Cloud : ...Why?...
Zack Burbage : Why? Hm... His hair is far to white! Never heard of a Romeo with white hair!
Cloud : ...Sorry to ask, but – have you ever heard of any Romeo before?
Zack Burbage : Well, uhm... no!
Cloud : (turns to see Henslowe approaching)
Zack Burbage : (Conten’d, to Cloud) Here is two sovereigns, old friend. I know Elena Moth’s expensive... I’ll give you two more when you show me the pages. (smiles)
Cloud : (Takes the money, but doesn’t say a word)
Vincent : (Saw everything, but doesn’t care at all)
Zack Burbage : (To Vincent Henslowe) Hey, wise man! Long time no see! Listen to this, it’s unbelievable! The Queen has commanded, she loves a comedy and the Lady of the Revels favours us!
Vincent : How nice for you guys... And what favour does Miss Tilney receive from you?
Zack Burbage : Ask her!
The Lady of the Revels comes through the curtain officiously.
Tilney : She comes!
She disappears back through the curtain. The hubbub falls silent, rather dramatically, and all the busy Players know what that means: they all crowd to the curtain and find places to peep through.
Just like every writer I'm cruel enough to leave some questions open at the end of the second chapter. Will Cloud Shakespeare find his muse? And will he ever write a tragedy? Why is Elena Moth that expensive and what will Seph Alleyn say, when Cloud tells him that he won't play Romeo? And... Who's the lady of the Revels?
You'll see. Next session...^^
