ROBINHOOD
MediumCast Version

'Classictale about standing up for what's right.'

Lake-Sumter State College, Sumterville FL

ROBINHOOD
SCRIPT SAMPLE

ROBIN,desguised as a beggar and then a jester, confronts PRINCE JOHN at theroyal archery tournament.

(We hearfanfare and FRIAR carries a large piece of cloth before the PRINCE'Sentrance. When the PRINCE is seated, FRIAR removes the clothwith a flourish and reveals the PRINCE seated in grandeur. Thecue ends with the sound of a crowd cheering. PRINCE stands andgives a weary wave to the peons. FRIAR stands at his side,clapping delightedly.)

FRIAR: The crowd loves you, your majesty!

PRINCE: Yes, yes. They must have something to fill their dreary little days.

FRIAR: They worship the ground you walk on.

PRINCE:(Looks at his feet.) The ground, yes, lovely groundwhere I have walked.

FRIAR: You see the throngs basking in the glow of your presence? Whyjust look at these loyal subjects down here in the front row. (Toaudience/children, whispering: ) Wave, wave! Make himthink you love him! All together now: Long Live Prince John!

AUDIENCE: Long Live Prince John!

PRINCE:(Vaguely delighted.) Ah! Ha! Yes, very nice. (Pats his hands in approval.)

FRIAR: And see all these royal subjects over here. (To audience, coaching.) Long live Prince John!

AUDIENCE: Long live Prince John!

PRINCE: Ha! Scruffy bunch, but quite delightful, yes. Just lookat them... basking in my presence.

FRIAR: There are also many lovely ladies, your majesty. All of themjust pining away to give you their hand in marriage.

PRINCE: Are they brunettes? I only like brunettes.

FRIAR: Lots of brunettes, sire.

PRINCE: Because blond hair, well, its just garish don't you think? Ilike things to be tasteful. But what is this you say aboutmarriage? It's already been decided! I want to marry MaidMarian and that is that.

FRIAR: But your highness, if I may be so bold...

PRINCE: You may not be bold! Tell me in my ear. (FRIARwhispers in ear.) Not want to marry me! Maid Mariandoesn't want to marry me? Well, it's poppycock I say, applesauce and horse fooey! What maiden would refuse to marry ME!

FRIAR: None your highness.

PRINCE:(Settling.) Well all right then.

FRIAR: Every beautiful maiden in Nottingham wants to marry you.

PRINCE: Now you see? Now of course you make some sense.

FRIAR: Except...

PRINCE: Except?? (FRIAR tells him in his ear.) MAIDMARIAN!! It's because of that Robin Hoodlum isn'tit? First he robs me of my forest! It was all nicelystocked, full of caribou and water fowl. Hunted down by allthese dreadful merry men. He's robbed my carriage thirty times,every golden bauble every guilded doo-dad... gone I tell you! (Neartears.) And I so love my baubles and doo-dads.

(FRIARlets him cry in his arms, sees ROBIN over the PRINCE'S shoulder. He creeps close to them, robbing the gold trinkets from the throne,finding money bags behind it. FRIAR picks the PRINCE'S pocketand hands coins to ROBIN. ROBIN lifts the PRINCE's robe to findmoney bags at his feet. All the while the PRINCE is crying inFRIAR'S arms, babbling away.)

He took mygolden challis. Yes. It was made of gold. And hetook my pinkie toe ring I'm not sure how he did that I just woke upone day and there it was my naked pinkie toe. Once it was myfork! Yes, my fork. I was eating melon, a very nice melonnone of these over-ripe fiascoes you see at market... And nowit's Maid Marian!! I tell you Friar Tuck, it's enough to make agrown man cryyyyyyyy...

(At lastROBIN cuts the gold chain around PRINCE's neck and goes for thecrown. PRINCE stops and looks up as the crown hovers above hishead. ROBIN looks at FRIAR, FRIAR shakes his head no, that'sgoing to far. ROBIN replaces the crown, PRINCE goes back tocrying. ROBIN drops a noisy bag of money. PRINCE stops tolook, ROBIN hides behind him, peek-a-boo business here. At lastPRINCE sees ROBIN but he has covered his face with the BEGGAR'S robe.)

ROBIN: Alms? Alms for the poor?

PRINCE: Guards! Seize this pathetic flea bag at once. Guard!

(GUARDenters, sees ROBIN as BEGGAR.)

GUARD: What is your pleasure, Excellency?

PRINCE: Please remove this... this foul thing.

GUARD:(to ROBIN) You again!

PRINCE: Throw him out on his skinny little duff.

GUARD: I'll be happy to!

PRINCE: Eye sores. Eye sores everywhere. It takes a Prince tobear it.

(GUARDthrows ROBIN out, they exit. MUSIC CUE: Fanfare,the contest is about to begin.)

Ah! Yes! Entertainment for heaven sake it's about time. NowFriar Tuck I must tell you of my brilliant plan! It's quitediabolical and top secret . So I want you to keep it under your hat.

(SeesFRIAR is bald and quite hatless.)

Yes, well, dowhat you can. Take a look that way. Do see in thebushes? And that way just beyond the ridge?

FRIAR: The King's men.

PRINCE: The King's men?! Of course they are not the King's men, theyare my men! They owe their allegiance to me!

FRIAR: Of course your majesty, slip of the tongue.

PRINCE:Now I want you to keep an eye peeled for that Robin scoundrel. The minute you see him, whisper in my ear, and I'll give my men thesignal. They'll bag him in seconds! Oh it's genius,genius! Robin Hood won't be able to resist an archerycontest! Certainly not when the prize is a Golden Arrow. Um, by the way, where is my Golden Arrow?

(FRIARlooks around. ROBIN has all ready stolen it.)

FRIAR:(Stage whisper.) Psst! Robin! The GoldenArrow! We can't have a contest without the arrow!

(ROBINhands it off, just his arm and the arrow showing behind thebackdrop. FRIAR puts it on pillow and brings it ceremoniouslyto PRINCE.)

PRINCE:Lovely, lovely! And keep this handy. (Hands FRIAR anover-sized butterfly net.) Who knows which way this Robin willfly? Get it? Robin, fly? (Delighted.) Oh, I made a joke! Trumpets please!

(ROBINsteps out from behind the banner dressed as a Jester, with a trumpetto his lips.)

FRIAR: Robin!

(ROBINplays the horn, making a comic mess of it. He may just use hisvoice to do the fanfare: Doo-doo-dit-dee-do!)

PRINCE: Do you call that playing a trumpet? Don't make me laugh.

ROBIN: But your majesty, I came here to make you laugh! (Does amerry jig.)

Yes sir, yes sir
I'm a jester.
I tell my jokes
For all the rester.
Laugh like monkeys.
Smile like clowns.
Laughtermakes the
World go 'round!

(ROBINdoes somersaults, juggles, a magic trick such as pulling a coin fromthe PRINCE'S ear. Ad-libs encouraged. Riddles below can bepresented to audience to answer.)

Riddle meonce! Why did the jester laugh up his sleeve?
That's wherehis funny bone is.

Riddle metwice! Why do dragons sleep during the day?
So they canfight knights!

Riddle methrice! What do you call a knight caught in a windstorm?
Anightingale. (knight in gale)

(PRINCEeventually laughs in spite of himself.)

PRINCE: Hoo-hoo. Mildly amusing. I'll let you live. Friar Tuck, introduce the champions!

FRIAR: Champions?

PRINCE: It does not warrant repeating.

FRIAR: You mean archers, men with bows and arrows?

PRINCE: Female archers are permitted, this isn't the middle ages you know.

FRIAR: Actually it is...

PRINCE:LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Note: This is a sample fromthe actual script. To review the entire play, order the PERUSALSCRIPT (online instant download).

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