Queen Elizabeth Essay, Research Paper

In an air-conditioned auditorium with really good acoustics, the sets and costumes of the Elizabethan time, a swift, broad, loud, highly physical production would perform so well that any brutal critic would have to stand in ovation. There would be at least 100 attendees in the theatre. Each of them would be able to attest to the inexperienced group that would speak from their hearts as they bring life to the characters despite the fact that this would be their first performance. In the following scene the actors will play straight out to the audience.

Act 2, scene 2, the cast consist of the Duchess of York, two children of Clarence, Queen Elizabeth, Rivers, Dorset, Gloucester, Buckingham, Derby, Hastings, and Ratcliff.

The curtains go up and in the palace, the lights are blue and it is cold. The Duchess of York is blue in her heart. She walks out on the stage along with the two children of Clarence. The young children are questionable about the death of their father. As the children speak, her attention would be totally on them. The Duchess is a strong woman. She would be a little more dramatic when having the discussion with the children about the death of Clarence. Basically her job would be to keep peace with them. As the Duchess is fearful of what would happen when the king dies, she will remain calm for the sake of the children. Then Queen Elizabeth will walk onto the stage with Rivers and Dorset following her. Rivers and Dorset will stand to the side and Queen Elizabeth will move forward to the Duchess and the children. The queen looks toward them as she painfully announces the death of her husband, King Edward IV. The four of them stand in the middle of the stage and discuss their feeling of the deaths of King Edward and Clarence. The boy child wants to know how to assist Queen Elizabeth since she is not showing her care for the death of Clarence. The girl child also wants to know why should they mourn for King Edward IV. Their lines are as follows:

Boy Good aunt, you wept not for our father?s death;

How can we aid you with our kindred tears?

Girl Our fatherless distress was left unmoan?d;

Your widow-dolour likewise be unwept!

The queen will then respond with the look of pity:

Queen Elizabeth Give me no help in lamentation;

I am not barren to bring forth complaints

All springs reduce their currents to mine eyes

That I, being govern?d by the watery moon

May send forth plenteous tears to drown the world!

Oh for my husband, for my dear lord Edward!

The Duchess will then declare the most grief since she has two sons.

As the lights are dim, the advisors of Queen Elizabeth moves forward and in their own way consoles the family and states that they should send for the young prince Edward so that he may be crowned to be king. At that time, the mood changes when Gloucester, Buckingham, Derby, Hastings, and Ratcliff enter. Gloucester proceeds to offer his comfort and confer with the others about sending for the prince. Gloucester has the look in his eyes that he is not all that sincere as he looks toward the audience. After Gloucester, the Duchess of York, Buckingham, Rivers, Hastings, and Queen Elizabeth say their piece, everyone will exit except Buckingham and Gloucester.

The lights get a little brighter as Buckingham begins to speak. He tries to convince Gloucester of a plan to separate the prince from the queen?s family. Gloucester declines and they then exit the stage.

The curtains go down and the audience is speechless yet applauds well.