At the small bonfire that I might have started, students burned dolls of Guy Fawkes that they had made prior in the year. Burning dolls of Guy Fawkes is a popular English tradition to go with the celebration of Bonfire Night and the survival of the King. The play was written for TEFL students (which is why there are words in ALL CAPS to show the students which words should be emphasized), but I'm sure it can be adjusted for other audiences and students.
Bonfire Night Play
Characters
King James
Guy Fawkes
Thomas Bates
Robert Keyes
Watson/Stranger
Soldier 1
Soldier 2
Commander
Narrator
King James, dressed in royal clothes, talks to the audience from a wooden stage.
King James:
Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason, why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, guy, t'was his intent
To blow up king and parliament.
Three score barrels were laid below
To prove old England's overthrow.
By God's mercy he was catch'd
With a darkened lantern and burning match.
So, holler boys, holler boys, Let the bells ring.
Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king.
And what shall we do with him?
Everyone: BURN HIM!
King James: On this night, you will see what happened many years ago. WHO was the bad man?
Guy Fawkes enters in a black cloak and black hat. King James points at Guy Fawkes.
King James: Guy Fawkes!
The Narrator stands off to the side and speaks to the audience.
Narrator: In the year 1605, there was a Catholic man who was very angry at King James. His name was Guy Fawkes.
Guy Fawkes walks to the centre and looks at the audience.
Guy Fawkes: I AM GUY FAWKES. I want to……………… KILL the king!
Guy Fawkes turns and looks at Thomas Bates, Robert Keyes and Watson entering the stage.
Guy Fawkes: FRIENDS! My close friends! Please! JOIN me and let’s kill the KING.
Thomas Bates: WHY do you want to kill the KING?
Robert Keyes: Has he done something BAD?
Guy Fawkes: King James isn’t nice to Catholics. He tells US what to BELIEVE.
Thomas Bates: That’s HORRIBLE!
Robert Keyes: It is! We must DO something. WHAT are you planning?
Narrator: King James wanted all Catholics in England to become Protestant. As a result, Guy Fawkes wanted to kill King James and put a Catholic king on the throne.
Guy Fawkes: I will destroy the government building with a lot of bombs.
Thomas Bates: I HAVE A WHEELBARROW! YOU CAN BORROW IT!
Thomas Bates runs off stage.
Robert Keyes: What would you like US to do?
Narrator: Guy Fawkes told his friends his plan. Robert and Thomas liked the plan but Watson didn’t.
Watson: Are you SURE this is a good idea?
Guy Fawkes: It is.
Watson: I don’t know.
Thomas Bates returns with a wheelbarrow or cart.
Thomas Bates: HERE’S my wheelbarrow.
Guy Fawkes: FANTASTIC! Come here and I will tell you what to do!
Thomas Bates and Robert Keyes huddle with Guy Fawkes. Watson doesn’t join.
Guy Fawkes: We need to put the gunpowder under Parliament.
Robert Keyes: And when do we light the gunpowder?
Guy Fawkes: When the King is in the building!
Thomas Bates: What an EVIL plan!
Guy Fawkes, Thomas Bates and Robert Keyes put the gunpowder into the wheelbarrow. They take the wheelbarrow off stage. Watson watches and leaves in the opposite direction.
Soldier 1 and Soldier 2 enter.
Soldier 1: I wish it was the weekend. I’m very tired.
Soldier 2: I have to work on Saturday AND Sunday. I don’t want to do this.
Soldier 1 pats Soldier 2 on the back.
Soldier 1: It’s okay. After work, you can visit my house for dinner.
Soldier 2 points at a shadowy object that just entered. It is a person wrapped in a black cloak.
Soldier 2: WHAT IS THAT!?
Soldier 1 squints.
Soldier 1: I DON’T KNOW!
Soldier 2 raises his sword.
Soldier 2: STOP in the name of the KING!
Watson enters disguised in dark clothing and walks to the soldiers and holds out a letter.
Watson: I have a special message for the king. PLEASE take it to him.
Soldier 1: WHY should I?
Watson: Because it is a PLOT to KILL the KING!
Soldier 2: Are you SURE?
Watson: YES!
Soldier 1: If you’re lying, we’ll FIND you and you’ll be punished.
Watson: I’m NOT lying!
Stranger leaves.
Narrator: The soldiers didn’t know if the mysterious stranger was telling the truth. But they did take the message to their Commander.
Commander enters.
The soldiers take the letter to Commander who opens it, reads it and holds it above his head.
Commander: WHAT is THIS? WHO wrote this letter?
Soldier 2: It’s a PLAN to kill the king.
Commander: That CANNOT happen. Look EVERYWHERE for these people! Tell me when you find them. They WILL be PUNISHED!
Soldiers: Yes, SIR!
The soldiers leave.
Guy Fawkes, Thomas Bates and Robert Keyes enter pushing the wheelbarrow. They place the explosives under King James’s table.
Guy Fawkes: Now LEAVE while there’s TIME. I’ll light the bomb soon.
Thomas Bates: I wish Watson was here to see this historic moment.
Robert Keyes: But he’s not. Good LUCK, Guy.
Robert Keyes and Thomas Bates exit.
Guy Fawkes walks up and down and looks at his watch. He picks up a torch and is about to light the gunpowder when Soldier 1 and the commander enter. The commander holds his hand out.
Commander: STOP in the name of the KING!
Guy Fawkes: NOOOOOOOOO!
Soldier 1 takes away the torch and puts it back.
Commander: You are UNDER ARREST for TREASON. You and your friends will be punished.
Soldier 2 enters with Thomas Bates and Robert Keyes both handcuffed. Watson also enters and is still disguised.
Guy Fawkes: I don’t understand. HOW did you KNOW?
Watson removes his disguise.
Watson: It was ME! I told them.
Guy Fawkes: But WHY, Watson? I trusted you.
Lights darken. Everyone exits.
Narrator: Guy Fawkes and his friends were then punished for their crimes and sentenced to death.
Narrator exits. Lights go up. King James remains centre stage.
King James: This was the story of Guy Fawkes. Every year, on the Fifth of November, the people of England celebrate and remember this occasion by burning pictures and dolls of Guy Fawkes in bonfires, as well as set off fireworks and enjoy good food.
No comments:
Post a Comment