The Scullery Maid
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About this ebook
England's war is over, but trouble is brewing at home...
Having declared an uneasy truce in England's war with France, King Edward III retires to Nottingham Castle for celebrations with his nobles. Unbeknownst to the king, a murder plot is being hatched by the lowliest of his servants. Miriam, a mere scullery maid, is busily baking a cake of conspiracy. Fuelled by a vendetta stemming from the untimely demise of her father, Miriam navigates the dangerous underbelly of castle politics to put her plan into motion. As simmering pots and sizzling tensions collide, Miriam is determined to see the king dead this night, even if it costs another life—her own.
"The Scullery Maid" is a thrilling tale where the fate of a kingdom hinges on the sharp edge of a kitchen knife, promising a gripping theatrical experience that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
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The Scullery Maid - Joseph Zettelmaier
The Scullery Maid
A Play By
Joseph Zettelmaier
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, events, and organizations portrayed in this work are either products of the authors’ imagination or used fictitiously.
The Scullery Maid
Copyright © 2013 by Joseph Zettelmaier
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval without permission in writing from the author.
ISBN-13: 978-1-944540-08-1
ISBN-10: 1-944540-08-3
For information about production rights, visit:
www.jzettelmaier.com
Cover by David Blixt
Published by Sordelet Ink
www.sordeletink.com
Get another Sordelet Ink play free by clicking here!
The Scullery Maid received its world premiere on Dec. 18, 2013, at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre in West Bloomfield, MI. It was directed by Joseph Albright. Set Design by Jennifer Maiseloff. Lighting Design by Neil Koivu. Costume Design by Mary Copenhagen. Props Design by Diane Ulseth. Sound Design by Matthew Lira. The production was stage managed by Harold Jurkiewicz, with Sharla Mills as assistant stage manager. The cast was as follows:
BESS: Ruth Crawford
DULCIE: Jacquie Floyd
MIRIAM: Julia Garlotte
PASCAL: Alan Madlane
EDWARD III: John Manfredi
Cast of Characters
BESS - 50s, a cook
DULCIE - 20s-30s, a cook
MIRIAM - 20s, a cook
PASCAL - 60s-70s, a steward
EDWARD III - 47, King of England
Time
July, 1360
Place
The kitchen & royal bed chamber of Nottingham Castle
The Scullery Maid
ACT I
(In the darkness, the sound of a celebration. Music, revelers, etc… Lights rise on a kitchen in King Edward’s castle. Two women work furiously to complete the final course-Royal Marchpane for desert. DULCIE is taking it out of the oven. BESS is preparing the icing)
BESS
Careful with that, girl! Girl!
DULCIE
Dulcie.
BESS
God help me, girl, if you drop it…
DULCIE
My name’s Dulcie.
BESS
I’ll put it on your grave marker if you drop that Marchpane!
(DULCIE sets it down on the table. She looks to BESS)
BESS
You just bought yourself another day of life.
(BESS bumps DULCIE out of the way & begins icing the pastry)
DULCIE
What’s for me to do?
(She takes DULCIE’s hand, and puts some icing on her finger)
BESS
Oily?
DULCIE
What?
BESS
Does it feel oily?
(DULCIE rubs it in her fingers)
DULCIE
Feels fine.
BESS
Not oily?
(Beat)
DULCIE
Dunno.
BESS
…useless as tits on a bull…Where’s Miriam?
DULCIE
Dunno.
BESS
When did you see her last?
DULCIE
She gone out to pour wine.
BESS
That was twenty minutes ago!
DULCIE
Lots of cups to pour.
BESS
Give me the rose water.
(DULCIE looks, clueless as to what rose water looks like. She grabs a bowl and hands it to BESS. BESS is about to pour it into the bowl of icing, then stops)
BESS
What’s this?
DULCE
…Ro-water?
BESS
Firstly, Rose Water. Secondly…
(She splashes some of the fluid into DULCIE’s face)
BESS
Does that smell of roses?
DULCE
It stinks.
BESS
Aye, it stinks. Because it’s damned soap water! If I’d poured this into the gilding, there’d be dukes and barons turning their stomachs out! Christ! I’d swear you were a murderess if you had half the brains God gave a turnip!
(Beat. DULCIE stands there, on the verge of tears)
BESS
None of that now.
(DULCIE is losing the fight against her emotions)
BESS
I have no time for this. I have to get this dessert served for…
(DULCIE breaks down. BESS looks Heavenward)
BESS
Walk with me, Lord Jesus.
(She puts her arm around her, then moves DULCIE to a stool & seats her)
BESS
There we are, lamb. There we are.
DULCIE
I know I’m simple! But I try best I’m able!
BESS
Let’s compose ourselves then.
DULCIE
I just need time is all!
(BESS dabs DULCIE’s face with her apron, drying the tears)
BESS
…all this bawling…ruins a perfectly lovely face, you ask me.
DULCIE
You think I’m pretty?
BESS
Like a lady’s portrait, you are.
DULCIE
My da said I was only good for my tits and my slit.
(Beat. BESS goes back to cleaning her face)
DULCIE
He said men paid extra for nice tits.
(Beat)
DULCIE
I was a whore.
BESS
I puzzled it out, dear.
(BESS stands back)
BESS
And you’re cleaned up. Now watch me.
(She goes back to icing the pastry. DULCIE sits there. BESS waves her over)
BESS
Come. Come come come.
(DULCIE walks over)
BESS
The trick with gilding is you want to wait til the very end. The heat off the bread helps soak it in. You see?
(DULCIE nods)
BESS
Now, I put the rose water in to cut some of the oiliness. You want it to spread smooth and even, not to