Description

Guy Fawkes on Trial

Guy Fawkes on Trial is a short play with a cast of 6. It could be used in the classroom or put on as a performance in front of the school, or used by a drama club. It presents a ‘new take’ on history’s verdict – an interesting twist when the only witness is found guilty by the only member of the jury! i.e. Guy Fawkes walks (free)! I have added at the end of the script a Fact File – which I thought would be useful (a) as an introduction to the subject (b) as the basis for a quiz, to test the children’s knowledge.

This play is actually included in the Guy Fawkes Assembly which has a cast of 30 and covers all the facts plus a reading of ‘Remember, Remember, the fifth of November’.

Please note: The script is available in word document format on the purchase of Performing Rights Certificate. The scripts remain free of performance rights for staging in the classroom but as an assembly, in front of a non-paying audience, you need to buy a single Performance Rights Certificate to cover you for the play you are purchasing.

Guy Fawkes on Trial  Characters:

• Judge
• The Accused – Guy Fawkes
• Policeman (Witness)
• Defence
• Prosecutor
• Member of the Jury

(I also have lecture notes on The Gunpowder Plot, Plague and Great Fire of London – see lectures section or drop me a line)

Guy Fawkes on Trial  Sample text:

Prosecutor:        Of course, my Lord! So, to give you a summary of this man’s terrible crimes ..

Judge:                   (Impatiently) Yes, yes, yes! The blowing up of the Houses of Parliament! But guess what? They’re still here!

Defence:             (To Prosecutor) So what’s your problem?

Prosecutor:        (Exploding) My problem? My problem? Only the fact that Mr. Fawkes actually intended to blow them up, along with King James himself!

Jury member:    (Gasping) The fiend! I knew it! The minute I looked at him! I saw that guilt – written all over his face! Guilty as charged!

Judge:                   (Slamming down hammer) Order! Order! (Turning to Prosecutor) Am I to believe that the fate of this unfortunate man (pointing to Guy Fawkes) rests in the hands of  (pointing to jury member) this …. this lunatic?

Prosecutor:        Absolutely, my Lord! None of the other jurors turned up!

Judge:                   I’m guessing –  stuck in a traffic jam too? (Sighing) Ah well! So be it! On with the evidence!

Policeman:          Ah, that would be me! Caught him red-handed, I did!

Guy Fawkes:      (Exclaiming in outrage) Man-handled, more like! An absolute outrage! Depriving an innocent man of his liberty!

Jury member:    (Exclaiming in sympathy) Outrageous! Man handling, you say! Depriving this innocent man of his liberty?

Prosecutor:        Objection! Objection!  Whoever said this man was innocent?

Judge:                   Objection sustained! (Turning to jury member) May I remind you that you have to decide whether this man is innocent or guilty (pauses for emphasis) AT THE END OF THIS CASE! (Shaking his head) Proceed!

Policeman:          Thank you, m’lord! As I was saying – caught this rogue red-handed!

Judge:                   (Impatiently) Yes, yes! But where? When? Doing what? We need to know just a little more detail!

Policeman:          (Huffily) Of course! I was just getting to that bit. So, there I was (looking at Judge) down in the cellars, under the Houses of Parliament, on the night of November the 4th 1605, having a quiet look around when

Jury member:    (Jumping up, shouting excitedly) It was him!

Judge:                   What are you talking about? Sit down! How many more times do I have to tell you to wait your turn?

Jury member:    But don’t you see? You’ve got the wrong man! It was him (pointing at the policeman), not him (pointing at Guy Fawkes)!

Prosecutor:        This is preposterous! You can’t go accusing the witness!

Defence:             And why not? Let’s hear it!

Policeman:          Hear what? There I was, down in that cellar, going about my duty ..

Jury member:    Ah right! The duty of blowing up the King of England!

Policeman:          No! No! You’ve got it all wrong! I was down there to arrest him (pointing at Guy Fawkes)!

Jury member:    Or so you say!

Prosecutor:        Objection! Objection! We are here to try Guy Fawkes, not my witness!

Judge:                   Overruled! I find this new slant to the story rather interesting!