Description

Tudors Rich and Poor School Assembly

Tudors Rich and Poor School Assembly. Which would you rather have been doing? Hunting during the day and feasting all night or working your fingers to the bone all day and fighting off the bed bugs all night? I know, not an easy choice! But the rich didn’t have it all their way – cramped corsets for women and ballet tights for men – fashion can have its own forms of punishment! Find out what it was really like .. being rich and poor!

Please note: The script is available in word document format on purchase of Performing Rights Certificate. The scripts remain free of performance rights for staging in the class room 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.

(Also available for this unit , set of 5 guided reading play scripts plus quizzes – The Country, Town Life, Life at Court, Fashion, and The Theatre – see Guided Reading Play Scripts section)

I have added to the end of this script a much shorter version – Tudor Rich and Poor Assembly II. i.e.  you will receive two for the price of one! I decided not to replace the longer version as it seemed a waste and I wanted to give people the choice of either using it in its entirety or using it as an additional resource.

Extracts

(Henry VIII sitting at long table with courtier – table laid with spoons and cups and large slabs of bread/trenchers)

Henry VIII:

Ah yes. Now, what have we got on the menu today? (Reads) 24 cows, 100 sheep, 51 calves, over a hundred pigs, 700 cocks and hens, 444 pigeons, 168 swans, 4000 larks ..(rubbing tummy) Mmm – that should help fill the gap!

(Looking at Narrator)

Would you care to join us?

Courtier (grudgingly making room)

You did bring your own knife, didn’t you?

Narrator:

Bother! Knew I’d forgotten something! Never mind, all a bit spicy for my taste. Comes of having to cover the taste of all that salt they have to use to keep the meat from going rotten.

(Exit Henry. Courtier stays standing at side, watching ladies)

(Enter Ladies in waiting, leering and showing black teeth)

Narrator:

My word! Too much sugar, me thinks.  And, oh dear! Just look at how pale you all are – not enough fresh air! (Lady whacks him round face with pomander)

Narrator:

What did I say?

Lady in waiting 1:

Maybe you don’t know too much about fashion! White skin, blue eyes, ruby red lips and fair hair are all signs of beauty! Here are some beauty tips for you.

Bleach your hair white with sulphur and lead ….never mind if it all drops out at a later date – you can always wear a wig …of somebody else’s hair that’s dropped out!

Lady in waiting 2:

To get lovely white skin, plaster on lead and vinegar! Don’t forget to wash off at nights!

And if you’ve got any pockmarks left by smallpox, just smooth candle wax over your skin – but try not to stand too near any candles!

Lady in waiting 1:

To get nice red lips, smear them with cochineal ….beetles!

Lady in waiting 2:

Don’t forget your iron corset, before you put on your dress – you must have a tiny waist – never mind the agony!

Lady in waiting 1:

Then there’s the ruff – a vital fashion accessory  …even if it means having to carry a long-handled spoon around with you, so that you can eat!

And most important of all ….

Both ladies together:

Never take a bath!

Lady in waiting 2:

You don’t need to, horrid unhealthy things! Not with one of these (swings pomander) to keep the air sweet!

Narrator (holding his nose):

Not sure I’m totally convinced!

(Courtier steps forward)

Courtier:

So you think the women had a hard time? Look at what us gents had to wear!

Fashion – David Bowie (courtier parading up and down)

Courtier:

Tights! Yes, you heard it! Tights! Ok, so we were spared the ballet pumps. We wore these instead (pointing to leather shoes).

And these (pointing to ‘hose’), these short trousers otherwise known as ‘hose’.

Narrator:

Isn’t that what you water the garden lawn with?!

Courtier:

Very funny!

Narrator:

But tell me. How did you Tudor men get such large thighs?

Courtier:

It’s padding! And that’s the next indignity we had to suffer.

Narrator:

How so?

Courtier:

How sore, more like, and uncomfortable. These (pointing to ‘hose’) were stuffed with rags, horsehair or bran!

TEACHING ‘COVERAGE’

5.   Unit 8: Tudors rich and poor Assembly

(i)             Shakespeare (famous quotes)

(ii)            Timeline – Tudor monarchs

(iii)           How the rich lived – houses/lifestyle

(iv)           How the poor lived – houses/lifestyle

(v)             Life in Tudor towns

–         Trade

–         Law enforcement

–         ‘Medicine’ – treatments for various conditions

(ii)            Banquets

(iii)           Fashion

(iv)           Sport

MUSIC

1.     Canon – Pachelbel.

2. Money Money Money – Abba (or Money – Pink Floyd)
3. Our House – Madness
4. Street Life – Roxy Music
5. Theme music to Casualty or Holby City
6. Theme music to Master Chef (or Food Glorious Food – Oliver)
For performance rights, please select from options below. Please note that these are in addition to the price of the play (11.99). For extra certificates (additional performances) and any queries re: performance rights please email me on sue@oldsite.plays-r-ussell.com