King Ferdinand

Old King John’s play written by Shakespeare is the least performed of all of his pieces. This could be because it is - unfortunately - quite a dull piece. In this addition to the Mortal Temples I have spiced it up a bit, the original is great once you get into the swing of it but sometimes it’s nice not to have to think about ye olde grammar too much! Another piece written in full for the Fiery Floods Theatre Company.

Ferdinand: How much more of your men’s loyal blood are you going to spill to prove your point, out of reach as it is of your borders

Sylvester: How many more of your men will you let be felled to keep a throne that is not even yours usurper? 

Ferdinand: Who will they admit into their walls

Sylvester: Ho there, who is your King?

Soldier: When we know him we will say

Sylvester: Know him by Knox - we uphold the claim of the true King of Whitehaven

Ferdinand: A claim which has no more of a foothold to it than metal on ice. I hold the throne and therefore this city - open your gates to the King of Whitehaven
Soldier: A power greater than me holds the keys to the gates of Storby, it is not my choice but the choice of Avarice who enters these gates

Jacob: See how they stand on the battlements watching us fight one another to enter their precious city…like fools at the theatre they gape from the rafters at our entertaining lines and actions. Would it not be better to be friends to win over this little precocious city

Ferdinand: I like the way your mind works nephew. Knox what say you?

Sylvester: It is a logical conclusion to draw, but how do I know this is not part of your obnoxious plan to steal the throne from young Virgil?

Ferdinand: Your son could wed my niece, then we are family rather than warring countries

Sylvester: A marriage of politics

Anastasia: They usually are

Quentin: And this will stop a needless war between our two seats?