cranberry castle

7/31/2019 Cranberry Castle

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Cranberry Castle

The action takes place in a medieval royal castle somewhere in the North. The King, his

sons and his knights went to war several years before the beginning of the story. Most of

the servants ran. The castle is almost abandoned – only some major female residents are

still there. The women face a sad, boring and lonesome life. The Queen tries to bring up

her adolescent daughter who dreams of a great love and flirts with a local vampire. Elise

the Sorceress looks at stars and sees a lot of dangerous things… that are not going to

happen. Sheila the Warrior is ready to defend her Queen and her Princess from any

danger… But unfortunately there is no danger to defend them from.

Then some artists arrive to Cranberry Castle. They bring a new life here… And also

some problems. How will they change the castle?

Characters

The Cranberry Castle Residents:

• Queen – her name is Victoria, but for some reason everybody talks to her per “Your

Highness” or “Your Majesty”. She pretends to be the calmest woman you’d ever

known, though she had some affairs when she was young…

• Princess Alice – very cute, very young and very reckless, but quite kind and

friendly, too. Dreams of a great love. And many men dreams of tasting her beauty.

Will they succeed?

• Elise the Sorceress – the mistress of alchemy, astrology and White Magic, seems to

know everything. A dangerous female, believe me or not.

• Sheila the Warrior – while all the men are gone, this woman is the last who know

how to use sword and shield. However, she uses them greatly.

The Guests – some artists come to the Cranberry Castle. They bring a new life to the old

walls…

• The Bard – he sings and declaims poems quite fine, but for some reason he doesn’t

want anyone to know his real name. Why?



• The Jester – seeming funny and harmless, he turns out to be quite wise and feel

more than the others.

• Rebecca the Dancer – a good, innocent angel of the story, straightforward and

sympathetic.

There is also a vampire who call himself Jack. He is going to seduce the young princess.

Because he is handsome and charming, it would be a hard task to resist him…

ACT I

SCENE 1 (Vampire Introduction)

The Fireplace Chamber. Princess Alice is sitting next to the fireplace.

Alice’s Song

My father is gone,

he left his throne.

He went, he went, he went to war.

My brothers are gone,They left our home.

For gold, for gold, and for silver coins.

My lover is gone,

he left me alone,

I lost him, I lost him – another girl won!

My father and brothers and lovers are gone,

I should feel sad and lonely – but I’m not alone.

Jack the Vampire appears on the stage. Princess Alice pretends not to see him.

ALICE

I said – I want a new lover, even for the cost of my soul!

And handsome Jack appeared and gave me what I wanted!



JACK whispering passionately

But you don’t know what will be the cost.

ALICE merry and gay

Here you are, my new boyfriend! I want you.

JACK with an assassin’s smile

I know.

ALICE sweetly

Sweet Jack, you will never leave me alone.

She stands up. Jack the Vampire comes from behind and embraces her gently.

JACK sinisterly

From the very Land of Sorrow, from the very heart of Hell

I came back to this Castle to taste you, beautiful girl.

ALICE

Sweet Jack, what a nice metaphor…

JACK

No, just simple truth, my dear.

You called the Evil Emperor.

So he send me, as you see.

PRINCESS ALICE carelessly

I didn’t quite catch what you’ve said.

after a minute

You’re so unusual Jack, you know. I know neither where you come from nor who you

really are. laughing Sometimes I’m even a little scared of you.

JACK passionately

Believe me or not, you should…

He tries to bite her neck but then a voice can be heard from nearby. Alice gets rid of the Jack’s embrace.



ALICE

Sweet Jack, you must go. My mum’s going to come in.

JACK pitifully

What a pity, pretty girl.

ALICE

Please, just hide in… Over there!

She points.

JACK crooningEvery day another sin…

He hides.

SCENE 2

Queen Victoria enters.

VICTORIA coldly

I wanted to inform you, my daughter, that we have some guests at the Cranberry Castle

today.

ALICE

Who are they?

VICTORIA

They are artists: actors, poets, something of that kind. Two men and one young girl.

ALICE with a grin

Good news! Since Dad had gone to war and with him all the knights and warriors, I

haven’t seen any man. Regrettable: Do you know, mummy, that I haven’t had any love

affair for almost three years?

JACK crooning. Queen seems not to hear him.

A small lie has just come in!Every day another sin…



VICTORIA disgusted

What do you say, nasty girl?! You should control your passions and emotions – you’re a

member of a royal family! When I was at your age, I didn’t have any love affairs at all.

JACK crooning once again

Queen Victoria lies! Hi, hi!

Every day another sin…

SCENE 3

Sheila the Warrior enters. It’s a break of the day. The Vampire disappears unnoticeably.

SHEILA Your Majesty, I have accommodated our guests as you wished. Now they are waiting for

an audience. Do you agree to receive them right here, right now?

VICTORIA

Of course, Sheila. I have never liked this whole royal etiquette too much. Let them in!

SHEILA

Sir Incognito, the Bard!

The Bard enters. He smiles to Sheila and Alice like any artist or celebrity would do

noticing a woman. When he looks at Queen, however, for a moment a wild gleam

appears in his eyes.

VICTORIA

Who are you, Sir Incognito? Why don’t you tell us your name?

BARD

Madam, generally speaking, I just have a hidden aim.

ALICE

Oh, this sounds so romantically!

VICTORIA Oh, shut up, you foolish girl!



By the way, where is Elise?

SHEILA

She is looking at the stars,

she can do it all the day.

VICTORIA

You should know I don’t like her.

She seems to never be on earth.

BARD

Er, Madam,my friends are waiting there outside,

perhaps I could introduce them?

VICTORIA

Yes, no problem, let them in,

introduce them with a poem!

BARD

My dear fellows – please come in!

Rebecca the Dancer and a Jester come in. The Jester looks quite amused.

JESTER to the Queen

What a charming woman! Your Majesty, you look even more amazing than my cow, which

I sold last Friday for two hundred pounds!

BARD whispers, embarrassed

Please, don’t care about his jokes…

He is just mentally ill…

JESTER

Princess! What a nice red nose!

You would be a tasty meal…



BARD

Jester, could you please shut up?

JESTER innocently

Sir, is something wrong? What’s up?

BARD pointing at Rebecca

She is my another friend,

her name is Rebecca Scent.

REBECCA curtseying

Glad to see you, Your Majesty,and you too, Alice the Mellow.

VICTORIA to Princess

Jester… he’s a nasty fellow,

but I like this girl’s modesty.

BARD smiling

Becky used to be an orphan, I took care of her, brought up,

as you see, she learned good manners, I think you’ll like her – you must.

Princess Alice smiles at Rebecca, then yawns, closes her eyes and falls down.

JESTER

making a parody of a gentleman’s behaviour

Oh, is everything right to her?

If it’s not, I will took care…

VICTORIA apologetically

It’s already late in night, she was tired – she’s a child.

JESTER maliciously

Rather a deathly rose with thorns…

Rebecca yawns, too.Becky, what an artistic yawn!



SHEILA

Guests, I think you’re all tired, I’ll show you your sleeping chamber.

VICTORIA

Tomorrow, I hope, we will be able to see your show.

BARD passionately

Oh, you will be pleased, madam.

Sinisterly to the public:

Cause it’ll be the last show in your life…

CURTAIN

ACT II

SCENE 1

Elisa the Sorceress is in her laboratory. There is a lot of strange stuff, mysterious

volumes, star symbols and a crystal ball.

ELISE looking up at the night sky

A man is not alone as long as the skies, bright during the day, dotted with silver,

sympathising tears in the night, is his fellow.

she sings in a way which makes the public believe in her words.

Dancing In The Sky

I’m dancing in the sky,

Strolling among the stars,

The gods created them for me.

The lights are all around,

Watching mysteries, charmed,

I can hear wonderful melody…



The stars are all singing

The only song of life.

I feel my sorrow silly

Is blending in the night.


The darkness looks so bright

When it’s enlightened by the moon.

There’s no evil, no lie,

Joy embraces me tight,

I’m flowing in the night and soon…





Let the silence sound. Then Queen Victoria enters.

VICTORIA ironically

Here you are, Elise, you strange old-fashioned lady,

Feet over heels in love with stars and skies and lights,

Always playing an old yet very poor comedy,

Pretending to be wiser, wiser than we are.

You have just called me, what it will be this time

The thing important enough to waste my precious time?

ELISE gravely

I can show you dead people who turn up here alive,

I can show you mysteries revealed and your dark heart

Itself, I can show you too.

Is it enough, up to you?

Your Majesty?



VICTORIA annoyed

Honestly,

I will teach you some manners when my husband’s back here.

ELISE

He won’t be back for months and years and now – the end is near!

VICTORIA

I wonder why always when you speak, you predict something bad.

ELISE to the public

Your Highness, listen to what I say, listen to this carefully.I don’t want to irritate you, I hope you won’t be foolish,

A bad devil is now awake, one of us woke him up,

He can destroy the souls and hearts, kill, drive to hell, but

He’s not the only danger know. Another has just came

From outside, and it wants to hurt, to take cruel revenge.

You did something in your past youth, you did something so bad,

That your punishment chases you, like dogs always chase cats.

The stars have told me all of that, but they have al so said,

That evil could be overcome, that it was not too late,

To change totally our lives, to throw the devil out

And without the bloody revenge, make justice satisfied.

Ten, kto zna niebezpieczeństwo, może go uniknąć, gwiazdy mogą zmienić zdanie.

VICTORIA to the public

The statements which are told me now are waking my remorse,

I don’t understand many words, yet I know they’re not false,

The old witch isn’t scaring me, she’s just telling the truth,

Oh, vain and fat but nasty days, the lost days of my youth!

I had so many enemies, I mean I had in past,

But which of them can be alive – I killed them all at last!

But maybe, maybe… I don’t know… One … One might have survived,

Changed his appearance, changed his name and wanted to strike back…

Is my enemy still alive? I killed them all at last!Oh, vain and fat but nasty days, the lost days of my past!



ELISE

Your Highness, I see you understand, I see it at first glance,

You’ve never been evil enough to wipe truth off your face. |

If only you want me for help, I am sure that I could

Solve at least some of your big problems. Madam, I’m sure you should

Tell me everything you know now or at least what you feel;

Then I could help, help all of us, and all of us will win.

VICTORIA struggling against herself

Elise, I don’t know anything, I don’t know what I feel.

The only thing I understand is there’s no joy, no cheer,

No happiness and no power I thought I really owned… Suddenly changing her mind and starting to giggle foolishly

You did it well – you frightened me! But tomorrow…

She tries to escape from the room. Elise shakes her head in astonishment.

Tomorrow we will laugh!

Going out of the stage

Elise, you old lady! Thanks for some entertainment. You scared me a little – never mind!

Tomorrow we will be all laughing at that!

ELISE alone

I haven’t succeed in making her change her behaviour. The Queen won’t try to find and

destroy the devil. She won’t change her behaviour, either.

To the public

I know there is an evil monster but I don’t know whose mind woke him up. I know that

one of the guests who have come to the Cranberry Castle is a victim of Queen’s past sins

but I don’t know which of them he or she is. The Polar Night is falling; when it falls, the

Hell will strike from two sides. I can’t help this: if I don’t do something, nobody will. It’s

high time to act.

SCENE 2

The guest’s chamber. Rebecca, Jester and Bard are going to beds.

JESTER sweetly



Good night, beautiful Becky, and dream of a handsome Jester who will rescue you from

the hands of a bad, ugly Bard.

Good night, Bard, dream of… Er, dream of this too.

He falls asleep.

REBECCA

Lying on the bed, gazing at the ceiling.

Nameless Jester… I like him, Bard,

Though seemingly useless, he works very hard

To invent new jokes and make us laugh.

I’m glad you rescued him,

Though he’s mentally ill.I’m really grateful for that.

BARD

What I could have done, when I see I can

Help, I always help.

I just couldn’t stand

A view of an innocent man’s

Death.

After a sigh

Many years ago, I found myself in a similar situation.

Nobody helped me then; my lucky salvation

Was a question of my will to survive...

And will to strike my enemies back.

REBECCA

I worry about you. You’ve been talking of so many bitter and frightening things recently.

BARD gently

Don’t worry, baby. I’ve come to the Cranberry Castle to finish some stories not finished

yet. Once they are completed, everything will be all right…

Noticing Rebecca has fallen asleep, he whispers:

Oh, you’re sleeping, my sweet child… He also falls asleep.



SCENE 3

The artists are sleeping. Elise the Sorceress enters.

ELISE

Croons

Dream, dream, poor people, dream,

Rest, rest, poor people, rest,

Free the imagination’s wings,

Let hearts’ desires out of your chest.

She dances. Her crooning is becoming a magic spell.

Dream, dream, poor people, dream,

Rest, rest, poor people, rest,

Free the imagination’s wings,Let hearts’ desires out off your chest!

She stops.

Now I’m going to get to know who – and why – wants to hurt our queen.

She stands over the Jester.

Tell me, tell me, heart of fun,

Tell me everything you can!

JESTER sings, sleeping

I have already seen so many wooomen, and frankly, sooo maaany I have kissed,

But only you is who I love reaaaaalllly, and only you, you Becky, I miss.

ELISE

Feet over heels in love… I think he told enough.

Standing over Rebecca.

Tell me, tell me, heart of gold,

Tell me what has not been told!

REBECCA in a dreamful voice

It’s a beautiful dream… Jester is no more a lunatic, he is a brave knight on a white horse

and comes to rescue me from hands of bad witch…

ELISEShe looks as if she was in love, too.



Turning to the Bard

The Jester and the girl are harmless… The danger must to be you!

Standing over the Bard

Tell me, tell me, heart so dark,

Why you won’t queen Victoria hurt?

BARD

When we met for the first time,

Your eyes were full of happiness,

You were beautiful, joyful, young,

And in my heart – there was a mess…

Within a minute I fell in love,

Which was passionate and deathly true.

I gifted you with my whole life,

Presented you my heart and soul.

We were two trees in a forest full of light,

The leaves were green, the trunks were white,

We hugged ourselves with our branches,

Between us songs of birds and dances

Of the gentle, warm and tender wind…

But soon the truth came too light,

It turned up I was insane.

What for me was an eternal love,

For you was just a silly game.

You didn’t want to see any more

The only man who really loved you.

You sent assassins to kill me at home,

But I survived to revenge on you.

I will kill you. Don’t try To escape. There’s no way.



Tomorrow you will die

For making me forget the day

When…

We were two trees in a forest full of light,

The leaves were green, the trunks were white,

We hugged ourselves with our branches,

Between us songs of birds and dances

Of the gentle, warm and tender wind…

ELISE

Oh my dear! What should I do?Tie up him here at once? Or should

I let him deathly punish the queen?

She is guilty, but is her guilt

Big enough to be punished with death?

Is it up to me to be judge of that?

Perhaps I could persuade him?

Perhaps Victoria could repair her sin?

Oh, everything is so difficult!

I must thought it up; perhaps I could

Help both the queen and her victim.

The Stars will help me and will overcome the sin.

I also have to get to know

From whose desires the devil comes from…

Elisa disappears. After a while the artists wake up.

JESTER

Get up, Becky and you, Bard,

The break of the day is coming, today we are working hard.

Rebecca and Bard get up. Jester says to the public with a smile:

Or at least we’re be pretending to work hard and in reality…

He giggles. The artists go out of the stage.

SCENE 4



Princess Alice and Jack the Vampire.

ALICE naively

I have decided, Jack,

Tonight I will be yours.

Mum will understand that

When we run away on a horse.

JACK hungrily

But let me once bite your neck…

ALICE dreamfully You mean: kiss my lips.

JACK

But let me once kiss your lips

Before we run away!

Now you know I must disappear:

There comes the break of the day…

He disappears. Alice sighs dreamfully and goes out of the stage.

SCENE 5

A large applause comes from behind the stage. The Jester’s voice sounds:

JESTER

And that’s everything today, ladies and gentlemen… Oh, I haven’t noticed this before –

there are only ladies in the public… Sorry for that, ladies! You were a great public!

He comes in the stage, together with Rebecca.

REBECCA

I think that they enjoyed our show, though Bard has been rather gloomy today.

JESTER

Yes, they must have enjoyed it… As long as you were on the stage.

REBECCA blushing



You’re really nice, Jester, you know.

JESTER blushing too

Becky, you should know…

He gives her a red rose.

Er… I really like you, girl. Really.

His voice suggests that the word “like” is much too little to truly express his emotions.

REBECCA astonished and gay

Thank you, Jester! It’s so kind of you!

She embraces him gently.

JESTER Oh my dear, I’m in heaven… Suddenly I’m sorry, Becky, I have some very important jokes

to invent, right here, right now…

He gets rid of her hug and quickly runs away. Rebecca, amused, follows him with her

eyes, then she is smelling the roses. Elise the Sorceress comes in.

ELISE

Miss Rebecca, I’m Elise the Sorceress. I have something extremely important to tell you.

REBECCA

I’m listening to you, madam.

ELISE

Nobody should hear this, so I have to tell you everything in a very short time… It’s

extremely difficult. OK. I’ve got to know why your protector, Bard, has been so gloomy

recently and why he has come to the Cranberry Castle. Queen Victoria was his lover when

they were young but then she was unfaithful to him, she married another man and tried to

kill him.

REBECCA

You’re saying horrible things… I don’t know what to think about that.

ELISE



Bard survived in a miraculous way, but then he wanted to revenge on Victoria. That’s why

he’s here. He will slit her throat to punish her for her betrayal and not only for that. The

Queen was a very bad person in her youth.

Rebecca lacks word to answer. Elise goes on.

I could just tell the Queen but then she would kill the Bard – it would be even worse. So I

decided I will try to talk to Bard.

REBECCA

Do you think you can persuade him?

ELISE calmly

No, I don’t think so. It’s even possible he will kill me. But I have to try.

REBECCA

Oh my God!

ELISE

There is also another problem: someone drew a vampire to this castle. He is very

dangerous. If I can’t do this after I talk to Bard, you will have to stop the vampire from

hurting anybody in the castle.

REBECCA very pale

I… understand.

ELISE

I’ve frightened you, my little girl… But you have to know the truth and how to act.

Embracing her to save her from falling down.

Now you should take some rest…

They go out.

CURTAIN

ACT III

SCENE 1

Elise, Bard.

BARD

Madam, why do you want to talk to me?



ELISE

Sir, last night I watched your dream.

BARD

It’s impossible, madam, I never tell my dreams to anybody. They’ve never seen daylight

ELISE

Yet I watched your last dream and know exactly what you were dreaming about.

BARD nervously

I don’t believe you.

ELISE calmly

But you should. This is true.

BARD aggressively

So, what was there – in my dream?

ELISE

There were to people – and a wild gleam

Of love, which could not last forever.

There was a parting and betrayal,

And your desire to punish it.

BARD to the public

I can’t believe it,

The witch looked into my suffering mind.

ELISE

But I was sure you wouldn’t mind.

BARD

Why now you want to talk to me?

ELISETo save both you and our queen.



You’re going to slit her royal throat.

I know about it – and I say: no.

She was unfaithful and she was bad,

She wanted to kill you; yes, yes, but

Still you don’t own the divine right

To make someone alive… Or make someone die.

You can be happy with Jester and his girl.

Just run away the Castle… And live somewhere there!

She points somewhere there. Bard seems not to be persuaded.

BARD

No, betrayal of love must be punished!The glass full of anger must be vanished!

Queen Victoria must be killed at any price!

And tonight – it is the only chance!

He looses his temper.

And if you, madam, want to stop me,

There’s no way out – you will be killed!

He attacks Elise and strangles her. Elise tries to fight but in vain. Suddenly Rebecca

enters.

REBECCA both angry and frightened

What are you doing, JOHN, for Heavens Sake! You know well you won’t be able to look

into my eyes if you kill her – finish it and be damned for ages or stop it and be blessed!

Bard, suddenly lacking strength, releases Elise. Rebecca jumps to her. Elise is breathing

heavily.

Is everything all right?

My dear witch – you’ve almost died!

ELISE

Still breathing rather heavily.

Don’t worry, Becky – I’m feeling good.

You’ve rescued me – thank you very much.

You’ve also rescued the JOHN’s soul,

When he’s already felt the Hell’s touch.



BARD weakly

I have been nameless, nameless for years,

I lost my identity… Becky, you gave me a chance

To begin a better and brand-new life…

Elise stands up and comes to him.

ELISE gently casts a spell

Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep – tonight

There will be an important job for you.

Turning to Rebecca.

The name “JOHN” means “God is generous”.

REBECCA

And so he was. He made Bard John rescue Jester and me, then he stopped him from

killing you, dear witch.

ELISE thoughtfully

The Lord of Stars likes the number three. I expect he will be generous to us for the third

time, and once again he will use Bard John.

Aloud.

While Bard was deathly embracing me,

I felt as if I fell asleep.

And then I had an interesting dream

- and I saw whose desires drew the vampire here!

Young princess Alice was so alone,

She wanted a new lover – even for the cost of her soul…

The Polar Night is falling… The vampire will try to drink her blood.

We have to find Alice before the bloody night.



Alice’s Song

d

My father is gone,

a

he left his throne.

g d

He went, he went, he went to war.

d

My brothers are gone,

a

They left our home.g d

For gold, for gold, and for silver coins.

d

My lover is gone,

a

he left me alone,

g d

I lost him, I lost him – another girl won!

d a

My father and brothers and lovers are gone,

B d

I should feel sad and lonely – but I’m not alone.

Dancing In The Sky

C


F

Strolling among the stars,

C G7

The gods created them for me.



C

The lights are all around,

F

Watching mysteries, charmed,

C G7 C

I can hear wonderful melody…

C


a


FI feel my sorrow silly

C



The darkness looks so bright

When it’s enlightened by the moon.

There’s no evil, no lie,

Joy embraces me tight,

I’m flowing in the night and soon…





cranberry castle

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