Mike Bartlett - King Charles III (West End Edition)

Mike Bartlett KING CHARLES III NICK HERN BOOKS London www.nickhernbooks.co.uk ContentsKing Charles III was first performed at the Almeida Theatre, London, on 3 April 2014 and transferred to the Wyndhams Theatre, London, on 2 September 2014. The cast was as follows:

CHARLES	Tim Pigott-Smith
SARAH/GHOST/TELEVISION PRODUCER	Katie Brayben
WILLIAM	Oliver Chris
HARRY	Richard Goulding
SPENCER/NICK/SIR GORDON	Nyasha Hatendi
MR EVANS	Adam James
CAMILLA	Margot Leicester
COOTSY/CLIVE/SIR MICHAEL	Tom Robertson
MR STEVENS	Nicholas Rowe
JAMES REISS	Nick Sampson
JESS	Tafline Steen
KATE	Lydia Wilson
MUSICIANS	Belinda Sykes,
Anna-Helena McLean

From 8 September there was the following cast change:

JAMES REISS	Miles Richardson
Director	Rupert Goold
Designer	Tom Scutt
Composer	Jocelyn Pook
Lighting Designer	Jon Clark
Sound Designer	Paul Arditti
Casting Director	Joyce Nettles
Associate Director	Whitney Mosery
Movement Director	Anna Morrissey
Musical Director	Belinda Sykes
Associate Lighting Designer	Peter Harrison
Associate Sound Designer	Christopher Reid
Assistant Director	Jessica Edwards
Voice and Text Coach	Alison Bomber

Sonia Friedman Productions, Stuart Thompson Productions and Almeida Theatre, in association with Lee Dean and Charles Diamond and Tulchin Bartner Productions present the Almeida Theatre production. Thanks Thanks to Tom Dingle and the Jersey Arts Trust, Jonny Donahoe, Rupert Goold, James Grieve, Headlong, Robert Icke, Clare Lizzimore, George Perrin, Ben Power and Tom Scutt. M.B. For SamuelCharacters KING CHARLES III CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALL WILLIAM, DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE CATHERINE (KATE), DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE PRINCE HENRY OF WALES (HARRY) JAMES REISS MR EVANS, Prime Minister SPENCER COOTSY JESS MR STEVENS, Leader of the Opposition GHOST SARAH NICK CLIVE SERVANT PAUL SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE FREE-NEWSPAPER WOMAN TERRY SIR GORDON BUTLER SIR MICHAEL TELEVISION PRODUCER ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY And CLUBBERS, ATTENDANTS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, COMMUTERS, PROTESTERS, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS Note on Text ( ) means the next line interrupts. () at the end of a speech means it trails off.

On its own it indicates a pressure, expectation or desire to speak. A line with no full stop at the end indicates that the next speech follows on immediately. PrologueA choir sings. The funeral procession of Queen Elizabeth II goes past. ACT ONE1.1Enter CAMILLA, Duchess of Cornwall, and KING CHARLES III. CAMILLA.

My wondrous Charles you looked composed throughout You did her proud, for as she would have liked You never showed your pain, but stood instead A virtuous man of dignity and grace. Immovable, inscrutable as stone. CHARLES. Please dont. Its simply what I had to do. Well find no dignity in covring up The way we feel.

What son should, standing Waiting at his mothers grave, stop his tears? CAMILLA. Are you alright? CHARLES. My whole existence has like most of us Been built upon the ones who gave me birth. And now theyre gone. Thats it. Now Mum. Now Mum.

The only truth: I am alone. CAMILLA. Except for me. CHARLES. Its not the same, Camilla. The love, with us, Its all my life, but never can replace Parental word, a mothers hand to hold.

But here the others back to statue Its Catherine, and William. Enter WILLIAM, DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE and CATHERINE, DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE. Hello! Youre radiant, despite the grave Restrictions of the mourning dress. It is Your gift my dear, its what youve brought to us. A sense of fashion, better hair as well. KATE.

I never thought Id see her pass away CHARLES. I felt the same. WILLIAM. How are you Dad? CHARLES. WILLIAM. It must be hard to deal with loss combined With gain.

For soon, at last, you will be King CAMILLA. Not soon. WILLIAM. Three months CAMILLA. Your father rules today. KATE.

I thought the coronation marked the change CHARLES. Youre right, officially that is the case CAMILLA. But England, Scotland, Northern Ireland They cannot stand without a king or queen For all the months it takes to organise A coronation WILLIAM. Wales. CAMILLA. Wales too. Wales too.

You missed it out. CAMILLA. Then Wales. As well. And Wales! KATE. But surely constitutionally speaking CAMILLA.

Oh sweet my dear we have no constitution Instead Tradition holds us to account. KATE. Tradition then, it still CAMILLA. Tradition holds that on the death of kings Or queens, the next is monarch straight away. He needs no proclamation, needs no man To shout The Queen is dead, long live the King. KATE. KATE.

So coronation day itself is just The ancient costumes worn, and lines to learn, A slice of theatre, thats played for fun? CHARLES. Not fun I think, for me, I hate those things. HARRY enters. CAMILLA. Harry! Its such a joy to have you home. HARRY. HARRY.

I might head off. If thats okay? I know theres this thing, but Im tired. CHARLES. You want to go? Of course, well say youre ill, if thats HARRY. Yeah right, thats it, I dont feel well. CAMILLA. CAMILLA.

Why? Whats the matter? HARRY. Er Headache? But that was all good wasnt it? It went okay, from what I could see? KATE. Do you really have to go? HARRY. Its not I mean the whole Ive only been back a few days, cant deal with all the chat. The people. CHARLES. CHARLES.

Its important Harry. HARRY. Yeah but the headache though. They look at each other for a moment. Then he goes. WILLIAM.

We should leave, and mingle with the crowds. A single round should be sufficient, then Were at the Palace, yes? CAMILLA. Thats right. CHARLES. But wheres The children? KATE. Taken now to Kensington.

They needed sleep. CHARLES. They didnt cry. WILLIAM. They what? CHARLES. I thought they would.

With both of them so young. But something in them understood and so They watched and listened, and like all of us They kept their real emotions to themselves. In public William, you were the same, For as a babe so silent in the cot We worried you might quietly have died. WILLIAM. We felt the same with George. CHARLES. True. True.

The constant fear That one might somehow lose ones son. Enter JAMES REISS, his Press Secretary, who waits. WILLIAM. But Dad, youre shaken up. Perhaps we should take time to talk? CHARLES. Im sorry.

It must wait. James wants us now CAMILLA. Charles James will happly do whatever you Command. You can spend time with William CHARLES. Well see you later on. WILLIAM. Alright. They go. JAMES. JAMES.

Just Mr Evans, waiting now, to speak. Before you walk together from the door. I am afraid the press are kettled up And staying all this time, expect their shot. CHARLES. A moment please, alone, before it starts. JAMES goes.

Camilla you as well, Im sorry but You understand? CAMILLA. I do. She kisses him, and goes. CHARLES. At last. I needed room for thought to breathe In every second since my mother passed Im trapped by meetings, all these people ask Me questions, talking, fussing, what to do, Expect Ill have opinion there, all good To go, like Findus ready meals for one, Pre-wrapped and frozen, This is what I think.