Write and Produce Your Own School Play Pack 2
English Legend
Synopsis
While King Richard I is away at the Crusades, the followers of Prince John, the Regent, seize the lands of many faithful followers of the King. One of the estates they take belongs to the Earl of Huntingdon. The Earl is killed, but his son Robin escapes to Sherwood Forest. He is given by the people the name of Robin of Sherwood, which is shortened to Robin Hood. He is declared an outlaw but gathers a group of free men about him to harry the Prince and the Sheriff of Nottingham, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor until King Richard returns.
Scene 1 The castle of the Earl of Huntingdon Characters: The Earl of Huntingdon, Robin Hood, guests, servants, soldiers, entertainers. Action: The Earl of Huntingdon is holding a great feast to celebrate the coming-of-age of his son Robin. There are entertainments, songs and speeches. Suddenly the men of Prince John burst in and say that they are taking over the estate on the orders of their master. The Earl and his friends fight the soldiers but are killed. Only Robin manages to escape and make his way to the forest.
Scene 2 Sherwood Forest Characters: Robin Hood, Little John, Friar Tuck, Much the Miller’s Son, Will Scarlett, other outlaws. Action: Robin flees to the forest and meets up with a number of individual outlaws, hiding from Prince John’s men. One by one Robin gathers the outlaws into a band, first testing each man to see whether he will make a good fighting man. At first they are suspicious of him, but he shows them with his archery that he is a good fighter himself. He also makes himself their leader, saying that they need not skulk like felons in the forest, but can control Sherwood and use it as their headquarters to launch a series of attacks on the Prince’s supporters.The others agree enthusiastically.
Scene 3 Sherwood Forest Characters: Inhabitants of the forest, Robin Hood, outlaws, the Sheriff of Nottingham, attendants. Action: The inhabitants of the forest have gathered to protest about the harsh rule of the Sheriff of Nottingham. The Sheriff and his men arrive to break up the meeting by force. Before they can do so they are ambushed by Robin Hood and his men.They take money from the Sheriff and his followers and distribute it among the poor people. The Sheriff of Nottingham vows vengeance on Robin, but the outlaw orders him to keep out of Sherwood Forest, as it is now his domain. The poor people thank Robin and sing a song in his honour.
Pearson Publishing, Chesterton Mill, French’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3NP 8 Write and Produce Your Own School Play Pack 2
Scene 4 A field outside Nottingham Characters: The Sheriff of Nottingham, followers, citizens, Robin Hood, outlaws. Action: A great fair is being held outside Nottingham.Vendors cry their wares, entertainers perform, there are various competitions for the citizens to enter. An announcer says that the main event of the afternoon will be an archery contest, with a prize of an arrow made of gold and silver for the winner. The Sheriff of Nottingham comes on with his followers. The Sheriff is to judge the contest and present the prize, but it becomes apparent from his conversation with his assistants that the competition is a trap to lure Robin Hood out of Sherwood Forest and arrest him. Robin Hood comes on dressed as a one-eyed beggar and takes part in the competition, unrecognised by the Sheriff. Robin wins the prize and bears it off triumphantly.
Scene 5 Nottingham Castle Characters: Sheriff of Nottingham, followers, soldiers, servants, entertainers, knights, Sir Guy of Gisbourne. Action: The Sheriff gives a great banquet to many different knights. They are fed and entertained. The knights boast of their prowess in battle. Then the Sheriff says that he has brought them all together because he has a proposition to put to them. In order to rid Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood, he will pay the princely sum of £500 to any knight who will kill the outlaw. At once the mood of the boasting knights changes. One by one they back down and make excuses to leave, not wishing to face Robin Hood. Only Guy of Gisbourne takes up the challenge. He will go in to Sherwood Forest the next day and slay Robin.
Scene 6 Sherwood Forest Characters: Little John, other outlaws, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, soldiers, Robin Hood, inhabitants of forest. Action: Little John and some of the outlaws are resting in the forest. Sir Guy and his soldiers attack them.They kill most of the outlaws and take Little John prisoner. One of the outlaws manages to escape and sets off to find Robin Hood. Sir Guy and his men are triumphant.They know that Robin Hood will not abandon Little John. When the outlaw leader tries to rescue his friend they will kill both men. Robin enters the camp of Sir Guy with his men. He offers to fight the knight in single combat. Sir Guy refuses, saying that he and his men outnumber the outlaws and will kill them all. Robin whistles. Many of the inhabitants of the forest answer his signal, bearing makeshift weapons. Robin says that he has the ordinary people on his side and it is Sir Guy who is now outnumbered. Reluctantly Sir Guy agrees to fight Robin. He is killed in their single combat. His soldiers surrender. The forest-dwellers cheer Robin.
Scene 7 Sherwood Forest Characters: Robin Hood, outlaws, inhabitants of forest, King Richard, soldiers. Action: Robin and his men are in the forest, weary of being outlaws and anxious to return to their homes. Some forest-dwellers rush on with the news that a large force of soldiers is approaching. Sick at heart Robin and his men prepare for yet another battle. But it is King Richard, just returned from the Crusades, who comes on with his soldiers. He thanks Robin and his men for all that they have done to maintain freedom in the realm during his absence. He says that they are all free to go back to their estates and resume their normal lives again. The outlaws sing a cheerful song and go off with the King and his men.
Pearson Publishing, Chesterton Mill, French’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3NP 9 Write and Produce Your Own School Play Pack 2
Additional optional scenes
Scene 3a Robin makes his way in disguise to Nottingham Castle and rescues his childhood sweetheart Marion from the Sheriff and takes her back to Sherwood Forest with him Scene 4a The outlaws and forest dwellers attend the wedding of one of the outlaws, Allan-a-Dale, to his sweetheart in the forest. Scene 5a More and more people flock to the forest to join Robin and become outlaws. Robin and his men have to devise tests in order to select the most suitable recruits.
Scenery
Painting of Sherwood Forest with the Sheriff of Nottingham’s castle in the distance.
Costumes
Robin Hood: Doublet and hose of Lincoln green Outlaws: As Robin Hood Sheriff: Cloak, gown Attendants: Doublet and hose, dresses Citizens: One-piece sackcloth garments, dresses Entertainers: Doublets and hose Knights: Cardboard armour painted with metallic paint Sir Guy: Cloak, gown Foresters: One-piece sackcloth garments, dresses King Richard: Gown, cloak, crown
Suggested reference
Robin Hood, Howard Pyle, Grandreams, 1993
Poem for inclusion in dramatisation
The following extract could be used in Scene 2 as Robin gathers his band of outlaws together:
Robin Hood talks to Little John “Thou shalt be an archer as well as the best, And range in the greenwood with us; Where we’ll not want gold nor silver, behold, While rich men have aught in their purse. We live here like squires, or lords of renown, Without e’er a foot of free land; We feast on good cheer, with wine, ale and beer, And everything at our command.” Anon
Pearson Publishing, Chesterton Mill, French’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3NP 10