<-- back to Scene One SCENE 2 The same scene, a little later. You got your Messalinians in my Illyria! You got your Illyrians in my Messaline!
Viola and the Captain, still coughing up seawater, push some luggage {PROP: ruined, water-damaged bags, including a trunk labeled "Sebastian" filled with boy clothes} up onto the stage from the floor, crawling roughly up onto the stage, as if up a cliff from the sea. The musicians look them over but do not stop playing. Shipwrecks, apparently, are a dime a dozen in this town. Viola regards the musicians warily: she likes the beat in spite of herself but was raised to distrust the street.
VIOLA What country, friend, is this?
CAPTAIN This is Illyria, lady.
VIOLA And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium.Opening the trunk, pulling out one of his jackets, hugging it for comfort.
Perchance he is not drown'd: what think you, sailor?
CAPTAIN It is perchance that you yourself were saved.
VIOLA O my poor brother!She opens a [PROP: hinged locket] locket with their pictures, regarding her brother. As much time as the moment needs for true grief, and then: the CAPTAIN reacts to a noise: {SOUND: Soldiers marching and horses} OSL. Seeing Viola as she will be seen by the soldiers (as a woman of low personage {she's only in undergarments, albeit the heavy full-length undergarments of the period} and possibly a trophy of war to be seized and viola-ted), he throws the jacket over her and beckons her to stay silent and out of sight. They quickly gather up their bags and look for a place to hide. The danger, meanwhile, is as much the Captain's (if not moreso) as Viola's: out of all the islands to wash up on, why did it have to be Illyria? They're behind enemy lines.
Feste "pssts!" and beckons the Captain and Viola over to the circle of musicians. The other musicians throw blankets over the two of them, and Feste leans against the Captain's back, as if he was a rock. Interlude: the music begins again.
The SOLDIERS enter, with the gall and gruff of people who know that their guns have given them dominion over a landscape of lesser beings who despise them. They look down their noses at the musicians as nothing but street people and pick over the remnants of the shipwreck.
One of the soldiers picks up a {PROP: life preserver} life preserver: the U.S.S. Ophelia. Mutterings among the soldiers -- an enemy vessel? Were there survivors?
The lead Soldier walks towards the musicians, and the Captain coughs and begins to stir. Feste coughs louder and pats the Captain's shoulder, roughly: shaddup, shyadnap. He laughs and beckons the musicians to keep playing.
The lead Soldier walks back towards the others and they march OSR: "Come on, let's check over here." {SOUND: Soldiers marching and horses}
Feste peers offstage to watch their exit, and when they've gone, he pulls up the soggy pair. The Captain nods in thanks to Feste, who eyes them knowingly. Viola nudges the Captain back to the trunk, and they continue reconnoitering as Viola inventories the gear she's got to work with. Boy clothes, and that's about it. Hmmm.
VIOLA Know'st thou this country?
CAPTAIN Ay, madam, well.
VIOLA Who governs here?
CAPTAIN A noble duke, in nature as in name. Orsino.
VIOLA Orsino! I have heard my father name him: he was a bachelor then.Remarkable recovery time. If only you had some makeup. Or, for that matter, some clothes.
CAPTAIN And so is now, or was so very late. Hath made a vow no woman shall approach his silent court, for but a month ago 'twas fresh in murmur, that he did seek the love of fair Olivia.
VIOLA What's she?
CAPTAIN A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count that died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her in the protection of his son, her brother, who shortly also died: for whose dear love, they say, she hath abjured the company and sight of men.Thoughts of Olivia as a competing suitor dissolve at the mention of Olivia's lost brother: they're sharing the same pain.
VIOLA O that I served that lady and might not be delivered to the world, till I had made mine own occasion mellow, what my estate is!
CAPTAIN That were hard to compass; because she will admit no kind of suit, no, not the duke's.Clearly drive these points home: there are only two Houses on the entire island: one's not admitting anyone, and the other is only admitting men. She only has men's clothes to work with, and without their ship they've got no way off the island. They're on an unfriendly shore where the penalties for capture, which looks inevitable, are dire. They're in serious if not hopeless trouble... unless...
VIOLA There is a fair behavior in thee, captain; and though that nature with a beauteous wall doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee I will believe thou hast a mind that suits with this thy fair and outward character.
Oh, thanks.
I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously, conceal me what I am, and be my aid for such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent. I'll serve this duke:
The Captain thinks this is a remarkably stupid idea, until he picks up the life preserver of his now-ex-ship and tries unsuccessfully to think of a Plan B. It's not like they have a surfeit of options.
thou shall present me as a boy to him: it may be worth thy pains; for I can sing and speak to him in many sorts of music that will allow me very worth his service. What else may hap to time I will commit; only shape thou thy silence to my wit.
CAPTAIN Be you his boy, and your mute I'll be: when my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.
VIOLA I thank thee: lead me on.The music reaches a crescendo and then stops as the water-logged pair drags the trunk and luggage OSL. Darkness.
--> on to Scene Three Twelfth Night Annotated Script © 2001 Kevin M. Hollenbeck.
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