Act Out: Shakespeare in Love

BY: PROVOKR Staff

Set in Elizabethan England, the 1998 romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love—written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard—imagines the lusty inspiration behind Romeo and Juliet. The plot revs up when Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) begins auditioning actors to star in his latest play. One of the actors trying out for a role is Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her work), the daughter of a wealthy merchant who has disguised herself as a man named “Thomas Kent.” When “Thomas” leaves the audition abruptly, Shakespeare follows him to Viola’s house. Later, Shakespeare sneaks into Viola’s house to attend a ball, at which Viola’s father is trying to get her betrothed to Lord Wessex (Colin Firth). At the ball, Shakespeare sees Viola as a woman, dances with her and is instantly smitten. Lord Wessex is not amused and has Shakespeare thrown out. That’s when Shakespeare uses “Thomas” as his go-between in his efforts to woo Viola away. As this scene begins, Shakespeare and “Thomas” are in a boat. Shakespeare has just read a letter from Viola (delivered by “Thomas”) that advises him to give up on his romantic advances because she is duty-bound to marry Lord Essex.

EXT. THE RIVER. VIOLA’S BOAT. NIGHT.

WILL turns back to VIOLA. They have their conversation intimately, disregarding the lack of intimacy. The BOATMAN is hardly an arm’s length away, but they ignore him.

WILL
She tells me to keep away. She is to marry Lord Wessex. What should I do?

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
If you love her, you must do what she asks.

WILL
And break her heart and mine?

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
It is only yours you can know.

WILL
She loves me, Thomas!

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
Does she say so?

WILL
No. And yet she does where the ink has run with tears. Was she weeping when she gave you this?

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
I. . . Her letter came to me by the nurse.

WILL
Your aunt?

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
(catching up)
Yes, my aunt. But perhaps she wept a little. Tell me how you love her, Will.

WILL
Like a sickness and its cure together.

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
Yes, like rain and sun, like cold and heat. (collecting herself) Is your lady beautiful? Since I came to visit from the country, I have not seen her close. Tell me, is she beautiful?

WILL
Oh, if I could write the beauty of her eyes! I was born to look in them and know myself.

He is looking into VIOLA’s eyes. She holds his look, but WILL belies his words.

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
And her lips?

WILL
Oh, Thomas, her lips! The early morning rose would wither on the branch, if it could feel envy!

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
And her voice? Like lark song?

WILL
Deeper. Softer. None of your twittering larks! I would banish nightingales from her garden before they interrupt her song.

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
She sings too?

WILL
Constantly. Without doubt. And plays the lute, she has a natural ear. And her bosom—did I mention her bosom?

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
(glinting)
What of her bosom?

WILL
Oh, Thomas, a pair of pippins! As round and rare as golden apples!

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
I think the lady is wise to keep your love at a distance. For what lady could live up to it close to, when her eyes and lips and voice may be no more beautiful than mine? Besides, can a lady born to wealth and noble marriage love happily with a Bankside poet and player?

WILL
(fervently)
Yes, by God! Love knows nothing of rank or riverbank! It will spark between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king, and their love should be minded by each, for love denied blights the soul we owe to God! So tell my lady, William Shakespeare waits for her in the garden!

VIOLA (AS THOMAS)
But what of Lord Wessex?

WILL
For one kiss, I would defy a thousand Wessexes!

The boat scrapes on the jetty of the DE LESSEPSES’ house. The bump throws THOMAS into WILL’s arms. He holds her round the shoulders. His words have almost unmasked her. The closeness does the rest. She kisses him on the mouth and jumps out of the boat.

VIOLA
Oh, Will!

She throws a coin to the BOATMAN and runs towards the house.

BOATMAN
Thank you, my lady!

WILL
(stunned)
Lady?

BOATMAN
Viola de Lesseps. Known her since she was this high. Wouldn’t deceive a child.

WILL gets out of the boat.

BOATMAN (CONT’D)
(reaching under his seat)
Strangely enough, I’m a bit of a writer myself.

The BOATMAN produces his memoirs in manuscript.

BOATMAN (CONT’D)
It wouldn’t take you long to read it, I expect you know all the booksellers. . .
But WILL has gone.

EXT. DE LESSEPSES’ GARDEN. NIGHT.

WILL drops over the wall into the garden and without hesitation starts climbing up to her balcony.

INT. DE LESSEPSES’ HOUSE. VIOLA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

WILL comes in through the window, just as VIOLA enters by the door. They stare at each other across the room.

WILL
Can you love a fool?

VIOLA
Can you love a player?

They run together and fall into a passionate kiss.

WILL
(springs back)
Wait! You are still a maid and perhaps as mistook in me as I was mistook in Thomas Kent.

VIOLA
Answer me only this: are you the author of the plays of William Shakespeare?

WILL
I am.

VIOLA
Then kiss me again for I am not mistook.

They run together and fall into a passionate kiss. VIOLA fumbles with his clothing, he with hers.

VIOLA (CONT’D)
I do not know how to undress a man.

WILL
It is strange to me, too.

INT. DE LESSEPSES’ HOUSE. OUTSIDE VIOLA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

The NURSE has come to listen. She puts her ear against the door. Because she hears muffled voices, she looks startled.

INT. DE LESSEPSES’ HOUSE. VIOLA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

WILL is half-naked. VIOLA is down to her petticoat, and chemise. The petticoat comes away. WILL flings it aside. He takes off her chemise. He is startled to find that she is tightly bandaged round the bosom. WILL finds the loose end and spins her naked.

INT. DE LESSEPSES’ HOUSE. OUTSIDE VIOLA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

The NURSE, drags a chair—a rocker—outside the bedroom door, and takes up her position. She sits down, keeping guard. Pretty soon there comes the regular creak of VIOLA’S bed. The NURSE fans herself furiously with her little lacy fan. She crosses herself. A CHAMBERMAID comes along the gallery outside the bedroom door. She is dusting her way along. The CHAMBERMAID becomes aware of the regular creaking. She pauses. The NURSE begins to rock in her chair, keeping time with the creaking from within. The CHAMBERMAID stares at the NURSE. The NURSE stares at the CHAMBERMAID.

NURSE
Go to, go to.

INT. DE LESSEPSES’ HOUSE. VIOLA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT

WILL and VIOLA have finished making love, and lie in each other’s arms.

VIOLA
I would not have thought it. There is something better than a play.

WILL
There is.

VIOLA
Even your play.

WILL
(frowns)
Oh…

VIOLA
And that was only my first try.

WILL
Well, perhaps better than my first.

He kisses her again.