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The Life, Times and Works of Sir Walter Scott.
Based on the words of Scott himself, his family and
friends, acquaintances and critics. Extracts include The Lady of the Lake,
Waverley and Rob Roy.
Devised to be staged as a rehearsed dramatised reading by a flexible team of
performers, scripts are used, but some passages are best memorised. There are
many opportunities for imaginative movement and action. Period costume was worn
at the first production. This script is available in three versions with
running times of 50 minutes, 75 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes.
The Wizard of
the North was
specially written for the author's own drama group for its first performance at
the 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
"...a much more pleasant way to learn about
Scott than visiting his monument on Princes Street" - Three
Weeks
Sample
Scene
(Note: NAR =
Narrator. MR1 = First male reader. FR2 = Second female reader.)
NAR
Although busily contributing articles for the Edinburgh Review and editing
several works, Scott's poetical career may have ended with the Lay of the Last
Minstrel, had he not been approached by the publisher Archibald Constable.
Constable offered a hundred guineas advance for a new poem, even though he
hadn't seen a single line. The result was Marmion, which was published in 1808.
It was another big hit with the public. Eight thousand copies were sold within
three months. At the age of thirty-seven, Scott was now Britain's best-selling
popular poet. Some critics were unkind, but he was unconcerned.
MR1 "Many of those gentlemen appeared to me
to be sort of tinkers, who, unable to make pots and pans, set up for menders of
them, and, God knows, often make two holes in patching one."
NAR Set around Scotland's worst military disaster, the
Battle of Flodden, the title character, Marmion, was an English nobleman who
perished at that battle. Scott was in high spirits while writing the poem. As he
admitted himself;
MR1 "I was never able in my life to do anything
with what is called gravity and deliberation."
NAR As the poem neared its completion, he wrote to a
friend.
MR1 "Marmion is at this instant gasping upon
Flodden Field, and there I have been obliged to leave him for these few days in
the death pangs. I hope I shall find time enough this morning to knock him on
the head with two or three thumping stanzas."
NAR But when Marmion does meet his doom, it is hardly
in glorious verse.
MR1 Charge,
Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on!
Were the last words of Marmion.
NAR It was his description of Flodden that captured reader's
imaginations. Much of the battle was conceived while Scott exercised with his
regiment on Portobello sands.
FR2 The English shafts in volleys hail'd.
In headlong charge their horse assail'd;
Front, flank and rear, the squadrons sweep
To break the Scottish circle deep,
That fought around their King.
But yet, though thick the shafts as snow,
Though charging knights like whirlwinds go,
Though bill-men ply the ghastly blow,
Unbroken was the ring;
The stubborn spear-men still made good
Their dark impenetrable wood,
Each stepping where his comrade stood,
The instant that he fell.
NAR The
printing of his poems had put great strains on the resources of his friend,
James Ballantyne, and Scott was quick to offer financial backing. James moved
his printing press to Edinburgh. James' brother, John, became manager and the
firm of John Ballantyne & Co. was founded. Scott bought a third share and
became a secret partner.
It was to prove to be the biggest mistake of his life.
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Plays by
Alan Richardson