Stage Play / Sir Edwin and the Quest for Avalon Act III

Act III

At a sitting room in Normandy. Lancelot, Bridgette, Edwin, Philippa, and Robin walk in to an empty sitting room.

William: (enters) Lancelot! How great to see you again. I would have thought that one try at the Holy Grail would have been good enough for you?

Bridgette: Holy Grail, what about the Holy Grail? We are looking for Avalon.

William: Avalon? What’s Avalon?

Edwin: What do you mean what’s Avalon? This is where Philippa told us to come. She said to talk to Mary and Sarah and they would know where Avalon is.

Philippa: You told me to look for directions to ‘what England needed most’. I found those. The poem was up to you to interpret.

William: I’ve never heard of Avalon. So what is this thing?

Edwin: It’s where the nymphs took Arthur’s body before he died so they could put him under a magical spell.

Robin: So we came all this way for nothing?

Lancelot: Might as well say hi while we are here, you could see the Holy Grail- if they let you.

Edwin: (pouting) I don’t care about the Holy Grail; I want to bring back Arthur! I want to bring peace to Camelot!

William: I could summon them, if you wish.

Philippa: Why not?

William: Well, all of you stand, hold hands and make a nice little circle. (They stand and make a circle) clockwise (they start walking clockwise, William sings) Flibberty Gibbet et liben ter ta ago lamo avory say saw, counterclockwise! (They do so, continues singing) Jubit polime gambleook toor may rorn, do do do, do do do, do do do, jump! (They jump) Dah! (The lights turn off, when they turn on Mary and Sarah are standing in the middle of the circle)

Sarah: You rang?

Mark: I would like to introduce you to myself, Mary of Magdalene, and my daughter Sarah. There is no need to tell us who you are, for we already know.

Robin: Quite good to meet you.

Mary: Would they be on a quest also?

Sarah: Funny, I did not feel any of them near. We have not screened them, mother. We do not know if they are pure enough.

Lancelot: Well, we are on a quest, but not for the Holy Grail.

Mary: I remember you. You must have been sneaky, Sir Lancelot, if you came this far. But yet, the grail did not draw you into its presence. What are you on a quest for then?

Edwin: Avalon

Sarah: Did you hear them? They are on a quest for Avalon!

Robin: You know of it?

Mary: Yes we do, we are not mortal, and so we know of all things immortal.

Edwin: They just said that Avalon is real. (to Mary) That is what you said, right?

Mary: Yes, Avalon is real, but you have no hope in finding it. Arthur and his knights will only wake up and come to the aide of Britain at the predetermined date when Britain will need him most.

Lancelot: We are going through some very tough times now. Surely he is needed to overcome Mordred?

Sarah: No, there will be worse times to come, but that will be only after all of you, except for you Robin, and you Bridgette, join Arthur on Avalon.

Lancelot: So I will meet Arthur again?

Mary: When the dark times come.

Lancelot: And I will live to see these dark times?

Sarah: You will suffer the death of your natural body. Your soul will find the body of your youth on the island, and it will sleep inside of it. You will not know what is passing in the world until you awake.

Edwin: And I will be among them, even though I am not one of the Knights of the Round Table?

Mary: Yes, you will be among them. For you, Sir Edwin, you are a knight of Camelot; and you are one of Arthur’s knights because you led this quest to find him. You will be the last great knight. It was by your bravery to go into the unknown to save your country that you have distinguished yourself. Soon many things will change; there will be no more quests, no more knights. Camelot itself will soon be no more.

Philippa: What will happen to it?

Mary: A new reign approaches Britain. Time will come that Camelot will be so long forgotten that few will think it is real. This time is coming now. If you look, and if you listen you might just see your world change before your eyes.

Robin: Can we see the Holy Grail?

Sarah: Should they, mother? This is a very interesting situation indeed.

Mary: Indeed it is; Sarah, I think that they might be the ones.

Lancelot: The one what?

Sarah: We have lived for hundreds of years, waiting for someone to show up that is worthy to take the grail into the mortal realm. (To Mary) and you think it is them? Why, they haven’t even come here for the grail!

Mary: No, they haven’t. But they have proved brave and honorable. You must remember what your father once told me-

Sarah: Enough with my father already! Almost every conversation we have you say your father did this, would your father like you to say that? I can’t stand it anymore. I didn’t even know him anyway, why would I know what he would want me to do?

Mary: As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, your father once told me that thee who does not want glory and riches is the best keeper of it.

Sarah: But we will be mortal too, if we give it to them.

Mary: You should know as well as I that mortality is not an ending, dear daughter, but merely the next great beginning.

Edwin: So where is the Grail?

Mary: It has been in your presence the entire time.

Edwin: The grail is in the room with us? (Sarah pulls out a large, overly gilded cup, and walks over to Edwin)  

Sarah: It is you, Sir Edwin, and generations of your family to come that fate has chosen to be the keepers of the Grail. (Edwin takes the Holy Grail and holds it up, Bridgette, Lancelot, Philippa, and Robin reach to touch it)

Edwin: Thank you kind Sarah, and you milady Magdalene.

Bridgette: So now what?

Robin: Yeah, now that we know we can’t get to Avalon and we have the Holy Grail what do we do now?

William: (Steps forward) Well, I have been thinking.

Lancelot: That’s a first

William: Well, anyway, if Mordred is really as bad as you say, I was thinking about, you know, maybe leading a force to dethrone him.

Philippa: I don’t know what the people would think about Normans invading Britain.

Lancelot: I’m sure someone is about to assassinate him anyway. But if he did get dethroned who would rule Britain? The heir, what’s his name-

William: Ethlred, I think

Lancelot: he’s unready. It would be worse then before.

William: Come on, we will be greeted as liberators!

Robin: If you say so, your grace.

William: Well, we can think of such things later. If you would like to join me we are going to land at Hastings, and set up our operations in a small Celtic town named Salisbury, I choose it because of the quality of the steak.  

Mary: London would be better.

William: London it is. Well, anyway, I hope to see you there! (Exits left)

Edwin: (awkwardly) So, Sarah, I hear that there is a ball tonight.

Sarah: There is.

Edwin: Now that you a newly mortal and all, I was thinking that you might want to-

Sarah: I would be delighted to. I just need to find a dress, but I’m sure that will be easy enough.

Edwin: Could you show me to someone who would show me to my room?

Sarah: Let’s go. I think we should be able to find it.

Mary: Sarah!

Sarah: Mother! (Giggles, Sarah and Edwin lock arms and exit left)

Mary: Ah, young love.

Lancelot: I could only wish to be young again and to know what I know now.

Mary: Oh, and what is that which you now know?

Lancelot: Simple, milady, that not all love is not young. (Kisses hand)

Mary: So brave and yet so knowledgeable.

Lancelot: So my fair young maiden, patient as the oldest redwood, fair as the whitest snow, and with hair as red as the reddest wine, would you like your brave protector to accompany you to the ball this evening?

Mary: Here I was thinking that I was nothing but an old wrinkled widow from Arabia.

Lancelot: Do you have an answer for me, my fair and wondrous lady?

Mary: (laughs) Yes, milord, I will go with you.

Lancelot: Then we better go and prepare.

Mary: We best (Both exit right.

Philippa: Good sir duke, I think that I need to spend some quality time with my writings. Would you show me to my rooms? (William exits left with Philippa)

Robin: Almost makes you want to get married, doesn’t it?

Bridgette: Never, Robin, never.

Robin: But why?

Bridgette: Don’t you have a vow of chastity to uphold?

Robin: A mere technicality.

Bridgette: The wrath Catholic Church is a mere technicality?

Robin: Anything is a mere technicality if you want it enough.

Bridgette: Edwin told me that I don’t have to marry anyone if I don’t want to.

Robin: Ah, your dear old brother told me of your deal. I believe the wording was that ‘You may pick any man you wish and you may turn down any man he wishes; but you must find someone who will agree to marry you in a month’.

Bridgette: See, I can turn you down if you I so desire.

Robin: No, I’m afraid you can’t. You did not choose me, thus you can not unpick me and he did not pick me, thus you can’t turn me down. I found the loophole (Bridgette frowns) Would you rather live your life as Maid de Merieanne?

Bridgette: And if I do?

Robin: Do you still love me?

Bridgette: Yes

Robin: Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?

Bridgette: (Thinks) Yes

Robin: Then why do you not want to marry me?

Bridgette: It is improper- I’m a noblewoman

Robin: Why do you not want to be married- tell me, be honest, my beauty, my flower, my rose without a thorn.

Bridgette: Because I do not want to get tied down, I want adventure.

Robin: You think you won’t get enough adventure with your dear old Robin Hood, crusader, monk, and thief, by your side?

Bridgette: I… I… I… (He grabs her hands and twirls her) I do.

Robin: That’s what I thought.

Bridgette: And I’m sure that I will get plenty of flowery words as well.

Robin: I’ll definitely see to that.

Scene Two
A week later; Bridgette, Edwin, Robin, Philippa, and Sarah are getting ready to leave. Mary is there to see them off.

Mary: Are you absolutely certain that you want to go?

Sarah: Yes mother, I really am.

Mary: Well, if you insist, I  guess that it is really past time you left and started a family, why how old are you now 17? 18?

Sarah: 958

Mary: It is well past time, but you really must write me as a much as you possibly can.

Edwin: And we will be sure to come and visit after winter thaws!

Mary: Next spring? That is far too long. I bet I can arrange for the weather to be nice for Christmas, or why wait that long, what about All Saints?

Sarah: Mom, (Looks up to sky) Dad, I want you two to behave. I want a normal life. No changing the weather, no granting miracles on my behalf-

Robin: Actually it would be nice if he could part the Channel for us, the ride over was torture.

Sarah: (points up at sky) No you will not! And that means you too, mother!

Mary: Fine (sigh) Oh, I can’t believe my daughter is finally leaving and going off to form a life of her own.

Bridgette: Well, we better get going. Where’s Lancelot?

Mary: With William, getting in his last argument about whether or not to invade Britain. (Lancelot and William enter right)

Bridgette: There you are, hurry up or it will be too late and we will have to say goodbye again tomorrow.

Philippa: I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I actually think I’m starting to miss old Geoffrey.

Edwin: Lancelot, are you sure that you don’t want to come with us? It would be a delight to have your Mary come along.

Lancelot: Could you imagine Guinevere’s face? A sane man would stay here.

Robin: I could see how you would come to think that.

Lancelot: Oh, and by the way, can you guys do me a favor?

Edwin: Sure, anything.

Lancelot: Really?

Philiipa: Yes, really.

Lancelot: Can you tell Guinevere that I died? (Tristan, Edwin, Bridgette, Philippa, Sarah, and Robin look at each other.)

Bridgette: One… two… three… not it

Robin: Not it

Philippa: Not it.

Sarah: Not it (All look to Edwin. Lights fade out)

The End

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