Macpherson's Farewell one act play script

ONE ACT PLAYS

MACPHERSON'S FAREWELL
An historical drama by Dave Buchanan based on the life of James Macpherson, outlaw, who famously danced and played on his fiddle round the gallows tree on which he was due to be hanged.

Plot Summary
James Macpherson is falsely accused of murder and condemned to die on the gallows by the Hanging Judge, Lord Grant. His brother Peter and wife Margareta come across crucial new evidence and frantically try to locate Lord Grant. With time slowly ticking, will they be able to obtain a stay of execution in time and save Jamie’s life?
ISBN 1 904930 72 7

CAST 5 MEN 2 WOMEN

McHennesy, narrator
Braco McDuff, gaoler
James Macpherson, outlaw
Peter Macpherson, Jamie's brother Margareta, Jamie's girlfriend
Rosa, a gypsy friend
Lord Grant,the Hanging Judge

TIME - c. 1705
PLACE - Banff, in and around the Tolbooth or jailhouse
DURATION - approx. 40 minutes

Script Sample - The wedding party

The scene is the Cuddy’s Head tavern. There are benches around three sides of the area, with jugs of ale and tankards strewn round. The dancers include Peter, Margareta and Rosa, plus two others

Jamie is C, playing his fiddle while several others dance a reel

When the dance is over, the dancers flop down and give generous applause to the fiddler, who acknowledges this

Peter holds up his tankard

Peter A toast! A toast, my friends, to the happy couple. To Jamie and Margareta.

They all toast the happy couple

What other toast? To health and wealth and happiness - and a good woman!

They all toast

And the King across the water! To King James!

They all toast except for Jamie and Margareta

Rosa Jamie, Margareta, why do you no join us in the toast?
Margareta Rosa, you ken fine why. The King across the water died twa year ago, in France.
Peter And what of his son, James Francis Edward Stuart, that is the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland -
Rosa - and England! Here’s tae King James the Eighth o’ Scotland and Third o’ England.

More toasts, again with Jamie and Margareta not taking part

Jamie He’s no a king, as ye weel ken, but a pretender!
Peter How can ye say that, Jamie, when yer ain father fought with Dundeee at Killiecrankie?
Jamie And much good did it do him, to be killed only six months later by MacKay’s soldiers in Aberdeen.
Rosa But, Jamie, the cause is still alive. The Jacobite cause.
Jamie No, it’s deid! Deid an’ buried!
Peter So ye would hae us support a protestant queen in London, who has nae living issue?
Rosa And then be ruled by a German princeling, who speaks nae English?
Peter Ach -

He breaks off in frustration, and there is a long pause

Margareta And how many years of struggle and deprivation will it need, Peter? How many?
Peter (slowly) As many as it takes. (Pause) Look, Jamie, the young Prince has many supporters, in Scotland and England. And most of all, he has the support o’ King Louis. When the day comes, the Cause will gather a momentum that canna be stopped.that’ll sweep through the land like a flood. And we will batter on the gates o’ London, and demand tae be heard. Don’t ye see, Jamie?

from Macpherson's Farewell

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