FARCE. ABSURDITY. EXISTENTIALISM. GUARANTEED.
Shakespeare untitled
by Braddon Mendelson
The Artichoke, England’s oldest bookstore, is facing foreclosure — and legend warns that if it closes, a centuries‑old family curse will doom everyone who works there. When clerk Sebastian and his secret love, Miranda, discover a handwritten manuscript hidden in the back of an antiquarian book, they suspect it may be a lost Shakespeare play and the key to saving the shop.
Their discovery draws a swarm of competing agendas: Miranda’s pompous fiancé Oliver sees a shortcut to prestige; King Harry insists on a starring role; Dr. Penrose of the British Library circles with bureaucratic zeal; and a hopelessly confused Scotland Yard detective arrives to “investigate,” only adding misdirection and delay. As the manuscript is locked up, stolen, misplaced, and repeatedly fought over, tensions rise and loyalties fracture. Opening night collapses into chaos, leaving the fate of the manuscript, the future of the bookstore, and Sebastian’s hopes for Miranda hanging in the balance.
The Artichoke, England’s oldest bookstore, is facing foreclosure — and legend warns that if it closes, a centuries‑old family curse will doom everyone who works there. When clerk Sebastian and his secret love, Miranda, discover a handwritten manuscript hidden inside an antiquarian book, they suspect it may be a lost Shakespeare play and the key to saving the shop.
Their discovery draws a swarm of competing agendas: Miranda’s pompous fiancé Oliver sees a shortcut to prestige; King Harry insists on a starring role; Dr. Penrose of the British Library circles with bureaucratic zeal; and a hopelessly confused Scotland Yard detective arrives to “investigate,” only adding misdirection and delay. As the manuscript is locked up, stolen, misplaced, and repeatedly fought over, tensions rise and loyalties fracture. Opening night collapses into chaos, leaving the fate of the manuscript, the future of the bookstore, and Sebastian’s hopes for Miranda hanging in the balance.
Comedy Farce
A cursed bookshop on the brink of collapse uncovers a mysterious manuscript that might be Shakespeare’s. Suddenly a pompous fiancé, a meddling scholar, and a narcoleptic king all want a piece of the action. Manuscript mischief, romantic chaos, and royal rescue drive this fast, witty comedy of literary mayhem.
Small Cast
5m, 3w, 2 m/f (optional)
Sebastian (M) (mid-20s): A romantic bookshop clerk, hopelessly in love with Miranda.
Beatrice (F) (60s): The eccentric owner of The Artichoke bookshop.
Miranda (F) (mid-20s): A sharp PhD literature student, trapped in a relationship with a narcissist.
Oliver (M) (35-40): A pompous actor and academic obsessed with fame and a knighthood.
King Harry (M) (65-75): An easily confused monarch prone to severe bouts of narcolepsy.
The Stage Manager / Courier (F) (30-45): An exhausted, underappreciated production lead. (Actor doubles as the courier for a
costume supplier.)
Detective Anders (M) (40-50): A deadpan Scotland Yard investigator doing his best in a world of absurdity.
Dr. Penrose (M) (60-65): The ever-harried Scottish Curator of Special Collections at the British Library.
Ensemble Players (M and F) (Non-speaking): At least two ensemble players are utilized to populate the backstage area and facilitate scene transitions. (The size of the ensemble may be increased, depending on the scale and resources of the production.)
The Artichoke, a centuries-old bookshop in Brindle Green, a small historic village on the outskirts of London. Present Day.
Contemporary Costumes, Period Costumes
Intrermission
110 Minutes
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