Merlin and the Cave of Dreams E-Book

Charles Way

• Herausgeber: WS
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 68

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Adapted for the stage, the story of Arthur facing monsters conjured by Merlin, in his quest to become King, is perfect for schools and family audiences. 

The King is dead and the Green Kingdom is in turmoil as is seeks a new heir. Only the all-powerful wizard Merlin knows that the future lies in the hands of the young boy Arthur. Taken away from the only home he has ever known, Arthur slumbers in Merlin’s mystical Cave of Dreams. Here, his past and future are revealed in a glorious vision that will transform his life and lead him on a magical adventure. Can Arthur outwit the giants and slay the dragons that stand in his way? Will he pull the sword from the stone and claim his rightful kingdom?

CHARLES WAY: Charles began writing plays in 1978 when he joined Leeds Playhouse TIE team. He has written over 40 plays, many of them for young people. His plays 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'The Search for Odysseus' were both nominated as Best Children's Play by the Writer's Guild with 'A Spell of Cold Weather' winning the award in 1996. His play about the percussionist Evelyn Glennie, 'Playing from the heart' was nominated as Best Children's Show by the TMA. Other plays include: 'The Flood', 'One Snowy Night' [Chichester Festival Theatre], and 'The Night Before Christmas ' [Polka Theatre]. Charles' plays for adults include adaptations of Bruce Chatwin's 'On the Black Hill' and Halldor Laxness' 'Independent People'. In Wales, he has long associations with Gwent Theatre, The Sherman Theatre and Hijinx Theatre, for whom he has written 'In the Bleak Midwinter', and 'Ill Met by Moonlight.' He was recently commissioned by the National Theatre to write 'Alice in the News', which children all over Britain have performed. Other new plays include: 'Still Life ' [Plymouth Theatre Royal], and 'The Long Way Home', for New Perspectives Theatre/CIAO Festival. In 2004, Charles won the Arts Council's Children's Award for his play 'Red Red Shoes' [Unicorn Theatre/The Place] and 'Merlin and the Cave of Dreams' [Imagination Stage] was nominated in USA for a Helen Hayes award for the outstanding new play of 2004 . Charles has written many plays for radio, and a TV poem for BBC2, 'No Borders', set on the Welsh borders, where he lives and has spent most of his creative life.

Leseprobe

Charles Way

Charles Way has written over fifty plays and specialises in writing for children, young people and family audiences. His plays are performed worldwide. Charles has won several major awards – A Spell of Cold Weather won a Writer’s Guild award in 2001, in 2004 he received the English Arts Council award for Red Red Shoes and in 2010 he won the German Children’s theatre prize for Missing. Charles is also well known for his versions of classic tales such as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and The Snow Queen. He has also written many plays for radio, and a TV poem for BBC 2, No Borders, set on the Welsh borders, where he lives and has spent most of his creative life.

www.charles-way.co.uk

Aurora Metro has also published by the same author:

New Plays for Young PeopleISBN 978-1-906582-51-7£12.99

Plays for Young PeopleISBN 978-0-9536757-1-5£9.95

The Classic Fairytales retold for the stageISBN 978-0-9542330-0-6£11.50

The Classic Fairytales 2 retold for the stageISBN 978-0-9551566-7-0£11.99

The Dutiful Daughter (dual version in Mandarin)ISBN 978-0-9546912-6-4£7.99

A Spell of Cold WeatherISBN 978-0-9542330-8-2£7.99

The Search for Odysseus(in Young Blood, plays for young performers ed. Sally Goldsworthy.)ISBN 978-0-9515877-6-8£10.95

presents

MERLIN

AND THE CAVE OF DREAMS

by

CHARLES WAY

For Elen and Siôn

First published in the UK in 2005 by Aurora Metro Publications Ltd. 67 Grove Avenue, Twickenham, MIDDLESEX, TW1 [email protected]

Merlin and the Cave of Dreams © copyright 2005 Charles Way

Cover image © copyright 2005 Savage and Gray

Permission for the use of any copyright music mentioned in the text must be agreed in advance with the Performing Rights Society, Live Music Centre: Tel. [phone].

All rights whatsoever in this play are strictly reserved. Applications for a license to present performances including professional, amateur, recitation, lecturing, public reading, broadcasting, television and translation into foreign languages should be made before rehearsals begin, to: AURORA METRO [email protected]. 020 3261 0000

In accordance with Section 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the author asserts his moral rights to be identified as the author of the above work.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Printed by Intype Libra Ltd, Wimbledon, UK. Ebook conversion by Swift ProSys. ISBN 978-0-9551566-0-1 (print) ISBN 978-1-906582-59-3 (ebook)

THE SHERMAN THEATRE… MUCH MORE THAN JUST A THEATRE

The Sherman Theatre is one of Britain’s premier theatres for young people and is the major producing and presenting venue in South Wales. Our mission is to create a fresh, exciting, invigorating and immediate theatre experience in an open and vital environment for young people, who are at the heart of our policy.

A THEATRE COMPANY

Recent productions created by our resident artistic company, The Sherman Theatre Company, include Roald Dahl’s Danny the Champion of the World, One Dark Night by Mike Kenny, Mary Norton’s The Borrowers adapted by Charles Way and The Shadow of the Boy by Gary Owen.

A TOURING COMPANY

We tour our work produced by The Sherman Theatre Company to local, national and international destinations.

A YOUTH THEATRE

The Sherman Youth Theatre has over 150 members between 10 and 25. These young people attend weekly theatre skills workshops and create their own productions.

AN EDUCATION RESOURCE

The Sherman works in partnership with Cardiff Schools Service to provide a curriculum of alternative learning for young people aged between 14 and 16 called Acting Out Cardiff.

AN ADVOCATE FOR EMERGING ARTISTS

We support and provide opportunities for emerging new talent including playwrights, performers and directors.

A TRAINING PROVIDER

ST-Art Partners is the training arm of The Sherman. It offers creative solutions for businesses seeking to address issues such as effective team building and cross-departmental communication.

A HOST THEATRE

The Sherman plays host to the very best performing arts companies around, presenting a diverse and high quality programme of theatre.

A WORKSHOP

Our creative team builds sets and scenery for theatre companies from Wales and beyond.

Merlin and the Cave of DreamsCharles Way

First performance at The Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, 18 Nov. 2005.

THE CAST

Merlin

Dafydd Emyr

Arthur

Iwan Tudor

Cei

Richard Corgan

Igraine

Bethan Morgan

Ector/Rhitta of the Beards

Declan Wilson

Gwyneth/Washer at the Ford

Nia Davies

Uther Pendragon

Jak Poore

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director

Phil Clark

Designer

Sean Crowley

Lighting Designer

Ceri James

Composer/Musical Director

Paula Gardiner

Sound Designer

Mike Beer

Fight Director

Kevin McCurdy

Merlin and the Cave of Dreams follows in the unique tradition of Sherman Theatre Company shows and as always, we aim to inspire, excite, entertain and educate all who attend. We take fun seriously at The Sherman and believe theatre for young people can be entertaining and stimulating without being patronising.

Charles Way’s great script gave us a fantastic starting point and it was a real pleasure to create the fantastical worlds of Arthur and Merlin. Despite the show’s more magical elements, there is a heart and soul to Merlin and the Cave of Dreams that we can all relate to. Universal themes such as family, personal and social responsibility and individuality run through the story as we follow Arthur on his rite of passage to discover his special fate.

Phil Clark,Artistic Director

Playwright’s Note:

I had wanted to write a play based on the legends of Arthur and his Magician Merlin for a long time, but it wasn’t until 2003 that the right combination of personal circumstances and a theatrical commission coincided. A brand new theatre for young people in Washington DC, finally provided the opportunity. That an American company sees this story (set in a mythical Wales around the year 500 AD), as one which speaks directly to children from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds in a city like Washington, tells us something about the nature of this legend and its ability to penetrate the differences between people and speak to those matters which concern us all.

The children and adults in the audience responded emotionally and intellectually to the archetypal imagery contained in the legend, at the heart of which is the sword in the stone. Whoever pulls the sword out becomes king. This wonderfully simple and yet profound symbolism contains in dramatic action the chief concerns of the legend, because the sword conveys power, and whoever wields the sword has power over other people. Power over others, or powerlessness in the face of others is enacted on our news programmes every night. The sword represents an opportunity for a nascent nation to make positive change through its chosen leader. In the ever changing affairs of countries new and old, this opportunity occurs over and over and begs the same question every time – what kind of leader do we want? What qualities will they need? What kind of human being will they have to be?

Of course it takes time and a lot of growing up for anyone to discover who they are, and what kind of person they could be. It is this quest that drives Arthur into a realm which Merlin the magician and the Celtic peoples called, The Otherworld. I hope you enjoy the journey.

Charles Way

Merlin and the Cave of Dreams

Charles Way

commissioned by Imagination Stage, Washington, USA.

CHARACTERS

MERLIN

ARTHUR

CEI

ECTOR / RHITTA OF THE BEARDS

GWYNETH / THE WASHER AT THE FORD

IGRAINE

UTHER PENDRAGON

HANDMAIDENS

WARRIORS

Note:

The lines beginning: ‘I am Merlin,

I dream perfect dreams’ (etc), are freely adapted from an anonymous 13th century poet who wrote:

‘I am Taliesin. I sing perfect metre,

which will last to the end of the world.’ (etc).

I am indebted to the translation of Sir Ifor Williams.

ACT ONE, SCENE 1

MERLIN