The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865

The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865 FLOOR LAYOUT Backdrop of the court house

Narrator

Rebellion occurs here.

Exit here.

Enter here.

Audience

Audience

1|Page Š Allison Hall, 2015

The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865 THE CAST CHARACTERS

NAMES OF ACTORS

CHARACTERS

NAMES OF ACTORS

Narrator

___________________

Lewis

_____________________

Paul Bogle

___________________

Custos

_____________________

George Gordon

___________________

Gov. Eyre

_____________________

Gertrude

___________________

Officer

_____________________

Aunt Vie

___________________

Miss Maisie

_____________________

Maas Halford

__________________

Charles

_____________________

Moses

__________________

Officer

_____________________

Names of Extras ______________________________________________________________ PROPS - Bibles, backdrop of the Morant Bay court house, sticks, machetes, cardboard guns, ropes, cat-o-nine-tails whip, scroll COSTUMES – Peasants, Governor, Custos, Officers, hangman

THE CHARACTERS ●

Paul Bogle

●

Governor Eyre

●

George Gordon

●

Custos

●

Gertrude

●

Lewis

●

Officer

●

Aunt Vie

●

Miss Maisie ●

Moses

●

Maas Halford

●

Officer

Extras

●

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The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865 Part A - Paul Bogle, The Deacon Scene 1 – A Native Baptist Church (A Vigil) Paul Bogle

Brethen, I have called you to this urgent meeting because of what is taking place in this country. But before we begin, let us thank God for his blessings.

Congregation (in the play) stands and sings, Our Father who art in Heaven from the movie musical, Sarafina or Buju Banton’s Hallowed Paul Bogle

Brothers and sisters, we are living in serious times.

Gertrude

Yes, Deacon, we are suffering bad.

Aunt Vie

De’ planters get compensation and we get nothing at all. We have to pay rent for the land, taxes and then they say we are lazy.

Everyone starts to speak at the same time

Paul Bogle

Order, order, yes Maas Halford.

Maas Halford

Mi feel like mi still in slavery. The treatment even feel worse. A nuh dis our grandparents fight for.

Gertrude

Deacon, I want to know why Queen Victoria dismiss the petition, and why on Emancipation Day people keep singing, Jubilee, Jubilee, Queen Victoria set me free.

Maas Halford

She nuh set nobaddy free. A de Baptist missionaries like William Knibb and people like Sam Sharpe and Tacky mek us free.

Paul Bogle

I am just as upset as you. But do not be disheartened. We are going to re-elect Deacon George Gordon again and again.

He is a champion for us in the House of Assembly. And tomorrow we are going to Morant Bay again to let Governor Eyre know that we are not afraid, and we will not be silenced.

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Congregation cheers. Some say, “Praise the Lord”, while others say, “Thank you Jesus”.

Lewis

But Deacon, dem have a warrant out fi yuh arrest. And look how de police treat us the last time we guh a Morant Bay.

Paul Bogle

Do not worry about me Lewis. To whom much is given, much is expected. Christianity comes with much sacrifice

Gertrude

Lewis you sound like you do not want to come (She starts singing, We will follow Deacon Bogle till we die)

Paul Bogle

Sister Gertrude, not that song. I do not want you speaking things into being. Brothers and sisters, it is late. We will meet tomorrow by the big tree before we enter Morant Bay. Many persons from across the island will come and walk with us.

Remember no violence. Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

Congregation begins to exit

Lewis

Weh yuh seh Deacon. No violence. Dem white man deh neva know seh dem did violent when dem tek us out a Africa, kill us pon de way and kill us pon the plantation. And den dem seh dem a Christian.

Paul Bogle

Love your enemies and forgive.

Lewis

Love what and dem tek weh mi piece of land.

Congregation (in the play) sings, Equal rights and justice by Peter Tosh, as they exit Paul Bogle

Moses, my brother, remove the bullets and flints from all guns.

Violence is only for last resort and if we are attacked.

Moses

Are you coming my brother?

Paul Bogle

I am right behind you.

When they all exit

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Paul Bogle

It is time my Lord. It is time. It is time to help ourselves. Skin for skin; the iron bars is now broken in this parish. We want equal rights and justice.

Part B – The Rebellion Scene II – Morant Bay Courthouse Narrator

Early in the morning, before the sun rose over the hills, hundreds of Jamaicans met under a big tree at Stony Gut. They spoke for a while then marched to Morant Bay filled with enthusiasm, hope and confidence that their needs would be met.

The rebels enter the stage led by Deacon Bogle singing, Press Along Saints.

They stand before the courthouse Custos

Peace in her majesty’s name.

Paul Bogle

And peace to you sir in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Lewis

No peace, hell today.

Paul Bogle

Stay calm my brother. Custos, you have seen my petition and you know that I have not hurt anyone. I came here a few days ago to support Brother Lewis Miller.

Custos

Yes and you rescued the Geoghagen, so you have interfered with the court. And I heard that you have your own militia.

Paul Bogle

You have heard a lot Custos. Have you not heard the cries of the people? They are treated worse than when they were slaves. All I want is better treatment for them.

Custos

They are just lazy rebels. Go back to your homes.

The rebels grow angry and starts to stone him. The Custos moves back quickly.

Lewis

Mek wi deal wid dah man yah

Custos

(reading from a scroll ) This Riot Act is read today, October 11, 1865 that chargeth and commandeth all persons being 5|Page © Allison Hall, 2015

assembled immediately to disperse. Because they have failed to disperse, I now command that they be shot. (The crowd does not move) Officers shoot. Shoot! I say shoot.

(Shots are fired. The crowd screams and rushes to their positions).

Aunt Vie

Mek wi bun dung de courthouse wid de wicked man dem.

Bun dem wid de Holy Ghost.

Crowd Member

War dung a Morant Baaaaay! Waaaaaaaaaar!

Performance of Everywhere is war by Bob Marley

Part C – A Change Gonna Come Scene III – The Gallows People are crying and begging for their loved ones Governor Eyre

Gertrude Baker, 20 lashes with the cat-o-nine. Viola Bennett, 20 years in prison.

Miss Maisie

Whoi. She is a good woman sar. Spare har.

Governor Eyre

Lewis Miller, death by hanging. Charles Geoghean, death by hanging.

Lewis

Meet yuh by the river Miss Maisie.

Charles

See yuh in heaven Bredda Lewis. Dem 6yan stop wi.

They place ropes over their necks. Some men pulls George William Gordon in Crowd Member

Governor Eyre duh nuh kill wi Deacon Gordon. Him nuh have no part in this.

George Gordon

I am innocent sir. I did not plan this. You just want to silence me because of the work I do for the poor blacks.

Governor Eyre

(Governor Eyre is handed a letter) What is this?

Officer

A letter Custos 6|Page © Allison Hall, 2015

Governor Eyre

Who wrote it?

Officer

George William Gordon, Custos

Governor Eyre

My dear Lucy, it seems I am to be sacrificed. I know nothing of this rebellion. Blaa, blaa, May the Grace of Jesus Christ be with you all, blaa, blaa. How ridiculous!

George William Gordon, death by hanging.

Everyone screams and cries loudly. The place the rope over his neck George Gordon

I thank God that I suffer in such cause. I can now say with Paul, I have fought the good fight. (He is hanged) Paul Bogle enters stage. Crowd continues to cry

Governor Eyre

So we have found the ring leader after all. Thank you maroons. I can always count on you (turns to the crowd). Stop the crying or you too will all be hanged (crowd exits stage)

Paul Bogle

I come in peace and go in peace to my Lord. All I wanted is equal rights and justice for my people.

A rope is placed around Paul’s neck. Paul then sings, Change Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. Church Dance Troupe performs a dance to the song.

Narrator

(Light drumming to I’ll Fly Away) The official records state that 1,000 homes were burnt, 304 people executed by court martial, 50 shot without trial, 25 shot by the Maroons, 10 killed otherwise, and 600 flogged. Many were sentenced to prison.

For the people of St. Thomas who supported Bogle, it was a descent into the jaws of hell. Many of Bogle’s family fled and changed their names to Bogues, Bogis and Buddle (people running across the stage with suitcases). As for those who did them wrong; well, Governor Eyre was never given another assignment by the British government. The black soldier who did the flogging, well, he threw himself overboard a ship, (splash) and the maroons, oh well, they never enjoyed any status after this.

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But little did the authorities know that Paul Bogle and George William Gordon’s name would never die. In October 1965 they were declared national heroes of Jamaica. They are heralded in songs and poems, for they changed a system which needed equal rights and justice for all; and it all happened in 1865 when two common people like you and me with the book of rules, the Bible, instigated the Morant Bay Rebellion.

All actors come on stage and sing The Book of Rules by the Heptones. The

congregation can join in.

THE END

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