A Tale of Two Cities Play

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Cast List Charles Dickens Lucie Manette Dr. Manette Sydney Carton Miss Pross The Vengeance Mr. Stryver Baby Sydney Mrs. Manette King Louis Queen Marie Antoinette Marquis

Guard 1 Guard 2 Guard 3 Guard 4 Advisor 1 Advisor 2 Monsieur De Farge Madame De Farge Revolutionary Red

Scene 1: Welcome to the Palace of Versailles Setting:

The Palace of Versailles near Paris in the 1780s

Guard 1:

Welcome to the Palace of Versailles where the king and queen live in luxury...

Guard 2:

While the peasants of France suffer.

Advisor 1:

Your majesty, the peasants are hungry.

Advisor 2:

No, no, they are starving...

King Louis:

Then why don’t they eat?

Advisor 1:

Because they do not have food.

Queen Marie Antoinette:

Then they should get some food.

Advisor 2:

Your majesty, they do not have the ingredients to m​ake​food.

King Louis:

Then they should buy the ingredients

Queen Marie Antoinette:

Do not bother us with these silly problems!

Advisor 1:

Your majesties do not understand.

Advisor 2:

The people of France have NO MONEY!!!!

Queen Marie Antoinette:

Then, they should go to the bank and get some money.

Advisor 1:

But they can’t do that

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Advisor 2:

Because they don’t have money in the bank.

Queen Marie Antoinette:

Well that’s just silly. Everyone should have money in the bank.

King Louis:

Sometimes, my dear, I think you and I are the only sensible people in the kingdom.

Advisor 1:

(to Advisor 2) There is no point in trying to make them understand.

Advisor 2:

(to Advisor 1) I know. The King and Queen don’t care about the poor.

(Everyone freezes as Charles Dickens walks on stage.)

Charles Dickens:

Greetings. I’m Charles Dickens, the author of A Tale of Two Cities. Please, please hold your applause. I bet you can already see the themes I’ve set up, the contrast between the poor and the rich. And---(He gets rudely shoved aside by Queen Marie Antoinette--all other characters come back to life.)

Queen Marie Antoinette:

Who is this intruder? Guards, seize him!

(The guards drag Charles Dickens away.)

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Charles Dickens:

But I wrote the novel! You’re just my characters! This is so wrong!

King:

Send him to the Bastille!

Queen Marie Antoinette:

Get rid of him. And let a member of the nobility in here.

Guard 2:

Your royal majesties, may I present the Marquis of Evremonde, his brother and his nephew?

(Marquis, brother and Charles bow.)

King:

Finally, members of the nobility!

Queen Marie Antoinette:

We were getting so bored hearing about the poor.

Marquis:

Indeed. Well. unlike the poor, I have real problems.

King:

Problems?

Marquis:

It is my nephew, Charles.

Queen:

This fine young man will inherit your title, isn’t that correct?

Brother of Marquis:

Yes, someday my son will be Marquis Evremonde. He will own vast lands and a palace of his own.

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King:

(laughing) Doesn’t sound like much of a problem to me.

Queen:

You are one of the luckiest young men in the kingdom.

Marquis:

There’s just one problem. He doesn’t want any of it. (collective gasp)

King:

What?

Charles:

That is correct, your majesty. I wish to give up my title. And my lands.

Queen:

Are you mad? What on earth for?

Charles:

I am disgusted by the way the nobility treat the poor. And I am appalled at the way these two treat the peasants on our land.

Marquis:

Just because my brother and I

Brother of Marquis:

treat the people on our land very badly....

(Madame De Farge runs on stage and screams --as if through a window.)

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Mme de Farge:

You killed two teenagers!

(Monsieur De Farge pulls her back and hugs Madame De Farge. A knitted scarf should be in her hands.)

Marquis:

that is no reason to get upset!

Brother of Marquis:

After all, they were just peasants.

Marquis (shrugging):

They don’t matter!

King and Queen:

Agreed.

Charles:

They matter to me.

Queen:

But, young man, what will you do? Where will you go?

Charles:

I will leave France. I will go to England. I will become a teacher.

King:

A teacher!?

Queen:

But you will have no title and no money.

What kind of life is that?

Charles:

An honest life ,a life where I make my own future. I won’t harm other so that I can live a life of luxury. I will be a good person, a fair person, an honest person.

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King/Queen/Marquis/ Brother: Charles:

A poor person!

I am going to England, to make an honest life, a decent life, an honorable life. I don’t care how difficult it might be.To England!

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Scene 2: Imprisoned!

Setting:

The Bastille (a prison in Paris) in the 1780s (Charles Dickens, in chains, is being led across the stage by Guards 1 and 2)

Charles Dickens:

Well this is a fine mess. Here I am trying to talk about my novel. And I end up in jail...in the Bastille of all places...

Guard 1:

And you know what they say about the Bastille...

Guard 2:

Once you’re in, you never get out.

Guard 1:

Just ask prisoner 701. Dr. Manette.

Charles Dickens:

Who’s he?

Guard 2:

Don’t you know?

Guard 1:

He’s one of your characters.

Guart 2:

He’s been here for years and years.

Guard 1:

And nobody knows why.

Guard 2:

Most seem to believe he’s perfectly innocent.

Charles Dickens:

Just like me!

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Scene 3: Meet Doctor Manette Setting:

Dr. Manette’s cell in the Bastille. He has long hair and

addresses the audience.

Dr. Manette:

I was one of the best doctors in Paris. Then one day, my servant came to me.

Monsieur De Farge:

Dr. Manette! We need your help!

Dr. Manette:

What’s wrong?

Monsieur De Farge:

It’s that wicked Marquis Evremonde.

(Marquis Evremonde appears on the other side of the stage.)

Marquis Evremonde:

That would be me.

Monsieur De Farge:

And his wicked brother

Brother of Marquis:

Hello!

Monsieur De Farge:

They have done something terrible. Come quickly!

Dr. Manette:

So I followed my servant. He took me to a small house. A pitiful sight. Two teenagers had been attacked.

Marquis and Brother:

They’re just peasants!

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Dr. Manette:

I did everything I could to save them. But it was too late.

Madame De Farge:

You killed them!

Dr. Manette:

I returned home to my wife and our little girl.

Mrs. Manette:

Husband, don’t look so worried.

Dr. Manette:

That night, I was arrested.

(Guards 3 and 4 come to take Dr. Manette away.)

Mrs. Manette:

My husband! Where are you taking him?

Dr. Manette:

What is my crime?

Guard 3:

Does it matter?

Guard 4:

You know that the nobility can get anyone arrested.

Monsieur De Farge:

At any time.

Madame De Farge:

For any reason.

Dr. Manette:

(to the audience) I never did learn why I was arrested.

Mrs. Manette:

And I never learned what became of my husband. I could not find out if he was alive or dead.

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Dr. Manette:

And for 17 years, I was buried alive in the Bastille.

Guard 3:

With nothing to do.

Guard 4:

But make shoes to stay sane.

Dr. Manette:

I made a lot of shoes...

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Scene 4: Setting:

Revolution

Starts at the Bastille, then the Wine Shop

(Monsieur De Farge pays the guards who open the jail door.)

Dr. Manette:

Then one day, I was let out. My loyal servant took me in.

Monsieur De Farge:

I am not a servant anymore. I own a wine shop.

Madame De Farge:

We own a wine shop. And you see this scarf I’m always knitting? (to the audience) What do you think of when you see a woman knitting? Let’s get some audience participation in here. (audience responses) Well, this scarf I am knitting is more than just a scarf.

The Vengeance:

It’s a kill list.

Madame De Farge:

That’s right. It’s a list of all the people I want to kill.

Revolutionary Red:

Oh, she has her reasons.

Monsieur De Farge:

You know those teenagers that the Marquis killed?

Marquis and Brother:

They were just peasants.

Madame De Farge:

They were my sister and brother.

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The Vengeance:

And she has sworn to kill every nobleman in France.

Revolutionary Red:

to get her revenge.

The Vengeance and Revolutionary Red:

Can you blame her?

(Charles Dickens appears and everyone else on stage freezes.)

Charles Dickens:

Sorry to interrupt again---but---Charles Dickens here---as you can see the plot is quite complicated. I painted a very large canvas with this novel. You see an entire society. And not only in France, but also in England. This is a very rich, very complicated--(He gets nicely shoved aside by Lucie Manette and Miss Pross who run to Dr. Manette.)

Lucie Manette:

Father! You’re alive. I’ve lived 17 years thinking you were dead!

(She hugs Dr Manette.)

Dr. Manette:

You look just like your mother. Where is she?

(He looks for her.)

Lucie:

(shakes her head) She...she died of a broken heart. But... father, we must take you back to London. It isn’t safe for you here.

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Miss Pross:

You are in grave danger, sir. You could be arrested again at any moment.

Lucie:

This is Miss Pross, my governess.

Miss Pross:

I have raised her since her mother...

Dr. Manette:

Died of a broken heart.

(He covers his face in his hands)

Lucie:

Father, we must leave...NOW.

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Scene 5:

Setting:

Escape to England

The Boat from France to England

Charles Dickens:

Lucie and Miss Pross got the good Doctor on the boat to England. And this is where I was able to create a “meet cute” moment between darling Lucie and that very noble Charles Darnay.

(Lucie is helping her father on the boat when she bumps into Charles Darnay.)

Lucie:

Oh, do excuse me.

Charles Darnay:

Please. It is I who should be excused.

Lucie:

No, it was my fault. I should have been looking--

Charles Darnay:

You were helping your father. That is a good thing. I, on the other hand, was merely clumsy.

Lucie:

My name is Lucie Manette. (she curtsies)

Charles Darnay:

(bowing) And I am Charles... Charles Darnay!

Charles Dickens:

Charming! Delightful! But who wouldn’t want to marry Lucie? She’s an angel. Let’s meet a few of her suitors.. There’s...

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Scene 6:

A Husband for Lucie Manette

Setting: As if on a dating show, there are three stools across the stage. The three contenders, Charles Darnay, Mr. Stryver and Sydney Carton sit the stools.

Charles Darnay:

Charles Darnay. Hi, I’m a French teacher.

Originally from France. Now living in London.

I’m honest, decent and hard-working.

Charles Dickens:

In other words, snoozeville---but he’s a good guy. He’s a good guy.

Miss Pross:

And then there’s...

Mr. Stryver:

Mr. Stryver. Hi. I’m a successful business man in London. I’m self-centered, self-interested and self-seeking. Lucie would be lucky to have me.

Let’s face it: I’m a shoe-in!

Charles Dickens:

And then there’s...

Sydney Carton:

Carton... Sydney Carton.

Charles Dickens:

Sydney is a good man, a lawyer of real talent.

Miss Pross:

He is handsome.

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Dr. Manette:

And clever.

Advisor 1:

And charming.

Advisor 2:

And witty.

Miss Pross:

But he also has bad traits like

Advisor 1:

He drinks too much

Advisor 2:

He stays up too late

Guard 1:

And he dates too many women.

Dr. Manette:

Even though he has so much going for him

Sydney Carton:

I can’t seem to get my act together.

Charles Dickens:

And the truth is, deep down,

Sydney Carton:

I am very lonely.

Lucie:

Nevertheless---just knowing me

Sydney:

Knowing that a person like Lucie exists---

Miss Pross:

Makes him want to be a better person.

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Charles Dickens:

Sydney loves Lucie very much

Miss Pross:

But he never asks her out because

Sydney Carton:

I don’t believe in myself.

Lucie:

So I chose to marry

Mr. Stryver:

Me! Mr. Stryver!

Lucie:

Um...no. I chose Charles Darnay.

Charles Darnay:

Darling!

Mr. Stryver:

(storming off) Big mistake. Huge!

Sydney Carton:

Since I cannot marry Lucie, I pledge my friendship to her. (to Lucie) If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.

Lucie:

Okay. Thanks, Sydney.

Sydney:

I mean anything...ANYTHING AT ALL.

Lucie:

Sure.

Charles Darnay:

Lucie and I name our first child after Sydney.

Sydney:

Thanks!

Charles Darnay:

Just then, I am called away on urgent news.

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The Vengeance:

It is a trap!

Revolutionary Red:

You see, we’re starting a revolution.

The Vengeance:

And that means anyone in France

Revolutionary Red:

With a drop of noble blood

Madame De Farge:

Has got to go!

Monsieur De Farge:

But Charles Darnay has already gone. He’s gone to England.

The Vengeance:

If he has already GONE, then he has to come BACK

Revolutionary Red:

and THEN he has got to GO!

Monsieur De Farge:

But he’s already gone!

The Vengeance:

And that’s why he’s gotta come back.

Revolutionary Red:

Because he gots to GO!

Monsieur De Farge:

But he’s already gone!

The Vengeance:

But he’s still got to go! That’s why he has to come BACK.

Revolutionary Red:

Because he gots to GO!

Monsieur De Farge:

What?

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Revolutionary Red:

You know what we’re talking about, right?

Monsieur De Farge:

No.

The Vengeance:

The guillotine, baby!

Monsieur De Farge:

The guillotine!? I can understand the guillotine for the King and Queen (Guard 3 and Guard 4 lead the King and Queen across the stage.)

King:

Hey! Thanks a lot!

Queen:

And we tried to help you with all your problems.

Monsieur De Farge:

And I definitely understand the guillotine for the evil Marquis.

(Marquis Evremonde shuffles across the stage in chains)

Marquis:

They were just peasants!

Monsieur De Farge:

And his evil brother

Brother of the Marquis:

Does this mean I miss The Voice?!

Monsieur De Farge:

But Charles Darnay is one of the good guys.

You can’t kill him just because he has noble blood. There are over 25,000 noble people in France. Do you plan to kill them all?

The Vengeance, Madame De Farge and Revolutionary Red:

Yep.

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(Charles Darnay is led past in chains.)

Charles Darnay:

Have mercy on me. I gave up my title. I gave up my wealth. I left France.

Madame De Farge:

But you came back.

Charles Darnay:

I came back...because you asked me to.

Madame De Farge:

Yeah? Big mistake. Huge.

Monsieur De Farge:

Wife, I know you hate the nobility but this is going too far. That man is no threat to us.

Madame De Farge:

He may not be a threat to us

The Vengeance:

But what about his son? Huh?

Revolutionary Red:

Huh?

Madame De Farge:

Huh? What if he has a son who grows up

The Vengeance:

And he wants the title and the lands?

Revolutionary Red:

We can’t take the chance.

Madame De Farge:

We’re getting rid of all the nobility all at once.

Revolutionary Red:

Then the peasants can rule this country.

Madame De Farge:

At last!

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Monsieur De Farge:

Charles Dickens:

I wanted change. I wanted a better France. This is just bloodshed.

(Characters freeze.)

Oh! The irony! Charles Darnay is such a good man--- but even HE is targeted by the revolutionaries. Do you recognize the themes of--(Dickens is shoved aside by Lucy who runs to Charles Darnay.)

Lucy:

Charles! Darling!

Charles Darnay:

Lucie! My love! But how did you come to Paris?

Lucie:

Sydney brought me.

Sydney (shrugging):

I had some free time.

Charles Darnay:

Darling, you must leave at once. You are in grave danger.

Lucie:

What is happening?

Guard 1:

He’s got to go.

Guard 2:

This is a revolution

Guard 3:

And he’s a member of the nobility

Guard 4:

And we got a guillotine.

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The Vengeance:

And he’s got to go.

(Lucie faints in Sydney’s arms.)

Charles Darnay:

Now, Sydney---I will die tomorrow. There is nothing anyone can do. Take Lucie back to England immediately. She is in danger too.

They’re killing everyone with links to the nobility.

Advisor 2:

At that moment, Sydney Carton found his finest hour.

Miss Pross:

If he had been a bad man, he might have thought

Sydney:

Great! Once Charles is dead, I can marry Lucie

Advisor 1:

But it turns out that Sydney was a very, very, very GOOD man.

Sydney:

I paid a guard to sneak me into the Bastille. And I drugged Charles Darnay. And then I changed our clothes

Charles Darnay:

And before I knew what was happening, he released me out into the world. A free man.

Lucie Manette:

Meanwhile, Madame De Farge tried to have me killed.

Charles Dickens:

I told you the plot was complicated! But it’s so exciting!

Madame De Farge:

Yes, I tried to kill her.

The Vengeance:

Why not?

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Madame De Farge:

After all, she’s married to a nobleman.

Revolutionary Red:

That makes her noble, too. She gots to go.

Miss Pross:

But I stopped her. No one hurts Lucy on my watch. No one!

Madame De Farge:

Oui!

Miss Pross:

No!

Madame De Farge:

Oui!

Miss Pross:

No!

Madame De Farge:

Oui!

Miss Pross:

No! YOU got to go!

(They engage in hand to hand combat and Ms Pross wins. Mme De Farge dies)

Lucie:

We bundled Charles into the carriage and raced to England. Little did we know that

Charles Dickens:

Sydney was laying his neck on the guillotine

Charles Darnay:

Where my neck should have been.

Lucie Manette:

Was there ever a greater act of love?

Charles Dickens:

(crying into a handkerchief) No!

ALL:

As he lay his neck on the guillotine, Sydney Carton thought these immortal woods.

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Sydney:

I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss

Guard 1:

And in their struggles to be truly free

Advisor 1:

In their triumphs

Advisor 2:

And defeats

Guard 2:

Through long years to come

Monsieur De Farge:

I see the evil of this time

King Louis:

And the previous time

The Vengeance:

Of which this is the natural birth

Sydney Carton:

Gradually making expiation for itself

Revolutionary Red:

And wearing out.

Sydney Carton:

I see that child

Baby Sydney:

Me!

Sydney Carton:

The child who bore my name

Lucie:

A man winning his way up

Mr. Stryver:

In that path of life

Sydney:

Which was once mine. I see him

Advisor 1:

Winning it so well 25

Sydney:

That my name

Advisor 2:

is made illustrious

Lucie:

By the light of his.

Sydney:

It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.

ALL:

It is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known.

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