Trial by Laughter
- Full Length Play, Comedy, Docudrama/Historic, 19th Century
- 6M, 2F
- ISBN: 9780573115950
William Hone, the forgotten hero of free speech, was a bookseller, publisher, and satirist.
Description
- Full Length Play
- Comedy, Docudrama/Historic
- Time Period: 19th Century
- Target Audience: Appropriate for all audiences
William Hone, the forgotten hero of free speech, was a bookseller, publisher, and satirist. In 1817, he stood trial for 'impious blasphemy and seditious libel'. The only crime he had committed was to be funny. Worse than that he was funny by parodying religious texts. And worst of all, he was funny about the despotic government and the libidinous monarchy.
A Watermill Theatre production.
REVIEWS:
"Defiance and satire done with gusto."
The Daily Mail
"A David v Goliath celebration of dissent."
The Daily Telegraph
Trial by Laughter was first produced by Tradmark Touring Ltd and the Watermill Theatre at the Watermill Theatre on 20th September, 2018.
The play is based upon the radio play of the same name by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, originally produced by the BBC in 2016.
Characters
- Casting: 6M, 2F
- Casting Attributes: Flexible casting, Expandable casting
GEORGE CRUIKSHANK – twenty-five (fifty in last scene). The scabrous cartoonist and Hone’s partner in crime. Penniless, drunk and dissolute, he renounces booze by the end of the play.
SARAH HONE – thirty-five. Hone’s long-suffering but fiercely loyal wife, who is mother to their eight children while running Hone’s shop and business when he’s in jail.
LORD ELLENBOROUGH – sixty-seven. Hone’s nemesis. The bullying Cumbrian Lord Chief Justice who will stop at nothing to win the case.
SIR SAMUEL SHEPHERD – fifty-seven. Crown Prosecutor. Incapable of keeping the trials serious.
LORD SIDMOUTH – sixty. Home Secretary. Keen to pass the buck for the government’s failure to stop Hone.
JUSTICE ABBOTT – sixty. Judge in the first trial. Powerless to stop the courtroom descending into farce. Makes the cardinal error of acting constitutionally.
GEORGE, PRINCE REGENT – fifty-four. None too bright and renowned for his debauchery, mistresses and excess, the Prince Regent sided with the Tories to stamp on press freedom.
LADY HERTFORD – fifty-seven. Prince George’s mistress, who is a figure of fun in the press and mercilessly (and no doubt unfairly) attacked for her appearance.
LADY CONYNGHAM – thirty-seven. Lady Hertford’s love rival in Court. Smarter than Lady Hertford, and considerably more waspish.
DUKE OF YORK – fifty-three. The Prince Regent’s brother, who is equally as debauched, and the source of ridicule through the “Grand Old Duke of York” song – which he will never live down.
WILLIAM HAZLITT – thirty-eight. A caustic wit and essayist, Hazlitt despised almost all humanity – but admired Hone.
MR SOUTHALL – thirties. An admirer of Mr Hazlitt.
MARY – thirties. A visitor to Hone while he is in jail, Mary may tempt him, but is not all who she seems.
CLERK IN COURT – twenties. Can’t contain his fits of the giggles.
OFFICER – twenties. Initially aggressive, he gets to like and sympathise with Hone.
SHERIFF – twenties. Officious, but unable to control the court.
ELIZA FENNING – twenty. One of Hone’s many causes. Hanged for allegedly putting arsenic in dumplings, and victim of a miscarriage of justice – proved by Hone.
MOURNER – thirty. A young writer who admired Hone, but only met him as he was dying.
YOUTH BY BOOKSHOP – seventeen.
CUB REPORTER – twenties.
WEATHERILL – twenty-five. A student who is arrested at Hone’s trial.
FOREMAN OF JURY – forties. (may just be a voice off).
FLUNKY – twenties. Cocky and grovelling in equal measure.
TAVERN REVELLER – singer of bawdy songs.
YOUTH
FEMALE ADMIRER/VIEWER
MAN IN CROWD
BALLADEER/TAVERN REVELLER
Available Material
| Name | Price |
|---|---|
|
Trial by Laughter Script
Order Now
Following critical acclaim for The Wipers Times, Ian Hislop and Nick Newman have once again taken inspiration from real life events for their new play Trial by Laughter. |
$24.95 |
