Market scene

TRACK 31 – Market Entrance (Scene Change/underscore)

SCENE 5 - The town square

(Music begins as villagers enter in groups and set the stage as a market. Robin and the men set up carts or carry on goods such as trays of breads, bags of flour, barrels of apples, crates of chickens etc. to be sold. The ladies carry baskets and hustle and bustle to buy the goods. The ladies who speak cross to center stage.)

Timmy - Hurry mother!

Tammy - I see the pastry cart.

Suzanne - I’m coming, children, wait! Stay close to me, I do not want to loose you.

Sue - I am hoping to barter my turnips for some cotton.

Sadie - What fine turnips, my garden didn’t fare as well.

Sheila - Our apple tree has a beautiful crop.

Suzanne - Thanks to Robin Hood we can at least afford a little.

Timmy - Look at the wonderful tarts!

Tammy - May we have one Mother?

Suzanne - You know full well we can’t afford tarts.

Tuck - Psst. But I can. Here little ones. Shhh.

Sara - May I have one too Mister? 29

Heidi, Hilda and Heather - Me too! Me too!

Little John - Surely little ones. Shhhhh

(Isabel enters grandly with the Sheriff. Mervin and Marvin follow dutifully to carry all her purchases.)

Isabel – (to Mervin and Marvin) Come along you. I want to have the first choice of the

Mervin and Marvin - Yes m’lady.

(Gwen, Beth and Anne enter.)

Gwen – Oh, how I enjoy market day.

Beth - I am in dire need of embroidery floss.

Anne - The weavers stand is this way.

Widow- Would you believe the Sheriff’s men stole my cooking pot? They said it was for my taxes.

Sue - They took your cooking pot? Those scoundrels!

Shauna – They take the very food from our mouths!

Sadie - Without a pot you can’t feed your children.

Widow – (showing a small bag of money) I’m just grateful Robin Hood paid me a visit.

Suzanne - Pots are costly, I hope you can barter with the potter.

Hilda - We needed new shoes, but mother says we only have enough money for food and a pot.

TRACK 32 – THE MARKET SONG

Sadie - Oh, here is the miller! She has fresh milled flour.

MUSICAL #8 – MARKET SONG

MILLER: FLOUR FOR SALE, FLOUR FOR SALE

SADIE: BUY MY RIPE RED APPLES, COME AND TRY MY APPLES.

BUTCHER:

LOOK I’VE GOT A LOVELY SAUSAGE!

WOMEN: SALE!

MEN: FOR SALE! MEN: FOUR BITS

ALL: FOR SALE!

ISABEL: I LOVE TO GO TO MARKET IN THE MORNING, TO VIEW ALL THE LATEST FINERY. A LENGTH OF GOLDEN CORD, LINEN TUNICS FOR MY LORD, AND A BOLT OF SATIN CLOTH FOR ME.

WIDOW’S CHILDREN: MOTHER MAY WE HAVE SWEET BREAD?

WIDOW:

WE CAN’T AFFORD IT, FLOUR INSTEAD.

CHILDREN: MOTHER, MAY WE HAVE NEW CLOTHES?

WIDOW: WE CAN’T AFFORD IT; YOU’LL HAVE TO WEAR THOSE. 30

ISABEL: I LOVE TO GO TO MARKET IN THE MORNING, SMELL SCENTS DRIFTING FROM THE BAKERY. GIVE ME ALL YOU STICKY BUNS AND LOAVES OF BREAD THE FRESHEST ONES, AND A DOZEN CHERRY TARTS FOR ME.

HEIDI: MOTHER SEE THOSE MELONS THERE.

HILDA: SEE ALL THE LOVELY THINGS TO WEAR.

WIDOW: WE MUST MAKE OUR MONEY LAST.

CHILDREN: LOOK AT THE LADY, SPEND IT SO FAST! COMPANY: THE MARKET PLACE IS A GRAND PLACE TO BE, IF YOU WERE BORN AS NOBILITY. BUT LOWLY BORN MUST BEG AND BESEECH; THE MARKET SHOWS

ROBIN AND WIDOW: WHAT IS OUT OF REACH.

MEN: WHAT IS OUT OF REACH.

WOMEN: WHAT IS OUT OF REACH.

ISABEL: (spoken) Ah hem! (all focus back on her) I LOVE TO GO TO MARKET IN THE MORNING TO BUY ALL THE FRESHLY BUTCHERED MEAT I’LL TAKE A SUCKLING PIG A SIDE OF BEEF AND MAKE IT BIG ROAST DUCKLING TASTES OH, SO, SWEET

MILLER: FLOUR FOR SALE, FLOUR FOR SALE!

SADIE: BUY MY RIPE RED APPLES, COME AND TRY MY APPLES

BUTCHER: LOOK I’VE GOT A LOVELY SAUSAGE,

WOMEN: SALE

MEN: FOR SALE:

WOMEN: TWO BITS

MEN : FOUR BITS

ALL: (After the song, Robin begins to shout as he pulls his cart center stage. The other carts and stands leave one at a time until the stage is clear except for Robin’s cart.)

Robin - Crocks and pots, jugs and mugs, who wants to buy? I’ll give one extra, no matter how large or small.

Suzanne - Widow! Widow! Come quickly, the potter is giving away pots.

Sue - (rushing to buy) This potter will never make a penny at this rate.

Widow - Please potter, will you take four pence for that large kettle?

Robin - No widow, but I will sell it for two pence.

Hilda - Now we can buy shoes!

Suzanne - He’s selling them so cheaply.

Sheila – By my faith! That is a real bargain!

Robin - Pots and crocks, three pence.

Sandra - But that pot usually sells for a shilling.

Sadie - What a bargain! I want one!

Suzanne - Me too. 31

Sue - Save one for me.

Isabel - (to Robin) You will be sold out in no time at that price!

Robin - That is why I have come. To sell all I have.

(As Robin hands out pots, Marian and Beatrice walk toward the castle and meet Lady Anne and Nurse Beth.)

Marian - Lady Anne! Lady Gwen!

Beatrice - Beth!

Anne- Marian and Beatrice! Why have you come back?

Marian - Shh, someone might overhear you.

Beth - Oh, my dear friends! We have been faint with worry.

Anne - Did you find Robin Hood in the forest?

Marian - Aye, we have returned with him to rescue you from the tower.

Gwen – What ever are you talking about?

Beth - But Marian, we are not in the tower!

Beatrice - Alan-a-Dale saw two ladies arrested and placed in the tower.

Marian - We assumed it was you.

Beth - We haven’t been arrested, yet.

Marian - Well someone is in trouble. Who could it be? We must discover who they are.

(Sheriff escapes Isabel and begins looking for Gilbert and Goose. He stops and looks at the ladies around the potter one at a time, lifting their veils and mantles. Marian and the ladie