Lady Godiva

The Friar from Coventry Abbey is trying to raise money for a new organ... How the characters trick the mean old Lord Leofric into becoming the benefactor of Coventry Cathedral is as devious as it is delightful.

The piece is meant to be very much, tongue in cheek, stand up comedy. The actors should include the audience as much as possible, most lines can be said directly out to the audience.  Little or no set or props are needed, and the costuming may be as simple or as ostentatious as the director requires.

Little or no set required. Traditional music with some original lyrics supplied. The story is based on the story of Lady Godiva’s famous ride through Coventry.

My research was unable to establish whether this ride actually took place. However, there was indeed,  a Lady Godiva and she was well known for her charity work among the peasants and her campaign to have their unjust taxes reduced or removed.

Less well known, is the fact that, Lady Godiva and her husband Lord Leofric, established the Coventry Cathedral and the monastery there, some time during the eleventh century. Apart from the above mentioned details, all other incidents, characters and events in the play are figments of the playwrights warped imagination.

The play is set in the year 1012, the setting for act one and two, is an ante room in the castle of Mercia, home of Sir Leofric and Lady Godiva. Act three is set at the Coventry fair.

Suggested Music.

ACT ONE.

 1.        Green sleeves.

 2.         Humoresque.

 3.        The Sweetheart Tree or Baby Bumble Bee.

 4.        Champagne Charley,

            Or The Night they invented Champagne.

 5.        Let’s do it. or Everybody’s Doin’ it.

ACT TWO

 6.        Scarborough Fair.

 7.        There is a Tavern in the Town

 8.        While Strolling in the Park one day.

 9.         Beside the seaside.

10.       Knight in Rusty Armour.

11.        Hair.

ACT THREE

12.       The Ash Grove.

13.       Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

14.       Underneath the Spreading Chestnut Tree

15.       William Tell Overture  (Music only)

16.       Simon Says.

 N.B.  This script is text only. Above music is an indication only of the type of song suitable. Music is of your own choosing and copyright permission should be sought.