The Tragedy of Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons (Episode 1 in the style of Shakespeare, Act 1, Scene 3)
Now gather round, tis 'time, and pray you sit,
Next scene of Captain Scarlet hath I writ!
This really has taken on a life of its own and all my free time, and I regret neither. Today, we retell Captain Brown's attempt on the President's life, but less 2068 and more 1598 as we ask, with due reverence to both: what if Shakespeare, not the Andersons, did our indestructible hero create?
I've struggled the most with this scene as the original is so reliant on the soundtrack and setting - a lot of the dialogue is actually quite humdrum and expositionary without the glorious sights of MSVs, Angels and helicopters! So, I added a bit of a naughty exchange here in what's played as a horribly tense moment in the original (Brown's cigarette case triggering the metal detector) and then rapidly followed it up with Brown confirming he's a Mysteron. Likewise, I couldn't work out whether to have Brown or a Chorus announce his explosion.
At the moment, the joke stays and Brown closes the scene. I ask you to make the final call on how well it works ahead of reposting the whole thing when it's finished.
SCENE III. New York. A street.
Enter BROWN, PRESIDENT YOUNGER with WHITE, Angels and Spectrum officers above.
WHITE
Good Captain Brown, the Angels fly above,
They espy you, your chariot and charge.
BROWN
Mark that, 'tis true, our Spectrum now is Green.
Exit WHITE.
PRESIDENT
No thing 'twould seem hath Spectrum left to chance.
BROWN
My leader, nay. All caution did we take.
Pray mark through yonder window Spectrum guards,
On ev'ry roof along our plotted way.
A helix screw doth shadow us withal,
And Angels swift the country round do skirr.
Exeunt Spectrum officers and Angels.
PRESIDENT
For such a band of maidens fair and wise,
A name more apt a man cannot devise.
So stand I much impressed, good Captain Brown.
And yet my mind misgives, there's no repose,
Aye, better will I feel when we arrive.
We fight a foe we do not comprehend.
Enter Spectrum officers.
FIRST OFFICER
So please you step this way, my President.
PRESIDENT
What sorcery is this, good Captain Brown?
BROWN
Our artificers cunning means devis'd,
To search for hidden weapons we forbid.
'Tis well, 'tis manifest, you bear no sword.
Alarum. Officers draw.
FIRST OFFICER
What vileness here with stealth concealèd be?
A pistol, poignard, dagger or a sword?
Full soft and slow, not fast of hand, reveal,
Whate'er's beneath your tunic forg'd of steel.
BROWN draws.
BROWN
Stand not amazed, dear friends, I mean no ill,
Mark that, you do but look upon my pipe.
[Aside]
But a spark before the fire!
PRESIDENT
But for a moment did my mind misgive.
They descend.
BROWN
All's well, good sir, 'tis done, we do arrive.
PRESIDENT
Thus far our fortunes keep an onward course.
Behold, dear Brown, our home for some time yet.
My hope it is in chess you have some skill.
BROWN
'Tis often said I do play well, my lord.
PRESIDENT
But soft, in yonder wall what is't I see?
BROWN
Fear not, 'tis but an eye alchemical,
An eye that looks upon our ev'ry move.
PRESIDENT
Right well I see in Spectrum's careful hands,
That there remains no thing for me to fear.
Good Captain, do you mark my words? I said
That Spectrum holds my safety in regard.
O, Captain Brown? O Captain, art thou well?
BROWN
Drop this mask this Mysteron can,
Thou art now a doomèd man,
Smoke and flame and blast so fleeting,
President, thus ends our meeting!
Alarum. BROWN dies. Exit PRESIDENT. Enter DESTINY.
DESTINY
To Cloudbase must I bring my words of dread,
Our fortress falls, our President lies dead!
Exit DESTINY, above.
I am loving this!
