The Red Privateer

An adventure play in two acts

By Katie Popkins

Cast

Anne De’Bon: Notorious Pirate. Men fear her.

The Red Privateer: Inspired by Alice Scarlet-Highfen

The Lover: The Red privateer’s unspecified gender lover, for casting flexibility.

The Victim Captain: The victim of scene one

The Survivor: A sailor who survived one of Anne De’Bon’s attacks.

Fisherman: A fisherman on the island the Red Privateer washes up on.

Extras: Mostly other crewmen

Due to cast size, it may be necessary to have players perform as multiple parts.

Act 1

Scene 1

[Scene Set-up: A divider should separate the stage. Stage right should represent the victim’s ship, Stage left should be the Privateer’s Office, darkened from view. A statue at the front of the downstages left and right should be made accordingly, representing the ship’s head. Care should be taken that the statues do not block audience view. The Victim Ship Captain should be facing Anne De’Bon with their hands up. The First Mate should be standing near as her silent guard.]

Victim Ship Captain: Take what you want, but leave us be!

[Anne De’Bon is not shy with her hands on her fellow actor, one hand giving a taunting caress of his hair, the other holding a dagger that traces across the neck without cutting.]

Anne De’Bon: Look at how you shiver, you yummy man. And you call yourself Captain? I can hear the Sea Bitch laughing! Your entire crew has forsaken you and hid in your lower deck or thrown themselves overboard like the cowardly sea dogs they are.

Victim Ship Captain: Because it is you, Anne De’Bon! Victory is impossible!

Anne De’Bon: Do you know why? [Anne De’Bon’s free hand waves any sort of charm spell or effect]. Because like a Siren, I draw your temptation in, then twist it to my needs. You let down your guard, and now your crew and ship is mine, and you will do everything I tell you to do. You serve me now.

Victim Ship Captain: What would you have me do?

[The rest of the scene is muted, Anne De’Bon whispering into the Captain’s ear, giving a kiss on their cheek when she is done. A sultry wave and laugh as she beckons the First Mate away. The Captain in a daze, moves to the ship’s starboard. The scene blackens on stage right].

Scene 2

[This uses the other side of the stage, which should be brightened. The Lover should enter from backstage. The Red Privateer should enter from the ladder, and sit on the desk, which should be obscured by the curtain, only visible to audience members on the far side. The Lover slides a note across the table to her.]

Lover: Looks like Walker D. Plank hasn’t learned. Another robbery of an Amn Merchant Ship off the coast. Sounds like a call for our business, love.

Red Privateer: What about this? [Another parchment is slid back. The Lover’s face would change to an expression of fear, worry, and hesitation].

Lover: No man goes after Anne De’Bon.

Red Privateer: I am no man. Two ships unexpectedly turn traitor against their own, attacking their ports until killed. One last month, one last tenday. We can’t ignore her any longer.

Lover: [Would move around with urgency, and take the Red Privateer’s hand.] I promised your father when I wed you I would protect you. Let Amn take care of her. We will assist by taking on these other threats, like Walker D. Plank.

Red Privateer: Only now. A year ago and you weren’t supportive of this at all.

Lover: I had an honest job, safe work.

Red Privateer: I was cooped up. You cannot shield me from everything.

Lover: This is a compromise, is it not? After the last time-

Red Privateer: [She shakes off the lover’s hand, and moves to look away from him.]

Lover: Dearest…

Red Privateer: [Holds up a hand]. We sail to Walker D. Plank’s cove. Rally the crew.

Lover: [Relieved] Yes, Captain.

[The Lover exits the stage. The Red Privateer lingers a moment, moving to the desk to look over the parchment with Anne De’Bon’s picture, before taking it with her as she exits.]

Scene 3

[The other side of the stage should be used. The head of the ship should be swapped with a female statue, in Sune’s figure or any other appropriate dedication.]

Lover: The Waters are calm, the crew is settled. This should be uneventful.

[Red Privateer is still upset with her lover. She does not respond to his question and there is an allowed pause for an awkward silence.]

Lover: Still upset?

[Silence. A sigh.]

Lover: I will make myself useful.

[The lover exits the stage. Red Privateer stops to look back at him, only now showing remorse. A short pause before the Survivor’s line].

Survivor: Help, help!

[The Red Privateer looks about.]

Survivor: Over here!

[The other side of the stage should be shown. The survivor should be wearing torn clothes, on a plank of wood. The Red Privateer should lower a bit of rope, and pull him towards the other side of the stage. Darken the half of the stage when he is pulled out of it.]

Survivor: Thank the gods, woman. The rest of them. The gods pity them.

Red Privateer: I am hunting Walker D. Plank. If it was him, we will have justice for your lost companions, soon enough.

Survivor: I do not speak of that coward buccaneer. It is Anne. Anne De’Bon! She charmed the captain and sent the boat to do her bidding.

Red Privateer: Where was she? Can you guide us to her?

Survivor: You are either foolish or brave! No man dares face Anne De’Bon.

Red Privateer: I am no man. And Anne De’Bon will not stop until someone faces her. Now aid me, for I will not veer course.

Survivor: I will grant you this. But by the gods woman, I hope you know what you are getting into.

Red Privateer: Good. In my cabin. I don’t want the crew to know yet.

[They exit to the back. Darken Stage.]

Scene 4

[There is little transition, except the other side of the stage is set to represent Anne’s boat, left in the darkness. When Red Privateer re-enters and is positioned at the ship’s helm, the light turns on, and Lover enters.]

Lover: What is going on? I noticed we started shifting direction the last hour. I thought it was to avoid unexpected land mass, but the crew is whispering the ship straight in our sights is Anne De’Bon’s!

Red Privateer: It is.

Lover: You idiot! You’re risking everyone’s life on board and your own for futile heroism? We’re no match for her magics. Turn the ship around before it’s too late!

Red Privateer: You can take a skiff, and sail away with any coward. But I will not let this witch remain uncontested. [The Lover is speechless]

Lover: I will not abandon you, even if I disagree with you.

Red Privateer: Thank you. Brace yourself.

[Before the light is set on the other stage, revealing Anne De’Bon (And any extras), a few sound effects warn of the coming ship.]

Anne De’Bon: Ha. Where is your Captain? I wish to talk with him.

Red Privateer: I am the Captain, and I have come to bring you in, Anne De’Bon.

[Anne De’Bon roars in laughter, along with whoever is on her side of the ship, she silences the extras shortly after with a curt motion of her hand].

Anne De’Bon: I applaud your gal, and respect your courage. For that, I will allow you to leave. But choose to press on, and you and your crew will join me.

[A rain effect, storm of vengeance perhaps, could be used here. Regardless, the Lover looks pleadingly to Red Privateer. Her answer is a drawn blade].

Anne De’Bon: Then I will respect your honor by killing you instead of charming your mind. But you, on the other hand…

[A charm spell is done (or faked) on the lover.]

Red Privateer: No!

[Anne De’Bon and her minions leap over. To shift the perspective, her ship is now darkened. Stage crew may prep the stage for the next scene. The scene is played out by the actors, but should conclude with the Red Privateer falling into the waters. This breaks the Lover out of his trance temporarily.]

Lover: What have I done?!

Anne De’Bon: You haven’t done anything just yet. Your ship is going back to your port in Guldorand to return the fool’s favor!

[A laugh ends the scene].

Act 2

(If necessary, offer a brief interlude for audience break).

Scene 5

[The Red Privateer awakens in sand, scene should be set to islands. A fisherman should be on the other side of the stage, with a pole in a hand. She looks around the stage, moving around as if lost.]

Fisherman: You’re a lucky one. You were nearby. And she did not look back to chase.

[The stage light should now be switched on to the Fisherman’s stage. The Red Privateer should spin towards his direction and move towards his side of the stage. Turn light off on the half of the stage she departs.]

Fisherman: It is okay. I mean you no harm. I will take you home soon. Your ship moves back there first, you will want to try to get it back, hmm?

The Red Privateer: I don’t know. What is this place?

Fisherman: My home. Away from the bustling cities and exhaustive dangers of the main isle.

[The Red Privateer moves around again.]

Fisherman: No fish biting today. Do we depart now? My ship is fast. We can catch the girl, save who we can.

The Red Privateer: She’s too strong. My crew, my husband. I thought I could stop her.

Fisherman: You were felled, not defeated.

The Red Privateer: What is the difference?

Fisherman: We cannot be truly defeated, only destroyed. You were fall, you can rise again. Harder, more effectively. The pain teaches you for the next.

The Red Privateer: Who are you?

Fisherman: Only an old retired sailor, no one to you. But you are the Privateer. The woman whose fire makes even the most experienced pirates shiver and their crew clamor. You are not acting as you should, and so it is your fortune I am here to help you.

The Red Privateer: No pirate can turn even a lover so easily to their side with a few whispers. Tell me a way to defeat her and I will.

Fisherman: Will.

[The Fisherman’s one word answer leaves her quiet. He begins to put away his pole.]

Fisherman: I am too old to assist you further but I cannot force you. I will be setting sail for I require use of the Guldorand markets, and if it gets bad, rowing people to safety. Do you join me, or is it I alone?

[The Fisherman does not wait for an answer. He begins moving off stage. We pause for a moment, with the Red Privateer showing thoughts or speaking them aloud, before the stage blackens without her definitive answer.]

Scene 6

[The stage should be set to be a forest, we are near Guldorand. Anne De’Bon, the Survivor, and the Lover are on the stage.]

Anne De’Bon: Advance! This is your retribution for facing me.

[The survivor is unable to resist, and advances off stage. Sound effects begin to play with the unseen chaotic attack the survivor does].

Anne De’Bon: [Cackling]. Lastly, you. Advance!

Lover: [The lover resiststs, acting out the resisting in any way they choose, before turning on Anne De’Bon. But their attempt is futile, as the experienced pirate has him on the ground in short order.]

Anne De’Bon: You fool. No man resists Anne De’Bon. Each of your crew has gone forward to raid at my command but you. What moves you so much that you risk dying now, rather than serving me and taking a few things and lives that are not important?

Lover: Love.

Anne De’Bon: Your love is dead.

Lover: Love transcends physical form. Your charms manipulate me, but when my life is forfeit I will join her once more.

Anne De’Bon: Shar take you and your love to afterlife you so covet, then.

[The Red Privateer should emerge on the stage as Anne De’Bon fires a gonne into the Lover]

Red Privateer: No!

Anne De’Bon: [Anne De’Bon whirls to the Red Privateer]. So you didn’t drown. What a waste of your miracle. You could almost be a proper pirate, if you had better ideals.

[The Red Privateer charges in with rage. The rest of the scene should be a mix of improvisational dialogue and sword clashing. At some point, Anne De’Bon should be shown clearly having the upper hand, only to later lose her blade and the two resorting to their hands. But with all dramas, the Red Privateer should eventually be shown triumphant, Anne De’Bon unconscious. A slap for good measure is the cue before her next scripted line]

Red Privateer: That’s for Guldorand, witch.

[She hurries over to the Lover].

Red Privateer: No, no, no. Sune, please, spare him today.

[The scene darkens. A pause is given before the Spotlight is turned on, and the Lover’s eyes awaken. The two embrace, and let go once the Spotlight is turned off again, the scene’s lights returning to normal.]

Red Privateer: I’m sorry. For now on, I’m going to listen to you more seriously. I don’t want to ruin our marriage.

Lover: But you were right. You were able to stop her. I should have believed you better.

[The Lover caresses the Privateer’s cheek, before turning to Anne De’Bon].

Lover: Is she…

Red Privateer: No. That’s for Guldorand to decide.

[The two move over and begin tying her up, and the scene ends.]

Scene 7

[Anne De’Bon is at her desk again. The Lover enters, sliding across a paper.]

Lover: Seems Anne De’Bon got out lucky. Pleaded the Belly.

Red Privateer: Ha. If she thinks that will save her…What is this?

Lover: Seems Amn’s Navy wasn’t able to stop Walker D. Plank afterwards.

Red Privateer: Interesting. But I was thinking about this.

[Another paper is slid across the table. The Lover looks startled.]

Lover: But that’s…!

Red Privateer: The Pirate King of Sencliffe. But if you aren’t in…

Lover: Together, always. Shall we?

Red Privateer: Rally the Crew!

[End].