Excerpt from The Knight’s Errand by Marilyn Anne Campbell. First produced by Child's
Play Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, July 2015. For more information visit
MarilynAnneCampbell.com
Character List
FERLDAMED: Early 20’s.
KING ARTHUR: 40 plus. Using a puppet, King Arthur also becomes THE DRAGON.
LANCELOT: Mid to late 30’s (old enough to be another knight’s father). Using a puppet,
Lancelot also becomes THE OWL.
PERCIVAL: Mid to late 20’s. Using a puppet, mask, or costume,
Percival also becomes THE COW.
(Although all characters except The Cow are male, productions are welcome to use female
performers for any/all roles.)
A Few Notes on the Text
This is a rhyming play, with several characters sharing stanzas; to help clarify the rhythm,
line spacing in the script is based on stanzas rather than speakers.
On the occasions when a character breaks out of the rhyme for an aside or an interjection,
it is marked as (off-rhythm).
For rhythm purposes, Ferldamed is pronounced with stress on the first and third syllable,
(ex. FERL-da-MED eats WON-der BREAD).
King Arthur, Lancelot and Percival are serving as both narrators and participants in the
story. To help differentiate, lines which are said within the scenes of the story appear in
quotation marks, while lines spoken directly to the audience do not.
Ferldamed is not aware of the story being told; he should not react to what the other three
say or do when they are addressing the audience.
Campbell / The Knight's Errand
AT RISE:
KING ARTHUR, LANCELOT and PERCIVAL stand
near a small version of the Round Table.
Off to one side is the “stable”, a rack of five hobby
horses with a few empty feed pails on the ground.
KING ARTHUR is snacking, waiting for the show to
begin. If any food is available for purchase at the
performance, he should be having something from
the concession stand. Otherwise, actor's choice.
LANCELOT and PERCIVAL stare, waiting for the
King to start the show. Finally, LANCELOT
gestures, and KING ARTHUR realizes they're
waiting on him.
KING ARTHUR:
(off-rhythm) Oh! Oh, me! Right.
KING ARTHUR puts away his snack (or finishes it very quickly).
I am King Arthur and these are my lands,
But I welcome you here with wide open hands,
For we have a story that simply demands
To be shared with friends old and new.
Around the Round Table of Camelot
Sat a brave and noble, adventurous lot.
From Percival to Lancelot
Their stories are well known.
FERLDAMED enters with another feed pail, heading to the stable.
PERCIVAL:
But in the stables of that time so old
Was another soul who was just as bold-
LANCELOT:
(Off-rhythm, interrupting) I’m not sure “bold” is the right word.
PERCIVAL:
(Off-rhythm) Lance, you promised.
LANCELOT:
(Off-rhythm) Hey, no, I’m happy to tell the story, I’m just saying, he
wasn’t exactly brave when it started.
LANCELOT puts an empty feed pail over FERLDAMED’s head.
FERLDAMED:
(Off-rhythm) “Oh! No! No-no-no! It’s not supposed to be night again! The
sun! WHO TURNED OUT THE SUN?”
Campbell / The Knight's Errand
FERLDAMED sits down and hugs himself, rocking in the “dark”.
KING ARTHUR:
PERCIVAL:
(forcefully) But in the stables of that time so old
Was another soul who was just as bold…
LANCELOT defers to the king.
Although his story is rarely told
Since that time of long ago.
KING ARTHUR shoos LANCELOT and the two of them exit.
PERCIVAL:
His name, it’s said, was Ferldamed
And he had on his shoulders a pretty good head.
PERCIVAL removes the pail. FERLDAMED stands, not sure what
just happened.
He kept the horses clean and fed
(Though while in the stable he dreamt of The Table,
Still the horses were all fed).
PERCIVAL exits.
FERLDAMED:
“Rise and shine Grissel, good morn Gringolet,
Ingliart, Passel and old Jack the Grey.
I’ve brought a fine oats and barley buffet
For you, my dearest friends.”
Pulling an apple out of his pocket, FERLDAMED goes to Jack.
“Like I always say, Jack, there’s none lucky as us.
We live close to the action without getting mussed,
Part of the court, without pomp and fuss.
It doesn’t get better than this.”
LANCELOT and PERCIVAL enter mid-conversation. As they
cross, LANCELOT snatches the apple being held out to Jack.
PERCIVAL:
LANCELOT:
PERCIVAL:
LANCELOT:
“… eyes red as fire and big gnashy teeth!”
“We’ll just slash where it’s soft, at the belly, beneath!”
“The beast will need a funeral wreath!”
“It doesn’t get better than this.”
LANCELOT and PERCIVAL exit.
FERLDAMED:
“Yes I’ve steered my life clear of daring-do.
And stayed safe from heroic hullabaloo.
My only threat is getting poo on my shoe
While adventure passes me by.”
Campbell / The Knight's Errand
FERLDAMED exits; PERCIVAL and LANCELOT enter carrying
two chairs each, KING ARTHUR follows eating the apple Lancelot
took from Ferldamed a moment ago.
LANCELOT:
So that morn at the meeting, King Arthur was greeting
Each knight as they took time to settle the seating
When at the large wooden door someone came beating,
Beating in hopes to come in.
There’s a loud KNOCK offstage.
KING ARTHUR:
FERLDAMED:
KING ARTHUR:
LANCELOT:
PERCIVAL:
“Who dares to disturb us? Be you friend or foe?
And how did you get past the guards – are they slow?”
(off-stage) “Beg pardon, my liege, I’m just late to show.
(Enters, awkwardly dragging a sword.)
This thing really slows a guy down.”
Oh, did we not mention? Please excuse the pretension.
Ferldamed was a knight without any contention.
(bitter aside) It seems that he managed to make the ascension
By being the son of the cook.
Ferldamed hadn’t been to the table in years
Because he’d grown sick of the taunting and jeers
Made by some other knights due to his fears
Of being alone in the dark.
PERCIVAL looks to LANCELOT.
LANCELOT:
(off-rhythm) We don’t have to do that part, do we?
PERCIVAL:
(off-rhythm) It happened, Lance.
LANCELOT:
(off-rhythm) But I’m sure they get the idea. (to audience) Jokes were
made, some feelings MAY have been hurt…
KING ARTHUR:
(off-rhythm) By command of your king, tell the story right!
LANCELOT:
(off-rhythm) As you wish.
Campbell / The Knight's Errand