Idle Clay
by
Jeff Berry

Portrait assumed to be of Christopher Marlowe

Act I, Scene I
Enter Robert Greene

Greene:

There is in madness magic of a kind,
And I am mad with drink. Good Rhenish wine
shall serve to loose my spirit from the bow,
The crippled bow my body has become
And for a few short moments I may dream.
Haunting my dreams is one whose pen spews forth
Upon the page that liquid fire which burns
A path down time to make the writer live
Beyond the years which make his mortal span.
Marley, Merlin, even Marlowe perhaps.
The humble clay, or bird of prey, or both.
The poet is the bird, his wings are words.
The man is simple clay, not just his feet,
though idle he is not. Given to love,
but not in honest form, though truly meant.
Kit Marlowe once from woman's belly torn,
To enter there again of choice doth scorn.

Top(left to right):Steve Alfieri, Phill Daniel, Jeff Berry, Eric Hanson, Lorree True, Scott Glascock, Matt Rau, Jeff Bear
Bottom(left to right):Matthew Nowosielski, Chris Roberts, Joseph Langham, Bill Atwood, Sarah Hutson, David Hutson

Idle Clay
by
Jeff Berry

Directed by
Sarah Hutson

Dramatis Personae, in order of Speaking:

Robert Greene, called Robin, a poet	Matthew Nowosielski
Em Ball, mistress to Greene	Lorree True
Nick Skeres, a spy	Bill Atwood
Sir Francis Walsingham, the Spymaster	Scott Glascock
Robin Poley, a spy	David Hutson
Christopher Marlowe, called Kit, a poet	Eric Hanson
Philip Henslowe, a player	Steve Alfieri
Jack Wilson, a young player	Phill Daniel
Dick, a tavern-keeper	Jeff Bear
Ned, a tavern-goer	Chris Roberts
The Earl of Northumberland	Matt Rau
Sir Walter Raleigh	Joseph Langham
A Spanish Priest	Phill Daniel
A Spanish Captain	Steve Alfieri