The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865 FLOOR LAYOUT Backdrop of the court house
Narrator
Rebellion occurs here.
Exit here.
Enter here.
Audience
Audience
1|Page Š Allison Hall, 2015
The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865 THE CAST CHARACTERS
NAMES OF ACTORS
CHARACTERS
NAMES OF ACTORS
Narrator
___________________
Lewis
_____________________
Paul Bogle
___________________
Custos
_____________________
George Gordon
___________________
Gov. Eyre
_____________________
Gertrude
___________________
Officer
_____________________
Aunt Vie
___________________
Miss Maisie
_____________________
Maas Halford
__________________
Charles
_____________________
Moses
__________________
Officer
_____________________
Names of Extras ______________________________________________________________ PROPS - Bibles, backdrop of the Morant Bay court house, sticks, machetes, cardboard guns, ropes, cat-o-nine-tails whip, scroll COSTUMES – Peasants, Governor, Custos, Officers, hangman
THE CHARACTERS ●
Paul Bogle
●
Governor Eyre
●
George Gordon
●
Custos
●
Gertrude
●
Lewis
●
Officer
●
Aunt Vie
●
Miss Maisie ●
Moses
●
Maas Halford
●
Officer
Extras
●
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The Morant Bay Rebellion: Echoes of 1865 Part A - Paul Bogle, The Deacon Scene 1 – A Native Baptist Church (A Vigil) Paul Bogle
Brethen, I have called you to this urgent meeting because of what is taking place in this country. But before we begin, let us thank God for his blessings.
Congregation (in the play) stands and sings, Our Father who art in Heaven from the movie musical, Sarafina or Buju Banton’s Hallowed Paul Bogle
Brothers and sisters, we are living in serious times.
Gertrude
Yes, Deacon, we are suffering bad.
Aunt Vie
De’ planters get compensation and we get nothing at all. We have to pay rent for the land, taxes and then they say we are lazy. Everyone starts to speak at the same time
Paul Bogle
Order, order, yes Maas Halford.
Maas Halford
Mi feel like mi still in slavery. The treatment even feel worse. A nuh dis our grandparents fight for.
Gertrude
Deacon, I want to know why Queen Victoria dismiss the petition, and why on Emancipation Day people keep singing, Jubilee, Jubilee, Queen Victoria set me free.
Maas Halford
She nuh set nobaddy free. A de Baptist missionaries like William Knibb and people like Sam Sharpe and Tacky mek us free.
Paul Bogle
I am just as upset as you. But do not be disheartened. We are going to re-elect Deacon George Gordon again and again. He is a champion for us in the House of Assembly. And tomorrow we are going to Morant Bay again to let Governor Eyre know that we are not afraid, and we will not be silenced.
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Congregation cheers. Some say, “Praise the Lord”, while others say, “Thank you Jesus”. Lewis
But Deacon, dem have a warrant out fi yuh arrest. And look how de police treat us the last time we guh a Morant Bay.
Paul Bogle
Do not worry about me Lewis. To whom much is given, much is expected. Christianity comes with much sacrifice
Gertrude
Lewis you sound like you do not want to come (She starts singing, We will follow Deacon Bogle till we die)
Paul Bogle
Sister Gertrude, not that song. I do not want you speaking things into being. Brothers and sisters, it is late. We will meet tomorrow by the big tree before we enter Morant Bay. Many persons from across the island will come and walk with us. Remember no violence. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Congregation begins to exit
Lewis
Weh yuh seh Deacon. No violence. Dem white man deh neva know seh dem did violent when dem tek us out a Africa, kill us pon de way and kill us pon the plantation. And den dem seh dem a Christian.
Paul Bogle
Love your enemies and forgive.
Lewis
Love what and dem tek weh mi piece of land.
Congregation (in the play) sings, Equal rights and justice by Peter Tosh, as they exit Paul Bogle
Moses, my brother, remove the bullets and flints from all guns. Violence is only for last resort and if we are attacked.
Moses
Are you coming my brother?
Paul Bogle
I am right behind you. When they all exit
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Paul Bogle
It is time my Lord. It is time. It is time to help ourselves. Skin for skin; the iron bars is now broken in this parish. We want equal rights and justice.
Part B – The Rebellion Scene II – Morant Bay Courthouse Narrator
Early in the morning, before the sun rose over the hills, hundreds of Jamaicans met under a big tree at Stony Gut. They spoke for a while then marched to Morant Bay filled with enthusiasm, hope and confidence that their needs would be met.
The rebels enter the stage led by Deacon Bogle singing, Press Along Saints. They stand before the courthouse Custos
Peace in her majesty’s name.
Paul Bogle
And peace to you sir in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Lewis
No peace, hell today.
Paul Bogle
Stay calm my brother. Custos, you have seen my petition and you know that I have not hurt anyone. I came here a few days ago to support Brother Lewis Miller.
Custos
Yes and you rescued the Geoghagen, so you have interfered with the court. And I heard that you have your own militia.
Paul Bogle
You have heard a lot Custos. Have you not heard the cries of the people? They are treated worse than when they were slaves. All I want is better treatment for them.
Custos
They are just lazy rebels. Go back to your homes.
The rebels grow angry and starts to stone him. The Custos moves back quickly. Lewis
Mek wi deal wid dah man yah
Custos
(reading from a scroll ) This Riot Act is read today, October 11, 1865 that chargeth and commandeth all persons being 5|Page © Allison Hall, 2015
assembled immediately to disperse. Because they have failed to disperse, I now command that they be shot. (The crowd does not move) Officers shoot. Shoot! I say shoot. (Shots are fired. The crowd screams and rushes to their positions). Aunt Vie
Mek wi bun dung de courthouse wid de wicked man dem. Bun dem wid de Holy Ghost.
Crowd Member
War dung a Morant Baaaaay! Waaaaaaaaaar!
Performance of Everywhere is war by Bob Marley
Part C – A Change Gonna Come Scene III – The Gallows People are crying and begging for their loved ones Governor Eyre
Gertrude Baker, 20 lashes with the cat-o-nine. Viola Bennett, 20 years in prison.
Miss Maisie
Whoi. She is a good woman sar. Spare har.
Governor Eyre
Lewis Miller, death by hanging. Charles Geoghean, death by hanging.
Lewis
Meet yuh by the river Miss Maisie.
Charles
See yuh in heaven Bredda Lewis. Dem 6yan stop wi.
They place ropes over their necks. Some men pulls George William Gordon in Crowd Member
Governor Eyre duh nuh kill wi Deacon Gordon. Him nuh have no part in this.
George Gordon
I am innocent sir. I did not plan this. You just want to silence me because of the work I do for the poor blacks.
Governor Eyre
(Governor Eyre is handed a letter) What is this?
Officer
A letter Custos 6|Page © Allison Hall, 2015
Governor Eyre
Who wrote it?
Officer
George William Gordon, Custos
Governor Eyre
My dear Lucy, it seems I am to be sacrificed. I know nothing of this rebellion. Blaa, blaa, May the Grace of Jesus Christ be with you all, blaa, blaa. How ridiculous! George William Gordon, death by hanging.
Everyone screams and cries loudly. The place the rope over his neck George Gordon
I thank God that I suffer in such cause. I can now say with Paul, I have fought the good fight. (He is hanged) Paul Bogle enters stage. Crowd continues to cry
Governor Eyre
So we have found the ring leader after all. Thank you maroons. I can always count on you (turns to the crowd). Stop the crying or you too will all be hanged (crowd exits stage)
Paul Bogle
I come in peace and go in peace to my Lord. All I wanted is equal rights and justice for my people.
A rope is placed around Paul’s neck. Paul then sings, Change Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. Church Dance Troupe performs a dance to the song. Narrator
(Light drumming to I’ll Fly Away) The official records state that 1,000 homes were burnt, 304 people executed by court martial, 50 shot without trial, 25 shot by the Maroons, 10 killed otherwise, and 600 flogged. Many were sentenced to prison. For the people of St. Thomas who supported Bogle, it was a descent into the jaws of hell. Many of Bogle’s family fled and changed their names to Bogues, Bogis and Buddle (people running across the stage with suitcases). As for those who did them wrong; well, Governor Eyre was never given another assignment by the British government. The black soldier who did the flogging, well, he threw himself overboard a ship, (splash) and the maroons, oh well, they never enjoyed any status after this. 7|Page © Allison Hall, 2015
But little did the authorities know that Paul Bogle and George William Gordon’s name would never die. In October 1965 they were declared national heroes of Jamaica. They are heralded in songs and poems, for they changed a system which needed equal rights and justice for all; and it all happened in 1865 when two common people like you and me with the book of rules, the Bible, instigated the Morant Bay Rebellion. All actors come on stage and sing The Book of Rules by the Heptones. The
congregation can join in.
THE END
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