Pushkin's Boris Godunov

Adrian Mitchell, Alexander Pushkin

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781849437639
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Widely accepted to have been inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth, Boris Godunov recounts the tragic conflict between Tsar Boris and the pretender Dimitri. Following the death of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov became regent for the feeble-minded Tsar Fyodor, the heir to whose throne, the boy-prince Dimitri, died mysteriously in 1591. It was widely rumoured that Boris had murdered him, and when a renegade monk later appeared claiming to be Dimitri, he rapidly became a focus for revolt. This adaptation by acclaimed playwright & novelist Adrian Mitchell, was Mitchell's final project before his death in 2008 and forms part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's Winter 2012 season.

ACT TWO

SCENE ONE
MOSCOW. SHUISKII’S HOUSE

Prince SHUISKII with a number of guests at supper, the end of a lavish feast.

SHUISKII:

More wine.

(Rises to his feet, followed by all the rest.)

Dear guests, a final cup! And now, the secretary of the

Duma, the honourable Konstantin Shchelkarlov, would

like to recite the Tsar’s official prayer.

SHCHELKARLOV: (Rattling it off.)

O’ Lord who art in all things everywhere,

Please hear your humble servants’ prayer.

Bless with thy loving and almighty hand

The noble Tsar thou chose to rule our land.

Allow the branches of his family

To flourish like a great oak tree

Protecting all the world most royally.

Let the Tsar’s mercy and patience fall

Upon his servants, great and small,

Like sunshine, to redeem us all.

And may the river of his wisdom flow

So we may drink from it where e’er we go.

We raise the royal cup in loyalty,

Lord let our cry come unto thee.

SHUISKII: (Drinks.)

Long live our noble Tsar!

ALL:

Long live our noble Tsar!

SHUISKII:

Farewell, dear guests.

Thanks for your kindliness

In honouring my frugal dinner table.

(Polite laughter.)

Farewell, and good night to you all.

Exeunt guests, escorted to the door by SHUISKII.

VOROTYNSKII:

Thank the Lord they’ve gone. I thought we would never get the chance to speak.

SHUISKII: (To servants.)

You’re not paid to stare at me.

Or eavesdrop on your betters.

Clear the table and off to bed.

(Servants clear off.)

And now – What’s the news, Vorotynskii?

VOROTYNSKII:

News of miracles. Miracles.

Today a message came to me

From my man Gavrila Pushkin in Krakow.

SHUISKII:

And?

VOROTYNSKII:

My man sends the strangest news.

The son of Ivan the Terrible…

(Goes to the door, looks about.)

Ivan’s son and heir Dmitry, whom, everyone knows

Was murdered on the orders of Boris Godunov –

SHUISKII:

That’s not news.

VOROTYNSKII:

Wait. Dmitry is alive.

SHUISKII:

That’s more than news – that is a miracle!

The murdered Dmitry lives.

Anything else?

VOROTYNSKII:

Let me finish. Whoever he is –

The son and heir of the Tsar

Somehow saved from assassination,

Or a phanthom in the shape of the Prince,

Or a sharp-witted conman or a shameless pretender –

The one clear fact is this:

DMITRY has appeared.

SHUISKII:

Impossible!

Who is he? Where did he pop up from?

VOROTYNSKII:

Nobody knows.

He was apparently, for a short time,

A Polish prince’s trusted valet.

But then he caught a fever, seemed about to die,

And, on his sickbed, confessed to his master

That he was really Prince Dmitry.

Having learned this secret, the Polish prince

Had him nursed back to health

And took him to the Royal Palace in Krakow.

My man, Gavrila saw him arrive.

This young man strode, with supreme confidence,

Through the ranks of all the nobles,

Straight into the private chambers

Of Sigismund, King of Poland.

SHUISKII:

What do they say about this character?

VOROTYNSKII:

He’s amazingly clever, charming ...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Act One
• Act Two