Mayflower
Kate Glover
Genre: Historical Drama
Cast size: 14
Duration: Two Act
Kate Glover | Historical Drama | Full-length | 10m, 4f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
Act One: Edward Winslow explains to his mother why his religious views, essentially Puritan, make it impossible to stay in England any longer. In Leiden, we meet John Robinson, minister of the Separatist congregation there, along with William Brewster, who runs the Brewster Press publishing Puritan literature. He has to flee as his premises have just been broken into by Dutch soldiers.
Plans are afoot for the voyage to the New World but Edward’s feisty new wife Elizabeth tells him she does not want to go. William Bradford announces that negotiations are underway with the "Merchant Adventurers" - the venture capitalists of their day - to fund their voyage.
Over in England, as emissaries for the others, the Winslows meet the superficially trustworthy Thomas Weston of the Merchant Adventurers. A sort of joint stock company is envisaged for the settlement in Virginia. Each pilgrim would receive a share worth ten pounds. In return, they work four days a week for the Merchant Adventurers. Elizabeth remains dubious.
Later, Thomas Weston is apparently demanding that the Pilgrims now work six days out of six for the Merchant Adventurers. All agree that they cannot sign this contract. In addition, Weston has not found a ship. Bradford offers to source one. They will sail to Southampton where they will meet the "Strangers" recruited by the Adventurers to join them in the voyage.
Delftshaven Holland. Dorothy Bradford, John’s wife, is grief stricken about leaving her baby son behind. Pastor Robinson preaches an emotional sermon as the ship Speedwell leaves the docks
Act Two: In Rotherhithe, Captain Jones of the Mayflower meets the bullying Henry Martin who has been buying supplies on behalf of the Merchant Adventurers.
The Speedwell and the Mayflower arrive in Southampton. John Bradford refuses to sign the contract negotiated by Weston. This means they are short of funds. Leiden colleague, William Brewster and his wife Mary, finally turn up after many months on the run. The ships depart from Southampton, but are forced to put into Dartmouth as the Speedwell is leaking.
Both ships leave Dartmouth, but two hundred miles out at sea, they are forced to return to Plymouth because of the leaking Speedwell. Everyone is squashed onto the Mayflower. They leave, very late, on 16th September.
The Pilgrims gather for religious services on deck; this makes conditions more bearable. Despite appalling tides and breakers (known as Pollock Rip), Captain Jones manages to anchor The Mayflower safely off Cape Cod on November 21st. Bradford and Brewster make sure that every man has signed 'The Mayflower Compact' enshrining agreement regarding the establishment of the new settlement.
The Pilgrims disembark.
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