MUCH THE MILLER'S CHILD

A scenelet from my soon to be published Robin Hood play, Marian or The True Tale of Robin Hood. (Sam French)  Coming this summer to Cincinnati and Nashville.

ROBIN

(drawing on the ground.)

They’ve taken Tommy of No Consequence!  This will not stand.  It is time to plan our prison break.  Shirley is getting more detailed plans but for now, we’ll approach from the north.  Friar Tuck is in charge of southern diversion but the bulk of the Merry Men will approach from this point.

MUCH

Um.  I’m sorry.

ROBIN

What is it, Much?

MUCH

It’s the term Merry Men.

ROBIN

You’re thinking why are we Merry when we’re attacking?  But we can be.  I want us all to thoroughly enjoy our mischief as well as our bloodletting.  Have fun out there, men.

MUCH

Actually, it’s the “men” part.

ROBIN

What do you mean?

MUCH

I’m not—I mean I don’t feel like a man.

ROBIN

Okay.

MUCH

I don’t want to dress like a man or talk like a man or drink like a man.  Or kill like a man.  I just don’t identify with all that comes with manhood and manliness. So I want you all to know, I’m not a man anymore.

WILL

Are ye sayin’ you’re a lady, Much?

MUCH

Not a woman neither.  I think that I’m not a man or a woman.  Neither of those things feels like who I am.

LITTLE JOHN

What’s happening, Robin?

ROBIN

So what would you like to be called?

MUCH

Just Much.  I’m a person.  A human being.

WILL

You’re Much The Miller’s Son.  You can’t change who you are.  That’s who you’ve always been.

MUCH

Right.  That too.  Don’t call me Much The Miller’s Son.  Call me Much The Miller’s Child.

ROBIN

Okay.

MUCH

And instead of saying him when you’re talking about me, say, “They or them.”

WILL

Are there two of you, Much?

MUCH

I know it’s not ideal.

ALANNA

We could say “he/she.”

MUCH

No but I’m not a he or a she.  Just say “they.”  It’s fine.  It’ll be fine.

ROBIN

What about Merry Men then?  Should I say, Merry Men and also Much?

MUCH

Maybe Merry Personages?

ALANNA

Merry people?

WILL

Wait a minute.  Wait a minute.  People can’t just stop being one thing and start being another thing.

MUCH

That’s not—

ALANNA

Yes they can.  You can wake up in love.  You can wake up to thinking a new way you never thought.  All sorts of things could happen.

LITTLE JOHN

Can it?

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