1975 Tonbridge Castle script

1975 Tonbridge Castle script

The start of the show will see the Viking settlement and the inhabitants performing the Viking Holmganga. The attack by the Norman army and the razing of the settlement.

An adaptation of the siege of Tonbridge castle in the late eleventh century, with Gilbert de Clare holding the castle against the King.

A demonstration by the local karate club
The scene is set with the baronial tables set out, the Norman lord with his war captains and full entourage are seated outside the castle feasting. The Viking prisoners are brought before the court and dealt with. The Viking attack sees the knights fighting desperately back to the sanctuary of their castle. The Viking parley with the Normans. The treachery, followed by the Viking assault on the castle. The Vikings leaving in triumph only to be confronted by the Norman King's army and defeated.



Vikings Main Characters
Ragnor G.East
Allan Axe A. Jeffery
Ox J.Ham
Sven Ken Bamford
Attla C.Willmot
Thorkill C.Herriett
Raven C.Hollidge
Iron Horns P. Seymour
Godda C. White
Neilson J Ross
Frayer N.East
Nair T. Smith

Normans
Simon de Blois M.Ellis
War Captain
De Mobray  B.Bryan
FitzSimmons J.Simmons
Ladies of the court  A.Barber   D.Walker

Societies Involved 
N.F.P.S. MEDIAEVAL COMBAT SOCIETY. SWORD OF CHRISTENDOM


PROPS PLACED AS IN FIGURE 1
A synopsis of the action Act 1 
Scene opens with the Vikings preparing for a Holmganga, Scripted combatants to take their appropriate places. After the dueling,to release any tension in the village, a hunting party led by the chief prepare to leave. Main Viking characters staying in the village move to their scripted positions and other Vikings go about their daily duties, a general atmosphere of peace prevails.

The hunting party leaving the village will be the cue for the Norman army, led by Simon de Blois, to appear form the castle gates and move menacingly towards the Viking settlement. The order to attack by Simon de Blois, will be the cue for the women and children making up the village scene to flee the village and make for the small collection of trees near the village. Norman and startled Vikings engage in combat.

The scripted combats take place i.e. Godda and FitzSimmons, Sven fighting knight scene, Viking last stand by hut, Attla's fight scene with de Blois, Neilson's fight scene with de Blois. Allan Axe and Viking prisoners are taken. Normans to light smoke canisters in huts and to depart with prisoners and booty. 

Viking hunting party returns with the wounded Neilson and runners are sent to other Viking settlements to aid in their act of retribution. Thus ends the first scene.

The Viking and Norman dead to remain so until the attention of the public is captured by the entrance of the Morris Dancers. The props and equipment are to be removed and the scene set for act 2 . Every participants’ help, in clearing away and erecting the props for the
second act, will be required.

ACT 2

The scene is set as in Fig 2. Saxon guards stand by the castle, women are seen preparing the feasting tables. The scene opens with a fanfare. The Viking prisoners are led from the castle by their guards and taken to the nearest Saxon hut, positioned near the castle. Another fanfare is sounded, and Simon de Blois with his full retinue proceed from the castle and seat themselves at the baronial tables. Jesters move to the front of the tables and amuse the audience. When they have finished Simon de Blois orders the prisoners to be brought forth. De Blois asks them for their subserviency, on receiving a negative reply, he orders two Vikings to be led to the top of the castle tower. These will be two knights disguised as Vikings, once inside the castle they can change back to being knights and thus saving two Vikings for the rest of the enactment.

Allan Axe is to be sent to the stocks. Simon de Blois then orders two Vikings to be tied to the stakes, one of them being a dummy, so that Bob Bryan can effectively dispatch the  appropriate Viking with his crossbow. Much cheering and jeering froms the knights and their ladies please.

Allan Axe tries madly to free himself, men at arms to throw clods of earth at him. This act against Allan will be the cue for the Viking attack

Viking war horns are sounded.  The Vikings appear from the far end of


the area, send in several berserkers who race towards the feasting tables. When they reach the slope leading up to the tables the knights tip the table down onto the berserkers, sending them in disarray. The Viking army follows in close order forcing the knights back into the castle. The castle gates are slammed shut on the attackers. Three prisoners are taken, 2 ladies of the court and one man at arms. One lady being Simon de Blois' wife. Vikings hold a
parley with the Norman Chief. Ragnor with 4 Vikings and prisoners make their way towards the castle gates. The rest of the Viking army form a shield wall behind them. 

Simon de Blois with his 2 war captains and a monk appear from the castle. After small speech, 2 guards bring forth the danegeld. The Norman guards then drawing their swords in an act of treachery fall upon the Viking chief. Viking guards immediately kill prisoners. The
monk throwing of his habit reveals himself to be a knight, draws his sword and fights Raven. Simon de Blois, protected by his war captains drags his dead wife back to the castle gates.

Ragnor killing guards drags gold sacks back out of range on the castle battlements. Raven, stunning the monk, drags him back . All Vikings withdraw. The gold sacks are opened and stones are found inside. At this act of treachery Ragnor orders bogus monk to be nailed to cross. (Monk is thrust in hut and his habit is put on a dummy. De Mobray shoots from battlements, putting him out of his misery. Vikings form battle formation. Archers shoot arrows at battlements. (No archer under any circumstance will shoot at the castle windows or archery slits, and must not shoot at any human target whatsoever).

Vikings attack with battering ram. Normans throw down rocks, boiling oil (water) and throw arrows out of archery slits for effect. Norman dummies thrown from battlements . The gates are breached. The knights must force the Vikings back (so that the general public can see the
action). Normans gradually wiped out. Vikings seen at battlements. Smoke canisters in castle set of inside castle for effects. Vikings take Norman prisoners up to battlements and throw dummies down. Simon de Blois found to be alive amongst dead. The hanging of Simon de Blois takes place. His banner is cut down from battlements and a Viking one substituted. Vikings with loot depart from castle, as they near the far end of the arena, from the trees where the Vikings first appeared, The king's knights appear. The Vikings form a rough shield wall, the knights attack. The Vikings fighting valiantly are gradually wipped out. Some fighting desperately can escape by way of the bridal path.

When all fighting has ceased the knights make their way towards the castle, while the p.a. system plays the theme song from the Vikings. Nobody, under any circumstances,must move until the music has finished. Then everybody will rise and all participants will move to the middle of the arena and applaud the crowd, this will signal the end of the show.

Any participant with borrowed gear or props will present them to the main castle changing room before leaving the field.

An essential ingredient to pleasing the public is plenty of noise both in challenging and during battle. Also, remember that if faced with an unknown opponant, speech to determine attack and defence moves helps enormously, and cannot be heard by the public.