CLOWNWORLD SHAKESPEARE - The Saga Continues
"It doth make the world go round, money that is...”
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS - DAY, 2023
Picking right up after Part One….
It’s a bustling day in sunny Beverly Hills, so that means in addition to WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE walking down the street, there are at least two other pedestrians nearby!
The Bard is dressed in his 16th century weeds, but everyone just assumes he’s either an actor, a crazy person or a politician on the way to pander to yet another special interest group.
SHAKESPEARE stops to look up, curiously. He rubs his chin and smiles. “Yeah, this is the place.”
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BEVERLY HILLS
SHAKESPEARE approaches the TELLER, 25, a smiling but disinterested YOUNG MAN, and bellows:
SHAKESPEARE: “Ah, my good man! I need a modest loan, a few crowns, shillings, whatever you have on hand.”
Shakespeare dramatically puts his hand to his forehead as if he’s going to faint.
SHAKESPEARE: “Anything so I can arrange for some victuals at the local alehouse. Famished, you know?”
TELLER: “I just need some ID, your bank card and get you on your way, sir.”
SHAKESPEARE: “Wonderful. I have my Letter of Recommendation from The Duke of Exchestershire.”
SHAKESPEARE pulls out a wrinkled large document from his satchel. It’s even got one of those huge red seals stamped on it.
SHAKESPEARE: “The Duke put my face on his 2-shilling coin once. A truly reputable duke!”
The poet leans in.
SHAKESPEARE: “His wife gets a bit handsy though when she’s in her cups, if you follow.”
We pull back. The dialogue grows faint and inaudible.
THE BANK MANAGER, a middle-aged WOMAN in some serious A-list business attire, walks over to SHAKESPEARE and the young teller.
She scrunches her face in disapproval and takes the Letter of Recommendation in her hand as she dons reading glasses.
SHAKESPEARE, quite animated, throws around a lot of hand gestures. Don’t think he quite understands what is going on here.
Neither does the teller, who looks like he’s about to go home and send out resumes.
We pull further back. Now we’re back outside on the sidewalk.
TIME PASSES...
Clouds whisk by, the sun descends. Sheer madness grips the village as zombies take to the streets with their bloody axes-- er, wait, sorry, wrong script.
Oh, yes, the Bard.
It’s daytime again outside the FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BEVERLY HILLS.
A tall lanky MAN, who looks like he just robbed a MEN’S WEARHOUSE, enters the bank strutting. I mean, the suit is nice and all, but it’s like the small point guard accidentally put on LeBron’s uniform.
Now back inside the bank:
THWACK! The opaque barrier lifts from the teller window. William’s BEAMING FACE greets a hunchbacked DOWAGER.
SHAKESPEARE: “Hello, ma’am, I’m William, and I’m your teller today...”
TILL NEXT TIME… click here for Part III.
