The Fairy of The Lake is a play written by John Thelwall in 1801. It was published in his book Poems Chiefly Written in Retirement. It is a melodrama set in approximately the Fifth Century and centres on Arthurian legend. The play was never performed in its time, as it was banned for being too provocative around the same time when Thelwall himself was arrested and tried for treason in England.
Contents
Plot
The play consists of three acts. Rowenna, a Saxon sorceress, and married to the king of Britain (Vortigen) plots to overthrow her husband and win the love of Arthur. She conjures the Fates, requesting information about her love and Arthur’s future. And is cryptically told that “Arthur’s hand shall light the flame in which thy sorrows all expire”. Rowenna takes this as good news and summons the frost-demon, Incubus to help her. She is also given the news that as a revolt against his treacherous relationship with the Saxons, Arthur and his knights of the round table have initiated a coup against Vortigern, their king. In a Fierce battle Arthur has slain Rowenna’s father, Hengist, King of the Saxons. She also learns that Vortigern took his daughter, Guenever, with him after fleeing the same battle and plans to have his incestuous way with her. Instead of being distraught by the death of her father, Rowenna is instead joyous that it was not Arthur’s hand that killed her father and that Arthur’s love for Guenever, is soon to be tainted by her “rifled beauties” and sets a plan in motion to win Arthur’s heart.
In Act II, the summoned incubus aids Rowenna by freezing all of Arthur’s men. She then takes advantage of his distraught state and after he sets down his enchanted sword, she gets her demons of the noon to tie him up and then attempts to charm him. However, Rowenna is thwarted when the Lady of the Lake appears and saves Arthur and his men.
In Act III, Rowenna poisons Vortigern, believing that with his death, she will be fulfilling her fate and be free to marry Arthur. However, Arthur storms the castle to rescue his still-captive Guenever and scorns the sorceress. Enraged, and still believing she is fulfilling the prophecy, Rowenna orders the tower where Guenever is being held to be set aflame. Guenever and Arthur’s trusted soldier (and witty drunk) Tristram is burned to death. A furious Arthur then retaliates by burning down the rest of the castle. Rowenna is killed in the blaze, and the castle sinks into the moat, which magically becomes a lake. From the lake emerges a chariot pulled by swans holding the Lady of the Lake who has also rescued Tristram and Guenever. Arthur is reunited with his Guenever and crowned as the true and virtuous King of Britain.
First Performance
The first performance of the play was in October 2009 by The Dalhousie University Theatre Department and directed by the local Halifax Theatre company Zuppa Theatre'. The Department produced the play as a compliment to a John Thelwall conference which was being hosted at the same time by the University's English Department.
Characters and Original Cast
ROWENNA, Queen of Britain; a Sorceress—Allison Basha
EDELTHRED, and AGGA, Her attendants—Dana Thompson and Richelle Khan
ALWIN, a Saxon Chief—Tyler Miedema
SENESCHAL—Jimmy MacDonald
SEWER—Luke Robinson-Grant
A BRITISH NOBLE, attendant on the Court of Vortigern—Jessica Brown
SAXON NOBLES, Soldiers, and other attendants—Amanda Debison, Claire St-Francois, Emma Lavender, Jessica Brown
VORTIGERN, King of Britain—Andrew Pelrine
ARTHUR, the British Champion—Sebastien Labelle
TRISTRAM, his Esquire—Robert Murphy
SCOUT, another Esquire—Christine Milburn
TALIESSIN, Chief of the Bards—Matthew Peach, Dana Carly Andrews, Myrthin Staag, Katie MacDonald
GUENEVER, Daughter of Vortigern, betrothed to Arthur—Jessica Jerome
BARDS, Knights of the Round Table, Nobles, Maskers, &c. -- Matthew Peach, Dana Carly Andrews, Myrthin Staag, Katie MacDonald, Andrew Pelrine
THE FAIRY (or Lady) of The Lake—Stephanie Barone
SEVERAL FAIRIES, &c. her attendants—Claire St-Francois, Emma Lavender, Jessica Brown, Christine Milburm
HELA, Queen of the Infernal Regions—Amanda Debison
INCUBUS, a frozen demon—Matthew Peach, Dana Carly Andrews, Myrthin Staag, Katie MacDonald
THE FATAL SISTERS, Presiding Over:
URD, the past—Andrew Pelrine
VERANDI, the present—Jessica Brown
SCHULDA, the future—Claire St-Francois
THE GIANTS OF FROST; DEMONS of the Frozen Regions—Tyler Miedema, Jimmy MacDonald, Luke Robinson-Grant
DEMONS OF THE NOON—Amanda Debison, Claire St-Francois, Emma Lavender, Jessica Brown