'Tis Pity She's a Whore: A Pop Opera - Act III, Scene ii ("Oh, the best is coming...") ♪♫♬

Act III, Scene iv

LOCATION: Outside the palace gates, near a tree where furtive machinations take place.

RICHARDETTO is back in his civilian clothing, except for the fake beard that he still wears, slightly skewed so that it doesn’t look natural.

GRIMALDI is standing next to him, holding onto his sheath. He is nervous, having been told of the King’s intentions to marry ANNABELLA off to SORANZO.

The Best Has Yet to Come

GRIMALDI:
RICHARDETTO, WHAT NEWS YOU REPORT?
HAVE YOU GOT THE POISON?

I SEE THE LIGHT
AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
AND I KNOW THAT ANNABELLA'S MINE

RICHARDETTO:
JUST COOL YOUR CHILL, GRIMALDI
I'VE GOT JUST THE ELIXIR RIGHT HERE

JUST POUR THE TONIC
RIGHT HERE ON YOUR SWORD
AND CHALLENGE GOOD OL' SORANZO

GRIMALDI:
RICHARDETTO, WHAT NEWS DO YOU REPORT?
I'VE SEEN AWFUL LOT HERE TODAY
I HEARD SORANZO WAS FLIRTING WITH MY BRIDE
AND SOON ENOUGH THEY'D MARRY TONIGHT

RICHARDETTO:
JUST COOL YOUR CHILL
RELAX
IT'LL ALL BE OVER HERE IN TIME

THE DAME HAS AN ENGLISH COLD

AND I GAVE HER
ROHYPNOL

SHE'LL BE KNOCKED OUT
FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK
PROVIDED SHE FOLLOWS ME

GRIMALDI:
RICHARDETTO,
YOU'RE A RENAISSANCE MAN!

AND I LOVE THE WAY YOU
PLOT AND SCHEME AND BRIBE

YOU'RE A MAN OF MANY TALENTS
AND INFINITE WISDOM
AND I'M SO GLAD TO BE AT YOUR SIDE

RICHARDETTO:
YOU JUST WAIT, GRIMALDI!
THE BEST HAS YET TO COME
WHEN ANNABELLA'S DELIVERED
TO YOUR SIDE!

Richardetto: Come Grimaldi, let us sharpen that razor of yours to prepare for Soranzo’s untimely demise. Before the day is out, he will be no more and your fair Annabella will have tasted a nectar so sweet that love will fill her eyes, and warmth will envelop her soul, just before she passes out because we slipped something in it. Genius plan, I say. She’ll absolutely have to say “yes,” to your advances, to say nothing of matrimony! Or at least we can tell her she did…she won’t remember. (beat).

To Be Continued...