Play on Words

full length · drama

John the Baptist: A Play

by Hermann Sudermann · translated by Beatrice Marshall

39 roles (0M / 0F / 39 any) · approx 113–156 minutes · 9 acts

Royalty-free Public domain — free to read, perform, and adapt. No licence needed.

Characters

John lead 208 speeches
Herod supporting 139 speeches
Salome supporting 117 speeches
Herodias supporting 100 speeches
Josaphat supporting 60 speeches
Miriam minor 30 speeches
Gaoler minor 27 speeches
Amasai minor 23 speeches
Manassa minor 22 speeches
Eliakim minor 21 speeches
Vitellius minor 20 speeches
Matthias minor 19 speeches
Gabalos minor 18 speeches
First Galilean minor 18 speeches
Jael minor 17 speeches
Amarja minor 16 speeches
Pasur minor 15 speeches
The People minor 12 speeches
Abi minor 11 speeches
Mesulemeth minor 11 speeches
Second Soldier minor 10 speeches
Maecha minor 10 speeches
Hachmoni minor 8 speeches
Merokles minor 8 speeches
Second Galilean minor 8 speeches
First Soldier minor 6 speeches
Third Soldier minor 6 speeches
First Priest minor 6 speeches
Jabad minor 6 speeches
The Boy minor 6 speeches
First Woman minor 5 speeches
Marcellus minor 5 speeches
Hadidja minor 4 speeches
The Citizen minor 4 speeches
Simon The Galilean minor 4 speeches
Call minor 4 speeches
Citizen minor 3 speeches
Jorab minor 3 speeches
Another minor 2 speeches

Read the play

_Eliakim, Pasur, Hadidja, and the two other maids. Two Priests_ [_descending the central steps_].

First Priest. Damsels, you belong to the Palace?

Hadidja. Yes, ye priests.

First Priest. Announce us to your mistress.

Hadidja. Our mistress, priests, is gone forth to meet the Tetrarch Herod, to receive him at the gates.

First Priest. When will she return?

Hadidja. That we cannot say, priests; it depends on the coming of the Prince.

First Priest. Do you desire our blessing?

Hadidja. No! [_She vanishes with the other maids into the interior of the Palace._]

BOTH PRIESTS

[_Look discomposed._]

First Priest. [_Observing Eliakim and Pasur sitting in front of their doors, raises his hands unctuously._] Blessed be ye who----

Eliakim. No one asked thy blessing!

BOTH PRIESTS

[_Regard each other in dismay._]

SECOND PRIEST

[_Furiously._] These again are of the school of the Pharisees!

First Priest. We hold the Temple. They shall yet be our servants. Come! [_Exeunt both priests._]

Monologues from this play