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Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
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Object: Promptbook page for Richard III
Creator: John Wilkes Booth (American, 1838-1865)
Date: ca. 1862
Shelf-mark: Box 26,Playscripts and Promptbooks Collection
Repository: Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
Rights: Public Domain
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John Wilkes Booth created this promptbook for his production of Richard III, adapted from Shakespeare by Colley Cibber. It is a printed script published by Samuel French, bound with interleaving blank pages used for prompt notations. This scene, the climactic Battle of Bosworth, includes Booth’s handwritten notes. 19th-century abbreviations for stage directions or names make this a bit more challenging to transcribe.

Transcription (Click to Reveal)
Flourish kept up till Richard fights through soldiers and meets Richmond who enters R.I.E (all fight off. flourish. Stop.

o Flourish and noise Battle

# all quiet – After Richard tries twice to rise and cannot. Then a trumpet call piano. followed by two or more calls forte. At first call everybody gets on by degrees. as if returning from the fight. before Richd speaks

Ø Business.

Lord Stanley. Long live Henry VII — over