The laughs never end in King William Travels the World, this zany Monty Python-esque farce. The pompous, narcissistic King William II has decided to travel the world accompanied by a snarky liege, a ridiculous yes-man with terrible pick-up lines, and an overzealous executioner who inexplicably shows up at the most opportune times.
Along the way, the travellers meet a generic Canadian Prime Minister, some American gun-toting hillbillies, a penguin in Antarctica, a Vegemite-eating crocodile hunter in Australia, and the Supreme Ruler of Korea in the North who likes to brag about his golf game and his cardboard missiles. Trip “highlights” include hitting an iceberg at sea, mistaking baguettes for swords in France, eating raw food in Tokyo, drinking turpentine-tasting coffee in Russia, and the unexpected arrival of a zombie horde in England. Easy to stage with scene-stealers for everyone in the cast!
(Very flexible cast need not be gender specific: suggested 4 M, 4 F, 7 flexible cast for doubling/tripling.)
King William II: Pompous, narcissistic, not too smart.
Harold: William’s liege. Smart, but misunderstood; frustrated with King
Archibald: King’s squire. Always agrees with the King; eager, sometimes annoying,
Executioner
Donut Shop Employee 1
Donut Shop Employee 2
All other cast can be doubled/ tripled etc:
Town Crier
Guard – no lines
Sailor – one line
Women/child on boat – no lines
Canadian
Prime Minister
‘Sum 42’ band members
Hatfield
McCoy
Local beach-bum
Salsa band members – possible guitar, maracas, trumpet
Penguin – no lines
Crocodile Hunter
Kim Jong-Un
Soldier
Hula dancers – short ‘dance’ on
Various other characters from around the world
Waitress
Russian
Bartender – no lines
French chef
Artist
Maid/Butler
Seduction coach
Spanish Woman
Zombies
First production by TRSS KodiActs in 2013. Subsequently published by Big Dog Plays, 2018.
King William Travels the World is available through Big Dog Plays.
Visit the playwright’s website for more information.
To view other works by this playwright, click here.
