There are probably other three-act plays in sonnet form; if you know of any, please mention them in the comments! The idea occurred to me yesterday; I couldn’t resist trying it out.
The Rays of Royal Hope
(A Sonnet in Three Acts)
Dramatis Personae
King
Queen
Act 1
[Twilight. A parapet. A sword.]
King: Behold: a kingdom lies beneath my sword.
Queen: Expect no miracles. The deed is done.
King: O may we see new things under the sun!
Queen: Long may we live, and may we not be bored.
Act 2
[Midnight. Darkness. An antechamber.]
Queen: No more, no more, ennui! The cord, the cord—
King: Eh, would you end so soon? We have no son….
Queen: Of light I speak! Please pull the tassel, hon.
King: As you command, so acts your loving lord.
Act 3
[Morning. A terrace. Coffee and croissants.]
Queen: Now that the sun hath cast its rays above….
King: Let us say “has”—we live in modern times—
Queen: So let us cast our hopes. I sense a child.
King: I hope with you; I hope with all my wild….
Queen: Longings and songs, the purview of my love….
King: You said it well, my lady. And it rhymes.
Painting: Georges Seurat, Man Leaning on a Parapet (1879-1881). Courtesy of WikiArt.
Take Away the Takeaway 