SYNOPSIS
ACT ONE
Dawn in a misty morning in Greyfriars Kirkyard, and shadows appear in the mist, dressed in 17th century clothes, singing of the “Whispers in the Dawn” becoming the words of the future as the mist closes in and reveals an Edinburgh 17th Century street.
It is a busy market day in 1685 and normal life is going on as usual. John and Isabel have come to market to sell their goods and meet Meg, a young girl who they know from each market day. They exchange pleasantries and catchup on the news. Meg is full of the news that the King is visiting and her boyfriend who is a Royalist soldier has been summoned to the Court. John and Isabel fear that the visit will mean what they believe will be a time when the King enforces his new laws on the people of Scotland. Rumours abound. Ever since the creation of the Covenant, the people have been persecuted for trying to uphold their beliefs. Things are getting worse, not better. “All our lives”
Some of the men in the market come to John and take him away to the tavern, leaving Isabel and Meg to chat. The men are pressing John to join them. They have set up a resistance group and want John to be their leader. He refuses. He and Isabel have just had a new child and he does not want to upset their lives which are just settling down after the last uprising. He has seen what can happen to men when they resist the law and does not want that for his family.
He leaves and returns to the market place to see some new Soldiers talking to Isabel and Meg. He is polite but concerned. Meg is loving the attention. Campbell gives her a wink as he leaves and arranges to meet her that night, he has news for her. Isabel and John pack up for the day and arrange to meet Meg next month at the market. She stays on in the market place dreaming of her future which she thinks is about to change. “The dream that might come true”
Back at their farmhouse, John and Isabel discuss the men’s proposals. Isabel encourages him to think about what they want of him. After all, they have talked of it often enough. Is it not right to stand up for their freedom? But he will not consider violence. It must be done by the preaching of the Word and persuasion. They agree that he will contact the men and agree to lead them.
The King and Campbell are having a discussion about his plans to bring the Scots in line. He is besieged by ordinary people presenting their please, he is tired of them. “Something’s always happening” The King promotes Campbell to Captain and gives him orders to begin to weed out the dissenting ministers from their churches and replace them with his own choice. Then to make it compulsory to attend church, lists to be posted of people who stay away and those people to be fined. Campbell agrees. He is ambitious but also fiercely loyal to his King, fighting to see him restored to the throne. A new time of change is on the horizon and Campbell believes a unified nation will be a great one.
Campbell leaves the Kings presence and is walking the Edinburgh streets at night when he sees Meg, he tells her his news and gives her a red ribbon to wear for him. She leaves him, promising to meet him in the hills the next day. “You are the one”
John meets with the men in Edinburgh and they plan to go before the King to remind him of the fact that he actually signed the Covenant when he was restored to the throne and had he forgotten that fact. Even though the men are advocating raising an army, John reminds them of the defeat at Bothwell Bridge and says that words, not action must be their next step. Things are getting too dangerous, tales of torture abound. The men are frustrated but John is insistent. “One life to lead” Donald Gargill is preaching that afternoon and they must go and support him.
On top of a hill, Meg is alone and anxiously waiting to see if Campbell will arrive, which he does. They have a romantic scene in which Campbell asks her to marry him, they have a great future ahead. “In my heart” Meg leaves to tell John and Isabel who are in town to hear Cargill preach.
Cargill is preaching in the market place and encouraging the people to stand up for their faith when Campbell and the soldiers enter and arrest him “Faith is Strong”. John tries to intervene but is stopped by Campbell who warns him to keep away and warns Meg that she would be safer away from this movement “My time will come”. John takes Meg and Isabel away to safety. The three of them are unsure of what to do. John and Isabel think that a time of increased hardship is at hand and Meg isn’t sure which way to turn. She heard Cargills words and believes them, but not sure whether or not she wants to commit herself.
The King alone muses on the state of play “I am a man”
A few days later, in the gaol, Cargill sits reading his Bible and is visited by John. Cargill encourages John that they need to step up the resistance “Faith is strong reprise”. John picks up the mantle and promises to take over where Cargill left off. Campbell comes in and takes Cargill out to be hanged. John follows. Isabel and Meg are on the sidelines, Campbell goes to Meg and tells her to leave, this is no place for a woman. However, she doesn’t like being told what to do and stays. She sees him take Cargill and hang him. This is a side of Campbell she doesn’t know if she likes.
John spreads the word around the crowd at the hanging that there will be a meeting in the hills that night and to come. The time for talking is gone, time to take action. John and Isabel discuss the implications for them after what has happened. Campbell has heard that there will be a meeting and tells Meg not to go.
Night time and the people arrive at the meeting place in the fields. John is indeed christening their child but also encouraging the people to sign the Covenant “Love of a child”. It is a deciding time, a moment in history when they must make their mark and take a stand “I won’t turn my back”. His preaching is so impassioned that most sign [although a few who don’t] and Meg defies Campbell, moving forward to sign as John hands back his child to Isabel and picks up the sword as the curtain closes on Act 1 “Blude Red”