Give Up the Ghost by Joe Zarrow

Princess Priscilla has died by suicide, and the King tearfully delivers her eulogy. After the funeral, Priscilla’s ghost appears to the brave and hot-headed Sir Ambrose. Priscilla reveals to Ambrose that the King repeatedly raped her through childhood. She wants Ambrose to “set things right,” but with two requirements: no violence, and no dungeons. Ambrose, enraged by the King’s crimes, has a hard time stifling...
Princess Priscilla has died by suicide, and the King tearfully delivers her eulogy. After the funeral, Priscilla’s ghost appears to the brave and hot-headed Sir Ambrose. Priscilla reveals to Ambrose that the King repeatedly raped her through childhood. She wants Ambrose to “set things right,” but with two requirements: no violence, and no dungeons. Ambrose, enraged by the King’s crimes, has a hard time stifling his own will to use his sword. He succeeds at getting the King to admit to and express regret for his previous behavior, but soon after, the King kills himself as well. Now haunted by two ghosts, Ambrose is left to come to terms with his own toxicity and heal the community. Give Up the Ghost is a revenge tragedy without revenge (a tragic revengedy?), examining how we can move society towards a more enlightened vision of justice.




CW: Suicide, abuse, rape, murder, onstage violence, misogynistic language.
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Give Up the Ghost

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    27 Jun. 2022
    “ How do we heal the wounds within ourselves and in the community? How do we move from revenge to restorative justice? A thought provoking play that asks those questions as Ambrose must settle things with the King. ”

Character Information

  • The King
    40s-60s,
    cis-man
    Balthazar, third of his name, sovereign of the kingdom of Paradolia. A cis-man. 50s or 60s. Beloved leader, very good at hiding his previous behavior.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Priscilla
    Early 20s to Mid 30s,
    woman
    The princess. Reputation for being spoiled, moody. When they were alive, they were not a person with whom you would want to sign a lease, not that they would ever be a renter. A woman. Currently a ghost. (This actor also plays GABRIEL, a teenaged squire.)
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Ambrose
    Early 20s to Mid 30s,
    man or non-binary
    A low level soldier standing guard at a royal funeral. Born within months of Priscilla. Physically intimidating. Soft spoken. Other people assume them to be a cis-man, though their gender identity might in fact be different from that depending on the actor.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    The Gift Theatre
    ,
    2022
  • Workshop
    ,
    New Coordinates Writers Room
    ,
    2021