As Terrible as God — Audition Extracts

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The casting for this play is both race and gender blind, we seek to show the power of diversity
in the face of despotism, and actively encourage everyone to audition.

Furthermore, I HEAVILY encourage, and am prioritising trans-masculine, genderqueer, and

any other members of the LGBTQ+ community to audition for the role of CZAREVICH.

Trigger warnings: domestic abuse ( physical, verbal, emotional ), mental illness, religious
themes, war, and murder.

List of characters:

THE SPIRIT — Ivan the Terrible reliving the events of the play. Silent, guilt-ridden and
scourged by self-hatred. Deep set eyes in constant horror. In the liminal space between
nightmares and hell.

THE CZAR — Ivan the Terrible, (patronym: Vasilyevich) autocrat and despot of all Rus,
Grand Prince of Muscovy, the first Czar of Russia; a balding, deeply religious middle aged man
with a huge presence, whose every word is like a death sentence.

THE CZAREVICH — Ivan Ivanovich, son of Ivan the Terrible and heir to the throne of all
Russia. Kind, selfless, rebellious and young; heart full of hope, forgiveness and love, torn apart
by the world around him. With a difficult choice between his father and his duty to his people.

THE CZARINA — Marfa Sobakina (patronym: Vasilyevna), the new wife of Ivan the
Terrible. Unwavering in her belief in the good of her husband, almost blind to his madness.

YELENA — A noblewoman from the city of Novgorod, the second and most beloved wife of
Ivan Czarevich. Sharp, quick witted, strong and unmoving, unafraid to speak out against the
Czar.
BORIS GODUNOV — A sentinel, later Oprichnik (member of the Secret Police) in the court
of Ivan the Terrible, who conspires his master’s downfall and his own ascension at every turn.
Would go on to be the Czar of Russia, historically. Ambitious, cruel, cunning and relentless.

BOGDAN BELSKY — Another sentinel, and later Oprichnik (member of the Secret Police)
in the court of Ivan the Terrible, and a co-conspirator of Boris Godunov. Historically the last
person to see the Czar alive. Unsure, impulsive, strong and (almost) loyal.

SHUISKY — Alexander Gorbatiy-Shuisky (patronym: Borisovich) Chief General and top

advisor to Ivan the Terrible, who increasingly comes to regret his position and try to save the
nation from the tyranny of his master. Loyal and honest, well-spoken but brief.

VLADIMIR — Grand Prince of the great city of Novgorod, cousin to Ivan the Terrible, who
wishes to break away from Russia and his cousin’s tyranny and ally himself with Poland.
EXTRACTS

For the role of THE CZAR:

After his cousin Vladimir attempts to assassinate him, and is killed moments before he succeeds.

THE CZAR:
Vladimir, cousin, “Lord of the World.” Who lacked resolve to live up to his name, yet had
enough resolve to kill his Czar. The prince of our first capital, which is to Moscow as Ilium to
Rome. Great Novgorod — the seat of Rurik, Oleg, Igor, Alexander Nevsky. That had
withstood the warring Slavic tribes, the heathen armies of the Teuton knights, and hordes of
raiding Mongols. A city that presumed to be a king and called itself “Your Highness.” Look at
thee now, Your Highness. Then look at me and tremble at the coming storm. How greatly
didst thou fall dear city? Wer't thou so glutted by Livonian coin, that e’en thy very soul, a
noble, virtuous, Rurikid prince was tainted by thy sin? Must I, O ancient place, for the
transgressions of thy liege, become thy Achilleus? I must, for I’ve already slain thy Paris. Didst
thou forget, dear Paris, that this Achilleus hath no weaknesses, for he is not a hero, but the
hand of God? Or is’t my fault, that I, thy Czar, was blind to thy corruption? How didst thou
turn into the whore of Babylon, and I not interfere? I must consume thee, Novgorod, with fire
and brimstone. For, like in wretched Sodom, within thy walls there are no righteous men. For
any man, whose hands have touched even one Polish coin, is worse than Judas. And I will
punish them on earth worse than the devil shall in Hell.
For the role of THE SPIRIT:
The Czar’s wife is on her deathbed, and asks him to show her tenderness for once.

THE CZAR:
I would that thou hadst ask’d for land to be bestowed upon thy kin, or any other boon, as this
request even our Lord can’t make me grant. For I’ve forgotten love. Its flame within me was
extinguished when my first wife died. I cannot think back on’t, because I cannot bear to look
upon her face, her eyes, her body, and feel nothing. The crown which now doth grace thy brow,
was hers. If Anastasia was my love, thou’rt but a statue, whose sculptor’s hand knew not her
perfect countenance. A statue which now stands where once my love had danced. A statue that
will fall apart with thy last breath. Leaving only dust and ashes in its place. For every body now
doth seem a corpse, and every woman, but a wistful memory. A faint stab of desire in a callous
heart. Twill make me bleed, yet I won’t feel it. Though I will rage and I will seek revenge.
For the role of THE CZAREVICH:
Once loyal, Ivan Czarevich contemplates betraying his father, who intends to wage a brutal,
unjust war.

THE CZAREVICH:
I thought that my defiance would not come. I’ve tried to live my life without a crime. Yet here I
stand, betwixt two mighty monarchs — both of whose wills I shall oppose. On one side is a
goodly, peaceful king, whose only crime is bordering our land. A king whose purpose is the
betterment of every subject…every life beneath him And on the other is a wrothful and
impulsive emperor, who hath subdued all intrigues and all freedoms in his court. My father,
whom I am nature-bound to serve, yet who becomes a stranger to me by the day. A man with
no true enmity with any soul, but that which like a vicious cancer twists and writhes, breeding
within his shattered mind. The more I live, the more I see myself turn into him. Not who he is,
but who he was. And every day I shudder at the thought of bearing all the sorrows that he
bears, of enduring every pain and feeling every rage that overcome him. Yet therein lies the
horror: for when I think of such a dreadful future, I create it. It breeds within me, as it doth
within my father, I can feel it. But I will not succumb. I’ll suffer, but I’ll quell my fear. What
am I then to do? My father is unjust, but Sigismund’s my enemy. Siding with either will
condemn me, both in the eyes of men and in the eyes of God. Yet I’ll transgress. It is the only
way. To love my father, I first must love his kingdom and his legacy – the things, methinks, he
hates the most. I only hope that he sees sense again, that he becomes again the man whom I
aspire to be: the man who hunted with me, kissed my mother’s forehead, laughed with
gleaming joy…
O, what wretched sorrow, what a horrid dread, living with a father who is already dead.
For the roles of THE CZARINA and YELENA:
Yelena tries to make her father-in-law see the error of his ways, and speaks out against
his madness.

YELENA:
Because thou art not God! How canst thou be so proud a man that thou art blind to that? Thy
crown is not divine, it was not put upon thy head through Holy providence. Thou art a man
descended from a pack of rabid warlords, who tamed these lands with jagged fangs of steel and
city-scorching breath. Thy Godliness is buil on bodies, and on the prostrate heads of
frightened peasants.

THE CZAR:
What heresy is this? What rash and sinful words dost spout? I, with a finger, can trace my line
from forth thy very loins, and back to Vladimir and Rurik, and go further still; for my line
stems from House Palaiologos, thus from the House of Caesar, and the House of Troy. I do the
things I do because I am God’s hand, I even earned His title, “Terrible.” Dost think, thou
monstrous harlot, that I lie?

YELENA:
Oh thou dost lie, but no one is deceived — save for thyself. And thou hast earnt that title, lord,
not as a servant of the Lord, but as the foul reincarnation of the proud Nebuchadnezzar. For,
thou, like him, dost call thyself “King of all things, and God on Earth,” yet thou art not. Thou
art as far as Lucifer from God. The task of man hath always been to strive towards the Heavens,
not through the use of fear, but love. Tis not his task to emulate the Father, but the Son. Listen
to reason, lord, I plead with thee. If I have sinned or shamed thee, then forgive. But do not
smear my name with harlotry.

THE CZAR:
Tis not thy place to tell me who to emulate, foul bitch. How canst thou in good conscience
liken me to Babylon’s vile king, while thou dost play its beastly whore. And then thou darest
me for forgiveness? Thou, who seduces my son, turn’d him against me, made him lose a war
and soil my name. A city fell because of the first Helen i’the world. Now thou hast chosen
follow her example.
YELENA:
Perhaps I have. Perhaps tis not my place to tell thee, yet I do. And here I stand, thou cruel,
immoral man! And while I stand, I’ll speak till I can speak no more! Thy son is virtue,
meekness, strength and honour in one soul. If thou canst not emulate the Son, emulate him, if
thou dost wish to have a chance to walk with God.
For the roles of GODUNOV, BELSKY, and VLADIMIR
(Read for Godunov if auditioning for him, otherwise read for Belsky) !
The two Oprichniks plot the next step in their plan to bring down the
Czar.

GODUNOV:
Tell me, sweetest Bogdan son of noble Yakov, nephew of the wicked hound Skuratov, how is it
we two lowly sentinels are fortune’s favourite slaves? And yet not so! methinks she is our
concubine, and lusts for us, taking her pleasure in our smallest victories.

BELSKY:
Lust is a sin, my ever dearer, ever sweeter Boris, son of Fyodor “lazy eye” who styled himself
Godun; if fortune be indeed a strumpet whore — why then, she doth the devil’s work, as we
do. But truly, we are lucky men. Though luck goes but as far as doth her keeper. We too, must
play our part within this copulation. We must act fast. Let us not dabble snaring little fish,
when we can catch the one that swallowed Jonah.

GODUNOV:
Precisely man! We must be like the Czar, dispense with games, and capture our true target —
Prince Alexander, of the house Gorbaty-Shuisky. For he hath made himself an easy prey with
his impassioned words, and so hath the Czarevich, though, it is not his time… But we shall
come to that.

BELSKY:
I must speak plainly, friend. He is a noble youth and I am much ashamed that we have made
ourselves his foes... Therefore Godunov, dare not harm him — or by my God, my conscience
may prevail!

GODUNOV:
Bah! What’s this I hear? Dispel thy worthless conscience! Thou’rt too far in, to turn back now.
Think’st thou Jehovah wept for the firstborns of Egypt? Come quick, take up thy sword and
ride with me to intercept our Shuisky foe. Go flagellate thyself and weep, if tis thy will — after
our deeds! Remorse following murder, always to
God’s forgiveness leads.
For the role of SHUISKY:
On the verge of death, Shuisky tries to remind the Czar of the man that he once was.

SHUISKY:
Dost hear thyself, thou monstrous hypocrite? After thy first wife’s death, thy judgement has
been steep’d in fog so thick, that I can see it cloud thine eyes e’en now. Where is the man of iron
will, who, from his youth, could weather every storm? Who saw his parents die, who watched
in infant bands as boyars fought and killed each other near his cradle? The man who took the
throne and proved that all the years of torture were mere lessons? Where is he? Now thou canst
not protect thy wives from treason, thou canst not see the plots under thy very nose; thou canst
not be a diplomat with other kings, declaring war upon them with a fool’s caprice; thou canst
not reason, think, nor speak with sense! Thou hast gone mad!
My lord! Grand Duke of Muscovy! Ivan! my friend! come back into the world. Do as I counsel
— sue for peace.