Cue for Treason

Cue for Treason

First US edition (publ. Vanguard Press, 1941)
Author	Geoffrey Trease
Language	English
Genre	Historical fiction
Publisher	Blackwell (UK) Copp Clark (Canada)
Publication date	1940

Cue for Treason (1940) is a children's historical novel written by Geoffrey Trease, and is his best-known work. The novel is set in Elizabethan England at the end of the 16th century. Two young runaways become boy actors, at first on the road and later in London, where they are befriended by William Shakespeare. They become aware of a plot against Queen Elizabeth's life and attempt to prevent it.

Peter Brownrigg, a 14-year-old boy who lives in Cumberland in the north of England, is involved in a night crime against the theft of his village's farmland by Sir Philip Morton. He leaves his village to escape prosecution for throwing a rock at Sir Philip Morton. He first goes to Penrith, but unexpectedly encounters Sir Philip at a performance of Richard III by a touring playing company. He hides from him in a prop coffin (supposed to contain the body of King Henry VI) which is later carried on to the company's cart.

The players discover Peter hiding and the kindly Desmond, who run the playing company, take him on as a boy actor. Another boy, Kit Kirkstone, also joins the company.

Kit proves excellent at playing female roles while Peter acts as an understudy. After Peter's jealousy leads to a fight, he discovers Kit's secret. Kit is actually a girl in disguise, really called Katharine Russell, who is running away to avoid a forced marriage to Sir Philip, who is only interested in her inheritance.

The company breaks up and the Desmonds promise to take Peter and Kit to a London theatre company. When Mr. Desmond breaks his leg in a river accident, the youngsters go on ahead. However, Kit almost reveals her true identity to a crowd of observers after swimming down the river to rescue Mr. Desmond but Peter distracts everyone and saves her. They audition for Richard Burbage of the Lord Chamberlain's Men at The Theatre in Shoreditch, a neighborhood beyond the northern boundary of the City of London and outside of the jurisdiction of its civil authorities - and consequently an area notorious for licentious behaviour, brothels and gaming houses. After being initially turned away by Burbage, they are accepted as apprentices by the playwright William Shakespeare, who recognises Kit's acting ability and Peter's gift of mimicry. They perform in various plays and see Sir Philip in the audience during Romeo and Juliet.