Cue for Treason facts for kids
First US edition
(publ. Vanguard Press, 1941) |
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| Author | Geoffrey Trease |
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| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical fiction/Adventure |
| Publisher | Blackwell (UK) Copp Clark (Canada) |
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Publication date
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1940 |
Cue for Treason (1940) is a popular adventure novel for young people. It was written by Geoffrey Trease and is his most famous book. The story takes place in England during the late 1500s, when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne.
The book follows two young people who run away from home. They become actors and perform in plays, first while traveling and later in London. There, they meet the famous playwright William Shakespeare. They soon discover a secret plan to harm Queen Elizabeth and must try to stop it.
The Story of Cue for Treason
Peter's Escape from Cumberland
The story begins with Peter Brownrigg, a 14-year-old boy from Cumberland in northern England. He gets into trouble for standing up against Sir Philip Morton, who is unfairly taking over his village's farmland. Peter throws a rock at Sir Philip and has to run away to avoid being caught.
He first goes to Penrith. But by chance, he sees Sir Philip at a play called Richard III. To hide, Peter quickly jumps into a prop coffin that is part of the play. This coffin is then loaded onto the acting company's cart.
Joining the Acting Company
The actors soon find Peter hiding in the coffin. The kind Desmond family, who run the acting group, decide to take him in as a boy actor. Another young person, Kit Kirkstone, also joins the company.
Kit is very good at playing female roles, which were usually played by boys at the time. Peter works as an understudy, learning the parts. After Peter feels a bit jealous and they have a small fight, he discovers Kit's big secret. Kit is actually a girl named Katharine Russell, who is pretending to be a boy. She is running away to avoid being forced to marry Sir Philip, who only wants her family's money.
Journey to London
The acting company eventually breaks up. The Desmonds promise to help Peter and Kit get to a theatre company in London. On their way, Mr. Desmond breaks his leg in a river accident. Kit bravely swims to rescue him, almost revealing her true identity to the crowd. But Peter quickly distracts everyone and saves her secret.
Because of Mr. Desmond's injury, Peter and Kit must continue their journey to London alone. When they arrive, they try out for Richard Burbage of the Lord Chamberlain's Men. This famous group performs at The Theatre in Shoreditch, just outside London's city limits.
Meeting William Shakespeare
At first, Burbage turns them away. But then, the famous playwright William Shakespeare accepts them as apprentices. He sees Kit's talent for acting and Peter's skill at copying voices. They perform in many plays. One day, during a performance of Romeo and Juliet, they spot Sir Philip Morton in the audience.
A Secret Plan Discovered
Later, Peter's copy of Shakespeare's new play, Henry V, is stolen by a man called the "Yellow Gentleman." Kit and Peter worry he plans to make money from the play before it's published. While trying to get the script back, Peter overhears the thief talking with another man. Their conversation sounds like a secret plan against the Queen. Peter also notices a strange poem written on the script. They realize some of the poem must be a secret code.
Peter and Kit take the poem to the Queen's secret service. They figure out the code: the first letter of each line spells "SEND NEWS BY PEEL." Peter immediately thinks of Sir Philip's old peel tower, a type of small castle.
Race Against Time
Peter and Kit set off with Tom Boyd, a member of the Queen's Secret Service. They travel back to Peter's village in disguise to see if Peter's idea about Sir Philip's tower is correct. Sadly, Tom is harmed by the people involved in the secret plan, and Peter is captured. But before he's caught, Peter learns that John Somers, an actor from their company, plans to shoot the Queen during the first show of Henry V. This is part of a larger secret plan to change who rules England, possibly with help from Spain.
Peter is taken to a lonely island on Ullswater lake for questioning. He manages to knock out his guard and swims to the mainland. He then narrowly escapes across the fells (hills).
Stopping the Plot
Kit and Peter go to a local judge for help, but they discover he is also part of the secret plan. They quickly steal his excellent horses, planning to ride to London to warn the Queen. Sir Philip and his friends chase after them.
On the way to London, Peter and Kit are robbed of their horses. This turns out to be lucky, because Sir Philip and his group catch up and chase the horse thieves, thinking they are Peter and Kit. After walking, they meet Mr. Desmond and the rest of the acting company, who are rehearsing a play. When Desmond hears about the secret plan, he promises to help stop Sir Philip.
Knowing Sir Philip will soon realize his mistake, the actors dress up in soldier costumes. They make their horses sound like an army with trumpets and drums. Kit and Peter pretend to be prisoners to trick Sir Philip into getting off his horse. Sir Philip is fooled by their acting, and he and his followers are captured by Desmond's group.
Kit and Peter then make a desperate dash back to London. They arrive just in time! John Somers is caught by guards moments before he can harm the Queen. Kit and Peter meet the Queen and tell her all about their adventures.
In the end, Peter finishes writing their story. We learn that he and Kit are now married with sons. They live in a beautiful house by a lake in Cumberland, which is Kit's family estate.
Main Characters
- Peter Brownrigg – The main character and narrator. He is a 14-year-old boy from Cumberland and Kit's friend. Peter is very brave and always finds himself in exciting situations. Sir Philip Morton wants to catch him.
- Kit Kirkstone – Another main character. She is a 13-year-old girl whose real name is Katharine Russell. She disguises herself as a boy and becomes Peter's friend.
- Sir Philip Morton – The main bad guy. He is a cruel landlord and the leader of the secret plan.
- The Yellow Gentleman (Sir David Vicars) – A man who steals plays and is part of the plan to harm the Queen.
- Mr. Desmond – A kind actor who helps Peter and Kit.
- Mrs. Desmond – Mr. Desmond's wife, also part of the acting company.
- Anthony Duncan – Someone involved in the secret plan.
- John Somers – An actor who is part of the secret plan and plans to harm the Queen.
- Tom Boyd – A secret agent working for the Queen.
- Sir Joseph Williams – A counselor to Queen Elizabeth.
Historical Characters in the Story
- Mr. Burbage – A famous actor and owner of the Globe Theatre in London.
- William Shakespeare – The well-known playwright and actor.
- Sir Robert Cecil – A government minister and head of the Queen's Secret Service.
- Sir Francis Bacon – A famous thinker and statesman; he was a cousin of Sir Robert Cecil.
- Queen Elizabeth I of England – The ruler of England, who the secret group plans to harm.
Why Cue for Treason is Important
Cue for Treason was not Geoffrey Trease's first book, but it became his most famous. It helped set the style for many of his later novels.
Key Features of Trease's Writing
- Young Heroes: Trease often features a teenage boy as the main character. This boy then meets a strong teenage girl who is just as important to the story.
- Disguises and Secrets: In many of his books, including this one, the girl character often pretends to be a boy. Also, the hero sometimes overhears villains talking, which helps move the story forward.
- Happy Endings: While Peter and Kit marry at the end of Cue for Treason, Trease sometimes chose different endings for his other books.
Setting and Themes
The novel has a strong sense of place, especially showing Trease's love for the Lake District. He also set other stories, like his Bannerdale series, in this beautiful area.
The book touches on some important ideas from the Elizabethan era:
- Social Issues: Like concerns about land being taken over and people losing their jobs.
- National Matters: Such as secret plans against the government and fears of invasion.
- Personal Freedom: The story shows how women were not allowed to act on stage. It also touches on the idea of arranged marriages against someone's will.
- Values: The book highlights the importance of being loyal, brave, and independent.
The story also shows two very different sides of theatre in England at the time. One is a small, traveling group of actors. The other is the grand Lord Chamberlain's Men, who perform for the Queen herself.
