Tarek Ali Hassan
Theatre
22-October-2020
CHOCOLATE
or
A SUICIDAL METAMORPHOSIS FOR SURVIVAL
AN
EXPERIMENTAL DRAMA FOR AN ABSURD MULTIMEDIA THEATRE
BY TAREK
ALI HASSAN
Tarek
Ali Hassan
16
Zenab Kamel Street, Dokki,12311
Cairo,
EGYPT
Email:tarekaliha@aol.com
Telephone:
0020237491481
Fax:
0020233372303
synopsis
Chocolate
is a multimedia experimental play freely using mirrors and mirror image
theatre. It makes full use of the Freedom from strict adherents to reality of
theatre of the absurd as long as the meaning and the energy is transmitted. The
play is painted and evolved by the participants as it happens. There are
fundamental blocks of meaning and drama depicting the state of contemporary
human beings even in the most democratic societies where democracy is being
subtly eroded.
The
concept of run run run run to nowhere in particular
The
concept of the mysterious origin voice/power directing happenings and dynamics.
The
concept of the status quo as a mysterious fecund all powerful unassailable
machine.
Then
comes the central concept of the play which revolves around the human
brain's unlimited ability to adapt,
rationalise and falsify anything with a little help from the mysterious higher
authorities. Anything to avoid the pain of doubt, deviation, reality validation
outside the given box. The parallel of expert's slowly guided and manipulated
by "THE VOICE" to diagnose shit as chocolate! Dissidents are dealt
with in such a way that they are a salutary example to the rest of the
population.
The
final outcome is of our contemporary
societies convinced that they are basking in the joys of freedom and prosperity
having in fact lost all freedom and all pathways to real joy. Decision-making
having been imperceptibly usurped by secret nonelected and none accountable
agencies. In this situation the mass of human beings are easily manipulated
into confrontational situations where humanity is transformed into warring
factions facing each other with mutual anihilation intent and threatening war
at every juncture. The climax of this is the mirror image depiction of groups
of humanity undergoing automated behaviour symbolised by non-stop mechanical
movement. All of these groups facing each other in mirror image performance"our
cause is right and we shall fight" "we are good and they are
evil" frantically active from both sides of the virtual mirror. They are
various contrasting groups representing the
various"civilisations"which are supposed to be in inevitable clash
trajectory.The play ends by everybody taking the symbolic green pill
tranquiliser, antipsychotic, anti-depressive.
The
background contrast counterpoints of lovers depicting the endless variations of
lovemaking according to the participants imagination using all media available
represents finally the hope and the dream of societies that of life, love and
environment loyal and above all adhere to life as an inalienable value
reference.
The
play allows an unlimited scope for imagination and invention in the fields of
multimedia, music, sound, light, dance, acrobatics..
PARTICIPANTS
RUNNERS and their approved
Progeny
THE VOICE
THE MASKED --AND UNIFORMED--
CREATURES
THE FERTILE MACHINE (with an
array of its usual servants; metamorphosed scientists, religious leaders,
experts, politicians and artists etc. )
BANKER representative of
Universal Bankers Ltd.
HIS MAJESTY KING VALUE THE
BEST (supplier on demand of tinned
value--BEST--and fog)
EXPERTS (and of course judges) --temporal and secular-- (all reliable
except:
THE UNSTABLE EXPERT)
MAN WITH A WHITE COAT AND
SYRINGE
ASSISTANT TO MAN WITH A
WHITE COAT AND SYRINGE (for treatment
of above and of dying children)
WAITER
MASSCOMMUNICATIONS MEDIA
MEN OF THE PRESS AND SCREEN
etc. AND WOMEN etc.
REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE (on film, tape,
slides, Video and other
devices)
(MAKERS OF OBSCENITY in the
distant background)
At the back and a little
raised so as to be conspicuous all the time
two or more pre or post-conditioning human beings portray in any
and every way they can imagine, their potential for making love to self,
"other self" and environment.
The stage is lit gradually.
Loud drumming rhythm is followed by
sounds of rush hour traffic, racing cars, sirens, immense sucking noises as of
giant vacuum cleaners and running feet.
THE VOICE (It must be
amplified and dehumanised. It should come from the back
of the auditorium so that when those on stage address IT or HIM or
HER they
face the spectators and consenting members of the social order.)
THE VOICE (Making a soft background)
: run run run run run run
run
There is a mad rush of
RUNNERS onto the stage from every conceivable place
and direction. They are "frantically" active, but their activity must be seen to be distinctly purposeless.
When they run in, the sounds of their feet are amplified.
THE VOICE (To be heard
distinctly over the background)
into escalators
running down
I into platforms
running out
smile run
running
in
run smile
hearty laughter
on time
trains on time
cars on time
on timetable eat
into jams
into fans
into pickets
into tickets of dried rice
pull yourself
pull yourself
pull yourself together and
run
hearty laughter
boring in
stomach ulcer
swallow pie and vomit out
ulcerating stomachs heads
and beds
hearty laughter
THE VOICE : run run run run
into escalators running down
RUNNERS (suddenly freezing
completely still and in a wild shout:)
: WHY?
(silence)
THE VOICE (Softly)
: run run run run run run
A soft "run run"
sound is re-established as background and to
it is added
machine sounds. The mass of sounds is suddenly interrupted by the words when it is temporarily silenced:
THE VOICE : RUNNERS UP
(Made to sound very loud and
sharp
and followed by a short
silence)
Every time the words
"RUNNERS UP" are sounded, the RUNNERS jump upwards straining to catch something which presumably lies above their heads but which neither they nor the spectators can see.
The above sequence is
repeated with increasing intensity and speed almost to the point of
hysteria when the action is abruptly frozen.
Silence.
THE RUNNERS : WHY? For WHAT?
(Now a groan rather than a
shout.)
THE VOICE : for vacuum
creation
to protect the system
(At each word the runners
twitch and convulse as if they were
afflicted with St. Vitus' Dance.)
For safety and protection
The STATUS QUO system
machine is wheeled in by the MASKED CREATURES who are completely covered except for two holes for the eyes a la Klu Klux Klan. As the machine is wheeled in, THE RUNNERS fall to their knees and obsequiously try to demonstrate their submissiveness to it.
: guaranteed by bankers and
steel insurance
Soft background starts: four
point four per cent growth.....
Projection on background of
huge pictures of typical huge columned bank buildings and of
typical stock exchange "happening" followed by Rhodesian tobacco auction with sounds.
: for the giant churning
machine guaranteed
Projection of various seals
of guarantee.
: for certain cream
separation
THE RUNNERS (Though THE
RUNNERS seem to be joining THE VOICE in a
confident and unquestioning
affirmation, THE RUNNERS continue to convulse as they
speak.)
THE VOICE : guaranteed for
certain cream separation
for perpetual running
circulation of
joyful--
make a joyful noise unto the
Lord--
vacuum fecundation
At "make a joyful
noise", flash in sound of analogous bit from Walton's Belshazzar's Feast and the film projection changes to pictures of the Pope blessing endless masses of needy humanity.
Silent
pause.
THE VOICE (Establishing a
soft background)
: credo credo credo credo. .
. .
Everyone on stage acquires a
deeply pious attitude and a solemn
religious procession starts
headed by the machine, the MASKED MEN and then THE RUNNERS. They
leave the stage from one side and come back through the other,
again and again and again. . .
Over the "credo"
background THE VOICE speaks and THE RUNNERS
answer.
THE VOICE : cream is sick
not thick
THE RUNNERS : cream is sick
not thick
THE VOICE : cream is
floating
THE RUNNERS : cream is
floating
THE VOICE : HORRIBLE
THE RUNNERS : HORRIBLE
THE VOICE : cream is poison
THE RUNNERS : cream is
poison
Suddenly two of the MASKED
KKK CREATURES grab hold of one of THE RUNNERS, who at once
indulges in pitiful screams as if he were a toy object. A third
MASKED (KKK) CREATURE flashes a powerful light into his
face.
THE VOICE : what is your
bible?
THE RUNNER : (Like a
schoolboy terrified of headmaster as he is being
questioned.)
: cream chokes vacuum
dangerous inflation to the nation
instant cremation ablation certification
desensitisation desalination
dementification for quick
separation
guaranteed by insurance
five and a half
per cent secure in endless vacuum plantation
The answer seems
satisfactory for THE RUNNER is released immensely relieved, to join the others.
The projection changes to
pictures of MASKED MEN and KKK- like creatures, big brothers
staring from television screens, faceless men sitting at huge
desks and putting innumerable files into filing cabinets.
THE RUNNERS : cream is
poison
his is the word
his his his
it it it
his is the word
them them them
THE VOICE (Slowly,
hypnotically and
convincingly.)
: us us us US
: qualified in the sky
qualified in the sky
qualified in the sky
qualified in the sky
qualified in the sky
highly qualified
(Silence).
Suddenly there is a very
loud flourish of trumpets and drums
THE VOICE speaks with a
sense of urgency working up to a sharp climax.
THE VOICE : vacuum polluting
floatation
sequestration
healthy good for the nation
super-nuclear flirtation
animation
CLEANSING THE BODY POLITIC
CLEANSING THE NATION
PURIFICATION
(Very loud and very sharp:)
: OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
THE RUNNERS arrange
themselves in disciplined lines and indulge
in regular
"action" which they keep up to the end. They do not really change their positions in spite of the frantic activity and if they do, e.g., move two steps forwards, they immediately annul the change by moving two steps backwards. THE MASKED KKK CREATURES when not engaged in other important activities pass between THE RUNNERS correcting their movements and helping them with their instructions. Projection at the back of endless
pictures showing endless lines of humanity moving like
sheep towards something which the film, for some
obscure reason, fails to clarify.
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES
start the machine using a manually operated
starter.
After some trials and tribulations, loud sounds, backfiring, severe shaking, and the emission of various fumes and by-products, which cause everybody to nearly cough their lungs
out,
THE FERTILE MACHINE
eventually reaches a regular running pattern
making a
fairly regular background noise. Periodically, however, the machine develops very bad "shakes" and has to be
supported by THE MASKED KKK CREATURES who
freely use THE RUNNERS easily sacrificed for this purpose as and when necessary. Sometimes they use THE
RUNNERS under the MACHINE as supporting pads or next to the MACHINE as
supporting walls. At other times they boil some of THE
RUNNERS in a large cauldron adapted for the purpose, when the need for
grease or glue arises to oil or to stick together various
parts of the FERTILE MACHINE, when fuel runs short they dry up THE RUNNERS and
use them to fuel the the MACHINE
The FERTILE MACHINE itself
has two obvious openings:
a top one from which the unwanted
are drained and, according to previously worked out instructions, are
burnt or put in antiseptic,
the bottom opening emits,
after being fed with a specified number of
coins and
pressing a special button, thousands of --specifications say--
"any number
required" of toy human beings, like an
inexhaustible
automatic candy machine.
THE VOICE : drain the
unwanted compartment F
top left and proceed
according to instructions 33c
code deadly witch operation
gamma b174
One of THE MASKED KKK
CREATURES climbs the machine and pulls a
rope from the compartment F
at the top. Pictures of human beings are seen to be hanging from
the rope as it is being pulled out. Some of the pictures are
recognisable while others are blurred.
One of the MASKED KKK
CREATURES stands ready with a lit torch
while another stands also in
readiness with a large jar marked
"disinfectant".
A very rapid and automatic
procedure develops in which the sequence of events
is as follows:
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES on
top clearly displays the "picture" extracted
from the sequestration
compartment, presumably for THE VOICE to see. THE VOICE automatically affirmed by THE RUNNERS then utters the
appropriate order in a mixture of highly technical numbers and
figures, e.g., 44b-L-11-alpha+ 0011010 fbj..sx.org
The response of THE MASKED
KKK CREATURES is immediate, automatic and faultless and is,
considering how complicated the instructions are, an undeniable tribute to the excellence of their training and
their educational attainments. It consists of the
CREATURE at the top handing the picture to one
of the CREATURES below who according to instructions burns it
efficiently or dumps it in the antiseptic jar (efficiently
also).
Some of the recognisable
pictures bear an inescapable and unexplained resemblance to some named members of the Homo sapiens species:
a man by the name of Imhotep
a man by the name of
Beethoven
a man by the name of
Socrates
a man by the name of Jesus
a man by the name of Galileo
a man by the name of
Euripides
a man by the name of Spinoza
a man by the name of Joyce
a man by the name of Mozart
and/or others of the
Participants' choosing
THE VOICE (After a few empty
hauls by the MASKED
KKK CREATURE on top)
: put the coins in now for
compartment R
THE BANKER, with black suit,
black bowler hat and thin black umbrella, walks in with a black
"money bag". He opens the all important "black bag" and with the help of the MASKED KKK
CREATURES puts a number of coins in a special
slot at the side of THE FERTILE
MACHINE making a very loud "money in the slot" sound
during the process. With loud bangs and
distant flourishes of trumpets and drums, THE FERTILE MACHINE
emits hundreds of toy human-being-shaped articles. THE BANKER and THE MASKED
KKK CREATURES examine
the product with great interest and concern.
THE VOICE : USE INDICATOR TO
ENSURE 100% SUCCESS
A MASKED KKK CREATURE comes
forward carrying a large jar marked "indicator" which
he uses with the help of other MASKED KKK CREATURES to test the
"product". Most seem to be OK., but occasionally
one is not and is either burnt or put in the jar marked "disinfectant", according to previous
instructions.
The MASKED KKK CREATURES proceed to distribute the newly formed "product" on THE RUNNERS who continue to be frantically
involved with their "work". They attach a doll
round a RUNNER's neck who responds by smiling happily
and gratefully without stopping work.
The sequence is repeated
while THE VOICE speaks in very warm tones.
THE VOICE : Congratulations
You are now very lucky
When you die
--thanks to His great great
grace--
there will be someone to
carry on
Smile lucky parents smile
There will be someone to
carry on
As he speaks,
"real" children come in and join the lucky ones who had received the dolls around their necks from the MASKED KKK CREATURES. Each child starts imitating with varying degrees of success the movements and actions of his or her RUNNER parent. By the end of the sequence most of the RUNNERS on stage would have acquired approved progeny.
THE BANKER goes round
examining the children carefully; he pokes them with his
umbrella, sounds their bones
and teeth, examines their muscles, the size of their heads, etc. He then walks approvingly to the front of the stage and
faces the spectators as he
directs his speech at THE VOICE.
THE BANKER : emm, yes, quite
good. OK.
good value.
good value for money
(Thinking deeply and making calculations.)
good value five and a half
six
emm, could be real good
value
cut down seven point three
foreign competition point
seven four
advertising emm, OK., good
value.
(Loudly)
: BUT BEFORE WE CAN GIVE
AWAY MORE COINS
(He shakes his black bag
noisily)
THE BOARD MUST SEE A
SPECIMEN.
THE BANKER casually catches
a girl and a boy and puts them in a basket and walks off.
THE RUNNERS scene develops
on its own from this point, increasing gradually in
speed to a point where a breakdown seems imminent, THE VOICE
then speaks.
THE VOICE : Expert time
Expert time
This is EXPERT TIME
Flourish of trumpets and drums.
THE RUNNERS slow down (?) too much.
: Please do not stop
carry on with your work as usual
this is expert time
do not stop
* value reassurance time for
victims
do not stop *
temporal and spiritual
support
for victims
* (The last *...* is established
as soft
background as THE VOICE
continues)
: This is expert time
do not stop
expert time
do not stop
Democracy and Freedom --do
not stop--
dictate the examination of
values
--please do not stop, free
dictation--
to allay anxieties--do not
stop--
and create security
--please do not stop--
experts to destroy doubt
--carry on--
and produce the marvellous
feeling of
free democratic
--please do not stop--
security--carry on--
and confidence
to allay anxieties EXPERTS
EXPERTS
EXPERTS EXPERTS. . . . . . .
(The background changes to
EXPERTS EXPERTS TIME)
A loud flourish of trumpets
and drums heralds the arrival of the EXPERTS --temporal and
secular--,
THE EXPERTS, whose manner,
dress and movements are always highly exaggerated, enter in
a stately procession heralded by MASKED KKK CREATURES carrying the
EXPERTS' table and chairs.
An
elaborately dressed and obviously well trained WAITER carries expert plates and expert silver spoons. As they impressively get installed at their table to one side of
THE FERTILE MACHINE,
the EXPERTS make a low and--out of character (?)--bow to THE VOICE.
To the background sound is
added:
: D.PM, L.PO, L.L.C, D.R.T.,
D.T.M., L.L.P., P.R.Q.,
L.T.P.,
R.R.C., O.B.T., S.L.M.R.Q.,
L.S.S.L.B., H.R.H.S.L.T.P.
....etc.
The gathering of THE EXPERTS
brings with it a sudden onslaught by men and women of the
press and "communication" media, inter-viewers with notebooks, tape
recordings, photographers, cinema and TV., camera men and women.
They invade the stage busily recording the historic
happening. When THE VOICE gives instructions for action,
they crouch out of the way at the sides waiting for their chance to
pounce back into position and record important incidents and
happenings to come.
THE VOICE : Expert
time
THE RUNNERS : (without
stopping)
Hurrah
Hurrah
Hurrah
THE VOICE : Provide test specimen
now please
Some MASKED KKK CREATURES
leave and then come back carrying a
human being sitting on a
commode. He is HIS MAJESTY KING VALUE
THE BEST and though he sits
on the commode with his back to the
audience, his exalted status
is made abundantly clear by a large
many-coloured crown
decorating his head. HIS MAJESTY's pants
are down indicating that he
has just finished or is in the process
of defecating . The
receptacle attached to the commode is a huge
transparent jar which can be
seen to contain brown material and is
conspicuously labeled:
SHIT 2000 with Lanolin 4 Pence off available all official stores on submitting necessary credentials
and application
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES
take the commode and its occupant to a
position in front of the
panel of EXPERTS sitting at their table.
THE EXPERTS stand up and bow
with very great respect. Media men and women record the
happening, making a series of flashes and clicks as they do. One of the MASKED KKK CREATURES detaches the
receptacle and places it carefully on the EXPERT's table. THE EXPERTS stand
and bow again.
the MASKED KKK CREATURES
carry the remainder of the commode and its occupant out.
THE WAITER in elaborate
sophisticated dress and using like manner,
distributes the plates and the silver testing spoons. In the grand old manner, he serves each member of THE EXPERT panel
with a helping.
When he has finished,
everybody awaits THE VOICE.
THE VOICE : you may start
now
Very solemnly THE EXPERTS
start sampling and eating from their plates.
In spite of the civilised
control that people invariably develop by the time they are allowed the great
distinction of being EXPERTS, it is obvious that they are all labouring badly
to properly disguise a profound state of horrified shock.
They look at each other in
terrified confusion, each secretly hoping that the other would resolve the
agony by expressing a clear opinion.
Some reach the point of
emitting muffled groans, which are interrupted by THE VOICE.
THE VOICE : (Like the umpire in Wimbledon calling for new balls)
second helping please
The WAITER
goes round with the second helping.
One of the EXPERTS who
obviously has been labouring under the severest strain,
suddenly breaks down and
loses control in a most unbecoming and uncivilised manner.
THE UNSTABLE EXPERT
(Screaming)
: SHIT
SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT
SH....IIIIIII. .. . .T
He goes into a violent fit,
throws his plate--actually NOT his property--causing it to break by reason of
his criminal action.
He jumps at the FERTILE
MACHINE attacking with obvious malicious intent.
THE UNSTABLE EXPERT is
quickly restrained by THE MASKED KKK CREATURES as one of them presses a button
on the side of the machine.
A loud ambulance siren is
immediately heard getting louder and louder every second.
At the first cries of SHIT,
the RUNNERS are interested and slow down. One or two are even noticed to have
stopped work altogether.
THE VOICE : Stay calm
please carry on with your
work as usual
carry on with everything as usual
calm please
a little mishap
carry on with your work
everything will be arranged
carry on please
not foreseen
everything will be taken
care of
THE RUNNERS resume their
work and during the above it is heard from the sounds that the ambulance
arrives and THE MAN WITH A WHITE COAT AND SYRINGE bursts in with the ASSISTANT,
who carries a straight jacket.
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES,
who have now the UNSTABLE and violent EXPERT securely stretched on the ground
at the front of the stage, bare his forearm while the white-coated man
administers the injection.
THE UNSTABLE EXPERT immediately
becomes submissive and the ASSISTANT is then able to help him into the straight
jacket without any uncivilised or ungentlemanly resistance and without unnecessary waste of time. Men and women of
the media record the incident ad lib as THE UNSTABLE Expert is led away.
THE VOICE (accompanying the
end of above action)
: a free and democratic society
cannot afford to leave
violent and
destructive behaviour
unpunished
Projection at the back of
war films.
: violent and destructive
behaviour
by irresponsible individuals
interferes with the right
of law-abiding citizens
to live
(Men and women of the media
take shots of everybody on stage and in the auditorium.)
: work
Shots of THE RUNNERS
: eat
Shots of THE EXPERTS
: and breed
Shots as after "to
live" of everyone including spectators
: in peace
ALL on stage :
violent destructive
behaviour
by irresponsible individuals
interferes with the right of
law-abiding citizens to live
work, eat, breed in peace
War films change after a
while to the initial projection of masses of humanity moving
like sheep to nowhere in particular.
THE VOICE : we regret the
interruption
proceed civilisedly please
(pause)
: third service
The WAITER goes round with
another helping for the EXPERTS.
EXPERT (after fairly long
pause)
: sh
sh
sh sh sh shi
THE VOICE : what?
THE EXPERT : sh sh sh sh
(very softly)
:
shshshshshshshsh-----sit???
THE VOICE : ADD DETERGENT
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES
fetch bottles from the back clearly marked
"detergent".
They pour from them into the large test jar and into the EXPERTS' mouths and divers parts of their bodies.
THE EXPERTS : sh sh sh sh sh
sh sh sh
THE VOICE : wash sensory
apparatus to assist
Proper judgement
washed detergentified
sensorium
better judge
(Last utterance is taken up
as soft
background)
: add detergent
add detergent
The MASKED KKK CREATURES
bring brushes and in twos help the EXPERTS with their arduous
mission by one holding THE EXPERTS tongue and brushing it while
the other pours detergent. A third helper goes round
dropping SHIT 2000 with Lanolin on "EXPERTS' tongues for
opinion. Less responsive experts have also their brain cells washed with detergent to help them with the all important neutral and
honest free judgment.
EXPERTS (while above action
is repeated)
: shi shi shi shi
sh sh sh sh sh sh sh
sh sh sh
shshshshshshshshshshssssss
.........................
shi shi shi shi shi shi shi
shi
shi cho shi cho shi cho shi
cho
shi shi shiiiiiiiiiii
cho cho cho shi chocho
chocho shi cho
cho co co co cho shi cola
cho cola shi
(variations ad lib by
EXPERTS up to
jubilant point iof
discovery)
: CHOCOLATE
CHOCOLATE
CHOCOLATE
CHOCOLATE
CHOCOLATE
Men and women of the media
record the momentous happening.
THE EXPERTS jump, they dance,
they scream, they eat from the jar
and smear everybody with its
contents.
THE VOICE : A short holiday
is now being allowed
for the celebration and
reaffirmation of the discovery of chocolate
THE RUNNERS stop, excited,
they eat and smear themselves with the brown paste, they smear and
feed their children. Some of the children collapse but at the
pressing of a button, the ambulance siren is sounded, THE MAN
WITH A WHITE COAT AND A SYRINGE appears with his ASSISTANT and
administers injections which revive everybody at once.
THE EXPERTS (screaming
excitedly)
: EUREKA
EUREKA
EUREKA
THE VOICE (coldly
interrupting the climax)
: please start work now
THE RUNNERS resume their
former work together with the children
while the EXPERTS sit very
seriously at the expert table. Doing various scientific studies, taking
measurements and organising research, lectures and educational activities about
chocolate. Priests come in to bestow their blessings, finding passages from the
scriptures predicting and sanctifying
the momentous discovery of chocolate.
THE VOICE speaks and
everyone repeats after it.
Projection at the back of
bulldozers pushing thousands of human bodies, nuclear explosions, injured and
mutilated human beings, refugees and bewildered human faces.
(The scenes that follow are
obligatory 'mirror image' scenes*. From this point, an imaginary mirror divides
the stage. Any --practical-- number of hypothetical mirrors can be used
representing the "nations", social, political and cultural enclaves
of Homo sapiens. The reflections on either side of the mirror/s are completely
faithful so that action and words are repeated synchronously and/or with varied
asynchrony as perfect duplications of each other. The colors -- however-- are
DIFFERENT. So are the decorations and flags etc.. Participants are completely
oblivious to the process except at the climaxes "OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT AND WE
SHALL FIGHT" they turn and register the "OTHER" : object of the
determination to "FIGHT", the "OTHER" is also registered at
these climaxes as the party whose cause is WRONG-- on the other side of the
mirror.)
------------------------
* many other scenes in the
play lend themselves to the mirror image concept but that is left to the
dynamics of each performance and to the participants' choice ad. lib.
THE VOICE :
Hail
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : Hail
THE VOICE : Hail
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : Hail
THE VOICE : Hail
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : Hail
EXPERTS : Hail
(Standing up and making a
very solemn
utterance)
: Hail to thee CHOCOLATE
brown tasty
detergentified giver of
fatness omnipotent power
with Lanolin
Compartment P of the MACHINE
emits a collection of medals making
a loud noise in the process.
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES proceed to
fix the medals on the EXPERTS'
chests.
THE VOICE : the end point
has been reached
lucky to be alive and free
THE EXPERTS & RUNNERS :
lucky to be alive and free
the end point has been
reached
THE VOICE : doubts have been
dispelled
all madness has been quelled
our cause is right and we
shall fight
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : doubts
have been dispelled
all madness has been quelled
our cause is right and we
shall fight
they say they know they say
they know
THE VOICE (correcting)
: I say I know
I say I know
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : I say
I know I say I know
THE VOICE : I am
happy......three times
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : I am
happy......three times
I am happy three times
(taken up as soft
background" I am
happy three times.....
before meals ... after meals .. before meals)
Chimes of a clock, e.g., Big
Ben, "ECDG GDEC EDCG". Continues up to
point of complete silence.
THE VOICE : swallowing time
now
swallowing green pill from
our nice
green coloured tube
THE EXPERTS produce their
pills immediately and swallow them.
THE RUNNERS however, being
engaged in their continuous activities are fed with their green
pills while at work by THE MASKED KKK CREATURES aided by the
EXERTS --temporal and secular with a public service calling-- who move around
distributing green pills and other magnificent prescriptions from large jars,
not forgetting the children.
: green for olives, peace
and all that
The last sentence is taken
up as soft background. THE VOICE comes in having forgotten
something.
: oh...and goodwill also
To
the background is added "and goodwill also"
THE VOICE : repeat tomorrow
THE EXPERTS and RUNNERS :
repeat tomorrow
THE VOICE : repeat today
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : repeat
today
THE VOICE : repeat yesterday
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : repeat
yesterday
THE VOICE : repeat tonight
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : repeat
tonight
Background sounds fade
except for chimes of clock.
THE VOICE : in bed with
lover
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : in bed
with lover
THE VOICE ; chewing
EXPERTS and RUNNERS :
chewing
THE VOICE : stale ham/halal
meat sandwich
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : stale
ham/Kosher/halal meat sandwich
THE VOICE : with restraint
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : with
restraint
THE VOICE : repeat
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : repeat
THE VOICE : repeat
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : repeat
THE VOICE : repeat
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : repeat
repeat
repeat
(Taken up into background)
By that time THE MASKED KKK
CREATURES have fed everyone with green pills except the
strange naked forms at the back.
They reach the lovers, stare
at them disapprovingly for a while not sure whether it is alright to
acknowledge their existence or to continue to act as though they do not exist,
they hesitate for a while then look at THE VOICE questioningly pointing to the
peculiar and dissonant naked forms ...
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES :
what about them?
THE VOICE : not worth
bothering about
too insignificant
irrelevant to the great
march of progress
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : leave
them they are dead
irrelevant to the great
march of progress
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES :
shouldn't they be punished ?
imprisoned, flogged ?
starved ? nuked?
THE VOICE : they ARE already
punished
they ARE starved
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES :
shouldn't they at least be chained put behind bars
THE VOICE : they ARE chained
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES :
shouldn't they be banished ?
THE VOICE : they ARE
banished ?
they ARE behind bars
THE MASKED KKK CREATURES :
shouldn't we ...
THE VOICE : leave them they
are UTTERLY
irrelevant
they ARE powerless they are
dead
they ARE dead
leave them they are powerless
EXPERTS and RUNNERS : leave
them they are dead
they ARE dead
utterly insignificant
we are alive and THEY are
dead
WE ARE SIGNIFICANT
--so we are told--
ALL : we can see nothing
relevant
except US
and the dream of unstoppable
PROGRESS
made true by US
THE EXPERTS sit seriously
sampling and tasting the brown paste.
THE RUNNERS continue with
their work. Their children imitate them. THE MASKED KKK
CREATURES watch over them and direct them to the proper ways of
conducting themselves gently or firmly as is necessary. THE BANKER
comes back together with attendant
KKK CREATURES carrying jars
in which parts of the girl and boy taken earlier as a specimen
are housed and labelled with the approved capital outlay on
each part. THE BANKER shakes his black money bag noisily and
triumphantly indicating that he actually has in it the
approved capital outlay. Everybody makes an appropriately
excited yet appropriately controlled gasp. Projection comes to a
still of bewildered and terrified human faces.
THE VOICE : please remember
As THE VOICE speaks, lights
are gradually dimmed. The speed
of the speech, however,
gradually increases and action on
stage becomes frantic as
everybody is transformed into
featureless silhouettes.
: COPYRIGHT FAMILY RIGHT
FORMOSA RIGHT
STACKOSA RIGHT
FREE RIGHT PUBLIC RIGHT
FIRST RIGHT PERFORMING RIGHT
RIGHT OF TRAINING TRAINED
RIGHT
PRIVATE RIGHT CIRCUS
APPEARANCE RIGHT
RIGHT OF MUZZLE MUSCLE RIGHT
ALL RIGHT
PERFORATING RIGHT FAMILY
PLANNING
RIGHT OF ACHIEVEMENT PRACTICAL
RIGHT
FLIGHT RIGHT RIGHT FRIGHT
EXPERTS AND RUNNERS
(Shouting frantically as everything
works faster and faster)
: OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT AND WE
SHALL FIGHT
(initial decrescendo then
rise to climax)
RUNNERS
(prompted by the EXPERTS
temporal)
WE ARE RIGHT AND THEY ARE
WRONG
WE ARE GOOD AND THEY ARE BAD
RUNNERS
(prompted by the EXPERTS
secular)
OUR GOD IS GOD
THEIR GOD IS MAMMON
OUR GOD IS GOOD
THEIR GOD IS EVIL
OUR GOD IS THE ONLY GOD
THEY GO TO HELL
WE GO TO HEAVEN
EXPERTS secular and temporal:
WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE
THE INDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE
EXPERTS --temporal and
secular-- present, inculcate, teach and then validate the evidence with special
care being given to the children (making liberal use of chocolate all the
time).
(variations ad lib on the
above mirror image scene)
ALL (crescendo...) : OUR
CAUSE IS RIGHT AND WE SHALL FIGHT
OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT AND WE
SHALL FIGHT
OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT AND WE SHALL FIGHT
THE VOICE :
RIGHT UNDER 477b3--= (dash dash)
beta 3 -- equals = (dash
dash)010405001123
UNDER ARCHIVE UNDER FILE
UNDER
PUNCH CARD
UNDER BODY GUARD UNDER TOP
SECRET
UNDER COVER
UNDER DOG
HOW HOWW HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Everybody starts running and
barking madly. The sounds of the
very beginning are back
together with the distinct background:
run run run run run run run
run run run run run run run run...
THE NAKED OUTSIDERS at the
back stand up and with a light
beam focused on them walk
slowly to the front of the stage.
Everything freezes and there
is complete silence.
THE LIFE-LOVE LOVERS stand
staring and still for a while.
THEY VOMIT (amplified
sound).
The incident is recorded by
the press and TV.
Cleaners wash the vomit and
sweep the remains under the carpet
for the final general S M I L E ... (perhaps with exaggerated masks)
In another version it is not
sickness and/or vomitus that so wantonly interrupts the general self satisfied S M I L E ...
IT IS A TERRORIST ATTACK
as in the previous pattern
the debris are washed and the remains are swept under the carpet
In yet another version the
self congratulating, self satisfied smile is interrupted by a progressive
plague of unstoppable viruses, bacteria and fungi or by an unstoppable
environmental disaster
THE GENERAL SMILE CONTINUES
--inspite of all-- UNTIL IT IS
TERMINATED
by a very sharp almost
blinding light
or
or
leading to a general ...
BLACKOUT
IN THE FORM OF AN ENGULFING
UNNATURAL CUMMULATIVE NOISE AND CLOUD OF INTOLERABLE POLLUTION
SO DARK AS TO OBSTRUCT THE
SUN SO NOISY AS TO CUT OFF ALL LINKS TO MUSIC
Born October 1937
Graduated in medicine from Cairo
University
Postgraduate studies in England and
Scotland
Worked in the National Health Service
in Glasgow
Held medical positions in the UK and
in Egypt
Involved with student drama since the
late 60s especially with the drama society of the London School of economics
where many of my experimental plays were either performed or given a reading.
Chocolate was given preliminary readings at the LSE drama soc by students who
also performed others of my experimental plays at the Edinburgh festival fringe
Committed to the arts, non-violent
revolution and the process of social and conceptual development in societies
Author of several works in
experimental theatre in English and in Arabic as well as poetry, philosophy,
social and political thought.
Author of several musical compositions
standing independently or to accompany experimental theatre performances.
Started several NGO initiatives in the
fields of human development and cultural promulgation
Chaired the National cultural centre
of Egypt and the new Opera.(89-91)
Received many honours in the medical
and cultural fields including one of France’s top cultural decorations
(commandeur des arts et des letters)
Currently chairman of the ZKH foundation for holistic human development
as well as emeritus professor at the Al Azhar University faculty of medicine.
full details and examples are to be
found at web sites :
tarekalihassan.com
as well as search google under: Tarek
Ali Hassan