Tarek Ali Hassan
Theatre
24-October-2020
Those who participate
in making this a 'living drama' and not dead words on a piece of paper, must be
potentially prepared carry the heavy burden of love, physical or metaphysical or
"both, to any and every member of their audience -and naturally to themselves in the
first place- otherwise they cheat and just play a game in which they hit below
the belt, undermine the painfully achieved precarious stability of civilised
people, the play will not 'happen'.. No
moments of enlightenment but resistance, dismissal or aggression.
PARTICIPANTS
ANNOUNCER
being anything he likes perhaps a clown?
PHOTOGRAPHERS
with cameras that make clicking noises and have flash
attachments and make flashes
CLOTHES COVERED MEN
AND WOMEN of PROTOPLASM (minimum number 2 women and 2 men) in a state of WORSHIP
BEING CUSTODIANS of:
LATE COMMERS TO THE SCENE
being
in custody of CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN of PROTOPLASM
being CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN of PROTOPLASM in the play before...
... or
in the next play..
PLASTIC MADE MODEL OP PROTOPLASMIC HUMAN
BEING NAILED TO FRAME
PLASTIC MADE MODELS OF CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF PROTOPLASM ON
FLOOR
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT (a)
for
nailing and securely fixing PROTOPLASM CONTAINING HUMAN BEINGS onto
appropriate frames
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT (b)
for
connecting PLASTIC MADE MODELS OF CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF
PROTOPLASM ON FLOOR- to HIGHER BODIES ? in the sky
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT (c)
for raising frames as high as is consistent with SAFETY, STABILITY and
VISIBILITY
ELECTRONIC TITILLATORS
for CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF PROTOPLASM in a state of
WORSHIP, CUSTODIANS OF LATE COMERS in the form of tape recorder and T.V. (ad lib.)
SOUNDS OP WORSHIP
SOUNDS OP NEWBORN BABES AND CHILDREN
DEAD LIGHT SHOW on all walls
WAVES OF CHEERING AND CLAPPING from nowhere in particular
WAVES OF CHARING AND
CLAPPING
from tape recorder on stage (ad lib)
MANAGER at the exit with expensive suit and huge smile
ACT TIIS FIRST
Soft and very solemn sound of reverent worship Dead light show on
all walls
ANNOUNCER :
(carrying two obscene pieces of wood which
are capable of making a very sharp and
unpleasing sound when banged together)
(very dramatically) Act the first (he clicks his pieces of wood)
(PHOTOGRAPHERS jump in from all over
the Place
and take flash photographs)
---------------------------------
(nothing happens)
(a little
embarassed) perhaps it is Act the second?
(PHOTOGRAPHERS jump in and take more photographs with flash)
---------------------------------
(nothing happens)
(taking the audience into his confidence)
no one really knows.. when, where, how and wither the beginning.
(clicks his pieces of obscene wood)
---------------------------------
(nothing happens)
(with evident glee)
no one will ever know
(changing his tone and suddenly acquiring an authoritative menacing attitude)
so stop Running away and START you hopeless bastards you can't
escape there is no escape
(he clicks his pieces of wood very sharply and repeatedly. An expression in
sound of 'birth' happens- mother grunts and baby cries,
THE SCENE IS REVEALED
ANNOUNCER withdraws to one side where
he can observe the happenings without being too conspicuous or intruding unduly into consciousness.
When the scene is revealed and after a short latent -period for
consciousness to take it in, ANNOUNCER starts "beating time with his
sticks in a very regular monotonous rhythm all through the first scene. In the
dark interval which follows, the monotonous time rhythm is taken up exactly
"by tape recorder until! ANNOUNCER reappears in ACT THE SECOND and takes up the
time keeping
again.
'THE SCENE'
Centre back hangs PLASTIC MADE MODELS OF PROTOPLASMIC
HUMAN BEINGS nailed and tied
securely to a frame.
The frame is made of? wood? iron? concrete.. any non-living material
which is hard enough, ideally
-according to physicists- a
diamond frame.
The frame and the model are as large and as high as
the
Participants' resources and space would allow (if
they are a proud lot, they can make a frame larger
than
they can afford which will have a very favorable
effect on viewers).
The
frame may or may not be cross shaped since experience
adequately
shows that protoplasmic human being forms
can be
satisfactorily framed onto a wide variety of
frame shapes with
equal effectiveness (cost effectiveness,
effort effectiveness, and result effectiveness.. etc. .)
In the foreground facing the PLASTIC MODEL of PROTOPLASMIC HUMAN BEING
NAILED TO FRAME, and in attitudes of devout worship the CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND
WOMEN of
PROTOPLASM make a perfectly still tableau of reverent worship.
The tableau remains perfectly
static all through, ANNOUNCER beats time with perfect regularity, perceptible light and sounds (of devout worship)
change periodically as new prophets of the human race erupt and disappear. At every change/phase PHOTOGRAPHERS with
extreme intensity and breakneck urgency dash into the scene, take numerous flash photographs of
everything and then dash out again.
the scene gradually fades out of consciousness giving way to complete
stimulant-poor darkness, except of course
for the perfectly
regular time beat which is now taken up "by a tape recorder or another suitable
mechanical or electronic device.
Darkness for two thirds the duration of the unfolding of
ACT THE
FIRST
ACT THE SECOND
Being an extreme
contrast to what came before :'ACTIVITY.'
frantic activity
being the all important note.
With
extreme efficiency and dauntless determination, CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN
OF PROTOPLASM apply every ounce of energy
they have to the construction and support of huge frames according to the
existing models presented to them by a higher authority.
The frames
arouse a considerable amount of interest and curiosity. Any children or
retarded adults in the audience will no doubt long
to come up, play with the frames, feel them, jump over them and otherwise
widen the range of their experience them through a variety of interactions with
them. That childish aspect of human
curiosity remains -as it ought to remain- suppressed in the face of the serious
and momentous happenings unfolding on stage.
At any rate undiscerning children would mercifully always be accompanied
by responsible adults and should any problems arise they can always be very
quickly brought under control or removed -temporarily
or permanently as is necessary.
It is also
SAFER for the children not to wander on stage in
pursuit of something as silly as 'childish 'exploration', for the pitch
of activity is so intense -something that would put the most efficient beehive to eternal shame and is certainly an
example to any nation in a state of war or in a state of peace with threat of
war- that the actors have no more reserve of consciousness to register the
presence of exploring children and would -quite innocently and unintentionally-
hammer an exploring child into a beam or mix him or her into a concrete support
..etc
ANNOUNCER stands
aside and beats time with perfect regularity
as before.
DEAD LIGHT SHOW on all walls.
WAVES OP CHEERING AND CLAPPING from nowhere in particular seep
periodically in and out of consciousness.
PHOTOGRAPHERS record the happening at intervals.
..and it came to pass
that it was decreed that that which has unfolded
shall be known as the first tableau or the second tableau....and when the
construction is complete .. and each
man and woman has made a frame and when all groups have constructed their
stipulated frames…
it is to be THE END of the
first tableau or the second tableau..
and there is SILENCE except for the relentless beating of time ..and DARKNESS
...except for time and it shall be short..
ACT THE SECOND
THE SECOND TABLEAU
Completed frames at the back.
DEAD LIGHT SHOW on all walls.
ANNOUNCER "beating time with perfect regularity.
WAVES OF CHEERING
AND CLAPPING from nowhere in particular
temporarily
out of consciousness but making an early re-entry and progressing to support
the unfolding to come and to
reach a tremendous climax at its end.
but all this is premature .'.'
for the tableau starts in
darkness and silence except for time ..or
the tableau before ends in darkness and silence except for time and only when there is the light we can see is
the scene revealed..
Together with:
CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OP PROTOPLASM standing each in front a completed frame so as to face
the frames with their backs.
PHOTOGRAPHERS into consciousness photographs
PHOTOGRAPHERS out of consciousness
Each
CLOTHES COVERED MAN or WOMAN OF PROTOPLASM stares determinedly into his or her audience fixing into their respective
gazes a human being who is to be the
corresponding LATE COMER INTO THE SCENE.
After a latent period, each CLOTHES COVERED MAN and WOMAN OF PROTOPLASM
walks with determination to the chosen LATE COMER INTO THE SCENE, takes firm
possession of him or her and conveys the creature in question bodily on to
the stage.
NEVER USE ROUGHNESS OR FORCE
except when absolutely necessary)
Wheel chairs, "babies' prams (large) or simply carrying on the back are suggested, but any 'end
effective' method can be used as long as it
does not have the external aspect of being
cruel or unnecessarily unpleasant.
Periodic WAVES OP CHEERING AND CLAPPING From nowhere in particular re-establish themselves firmly in the
consciousness at the beginning of the action of conveying LATE COMERS on to the stage and develop gradually from then.
Once the'conveyance' is complete, each CLOTHES COVERED MAN
AND WOMAN OF PROTAPLASM proceeds to achieve the following;
to have in the most efficient and effective way the
corresponding LATE COMER INTO THE SCENE stripped, molded and manipulated till they
can be securely tied and nailed to the corresponding frame IN A STATE OF
NON-COMPLAINING
PEACE AND QUITE - and preferably ACTIVE
CONTENTMENT.
The participants achieve the prescribed end to the acconpyment of a rising
crescendo of
WAVES OF CHEERING AND CLAPPING from nowhere in particular.
The participants use their imagination to the fullest possible degree. Clothes for example can be cut off by scissors
or
sharp knife or dissolved in suitable acid, but NO MORE SUGGESTIONS.' for
that only stifles the imagination and interferes with its unexpected unfolding.
Participants must
again remember that roughness should never
be used
except when absolutely necessary. For
the most part those of them
who are custodians will find that it is an unnecessary
tool on the road to achieving the prescribed end. In fact the qualities
of civilization and the desire for conformity which seem to have happily crept into the genes of most of the LATE
COMERS INTO THE SCENE are so effective as to make them actually help
their CUSTODIANS getting them securely fixed on to the --—appropriate frames.
When (rarely) resistance is shown or complaints are made during or after the
process of framing on to the prescribed frame thereby making for an unfortunate
situation in which
the use of force is necessary, this must be done with determined
ruthlessness and unflinching efficiency;
(no one of the participants would like everyone
to say of them that they failed in attaining the end set
for them, would they?
...and after going so far???? ...and
what about the ANNOUNCER standing in the shadows but watching
everything like a hawk
and beating time???? ....and what about others
who are watching the play??
...what about others who HAVE succeeded?? No! no one will
accept to be publicly labeled and exposed as a failure and a cowardly weakling
NO.!!
WHEN DUTY CALLS
THE
JOB SHALL BE COMPLETED WITHOUT FLINCHING
....... W H
A A M............................. )
In truth there is one very civilized reason for using
force ruthlessly and unflinchingly when it is needed and -that of
course- is to shorten the agonies of the receiver/s. (delete
whichever does not apply).
.... and it was decreed
.... that
in the second tableau
....... of the second act...
...and out of kindness...and love ....and concern
(etc) FORCE SHALL BE USED WITHOUT LIMITS ... if necessary
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The framing of the MEN and WOMEN is completed and
consciousness is engulfed by a tremendous sound of WAVES OF CHEERING AND
CLAPPING from nowhere in particular.
PHOTOGRAPHERS record the happening with
flash shots
Everything is frozen except for time
Short silent darkness exccept for time
...and thus ends the second tableau.
ACT THE SECOND
THE THIRD TABLEAU
THE CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF PROTOPLASM raise the frames with
their occupants as high as is compatible with safety, stability and visibility. They then acquire before them the exact attitudes
of devout worship in which they had first been seen in during the first unfolding of the drama. It is not
clear now whether their prostration is pure reverence or perhaps shock? or
fear? or guilt? or exhaustion?
or all ? or none ?
but all these questions are irrelevant..
for they ARE prostrated
being
CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF PROTOPLASM
in a state of WORSHIP..
Complete silence and stillness is only interrupted by the ANNOUNCER'S perfect
time keeping.
SOUNDS OF WORSHIP gradually re-find their way into consciousness.
After a while ANNOUNCER approaches the WORSHIPPERS who are at first too absorbed in their worship
to notice anything else-He beats time louder and LOUDER. They notice him
but do not move.
ANNOUNCER : I am tired of having to watch and keep time, law
and order and all that..
go and fetch the dolls..
THE CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OP PROTOPLASM in a state of worship
show some reluctance.
ANNOUNCER understands after a latent period. He finds several lumps of sugar and gold coins in his pocket and goes round
feeding the WORSHIPPERS who though they
take their rewards eagerly, continue
to keep their dignified posture throughout.
When they have finished they crawl with very great dignity on elbows and knees disappearing
through various exits only to
reappear almost at once pushing the dolls required. These are plastic
made models of themselves with mobile limbs to which suitable strings are
attached. Each CLOTHES COVERED MAN and
WOMAN OF PROTOPLASM places his or her1
doll in the place and position he or she was in, and then crawls out of the scene with immense dignity.
ANNOUNCER
goes round picking the strings attached to the
dolls which are PLASTIC MODELS OF THE CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF
PROTOPLASM who have just crawled out with immense dignity. He- throws the
free ends of the strings up into the
sky where they seem to stay -Newton or no Newton-
?taken by higher authority ??? miracle
ANNOUNCER
then directs his attention to the dolls to
whom the relates as if they register in his awareness as natural living men and
women
ANNOUNCER :
(helpfully and persuasively)
now you take my time beats into you..
(he beats time educationally)
come on
(he stops and listens for a while. tape recorder time takes over very softly
gradually attaining a suitable volume. He walks into the auditorium, sits amongst
the viewers, lights a cigarette and puffs smoke as he speaks
easier...
and much safer....
PHOTOGRAPHERS take photographs then
disappear out of consciousness.
The
tableau unfolds for a further period in the stillness
of non-movement on stage and of repetitive time keeping and sounds of worship till the happenings are interrupted by a sudden loud but short succession
of baby's cries.
ANNOUNCER walks to the stage and speaks to the dolls.
ANNOUNCER : (as usual treating them as live men and women)
(firmly)
you must go now
(nothing happens)
(irritated and a little impatient) your time is up
(with understanding)
I know it is unpleasant
(with a slight degree of self pity like a man volunteering to carry out an all important task purely out of the goodness of his heart and finding that he is being needlessly delayed and misunderstood)
........ but there are new
comers to
be dealt with
and those (he points at the MAN and WOMEN nailed and tied to
the frames hanging at the back... MUST be given their chance after all the
hard work they have been through . . .
(pause)
very soft sounds of
very old man and very old woman sobbing, ?as when they know that their children
are sending them to an old people's home.
(loudly)
STOP WORRYING (with exaltation)
YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN.
(he looks up, gives two sharp and impatient claps, then a signal for
'raising up'. The dolls are slowly raised towards heaven. As they disappear out of
sight PHOTOGRAPHERS jump in
and take innumerable flash photographs.
To the background
sounds is added the gentle sound of a choir
of angels ala Faust and Marguerite.
MEN of religion appear at once with incense intoning suitable hymns and
murmuring prayers
Some members of the audience overcome with emotion sob with real tears,
PHOTOGRAPHERS take flash shots of them too.
.......................... and thus on a note of
extreme
emotion disappears out of consciousness into silent darkness that which was
called the third tableau of that which was
called the second act, leaving us to wonder upon the
happenings........... ?miraculous
??super-natural ???both?
Everybody acquires a suitably pious and pure attitude.
17
ACT THE THIRD BEING ACT THE FIRST and also ACT THE SECOND
BEING A RECAPITULATION of what is AFTER
....... and BEFORE
THE FIRST TABLEAU
DEAD
LIGHT SHOW on all walls
ANNOUNCER : (very dramatically)
Act the third..
(he clicks his pieces of wood)
----------------
(nothing happens)
(a little embarassed)
perhaps it is act the
second?...
or act the first????
(nothing happens)
(very angry and impatient)
come on
you fucking bastards START.'
(he beats time directly and louder than usual THE SSCNE IS REVEALED as sounds
of WORSHIP creep gradually into consciousness.)
'THE SCENE' is exactly like in that which was
called act the
first, except that the WORSHIPPERS now are the MEN and WOMEN who where
framed during that which was called act the second in the earlier part of the drama.
THE CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF PROTOPLASM BEING WORSHIPPERS AND
CUSTODIANS in the earlier acts have mysteriously disappeared. Where? No one will ever know.' and if they knew, no one could tell.. Why
worry, when the LATE COMERS TO THE SCENE are now fully fledged CLOTHES COVERED MEN AND WOMEN OF
PROTOPLASM in a state of WORSHIP and obviously mature enough to be in their
own turn reliable CUSTODIANS of new consignments
of LATE COMERS INTO THE SCENE to come?
PHOTOGRAPHERS excitedly jump in
record the happenings as time passes
and then
they jump out again...
ACT THE THIRD
THE SECOND TABLEAU
THE LIGHT SHOW LIVES, gradually but progressively to a point of extreme intensity in movement, colour,
shape, and unpredictable synthesis and
interaction,
THE 'PLASTIC MADE MODEL OF HUMAN BEING NAILED TO FRAME' LIVES, gradually in movement, light and later sound
and music, also reaching a point of extreme
intensity.
SOUNDS OP WORSHIP fade gradually giving way
to a rising
crescendo of SOUNDS OF NEWBORN BABES AND
CHILDREN PRECEEDING FOLLOWING AND BLENDING INTO THE SOUND OF GREAT MUSIC
The above elements are developed to the point of maximum intensity the
participants dare venture into.
ANNOUNCER and WORSHIPPERS are completely
unaffected.
PHOTOGRAPHERS jump in, take flash shots of life and then disappear out of
consciousness.
At the height of the gradually developed climax everything is sharply cut off
from consciousness..
except for the regular beating of time...
..and for the human form nailed onto the
frame
-now intensely outlined with ultraviolet light, as he writhes convulsively then utters an immense
scream..
..IN WHICH IS PUT EVERY ATOM Of THE BEING OF HE WHO IS KNOWN AS MAN..
WHY HAVE YOU
FORSAKEN ME
There is a complete and silent darkness..
the silence is complete..
..for even time shall then have a stop..
...and thus ends that which was called the second tableau as
there creep into the consciousness;
THE
SOUNDS OP WORSHIP
for it is now
THE THIRD TABLEAU
which is
exactly the FIRST TABLEAU
ANNOUNCER recommences his time keeping
it is a different rhythm
..it is also a faster rhythm..
PHOTOGRAPHERS take more shots with flash
..and the rest is stillness.. and house
lights.
MANAGER at the exit with expensive suit and huge smile,
smiles at the audience as they leave, particularly at important members
of the audience.
...and shattered
for all time lies that which was death's tyrany
humpty dumpty
...but it is made again in the
minds of men
humpty dumpty
..and all this wasted life
...for fear of a dream..
humpty dumpty
for further details on cost
effectiveness and end result effectiveness, etc..
consult advanced text books on sociology and modern economics.
A LATE COMER INTO THE SCENE must be
of the same sex as the corresponding CLOTHES COVERED MAN or WOMAN OF
PROTOPLASM.
If such qualities do not continue to creep in naturally
into the human hereditary make-up there is real hope that advanced medicine will have them deliberately installed
into the genes of new LATE COMERS
INTO THE SCENE under the enlightened guidance of the ruling political
party and the experts on the law and on
delinquency.