Cast: Sir Bastard He Woman The Crowd
Stage: The stage is raised so that the movement of the actors’ feet is visible. The stage is a square, about 20 feet by 20 feet, and resembles an altar. The small platform from which actors enter the stage is not permanently attached. It is always in use and its position changes accordingly with each scene.
Costume: Actors wear clothes made of a hemp-like woven fabric. Sir is in purple, He and Woman are in white, and The Crowd is in grey. Sir wears a thick band on his right hand. Many masks from a single mold are needed. The masks are huge, long, and expressionless. Actors wear the masks and platform shoes.
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The music repeats. The Crowd appears in empty space. The Crowd marches, wearing masks with an identical expression. Sir commands and controls The Crowd. Sir, like a father, teaches basic movements such as walking, running, sitting, standing. Bastard tries hard to keep his steps in sync with The Crowd’s. Bastard’s attempts are scorned by The Crowd and reprimanded by Sir.
Sir prepares several signals. For example, when he rolls his feet, it means walk. The signals trigger great efficiency. The Crowd is drilled until their movements become mechanical. Sir signals and The Crowd follows. The Crowd is lost when there are no signals.
The Crowd marches in a straight line; Bastard is at the end.
Bastard knows the loneliness of being alone. Bastard is afraid. Bastard wants to get in step with The Crowd. At times, he practices alone, copying The Crowd.
Bastard is without platform shoes. Bastard is shorter but has the same outfit and mask as The Crowd, yet he is still excluded from the march. Bastard is received coolly by The Crowd and becomes an object of ridicule. Bastard is sadness. Bastard is a clown. Bastard is a lone being most of all. Bastard wants to be connected to Sir and The Crowd.
This goal may be a mistake. But this misguided goal is the only way Bastard can survive in a world where he has to wear a mask. The eternal rhythm of the music repeats.
Darkness.
A ray of bright light.
Woman stands on the small platform. The white light flows down from her head to her feet, floods the platform, and reaches the stage.
Woman receives the gift of life. Conception. Woman descends from the platform. Severe pain and child birth. Pain then stillness, pain then stillness again. A cry, there is a very loud cry: It’s born, born, born.
A dark space. A ray of light illuminates the platform. He is on the platform. His body is hunched, lumpy, round like a fetus. Music. As He unfolds his hands and feet bit by bit to the eternal rhythm, the music no longer sounds the same. The hands and feet open like petals. His hunched back straightens; finally, his head lifts. It’s a face. It’s without a mask. Eyes, nose, mouth. He has a human face with feeling. He is—expression.
He stands up. He walks down. He turns around. He runs into the march of the masks everywhere. He is without shoes. His bare feet are distinct. His face is more distinct than his feet. Thoughts show on his face: happiness and sadness solitude love. Such are his expressions.
Bastard sees He from the back of The Crowd.
He looks at Bastard. Bastard and He approach each other. They meet. Bastard touches the chest and shoulders of He, then the face. He touches Bastard’s chest, shoulders, and hard mask. Bastard pleads and He takes off Bastard’s mask.
Now Bastard and He face each other without masks.
The two walk together. The two run. The two leap high. The movements of the two are all new. And all their movements are free. Bastard is not alone. Bastard is connected. Bastard is joyful. Bastard has his own face. Bastard has his own eyes, nose, mouth. Bastard has expressions. Bastard knows his face is his own. Bastard is proud. Bastard wants to show his face to The Crowd.
The music continues. As always, the same rhythm. But as The Crowd moves according to Sir’s commands, the rhythm of the music becomes ominous.
Sir is anxious. He is fearful of the influence of Bastard’s spontaneous movement on the standardized movement of The Crowd.
The Crowd’s march of many hands, many feet, and many masks come between Bastard and He.
The Crowd arrests Bastard. The Crowd demands that Bastard stay subordinate within their world as before. Bastard looks over The Crowd. He is behind the march of the masks. Bastard tries to free himself in order to reach He.
Sir orders The Crowd to restrain Bastard. The Crowd follows the order. Bastard’s arms are twisted by The Crowd. Bastard’s legs fold. Bastard becomes all crouched up. He goes to Bastard. He unfolds Bastard’s twisted arms and folded legs.
Sir is furious. The Crowd doubts Sir’s orders after seeing Bastard’s recovery. The march ends in disarray and the masks shake loud.
Sir exploits The Crowd’s conformity to enforce order and obedience once again. Now Sir stands in front of The Crowd. The Crowd marches in anger.
Sir wants to remove He. The Crowd captures He. The Crowd brings He in front of Sir.
Sir looks at the face of He—a face with expressions cannot be permitted at all.
Sir brings out a mask and orders He to wear it. The Crowd urges He to wear the mask. He has a face. He refuses the mask. Sir orders The Crowd to hold He and forces the mask on his face. And to set an example, Sir orders He to be executed. The Crowd is satisfied.
The music continues. He is executed on the platform. Arms out stretched, his hands squirm in spasm as if they are being nailed. Sir stabs his waist with the end of his pointed boot.
The music continues. Sir and The Crowd form a line. Bastard is in a corner. He is suspended in empty space. Pain digs into his heart. Pain causes his body to straighten like an arrow, then droop. His hands are still—the spasm in his fingers stop.
Silence
The stage is engulfed in darkness. Sir and The Crowd fade into the background. Two streams of light fall on Bastard and He.
The music begins with the same rhythm. The rhythm slowly peaks. He’s mask splits in half, then falls and shatters. His face becomes visible. Eyes can be seen. Eyes are alive. Eyes are open. Eyes see. Bastard’s face meets He’s eyes, looking down at him. Eyes meet. Two faces. Music. The rhythm stays the same. The Crowd’s masks come off one by one. Finally, Sir’s mask comes off.
—End—
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