THE LAST--A PLAY.

The opening to a work in progress play below 

'The Last' is a drama that examines life of 'An Archaic.'  The last of his kind, a people who gathered all the knowledge of the world like a human library.  They wear a featureless mask called the Archaic because they believe the voice tells their truth.  The face distracts.   

They have been hunted to destroy the knowledge they know which might vary from what the powers at be wish to be known.  Also because they are different and choose to wear the archaic. This disconcerts people who need to see the face.  The Archaic is on trial for his knowledge which has been called fraudulent.  He can go free if he will volunteer to remove the Archaic.

The Archaic don`t have names either and when they take of the archaic they are given names.

The do not look on others faces either but listen to their voices.

 

ACT ONE

ONE

Rural.  Tower.  Evening.

A very spare room.  Table and two chairs.  Kitchen to stage left and at the back of the stage.  Door stage left wall leading to stairs to outside door.

An old grate open fireplace stage right.

Window at the rear which we can glimpse the hills outside. There is telescope at the window.

MAN enters.  He wears a FEATURLESS MASK CALLED AN ARCHAIC.  He is carrying kindle for the fire which he lays in the fire place.  A letter pokes out from one of his pockets.

He is mumbling to himself as he enters, trying to remember something—Where the poet Shelley was born.  We hear fragments of it as he crosses the room. He walks with difficulty and in obvious pain. This is evident in all his movements—not exaggerated as he tries to hide it even when no-one is there.

 

MAN-- August.  August.  14^th?  No. Field Place.  Yes.  Broad…Broad. (He lays the kindling in the fireplace and still mumbling to himself takes out two pieces of stone and tries to spark the fire.  It doesn’t work.)  Too cold and damp.  But the forest was much worse. Have I forgotten how to make a fire? (Remembers re Shelley.) Broadbridge Heath.  He was born in Field Place.  Broadbridge Heath. 4^th August.  (It looks as if the fire might spark for a second but it dies.  He throws down the stones. Regretting his fit of temper he gathers the stones and lays them beside the fireplace. He stands staring at the un lit fire again trying to remember. He half remembers and recites the opening to Shelley’s Ozymandias. He recites hesitantly as if struggling to remember the words.)

 ‘I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things.’

(Own words.)

And the rest which…Which I can remember if I want.   

(Glimpses of lights and the rumble of approaching vehicles.)

(He goes up to the telescope and ignoring the approaching vehicles looks up at the stars. Then he lowers the telescope to look towards the approaching vehicles. He sits down. The lights and sounds of the vehicles grow as they get closer.)

MAN—(Recites poem.)

‘Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
 Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things.’

(Man stops, can’t remember. Vehicles stopping lights flood the room, angry voices are heard.)

(Shouts are heard.  ‘Freak.’  ‘Monster.’ ‘Death to Archaics.  Also sounds as if they are trying to break in the outside door.  Rocks hit the side of the tower.)

MAN—(Remembers, recites poem louder as the noise from outside increases.)

‘The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.’

(A rock is thrown through the window.  More continue to hit the outside of the tower.) 

MAN—(Trying to ignore it, reciting fragments of the poem.)

‘The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:’

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
What powerful but unrecorded race
Once dwelt in that annihilated place.^[
(He stops when a rock hits the telescope. He checks it while the rocks and insults continue to hit the tower.  The telescope is damaged, the lens, but he can still see the stars though they are fragmented with the damaged lens.  

He speaks to the mob being careful to keep safe and not to look directly down--rocks continue to hit the tower as he as he speaks.)

MAN-- Look up.  Can’t you see the stars?  Right there is Saturn.  Isn’t it beautiful? I don’t need a telescope.  You do.  It is in my mind.  (Recites.) ‘Then felt I like some watcher of the skies when a new planet swims into his ken.’  (Own words.) It is no longer in your mind John. JOHN-- (off stage.) I am looking up.  At a freak.   

MAN-- Enjoying your name? 

JOHN— (off stage.) Shelley.  Keats.  They had names. All you have to do is…

MAN-- I will never do what you have done.

(A rock hits close to the window, shrapnel hits the Man on the face. It cracks the Archaic slightly. He bleeds. He wipes it away and slouches down his back to the wall as the insults and rocks intensify.)

(Another vehicle approaching, screeches to a stop.)

MARY— (off stage.)  Morons.  Get away home with you. You think I don’t recognise you under those scarves? I recognize your smells.  Just try it.  Go on then. And you John.  I know it’s you.  He’s family for Christ sake. Get your hands off me.

MAN— Leave her alone.  I’ll call the police.

(Laughter from outside.)

 (Man picks up a rock and thinks about throwing it back then a hail of stones and rocks hit the building.  The Man tries to protect himself.)

(Sound of a vehicle screeching outside as Mary drives at the men. Sound of angry frightened men scattering.  Sound of vehicles driven away. The Man sits and listens.)

(It gradually goes quiet outside. One vehicle only can be heard, its lights.  Engine stops, lights out. The sound of outside door being opened and closed. )

(The Man gets up and goes to the fire and tries to light it again.  He is shaking.)

(Mary enters. Man does not look at her directly. Mary carries a bag.  She stops, turns her back on the Man and puts on a homemade Archaic. She puts the bag on a table. )

MARY—I brought you some things.  Food.

MAN— Did they hurt you?

MARY— I’d like to see them try. Bunch of hooligans. No need to worry about me.

MAN—I do. 

MARY-- Are you okay? 

(She can see that he isn’t.)

MAN— You get used to it.  You shouldn’t have done that.  Did you bring lighting?

MARY—What did I do?

MAN— Your voice!  I can tell from your voice remember.  The excitement.  And the fear.

MARY—For you.

(He struggles to get up, she helps him. He hides the cracks in the Archaic and the blood.)

MAN—You enjoyed…

MARY— Driving at the thugs?  Yes. Guilty as charged professor.   (She helps him to sit down.) Call the police?!  It’s good that you’ve still got a sense of humour. You know half of them are the police. And led by your ex cousin. Where you trying to provoke them?

MAN—No.

MARY-- You can look.  I should have put it on. (The Archaic.)  Before I came in. I’m sorry.

MAN—You had distractions. (He turns to face her.) You wear it.  I’m thankful.  Even though you shouldn’t. (She puts the food away in cupboards.) It is so cold here.  Especially at night.  I should be used to the cold.

MARY—I forgot the lighting.  Sorry.

MAN-- You bring food.

MARY—My job.

MAN— At this time of night? 

MARY-- I saw them gathering in town. I know what I said about the police but…You’ve got to report it.  For the record.  Eventually they’ll at least go through the motions. It’ll put some of them off.   And you never know one of these days they might actually send help. 

MAN—I know.

MARY-- I can’t keep scaring them off. You’re bleeding!

MAN-- Its nothing.

 (She gets a cloth and begins to wipe the blood from the Archaic. He is not comfortable but lets her. He goes to say something. )

MARY—(Re the Archaic.) I’m being careful. When did you eat last?  Don’t answer that. You’ll tell me anything to shut me up.  Always with the fine words and forgetting to eat.  No excuse now.  The cupboard is full.

MAN-- Am I such a bad man?

MARY-- (The Archaic.) It’s damaged.  (She looks away.) I’m sorry I can see a part of your face.  I didn’t mean… Can you fix it?  I didn’t mean to.

MAN— It’s okay.

MARY—But I saw your face.

MAN—(He touches at the Archaic.) It’s not my face. Do you think this is so thin that a rock can reveal it?  The Archaic has layers. The Archaic will repair itself.

MARY— That is true?

MAN—Yes.  It is one of the tales they tell about me that is actually correct.    

MARY— You bleed?

MAN—I am human no matter what they say.    

MARY—(She puts the cloth in her bag.) I’ll wash it and get it back to you. 

MAN—Does the Prosecutor know you wear an archaic for me?

MARY—What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him..

MAN-- I’ve been looking at Saturn.  .

MARY— And what’s Saturn got to do with eating? You need more than brain food.  Promise you’ll eat something.

MAN-- The telescope.  They damaged it.  Can you ask the Prosecutor if I can have another?

MARY-- I’d better get home.  My father worries.

MAN— He doesn’t like you helping me.

MARY—I tell him it’s a job.   

MAN— Just don’t listen to the freak.

MARY—Remember and eat.

MAN-- Promise.  I can manage that. Thank you.

MARY-- I don’t know how you survived on the run all that time.