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Stone Soup
by Paul Thain
Lights up on the Village.
Cicadas pulse in the heat as
the rich and poor of many nations go about their daily tasks - some sow
seeds, others plough, some march, some squat in dust slapping chapattis,
one argues with a telephone, another reads a computer print-out, and a
young mother sits apart nursing her starving child. All this is performed
through mime using minimal props. We also hear improvised snatches of different
languages, real and imaginary. Build the picture until ...
... a NEWSBOY weaves through them, shouting |
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| NEWSBOY |
(Off) Man Murders Future! Read all about it! Man
Murders Future! Read all about it! |
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He rushes off. An Old Woman - SOPHIA - enters. Magic
charms hang from her rainbow dress and she holds an exquisitely carved
Staff |
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| NEWSBOY |
(Off) Man Murders Future ! Read all about it! Man
Murders Future! |
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SOPHIA marks a circle & begins a ritual dance, singing
and chanting a forgotten language.
As she finishes ... |
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| SOPHIA |
Closer ... come closer. What's wrong? Don't you like my
little dance? What? Not even my wonderful beautiful voice? Why do you skulk
in the shadows ? Surely you are not afraid of an old woman ? All of you
- stop. Stop what you're doing and listen. Listen to my story and soon
you will share my dreams. |
| SHAMIR |
We have no time for dreams, woman. We must work. |
| SOPHIA |
Work ? Work for what ? More work ? No, no - wait, wait
! Are you all so blind ? Look at me. Look into my eyes - I am a Shaman,
a Trickster, a Priest of Paradise ... enter my world, and I promise I will
feed your soul. |
| CAMILLA |
Not me soul needs feeding, darling, it's me belly. |
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| SOPHIA |
To feed one, my dear, you must feed both. See ? See how
I draw the magic circle ? So come, come closer, gather round and hear my
story. It is an ancient tale heavy with hope and full of fun. It begins
when old Mother Earth takes on human form and visits the world of- |
| SHAMIR |
Listen, you old hag - haven't I told you ! We haven't time
for stupid stories ! We must work ! We have to work ! |
| SOPHIA |
Work, work, all the time work - are you man or beast ?
Very well, as you wish. Only before I leave please allow me to share your
hospitality. I haven't eaten for three days. |
| AHMED |
Three days ? Some poor wretches here haven't eaten for
three weeks ! |
| DOREEN |
That's right, times are hard, so push off - we've nothing
for you! |
| MAKOMO |
Away with you, woman, leave us - sell your sugared words
in another village. |
| SOPHIA |
All I want is a little food. |
| HANNAH |
I tell you, we have nothing. |
| KAUSU |
These are dark days ... |
| MAKOMO |
... dying days ... |
| KAUSU |
Days of plague and famine. |
| HANNAH |
Rain burns. |
| SHAMIR |
Fish choke. |
| AHMED |
Rivers run to dust. |
| CAMILLA |
Crops fail. |
| HANNAH |
Children starve. |
| SHAMIR |
Soon this will be a Village of ghosts. |
| SOPHIA |
Stinking sons of Satan ! You refuse an old woman? Would
you see me starve ? Have you no shame? Very well, rot in hell, for all
I care ! Hunger hardens your miserable hearts, I shall just have to settle
for soup. |
| HANNAH |
Soup ? You have soup and you dare beg from us? |
| SOPHIA |
Not beg, I never beg, I share. Always I share. Ah, but
enough, enough - if things are so bad, we should not quarrel. You and I,
we must be friends. We must help one another, yes ? So I forgive you. Yes,
I forgive you, I forgive you all. And perhaps ... perhaps I even still
share my soup - my delicious, wonderful soup. Yes, why not ? Suddenly I
feel good - I will share it, all of it, I will make soup for us all. |
| HANNAH |
All of us ? You can feed us all ? |
| SOPHIA |
Have I not said ? Now please - close your silly mouths
or instead you will be eating flies! In this world all things are possible.
Bring me a big enough pot and I will feed the entire Village. |
| AHMED |
... everyone ? |
| HANNAH |
You feed everyone ? |
| SOPHIA |
Are you gone deaf ? Everyone, even the poor. I even feed
the poor, so why are you all waiting ? Quickly, quickly! How can I cookwithout
a pot ? |
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A CRASH of thunder as SOPHIA raises her Staff |
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| SOPHIA |
A pot ! A pot ! I need a pot ! A great, big cooking pot! |
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More Thunder. Lights flash silver and gold as SOPHIA
spins the Staff high above her head |
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| SOPHIA |
Makomo - it is you! I choose you ! Now run ! Run for your
people! Run for the hungry! Run for the weak! |
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MAKOMO runs - circling SOPHIA as if attached to her
Staff by an invisible thread |
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| SOPHIA |
... run ... run ... faster and faster ... |
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His running becomes stylised - slow-motion - his breathing
deep and heavy |
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| SOPHIA |
... faster, faster ... faster and faster ... |
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Light & Sound Pictures ... |
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MAKOMO runs through an ancient Tropical Jungle - a strange
cacophony of animal & bird cries |
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| SOPHIA |
Africa ! The true Eden ! Cradle of humanity ! Mother to
us all! Run, Makomo! North ! Run North ! Follow the Star and run like the
wind! |
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The tropical jungle leads to the City, aching with choking
traffic and
screaming sirens |
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| SOPHIA |
Hear the hate, see the pain, feel the anger burn your brain.
Let the concrete pound your feet, so that soon we all can eat! |
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From the dark we hear the NEWSBOY |
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| NEWSBOY |
Read all about it ! Man Murders Future ! Read all about
it! |
| SOPHIA |
A pot, a pot, I need a pot, a great, big cooking pot! |
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MAKOMO finally stops, rings an imaginary DOORBELL -
ding dong!
He waits, head lowered, panting hard. SOPHIA observes from the shadows.
HENRY NORTH, fifties, English, answers the imaginary door. |
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| HENRY |
Makomo ! My dear fellow, what a splendid surprise ! How
nice to see you! |
| MAKOMO |
... please ... please, Mr North. |
| HENRY |
Steady on, old chap, whatever is it? |
| MAKOMO |
I beg you, we need ... we need to borrow the pot. |
| HENRY |
Pot, pot ? What pot ? |
| MAKOMO |
The cooking pot, the giant cooking pot. |
| HENRY |
The giant cooking pot ? But you've nothing to put in it.
You can't possibly need one that big ! |
| MAKOMO |
A woman, an old woman ... she promise to feed us all, everyone,
the entire Village. |
| HENRY |
Everyone ? |
| MAKOMO |
Everyone. Even the poor. She even promises to feed the
poor. |
| HENRY |
Good lord ... |
| MAKOMO |
Isn't it wonderful ? |
| HENRY |
Fantastic. |
| MAKOMO |
But as you very much know, Henry, our pot, it is extremely
small. |
| HENRY |
Ah, yes, right, I see the problem. Yes, well, you'd better
come in then. |
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HENRY closes an imaginary door as clock tinkles the
eleventh hour |
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| HENRY |
The whole Village, eh ? That's certainly a turn up! |
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We hear MARTHA NORTH, forties, American, off |
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| MARTHA |
(off) Henry ! |
| HENRY |
God's sake - quickly, wipe your feet. |
| MARTHA |
(off) Henry, who is it ? |
| HENRY |
It's all right, darling - only Makomo. Quick, quick - the
pot's through there. |
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As they tip-toe off, MARTHA approaches |
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| MARTHA |
Makomo! My dear - how nice of you to visit us ! |
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| MAKOMO |
Mrs North ... |
| MARTHA |
Mmm ... aren't you a darling ? Isn't he a darling, darling
? |
| HENRY |
Yes, darling. |
| MARTHA |
So what have you brought us today, hm ? Something real
special, I bet ? |
| MAKOMO |
Mrs North - |
| MARTHA |
Something real scrumptious and tasty, hm ? |
| MAKOMO |
Mrs North - |
| MARTHA |
God, am I hungry ! I could die for a hamburger ! Or maybe
a steak, some succulent, tender - |
| MAKOMO |
Mrs North - |
| MARTHA |
... or perhaps even a nice, juicy - |
| MAKOMO |
Mrs North, please, this is not why I am here. |
| HENRY |
Darling, he hasn't brought any food, he's here to - |
| MARTHA |
Hasn't brought food ? |
| HENRY |
He's here to borrow the - |
| MARTHA |
What do you mean - he hasn't brought food ? Goddam, he
owes us! |
| MAKOMO |
Mrs North, forgive me, but I can bring you no more food.
Please understand we cannot even feed ourselves. |
| MARTHA |
You think we don't have problems ? You think we don't have
plenty hungry and homeless ? A deal's a deal, Makomo, and you people owe
us a whole heap of money. So either you pay with food, or I send in the
boys to kick ass, starting with yours. Okay ? Savvy ? |
| HENRY |
I think what my wife actually means - |
| MARTHA |
Henry ... |
| HENRY |
Yes, darling ? |
| MARTHA |
Shut it. |
| HENRY |
But darling, surely there's no need to be quite so - |
| MARTHA |
I said shut it. Makomo - hey, come on, why so sad ? These
are hard times for all of us. Do you realise, I personally, myself personally
- I have not eaten a bite since breakfast? |
| HENRY |
But darling, that's what I'm trying to tell you - we're
all going to have soup. |
| MARTHA |
... soup ? |
| HENRY |
Isn't it marvellous ? |
| MARTHA |
I don't want goddam soup ! I want hamburger! |
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HENRY & MAKOMO start to tiptoe away ... |
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| MARTHA |
... hamburger with french fries and onion and pickle and
where the hell do you think you're going ? |
| HENRY |
To, er ... to help Makomo with the pot, dearest. |
| MARTHA |
The hell you are. |
| HENRY |
Darling, be reasonable - no pot, no soup. |
| MARTHA |
Got it in one, Henry. Seems like we have ourselves a monopoly
situation here. So tell me, Makomo - what's in it for us? |
| MAKOMO |
You will have a share of the soup. |
| MARTHA |
Sure we will - so how big a share ? |
| MAKOMO |
A fair share - the same as everyone else. |
| MARTHA |
The same ? The same as everyone else ? Now what kind of
commie crap is that, Makomo ? Everyone else don't have a cooking-pot, do
they ? |
| MAKOMO |
You would profit from starving people? |
| MARTHA |
Hey, easy - let's not get sentimental here. This is honest-to-goodness
fair-trade. You prefer we insult you with charity ? Hey, come on - don't
you think I feel bad about this ? Normally you could have it, course you
could, no question, but times are hard, these are hard times. |
| HENRY |
We're all up against it, old chum. Believe me, it's dog
eat dog. And after all it is our pot, and as much as we'd like to oblige,
we all have to recognise - |
| MARTHA |
Henry ? |
| HENRY |
Yes, darling ? |
| MARTHA |
Shut it. |
| HENRY |
Yes, darling. |
| MARTHA |
So Makomo - what's the deal, hm ? Exactly how big a fair
share? |
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An angry DRUMBEAT builds to climax |
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In Black, more DRUMBEATS & African CRIES of celebration |
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Lights rise on the Village where a pile of wood is being
assembled |
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MAKOMO returns with the giant COOKING POT carried by
several excited Villagers. SOPHIA greets them ... |
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| SOPHIA |
Well done, Makomo, this is a fine pot. With such a pot
I can feed us all. |
| MAKOMO |
Woman, this soup had better be good. They bargained hard,
I had to sell my children's future. |
| SOPHIA |
My soup, it is the food of the gods ! I promise with their
blessing your children will be giants ! But first we must have fire ! |
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The VILLAGERS surround the POT with kindling. CAMILLA
& DOREEN approach, carrying wood ... |
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| SOPHIA |
More wood, more wood, bring me more wood ! |
| CAMILLA |
All right, all right ... |
| DOREEN |
Hold your horses ... |
| CAMILLA |
Keep your hair on. |
| DOREEN |
It don't grow on trees ... |
| CAMILLA |
Not anymore. |
| DOREEN |
We've trudged ten miles of sand carrying this lot. |
| CAMILLA |
Five miles there ... |
| DOREEN |
... five miles back. |
| SOPHIA |
More wood ! More wood! |
| DOREEN |
Each day further to fetch ... |
| CAMILLA |
Each day harder to find. |
| SOPHIA |
Burn ! Burn ! I want it hotter than hell! |
| DOREEN |
So when's this soup going to be ready, then ? |
| SOPHIA |
Patience my friends, soon you will have your reward. |
| VILLAGERS |
Bloop, bloop, bloop ... bloop, bloop, bloop, bloop .. bloop,
bloop ... bloop ... bloop, bloop... |
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As the water boils & bubbles, the VILLAGERS provide
an orchestrated
refrain of appropriate sound effects - a recurring set-piece, silly
& fun
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| SOPHIA |
See how it boils and bubbles, already the miracle begins. |
| VILLAGERS |
... bloop, blop, bloop, bloop... |
| SOPHIA |
I use an ancient recipe - fire, water, earth, and air. |
| DOREEN |
Earth ? |
| SOPHIA |
Quite right, my dear. How stupid of me ! I use no earth!
How can even I make stone soup without earth? |
| CAMILLA |
What soup ? |
| MAKOMO |
Stone soup ? |
| SOPHIA |
Stone soup, my favourite. |
| HANNAH |
You mean soup ... soup made with ... with stones? |
| SOPHIA |
Of course with stones. How else can I make stone soup? |
| CAMILLA |
A nutter, a stark, raving nutter. |
| SOPHIA |
It is delicious, I promise you will love it. |
| SHAMIR |
Crazy, crazy bitch - the sun has boiled your brain. |
| SOPHIA |
I swear to you, stone soup, it is the finest food in the
world ! |
| HANNAH |
Stupid, stupid woman - how can you be so cruel ? I am starving,
my children are starving, you promise ... you promise us all food, and
because you promise me, I promise my children. |
| AHMED |
You expect us to feed them stones ? |
| SOPHIA |
Children , all children, they love my soup. |
| DOREEN |
Silly old cow. |
| SOPHIA |
My soup will nourish their hearts and feast their souls. |
| MAKOMO |
You would give a starving child a stone ? |
| HANNAH |
It is all too sad. |
| AHMED |
I tell you, the spirits have sent her to mock our misery. |
| CAMILLA |
Dear oh dear, I like a nice drop of soup, an all. |
| HANNAH |
What fools we are. |
| MAKOMO |
Woman, you are my last hope. |
| SOPHIA |
Then believe. These are days of miracle and wonder. Even
as I speak a new world is struggling to be born. My friends, it is a new
beginning, the birth of a new age. So please, a little trust, hm ? Bring
me a stone ... all of you, bring me a nice, round, juicy stone. Why do
you stand like lost sheep? I need stones. How can I cook stone soup without
stones ? Please, a few stones ? What have you to lose? |
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AHMED picks up a stone, hands it to SOPHIA |
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| AHMED |
Very well. Here, woman - here is my stone. |
| SOPHIA |
And very nice too. |
| AHMED |
So now let me see you eat it. |
| SOPHIA |
Eat it ? |
| AHMED |
That's right - eat it. |
| SOPHIA |
You are a wise man, you have chosen well.This is a good
stone, a very good stone. This kind, you know, it is particularly succulent. |
| AHMED |
Then eat it. |
| SOPHIA |
(sniffing) Mmmm ... smell. So full of flavour, yes
? Almost like truffle. |
| AHMED |
So eat it. |
| SOPHIA |
No, no, no - it would not be right. |
| AHMED |
You crazy woman - I want to see you eat it ! |
| SOPHIA |
But my dear friend, remember - always I prefer to share. |
| AHMED |
Eat it ! Eat it ! Eat it I say ! Eat it, damn you! |
| SOPHIA |
All right, all right - no need to bite off my head. I will
eat the stone, relax, no problem. Only first .. . first, of course, it
must be cooked... |
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She drops the stone into the pot |
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| CHILD |
(as it falls into the pot) ... plop ... |
| SOPHIA |
Excellent. Now, who is to be next ? That's right, children,
don't be shy. |
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The CHILDREN pick up stones and rush to the pot |
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| CHILDREN |
... mine, mine ... take mine, take mine ... |