ENO MiniOperas - The Dark Actors\' Games
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Weapons Inspector
Reporter
Chorus
2 DAPGS ('Dark Actors Playing Games') (non-singing)
SCENE 1
(Chorus)
Stage is in darkness. The opening orchestral introduction is quiet, with unresolved dissonance. We hear the disembodied voices of the chorus in a quasi-Renaissance polyphony.
Chorus
Will men die while
We must deny
When mad dictators
Whose missiles deployed
Would murder defenceless
Women, men, daughters?
What major dissent
Won’t moderate direction?
Who makes decisions
Without majority decree?
Whitehouse mirrors decide,
Westminster mirrors deceive.
SCENE 2
(Aria)
Lights come up on the front part of the stage. There is an abstract seat on one side of the stage. Lighting suggests a wooded area with dappled shade. The Weapons Inspector comes on stage and walks over to the seat. At either side of the stage but towards the back, only visible as outline shapes, are the 2 DAPGs – they are dressed head to foot in black, including their faces. They do not interact with the scene, merely observe.
Weapons Inspector
I was the fall-guy.
I was the Fool.
They set me up,
They spat me out,
Those dark actors
Playing their games.
He sits on the seat, as the lights go down. The DAPGs move backwards into the darkness.
SCENE 3
(Solo and chorus)
Lights come up on the rest of the stage (but remain down on the area where the Weapons Inspector is seated). We now see the chorus, who are at the back. Most are dressed in neutral-coloured clothes, except for:-
• 1 general in formal military uniform with a lot of medal ribbons
• 1 soldier dressed in full combat gear
• 1 pilot dressed in full pilot gear with helmet
• 1 Christian Bishop
• 1 Muslim Imam
• 1 Rabbi
• 3 Men in formal suits (MPs)
• 1 Woman in formal ‘suit’ (MP)
• 1 female reporter with microphone
• 1 cameraman with video camera
• 1 Paparazzo with camera
• A couple of young very fashionably dressed individuals (could be film/TV/pop stars or z-list wannabes)
• 3 women – with buggies
At the start of the scene all of the chorus are reading newspapers (tabloid and broadsheet), which hide their faces.
The 2 DAPGs have interspersed themselves in the chorus. They are ‘reading’ broadsheet newspapers which hide their faces and upper body. These 2 keep their papers up throughout the scene (until the end).
The Reporter enters. He is wearing an ill-kept suit, with ‘lazy’ tie, top button undone. There is a swagger to him, a confidence that believes he knows what is right. The music is up-tempo, perhaps a cross between the style of Escamilio’s aria (Carmen), and an American Gospel/Evangelist preacher. Throughout this scene the chorus lower their newspapers to sing their lines then immediately raise the newspapers again.
Reporter
We must disclose,
We will expose
Corruption, scandal and lies.
Chorus
Lies.
Reporter
The press must be free,
The public’ll then see
That truth liberates their lives.
Chorus
Lives.
Reporter
We’ll give you your feed,
We’ll pander your need,
We’ll satisfy all of your craving.
Chorus
Our craving.
Reporter
We’ll lay bare MPs
Who conserve cash like thieves.
And business who’re tax misbehaving.
Chorus
Misbehaving
Reporter
We’ll see wealthy bankers
Who almost sank us,
Cock snoot at your petty cash losses.
Chorus
The tossers!
Reporter
Our glorious leaders
Who’ll cobble to mislead us,
We’ll magnify all their deceit.
Chorus
Magnify!
Reporter
We’ll magnify all their deceit
Chorus
Magnify!
Reporter
Their deceit.
Chorus
(they gradually start reading their newspapers again as they sing the four words)
Magnify! Magnify! Magnify! Magnify!
As the lights go down on the chorus they are all reading their newspapers again, except for the DAPGs who now lower their newspapers.
The reporter moves over to where the Weapons Inspector is sitting, which has now transformed into a Bistro. The DAPGs move from their current position embedded in the chorus, over to become serving staff in the Bistro.
Reporter
(cynically – at chorus’s gullibility)
And we’ll do it our way….
(As he walks over, he takes out his mobile phone, dials a number and listens)
SCENE 4
(Duet)
(This scene is purely orchestral – there is no singing)
The scene is a Bistro. Weapons Inspector is sitting at a table. There are a number of people standing at the counter, and a couple of people who enter during the scene. The DAPGs are serving behind the counter. While they serve the customers they also watch the scene between the Weapons Inspector and the Reporter. The reporter enters and sits down at Weapons Inspector’s table. They shake hands. The Reporter takes out a notebook and places it on the table, along with his mobile.
. A ‘conversation’ ensues.
At the end of the meeting, Weapons Inspector gets up and leaves. One of the DAPGs follows him.
The reporter sits back, smug at getting the info he wanted.
The lights go down.
SCENE 5
(Chorus and soloists)
The lights come up. In the centre of the stage are 4 swivel-seats. The 4 MPs from the chorus come forward and sit on the seats – They represent the Foreign Affairs Committee. The reporter swivels round on his seat (from Scene 4) and faces the MPs. On the opposite side, the Weapons Inspector comes in and sits on a seat, also facing the MPs. The MPs have masks on the backs of their heads, so that the Weapons Inspector and Reporter are always looking at a ‘face’.
The chorus can be seen at the back. Half of the chorus are in darkness, half are in light. The half in light are the general public viewing the proceedings. The DAPGs are visible amongst the chorus in the light.
(The MPs lines are sung by the chorus who are in the dark, as well as the 4 on the Committee)
MPs
(facing Reporter)
Who was your source?
Reporter
I won’t reveal
My sources to you.
MPs
(turn to face Weapons Inspector)
Were you his source?
Weapons Inspector
I met him twice.
MPs
Were you his source?!
Weapons Inspector
I may have been.
MPs
(turn to face Reporter)
Was he your source?
Reporter
He may have been…
MPs
He was your source!
Reporter
I won’t reveal
My sources to you.
MPs
(2 face Reporter, 2 face Weapons Inspector)
We are the high court
Of Parliament.
There will be
No cover-ups here.
Reporter
I would not lie to you. Weapons Inspector
I do not lie to you.
MPs
Was the dossier souped up?
Reporter
It was.
Weapons Inspector
I don’t know.
Reporter
By Camp…
Weapons Inspector
I don’t know.
MPs
(to Reporter)
You have misled us
With curveball claims.
You have annoyed us
With your intent to defame.
Reporter
(to MPs)
You have misread me,
I stand by my claims.
What I say is true,
I stand by that truth.
MPs
(to Weapons Inspector)
You’re a Marionette,
Plucked by dark hands.
You are a puppet
Thrown to the wolves.
Weapons Inspector
(to MPs)
I accept what happened.
I accept the process
The lights go down. There is a short, but fast and agitated orchestral interlude.
This ‘fades’ into the tone of Scene 6
SCENE 6
(Aria)
Lights come up on Weapons Inspector and immediate area. We are back in the woodland that we saw in Scene 2. He walks over to the seat and sits. The spotlight on him flickers erratically.
Weapons Inspector
Was I right
To have spoken?
Is the threat
Worth the cost?
Will the truth
Unchain the risk?
Will my disquiet
Enhance my guilt?
Will this be my potter’s field?
SCENE 7
(Orchestral Epilogue)
The lighting reduces so that only the spot where Weapons Inspector is sitting is lit.
The chorus can just be seen at the back of the stage, but only as shapes.
Throughout the scene the chorus leave the stage – melt away.
Weapons Inspector is alone on the stage facing the audience.
From the back of the stage the 2 DAPGs appear. One is carrying a bottle of water plus some pills in blister pack (only a few of the pills are still unused in the packs). The other DAPG is carrying a pruning knife, which he opens as he walks down towards Weapons Inspector. The DAPGs place their objects either side of him then move off either side of the stage. They stop just off stage where low-slung lights cast their respective shadows towards where the Weapons Inspector is sitting.
All the lights slowly go down so that the Weapons Inspector is left as a silhouetted figure, as the music ends.
(Copyright © 2012 David Stowell)
A PDF copy of this script is available at: 'The Dark Actors' Games PDF'
'The Dark Actors' Games PDF'
David Stowell on Twitter: @dstowd
