The Messiah by Patrick Barlow

Author:Patrick Barlow [Barlow, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788501293
Publisher: Nick Hern Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

ACT TWO

Music: Overture.

Stage – general

Enter MAURICE and RONALD. RONALD signals offstage. Same as Act One.

Music cuts.

MAURICE. And now, ladies and gentlemen – Ronald and myself take great pleasure in commencing our second act – or ‘Act Two’ – by presenting – in person – our special guest star here tonight, as we was hopin’ to do at the commentcement of our afore-performed ‘Act One’. Ladies and gentlemen – Mrs Leonora Fflyte.

Music: fanfare.

Enter MRS F.

MRS F. Thank you, thank you.

MAURICE. Thank you.

RONALD. Thank you.

MAURICE. Thank you. Her illustrious career has seen her doin’ the singin’ in many famous opera houses and many other – houses also. Playin’ the fulmost gamut of mighty operatic roles, includin’ Carmen, Tosca, Brunhilde, Rigoletto, The Merry Widow, Widow Twanky. But now it is now our great privilege to invite –

RONALD. Mrs F –

MAURICE. Mrs F to lead the company in one of the loveliest arias –

MRS F. It’s not an aria.

RONALD. He doesn’t know his arias from his elbow, Mrs F.

MAURICE. – ever penned by our musical inspiration for our show here tonight – Johann Sebastian Handel.

MRS F. ‘For Unto Us a Child is Born’! Which shall be sung algusto vivace tutti.

RONALD. Wh’she sayin?

MAURICE. I have no idea.

MAURICE and RONALD exit.

MRS F. Two and three and –

Song 3: Handel, ‘For Unto Us a Child is Born’

For unto us a child is born –

MAURICE and RONALD dance in and sing beside her.

ALL.

Unto us, a child is born, unto us a son is given – (Etc.)

And the government shall be upon His shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

They bow. MRS F takes the applause. She bows and curtsies.

Curtsies. MAURICE bows. RONALD curtsies. MAURICE and RONALD exit. MRS F takes centre-stage.

MRS F. And so it was Joseph setteth Mary upon the donkey and verily didst they travel through many days and many nights unto Bethlehem.

MRS F returns to her chair.

Music: Road to Bethlehem.

Enter MARY sitting on the imaginary donkey. JOSEPH leading her. They travel across the stage. MRS F watches from her chair.

JOSEPH. Are you alright, Mary? On the donkey?

MARY. I’m okay.

JOSEPH. Comfy?

MARY. The baby’s kicking a bit.

JOSEPH. Another precipitous hairpin coming up, sorry.

They manoeuvre the hairpin. MARY hangs on.

Don’t look down!

MARY (looks over a cliff). Oh!

JOSEPH. Alright?

MARY. Is it much further?

JOSEPH. Erm – a little bit further yes.

MARY. How much further?

JOSEPH. Sorry?

MARY. How much further?

JOSEPH. Would you like a little rest now?

MARY. How much further?!

JOSEPH. Three hundred and ninety-one miles.

MARY. Three hun– oh no! I can’t stand it. It’s been miles and miles and miles!

JOSEPH. We’ll have a little rest now.

MARY. Take me down from the donkey, Joseph!

JOSEPH pulls up the donkey, helps MARY down.

Be careful!

JOSEPH. I am being careful.

JOSEPH leads the donkey to a member of the audience.

Excuse me. Will you hold the donkey please? Thank you.

MARY. He’s called Parsley. You can stroke him if you want. Not there.

(Sighs.) I got to have a sit-down, Joseph! I’m exhausted!

JOSEPH.

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