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Thunk
by Lendren Starfall
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SCENE Five: The stage is bare apart from five dark-skinned children in the
center. The cheerful strains of birdsong fill the air.

PROP Siblings4 (Five): Only one of the five children is depicted by an actor.
The other four, two boys and two girls who look very similar, are cunningly
fashioned props, dolls linked together by boards the same colour as the stage
boards and able to be moved together in a coordinated dance.

ROLE Child (M): a dark-skinned child

COSTUME ChildCostume (Child): Barely old enough to walk and talk, this
dark-skinned child is full of merriment and in constant motion with the energy
of youth. Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make up his simple, unadorned
trousers and tunic, almost blending in with his skin. The only splash of colour
is his vibrant green eyes, twinkling with energy.

Child: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT Q1 (6): The curtain rises on a stage bare except for five young
children, three boys and two girls, siblings by the look of it, frozen in a
moment of time in the midst of some merry game.

EFFECT Q2 (6): As if unfrozen, the children resume their game, frolicking
mirthfully. The air is full of cheerful birdsong.

EFFECT Thunk (9): THUNK.

Child: falters in his play and looks around for a moment, his actions mirrored
by his siblings, then shrugs and returns to their play.

ROLE Mother (F): a matronly, hurried elfen woman

COSTUME MotherCostume (Mother): Pleasantly round and characterized by a
dimple-filled smile, this woman radiates compassion and love. Her pale cream
dress is covered with a rumpled apron, smudged with the detritus of a busy
everyday life. Despite her apparent reserves of patience, she moves in a
constant bustle, always in a hurry to tend to some other chore.

Mother: ENTER bustles in hurriedly and smiles warmly at the children.

Child: Hello, Mother! Come play with us!

Mother: (pausing to give the children quick kisses on the cheek) No time!
There's too much to do, to keep up with all of you. But I love you all.

Child: We love you too, Mother!

Mother: EXIT hurries offstage on some urgent chore.

EFFECT Time (12): A shimmer crosses the stage full of the colours of the
seasons passing, the oranges of autumn, crystal white of winter, pale greens of
spring, and the lush golds of summer.

SCENE Three: The stage is bare apart from three dark-skinned youths in the
center. The cheerful strains of birdsong fill the air.

PROP Siblings2 (Three): Only one of the three children is depicted by an actor.
The other two, a boy and a girl who look very similar, are cunningly fashioned
props, dolls linked together by boards the same colour as the stage boards and
able to be moved together in a coordinated dance.

ROLE Boy (M): a dark-skinned young boy

COSTUME BoyCostume (Boy): A bit older but still a child, this boy is a bundle
of unrestrained energy. Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make up his simple,
unadorned trousers and tunic, almost blending in with his skin. The only splash
of colour is his vibrant green eyes, twinkling with excitement.

EFFECT Thunk

EFFECT Q3 (6): The children, older now and numbering only three, pause in their
dance to look around curiously at the sound.

Mother: ENTER strolls in hurriedly, looking the children over with motherly
concern.

Boy: Hello, mother. We miss our brother and sister.

Mother: Of course you do, but you must not weep. There will be more time for me
to spend with each of you.

Boy: We won't weep more than a little, mother.

Mother: (brushing out the children's hair with her fingers hurriedly) That's
good. I love you all.

Mother: EXIT hurries off, moving impossibly fast.

EFFECT Time

SCENE Bare: The stage is bare.

ROLE Youth (M): a dark-skinned youth

COSTUME YouthCostume (Youth): Now at that awkward age between childhood and the
blossom of adulthood, this boy is a jumble of elbows, gangly and clumsy yet
enthusiastic. Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make up his simple, unadorned
trousers and tunic, almost blending in with his skin. The only splash of colour
is his vibrant green eyes, twinkling with promise.

EFFECT Thunk

Youth: frowns thoughtfully at the sound before resuming his games, now alone on
the stage.

Mother: ENTER trundles in, moving slower than before but still remarkably
quick, and hurries to the youth to offer him a hug.

Youth: I miss my brothers and sisters, mother, but you're here so I'm never
alone.

Mother: I love you dearly. We are bonded closer than ever now, for as long as
we live. Now play in the sunlight so you can grow big and strong.

Youth: One day I will be tall and mighty, and make you proud of me, mother!

Mother: I'm sure you will, dear.

Youth: begins to sing quietly, in tune with the birds.

Mother: EXIT hurries away, looking fondly over her shoulder at the youth.

EFFECT Time

ROLE YoungMan (M): a dark-skinned young man

COSTUME YoungManCostume (YoungMan): Coming into his maturity by fits and
starts, this boy still has some of the energy of his youth, never unmoving.
Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make up his simple, unadorned trousers and
tunic, almost blending in with his skin. The only splash of colour is his
vibrant green eyes, twinkling with life.

EFFECT Thunk

YoungMan: stumbles slightly and tilts his head, straining to hear the source of
the sound.

ROLE Female (F): a green-skinned faeling lass

COSTUME FemaleCostume (Female): Though her pale green skin and darker green
wings are more reminiscent of a moth than a butterfly, this faeling lass is not
at all drab, simply less flamboyant. Her brown eyes twinkle with merriment and
her cerulean gown flutters readily with her every movement.

Female: ENTER darts onto the stage and twirls happily around the young man,
sharing a smile with him characteristic of old friends, then looks over her
shoulder at the direction she came.

ROLE Male (M): a tall, slender faeling lad

COSTUME MaleCostume (Male): Taller than most of his kind, this faeling lad is
still tiny compared to most. His wings are of variegated shades from light to
dark, contrasting with his simple slate gray robes. He flutters with a curious
mix of mirth and solemnity.

Male: ENTER hurries in after the girl and looks around, in pursuit, then races
towards the faeling lass with an easy laugh, offering a cordial nod to the
brown-skinned young man as he does.

Male, to Female: There you are, you tease.

Female, to Male: (with a flirty laugh) A girl only runs to make sure a boy will
chase.

Male, to Female: (holding out a shiny bauble to the girl) I've chased enough!
Will you be mine?

YoungMan: smiles benevolently at his friends, towering over their small forms.

Female, to Male: (with a happy gasp of elation) Oh, yes, I will!

Female: EXIT takes the trinket and links her arm with her betrothed, leading
him off stage in a merry gambol.

Male: EXIT waves cheerfully to the dark-skinned young man as he leaves.

EFFECT Time

ROLE Man (M): a dark-skinned man

COSTUME ManCostume (Man): Comfortably settled into his adulthood, this
dark-skinned man still has a hint of his youthful energy in his constant motion.
Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make up his simple, unadorned trousers and
tunic, almost blending in with his skin. The only splash of colour is his
vibrant green eyes, twinkling with maturity.

EFFECT Thunk

Man: (looking around in concern) What *is* that confounded sound?

EFFECT Q4 (6): The cheery song of birds quiets somewhat, turned to a twittering
of alarm, as the wind rises with an eerie whistle.

Man: (hunkering down) Storm coming.

EFFECT Q5 (6): The light dims as the air fills with rain and wind, causing the
creaking of straining branches.

Man: pulls in on himself defensively, crouching as if to grip the ground.

EFFECT Q6 (6): The forest rings with the rending crack of shattered trees and
thundering crashes.

Man: (wincing at the sound) A terrible storm, but I see a hint of sunlight
through the clouds.

EFFECT Q7 (6): The storm slowly abates, the wind's whistling replaced with the
returning songs of the birds.

EFFECT Time

ROLE Older (M): a dark-skinned older man

COSTUME OlderCostume (Older): Beginning to gray with age, this man moves slowly
and carefully now, but there is enough memory of his youth that he still moves,
still seems hale and healthy. Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make up his
simple, unadorned trousers and tunic, almost blending in with his skin. The only
splash of colour is his vibrant green eyes, twinkling with wisdom.

EFFECT Thunk

Older: starts as if with pain at the sound, then blinks to clear his eyes and
his confusion.

Older: (firmly) This is no day for pain or annoying noises.

Male: ENTER strides in, his solemnity barely concealing his joy, and strides to
a spot just before the dark-skinned man, offering him the friendly smile of old
friends.

Female: ENTER comes in slowly, happy and a little shy, as she moves to take a
place beside her lover, casting a bright smile like sunshine on the dark-skinned
man towering over the faelings.

Male, to Female: Hold out your hand, my love, that our lives might be bound
together forever.

Female, to Male: (holding her hand out) I swear myself to your side in all
things, my love.

Male: loops a cord woven from vines around her wrist and his, binding them to
one another.

Male, to Female: I swear myself to your side in all things, my love.

Older: smiles benevolently at the couple, silent and solemn but satisfied.

Male: EXIT takes his wife's hand in his own and leads her merrily into the
distance.

Female: EXIT SILENT

EFFECT Time

ROLE Elderly (M): a dark-skinned elderly man

COSTUME ElderlyCostume (Elderly): Though still bearing himself tall and
straight with refined vigor, this dark-skinned man is clearly showing signs of
his advanced age, shot through with gray. Rough, crude fabric of dark brown make
up his simple, unadorned trousers and tunic, almost blending in with his skin.
The only splash of colour is his vibrant green eyes, twinkling with
satisfaction.

EFFECT Thunk

Elderly: winces at the sound, flinching as if in pain.

Mother: ENTER rushes to the elderly man's side. Though she looks little older,
and he is clearly an old man, she still looks at him as a mother looks on a
child.

Elderly, to Mother: What is that terrible sound, mother? It hurts.

Mother, to Elderly: Don't worry, my dear, defenders are on their way.

EFFECT Thunk

Elderly: doubles over in pain, crying out sharply.

Mother: (turning to yell angrily off-stage) Don't you wretches have anything
better to do than cut down my trees?

Elderly, to Mother: I had a strange dream, mother, in which my whole life
played out before my eyes. I don't think I can take much more.

Mother, to Elderly: (with a tear in her eyes) Don't worry, my dear, all will be
well. I am so proud of you.

EFFECT Thunk

Elderly: crumples to the ground, clutching himself in agony.

Mother, to Elderly: (stroking his brow) I love you, dear.

Elderly, to Mother: I love you too, mother.

EFFECT Thunk

EFFECT Q8 (6): The thundering crash of a tree reverberates through the forest.

EFFECT Q9 (6): The sound of birdsong falls silent.

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Produced in association with the Seeds of Change Repertory Company.

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