Sag the mu - Libretto

Act 1

It is a dark time in Earth's history.

The people are despairing. The privileged few continue to demand more and more from the many who have nothing left to give. No one is free from the yoke of tyranny, except the tyrants themselves. Life is hard and then you die. There is nothing to hope for, except that God grants the grace to live long enough to have children.

Songs

01 If Only (Field/Wardle)
02 3Rs (Field/Wardle)
03 Is That It? (Field/Wardle)
04 So Ordinary (Field/Wardle)
05 3Rs (Harmonics) (Field/Wardle)
06 Blackguards (Field/Wardle)
07 Smoking Soil (Field/Wardle)
08 Mothership Nigh (Field/Wardle)
09 Sailing for Paradise (Field/Wardle)
10 Meltdown (Field/Wardle)
11 Star Trekking (Field/Wardle)
12 Reach Us (Field/Wardle)

Cast (No Role is gender bound)

The Sagittarian
Girl 1
Girl 2
Old woman villager /follower 1
Old man villager / follower 2
Villager/follower 3
Villager/follower 4
Captain Crisps Vegetables

[2 girls wander among the audience, prior to curtain up]

Opens with two peasant girls stage right, apparently picking potatoes. They carry baskets in which they place their meagre harvest.

Stage left is lit only by a fire burning in an iron brazier. Around the fire we can make out [4] hunched or sleeping figures. This is the village.

_______________

First girl:[sighs heavily]
Oh, Sister, can things get any worse than they are? The Baron does what he likes.

Second girl: [also sighing]
Poor father! Taken by the Baron in our place.

First girl:
Poor mother!

< music begins quite C to F. repeat till dialogue cues the start >

Second girl: [sobs]
Oh, our poor brother! Taken by the Baron with the other boys.
Now there are so few of us left in the village. We have no hope of refusing any demand from the Castle.

First girl:
It is useless to resist. There is no one left to fight for us. No one strong enough to overthrow the Baron. If only those stories about the Sagittarian were true!

Song, If Only [ C F - C A F G ]
Second girl: [beginning to smile] [Sings]:
If only
If only

First girl joins in:
If only
If only
If o-oanly

[One girl]
In this life
Where every day's the same
You lose your heart
And then you lose your name
You lose your name

[Other girl]
In this life
Where all is pain and dread
You lose your dream
Because all dreams are dead
All dreams are dead

[Both]
But they say there is one
Who spreads hope through the land
He speaks in a gentle tongue
That all can understand
That all can understand

If only
If only
If only
If only

The sisters, still singing, pick up their baskets and begin walking towards the fire. As they do, lights come up stage left. The villagers begin to wander aimlessly around the fire, humming and singing as they go: If only, If only…..

If only he would teach us,
So we could truly see
No good can ever reach us,
Until our minds are free!
Our minds are free!

The spotlight moves to the villagers, their eyes raised heavenward, as if in supplication. Behind them, caught at the edge of the spotlight at the back of the stage, we see a figure dressed in the same drab garb as the rest of the villagers, but something about his bearing and the way he moves and the fact that he carries a bow tells us that this is the Sagittarian!

Unaware of his presence behind them, they sing:

If only we could find him
Standing at our door
His logic would be blinding
And we'd have hope once more.
Have hope once more.

< instrumental, improvised lead "wig out", on C A F G part >

The villagers walk round the well, trance like.

The Sag, meanwhile, has begun to walk towards the well, a broad smile on his face, his arms outstretched in a gesture of friendship and benignity.

Over the unrelenting instrumental he sings,
I am here!
Friends,
I am here!

However, none but the audience seem to notice him and the If onlys and aimless wandering continue until the Sag's outstretched arm unwittingly collides with an old man, who stares in amazement at the Sagittarian and then, in anguish exclaims,

Old Man Villager:
Wait! There is a stranger among us!

< make music silent simultaneous with the shout " Wait " >

The whole village take an indrawn breath. The Sag smiles his benign and guileless smile and sings gently,
Friends,
I am here!

This causes some sniggering. The mood is ugly.

Old Woman Villager:
'Friends I am here?' Who do you think you are? Look at you, dressed like us. You're not the Sagittarian. Sagiturdian, maybe!
[Mocking laughter]

< begin music quietly, F B >

Sag:[Also laughing, but gently and melodically against the villagers' cacophony]
Friends, I am dressed like you because I am of you. I am no different to you and I have no special power, but I believe that we can all make our lives better than they are.

First or second girl:
Let him speak! Let us hear what he has to say!

< music correct loudness for the Sag >

All 4 villagers and two girls [pushing to be near the front] surround the Sag, and usher him centre stage where they wait for him to talk to them. Someone brings a low stool.

The Sagittarian then addresses the gathered villagers. He sings:

SONG: 3Rs [ F B ]

Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!

If you try hard enough, then you will succeed
Seek within to overcome tyranny and greed.
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!

You need no one but yourself; in yourself believe
Life provides three wondrous acts: reveal, rejoice, receive.
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!

Keep believing, neighbours, now is all the time you need
To wake up, to rejoice and thereby succeed!
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!
Reveal! Rejoice! Receive!

[start music to "is that it" quiet, cycle C A F G while the villagers grumble, song start cue from villagers]
Although the Two Girls are clearly enraptured by the Sag, the others are not. They mutter that he is no different to them… who does he think he is…he's got nothing new to say…he doesn't even look like a Sagittarian…etc

They sing:
Song, Is That It? [ tune of If Only ]
Is that it?
We've waited all this time
And the only thing he brought for us
Was a fancy little rhyme
A fancy rhyme

Is that it?
He's the reason for the fuss?
He thinks he's really special
But he's just like one of us
Like one of us

Is that it?
I'd heard he was messiah
But nothing that he said tonight
Has set my soul on fire
My soul on fire.

If only
If only
If only
If only….if only

The villagers drift away stage left; leaving the Sag alone, centre stage on a low stool. However, stage right, we see the two sisters.

First girl:
Why do you stay here instead of going home with the others?

Second girl:
Why do you? Could it be, Sister, that you hoped to see him smile again [giggles]

< begin music quiet, So Ordinary, G C D G >
First girl [feigning disinterest]:
Nobody smiles in our village

Second girl:
Well, there is someone… Look there.

[She points to where the Sag is now doing his good night rituals, e.g. bowing towards the well, to the moon; saying thank you to the Earth for supporting him for another day; doing his affirmations, that kind of thing.]

First girl:
Oh him? I hardly noticed.

Second girl:
Nor did I.
[Both giggle and look at each other, < take cue from the music > then sing]

Song, So Ordinary [G C D G - ]

He's so ordinary
He's so plain
So why is it, sister, that we seek him out again?

He's no nobleman,
And he's no king
So why is it, sister, that we'd give him everything?

We'll follow him for ever
To where we want to be
He'll nurture us along the way
And teach us to be free.

He laughs openly
And then he smiles
That's why, sister, we would follow him for miles.

He has a purpose
And he walks so proud
That's why, sister, we're crying love out loud

We'll follow him for miles
Across the unknown land
Led by the truth that's in his eyes
And the wisdom at his hand.

_______________________________________________________________________

Scene Change. Lights down. The brazier is removed and replaced with a tree.

At front stage right, the Sag sits, cross-legged, smiling. Around him sit the two girls and four other followers.

< begin F drone/humming 3R's Harmonics version- no verse >

Sag:
Brothers and sisters, you have decided to join me as I travel. I have not asked for your allegiance, yet you give it to me freely. But you have left your villages and your homes behind. Be sure that you wish to travel this path with me.

For I believe in the old tales of Paradise, beyond the cares of this world, yet within the confines of our beautiful Earth! So I journey far and without any plan, knowing only that wherever I am is the place where everything will happen to me.

I bow to no man and ask none to bow to me. I am equal to anyone, and everyone is my equal.

I ask no one to follow me, except that they show me the way; in your company I seek only to learn the ways in which we are the same and to display the ways in which we are different. I do not ask you to believe what I believe, but I am not afraid to believe that I may become better than I am! We are Earthling! Blessed be our path to Paradise!

And now it is late and I am tired. Goodnight my friends. Do what your hearts tell you is right.

< begin to fade music >

He gets up, and slowly draws back his bowstring, turning as he does so in an elegant gesture. He then bows to the still seated group and exits across the stage left.

< silence, no music >

First girl:
My heart tells me to stay.

Second girl: [winking lewdly]
And mine too!

The two girls get up and also exit across the stage left.

< following line " What did he say " is cue to begin music, Play as normal 16 bar G etc. Quiet enough for actors to be heard >

Follower1 [turns to others]:
What did he say?

< following dialogue should pass at such a rate that it arrives with the music at the chorus >

Follower2:
I don't know, but I like it when he does that thing with his bow.

Follower 3:
There's something about him….

Follower 4:
I don't always understand him but I'll tell you, life is better when you're following him.

Follower 1:
Instead of fighting among ourselves.

Follower2:
Yeah, I was ready to throw stones at you when you wandered into our village with him.

Follower 3:
And we had a bit of a do, too, didn't we?

Follower 4:
My head still hurts from it, but we're not fighting no more.

They put their arms around each other's shoulders and sing the chorus
< each verse sung by a different follower >

Song, Blackguards [G…….G D C G - C G C A D G]

Chorus:
But now, now we are reunited
We follow he
Who will help us to be
Earthling,
Earthling and free!

For years I have felt worthless
Instead of joy, I felt pain
My day's toil,
Was working the soil
For somebody else's gain

Chorus:

I used to feel so helpless
Gelded and bound by my fear
I was blind
And feeble of mind
And torn away from those I loved dear

Chorus:

My family were starving
While the nobles took our meat
We paid their toll
But they laughed as they stole
And we had nothing to eat!

Chorus:

Our baron was a blackguard
He took our wives in the night
He had his way
And when night became day
He had them again out of spite

But now, now we are reunited
We follow he
Who will help us to be
Earthling,
Earthling and free!

< fade on G >

Lights dim, except for a single spotlight. It is the full moon, shining on the tree. Underneath the tree the two girls lie, asleep. Suddenly First Girl sits bolt upright, looks at the moon and screams.

Second girl [woken]:
What is it sister?

First girl:[Sobbing and agitated]
Look! [Points to moon] we are sleeping unsheltered under the full moon, and you know what Mother said would happen if we did that!

Second girl:[puts hand to mouth in sudden, horrified realisation]
Oh no! Are you ……?

First girl [feeling stomach, nods, sobs]:
I feel heavy with child.

Second girl :
Oh no! The Devil has put his spawn inside you!

First girl:
I knew that something was going to happen when I saw the fields on fire after sunrise, this morning!

Second girl:
God set the Earth on fire to show his anger!

First girl:
Because we should never have left the village. [Sobs.]

Second girl:
Better you had the Baron's baby than the Devil's!

First girl:
How could we have dreamt of freedom when there is nothing for us but the misery that we were born into?

Second girl:
And the misery that the Devil's child will be born into!

Both girls begin a wailing and lamenting that rouses the Sag from wherever he was sleeping. He enters stage left, looking concerned.

Sag:
Sisters! Calm yourselves. What is it?

< introduce music, Bm F# E C# >

Girls [sobbing and wailing and speaking over each other]:.. Full moon, devil's baby, fields on fire etc..

Gradually, the Sag's concerned expression softens into a smile. Taking one of their hands in each of his, he sings the song:

Song, Smoking Soil [ Bm F#m E C# D A ]

When smoke rises from the soil
Don't fear the wrath of God
It's just the action of the sun
Upon the fecund sod.

Don't fear the beating you might get
If you believe you're free
Are you not as noble born
As the Elder tree?

Let yourself remember
The prophecies of yore
The way will be familiar
It's the way it was before.

Don't fear that you are foolish
When you live in dreams
For that's the way it is revealed
That nothing's as it seems

In the opening of the day
Fear not the daily grind
You'll smash the yoke of ignorance
And free your mind!

Soon we'll be fulfilling
The prophecies of yore
The way will be familiar
It's the way it was before.

< continue music for phrase Bm F# E C# >

Second girl:
So there is no child of the Devil?

Sag:
Sleep, Sisters, sleep.

< finish phrase >

Scene change: Lights dim even further. The girls leave the stage [discreetly]. The moon disappears. The Sag is seen as a sleeping form, centre stage, spot lit.

< begin intro for 'Mothership Nigh >

Sag stirs in his sleep and, as the first words of the song are heard, he slowly gets up and dances.

Song, Mothership Nigh [Cm A# G# G D# ]

Tell the people who are waking
That the Mother Ship is nigh
There'll be no fear and quaking
When the Ship is in the sky

Just open your hearts,
And find the gold inside
Say farewell to toil
Let yourselves decide
Let yourselves decide

All Earthlings rise
To their given size
For the Mother Ship is nigh.

< continue music outro part >

Sag once again returns to sleep. Spotlight out.

< finish phrase >

Lights slowly come up again. The Sag sits up, stretches, rubs his eyes and then stands up.

Sag [aloud to himself]:
I am awake, I am here and yet the dream is still with me !
Sings or says:
Tell the people who are waking
That the Mother Ship is nigh.
[In awe and unutterable gratitude]
It is nearly time. Our journey to Earthling paradise will soon be complete. I must tell the others,
[loudly]
All Earthlings rise!

< begin music. D A D D A D >

Followers begin to appear sleepily from stage right and left, the Sag gestures them to gather round as he begins to sing:

Song: Sailing for Paradise [D A G B ] -this audio includes Meltdown.

Join me, chosen Brethren
Sister brethren, too
We're setting sail for Paradise
Where everything is new
Where everything is new.

Our ship is waiting for us
We'll go this very day
And we'll be proud to be the ones
Who showed everyone the way
Who showed everyone the way.

There's learning for the asking
And chances by the score
Don't be afraid to look within
And ask yourself for more
Just ask yourself for more.

< finish music, then a moments silent before dialogue >

Follower 1:
Are we really going on a ship?

Sag:
A ship like no other!

Follower2:
Where are we going? My brother's a sailor.

Sag [smiling]:
My friend, we are sailing beyond the edge of any chart that any mariner ever saw.

Follower3:
What will we do there?

Sag:
Only you can answer that question, brother [sister]

Follower4:
Why should we go?

Sag:
Brother, you are not 'should' upon by me. You know that I do not ask you to do anything other than to ask yourself. But I wish for the laying down of all burdens and for the understanding of every tongue, and so I welcome you all as my travelling companions.

Follower1:
Where is the ship?

Sag [points over the audience]

Followers shield their eyes and stare out across the audience for a long time - at least a minute-. Behind them, a large drape depicting the sun is pulled across the stage from left to right. Lights follow.

In twilight, followers turn and walk wearily away stage right, as if to bed.

The Sag sighs, walks slowly to stage front right, followed by the spotlight, looks pleadingly at the stars and sings the last verse:

Is there anybody out there
To hear this Earthling plea?
If you need a volunteer,
I'll be an abductee,
Let me be an abductee

As he sings the last word, he releases an arrow from his bow. Simultaneously lights go out stage right and stage left becomes illuminated by a bright golden light.

< atmospheric starship sounds >

We see it is the inside of the mother ship. We see an aluminium foil covered table, on which are set various things, including a reel-to-reel tape recorder and a teapot. Attached to the table is a large lever. Standing behind is Captain Crisps Vegetables, Commander of the Mother ship.

He is admiring himself in a large prism that is reflecting golden light everywhere.

Over the tannoy we hear Harsen, a subordinate.
< sci-fi intercom sound >

Harsen [the subordinate]:
Captain Vejetarbles! Captain Vejetarbles!

Crisps [sighing, annoyed]:
How many times, Harsen? How many times? It is Vegetables! Vegetables! But [pulling his Federation uniform] how could you possibly be able to pronounce it correctly? How many hours have you studied Earthling? Three thousand? Four thousand, maybe? Do you know how long I have studied Earthling, Harsen?

Harsen [irritated]
Yes, Captain. Sixty five thousand hours.

Crisps:
Sixty-five, Harsen, sixty-five! [Preens]. Winner of the Federation Uniform of the Year [tugs uniform in a Jean Luc Picard way]. I chose the name 'Vegetables' because even Earthlings pronounce it incorrectly: it is difficult. But not quite as difficult as my first name. [Laughs, rather strangely] Why don't you call me by my first name, Harsen?

Harsen [reluctantly]:
Captain Crispis.

Crisps [laughing, claps hands with childlike glee]:
You see! You see! It's Crisps! Ha! Ha! [Suddenly serious] Now, what do you want?

Harsen:
We need to make up time, Captain, we have been drifting aimlessly for days, and still we await your command to set a course for Earth to pick up the Earthlings who have woken. If we don't move soon, we could cause an anomaly in the spacetimecontinuum!

Crisps:
Harsen, do you know where and when we are going?

Harsen:
Yes, Captain, to Earth before the time of machines.

Crisps [thoughtfully]:
Before machines, eh? And have you ever been to Earth in that time, Harsen? Pre-shopping Earth, Pre Industrial Earth, Pre Electronic Earth, Pre Post Religious Earth, Harsen?

Harsen:
No, Captain, but we are dangerously close to losing invisibility!

Crisps [almost absently, as he returns to looking at his reflection in the prism]:
It doesn't matter if we are seen, because those who see us will think that we are an act of God. As a consequence, they will assume either that they are blessed or that they are doomed. It will never cross their minds that we are visitors from space-time. Yes, they may tell others, but the inescapable truth is, Harsen, that with nothing but their voices, they can't really spread it about. So I wouldn't worry about anomalies.

I'm going to stay on the holodeck for a short time, Harsen. Call me again in about half an hour.

Harsen :
But Captain..!

Crisps:
Half an hour, Harsen.

< sci-fi intercom sound > [Lights dim further.]

Crisps:
Ah Admiral. Let me see you in that little red dress. [Crisps pulls the lever,
< startrek transporter energise sound >
a mannequin in red dress is thrown onto the stage from rear]
< begin music. improvise on Em supporting the imploding meltdown of crisps. Droning sometimes harmonic, sometimes dissonant, sometimes roaring, sometimes minimal + FX >
Crisps sings

Song Meltdown Em
You make me feel just like Jean-Luc
Just like Jean-Luc
Flying above the sky.

[Alien Chorus]
That's high
That's high

Ambassador of all my dreams
All my dreams
Climb onto my silver ship and make it so

[Alien Chorus]
It is so
It is so

You're in my arms as we engage
As we engage
I ask, "How Star Trek am I?"

[Alien Chorus]
We lie
We lie
As the song fades out and the doll, deflated, is ejected, we hear Harsen's voice over the intercom.

Harsen:
Captain..

Crisps [utterly shagged]:
Yes Harsen, set your space-time controls for Earth.
[With a final tug at the uniform and an exaggerated Jean Luc gesture]:
Engage!

_________________________________________________________________________

The door [representing the Mother Ship] is wheeled on stage right. Golden light pours forth from it. Lights up stage left revealing the Followers, girls and Sag sitting round, looking bored. Sag sits with the rest of them, eyes downcast. He raises eyes briefly, then suddenly,

Sag [ecstatic, pointing]:
It is here! See, brothers and sisters, our ship is here! Come! Let us board into the light of a new tomorrow!

He begins to run toward the light, then stops and turns to see that his followers are not moving. He turns to them and exhorts them:

Sag:
Why do you wait? It is here! Come!

Follower 1:
Can we truly walk into the light?

Sag:
Take courage, Brothers and Sisters. Join me.

Follower 2:
Are we worthy?

Sag: [beginning to get irritated]
Are you worthy?! You are Earthling!!

Together the followers sing:

< all available voices sing this part except the Sag >

Song: Reach Us! [E]
Followers:
Reach us! Sagittarian
Teach us! Sagittarian
Help us to be who we may be

The followers do not move. The Sag is perplexed and frustrated, but still they do not move. In exasperation he sings:

Sag:
Teach you? I could not reach you!
There, ahead do you not see
The path to all eternity?

You need no torch
To find the light.
Allow yourselves
To do what's right!
You are not blind
But will not see
The path to all eternity!

Followers:

< again all available voices sing this part >

Reach us! Sagittarian
Teach us! Sagittarian
Help us to be who we really are
{ Sag voice over: }
This is important.
You must do as I ask.
We've come all this way and now we are there!
We are there!

Tentatively, but growing emboldened with every step, the followers begin to approach him. This fills the Sag with joy.

< all available voices sing under the Sag the following words as if trying to read the Sag's mouth. 6 beat bars >

1 Hoop 3 4 5 6 1 Strained 3 4 5 6
1 Horn 3 4 5 6 1 Chained 3 4 5 6
1 Howl 3 4 5 6 1 Howl 3 4 5 6
1 Wake 3 4 5 6 1 Fowl 3 4 5 6

With joy the Sag sings:

Let the hoop of hope turn unrestrained
May the horned beast remain unchained
To howl his awesome, desperate howl-
Wake up all creatures, fur and fowl!

< and again all available voices, same style as before under the Sag >

1 Night 3 4 5 6 1 Join 3 4 5 6
1 Find 3 4 5 6 1 Kin 3 4 5 6
1 Thor 3 4 5 6 1 Fin 3 4 5 6
1 Earth 3 4 5 6 1 Ling 3 4 5 6

For tonight is when we all join in
And find our long forgotten kin
With thorax, pincer, beak and fin
And state, 'We are all Earthling!'

Sag and Followers:
[We are] Earthling!
Earthling!
Earthling!
[Sag], Blessed be
Follow me

Assured that his companions are with him, he allows himself a moment of bravado. He steps into the light, then turns to face those behind him and sings:
I can show you things
That not even I have seen,
Introduce you to yourself,
Speak in a thousand tongues
And still say what I mean,

He turns and steps further into the light/through the door, so that he is no longer visible to the audience. He is blissfully unaware that behind him, his followers are hesitating and have not yet stepped over the threshold. We hear him sing in ecstasy,

They have come!
They have come!

< Sound of the mother ship taking off. A rising tone, up and up and off the scale >

The followers look at each other dully, then they too turn [stage left] and shamble off stage, singing almost too softly to be heard, the 'If Only' refrain.

END OF ACT 1

CURTAIN
INTERVAL