Sag the mu - Libretto

ACT ll

Songs

01 Abductee (Field/Williams)
02 Ordinary Stars (Field/Wardle)
03 On The Beach (Dean/Lost Highway/Field)
04 Cowboy Song (Dean/Lost Highway)
05 Old Dog (Dean/Field/Wardle)
06 Free Will (Field/Wardle)
07 Kurtsong (Dean/Field/Wardle)
08 1 in U (Field/Wardle)
09 The Hippy Song (Field/Dean)
10 Mother Ship (Wardle/Lost Highway)
11 Rupture Rapture (Field/Dean)
13 No religion (Wardle/Lost Highway)

Cast
The Sagittarian (female)
Girl (male)1
Girl (male) 2
Kurt the Barman
Jim the Old Timer
Chancer/ Fundamentalist
Hippy
Reverend Nigel

We are on a beach. Sound of waves, there is sand. A silvery light (the moon) illuminates a figure in jeans and a white T shirt, bearing the Sag logo, Stage Right. He is performing the ‘Shaolin Archer’

He bows in the direction of the audience,

< Start the skew and funky beat of SONG:Abductee. Fade harmonica. >

and begins to walk slowly across to stage Left, apparently deep in thought, recalling, trying to piece things together.

When he reaches centre stage, he turns to face the audience and addresses them with this song

< Song: ABDUCTEE. D///D///G///C/// >

I was walking – on the beach – in the middle of the night,
Picking my way through the rocks and silvery light.
I wanted a U.F.O. to take me away,
To take me away for a thousand year day.

I want to be an abductee,
To be free – super naturally.
Starlight – in my brain,
Starlight in my vein.

Like a bubble in a bottle – I’m trapped on Earth with its restless lies,
I’m cracking up – I wanna fizz, I wanna vaporise – dematerialise.

Strange tendrils sink in my brain,
Water me with cosmic rain.
Fling me into the sky,
Fly like I don’t have to try.

As the Earth’s heart begins to break - I am seduced by the shimmering stars,
Milky Way signals hypnotise – Sirius, Saturn, moons of mars.

The Tragic blue light of Earth fades, a cold cell dying cold and alone.
This is reason to leave immediately through the frail veil of ozone.

Weird force – force field around my face – stolen away from all that pain,
A voice said, “Never look back again, if you do you’re sure to loose pace.”

< The gentle flute section of SONG:Abductee.
Dm//////Gm//Am//A#//Dm///// >

Sag sits Centre stage, during the instrumental. He assumes the lotus position.

The light, which up to then has been a silvery spotlight – the moon- begins to change and become more diffuse - day is breaking.

As the light gets brighter, we see a billboard behind him at centre[advertising some product] NEW FOR 2014 and Stage left, two girls, giggling and looking at a magazine together.

The Sag slowly stands singing :
All shook up from the quantum dance,
I raved a rainbow trance.
Me the soul was floating free,
Home at last in Zero gravity.

Then declaiming in so fervent a way that we fear for his sanity:

Astral surfing on solar winds – Earth angel sailing through the void.
Buzzing like a pinball in the heavenly mind.
Human electron – living asteroid
Sucked to the centre of an imploded star.
You weigh a billion tons, no matter who you are.

Lights down stage left in readiness for scene change to bar

A sudden vortex makes you lighter than light,
Flashing like a firework in the everlasting night.
Re-tuned by golden laser beams,
That radiate from crystal streams.
I could go back and forth in time,
Relativity – is just a nursery rhyme

Turning to a minimal streak of spectral dust and gas,
The light of my head fused with all the light of space.

Begin now to construct the bar stage right.

My body dissolved and disappeared without a trace.
Stars fire like nerves in a mega brain.
I hear music, ecstatic music,
Music of the spheres.

The two girls have had half an eye on him, but are more interested in their trashy magazine. They now look up at him and then at each other with a look of concerned amusement.

Sag suddenly realises there are other people there.

Girls:
Are you alright?

Sag (polite, friendly): Yes-yes. Sorry! I was lost in the stars.

Girls:
Us too (giggle)
Girl 1: (Reading)
It says. “You are currently at your most charming and witty. Take any opportunity to make new friends today and you will find that you are at the centre of everything that is happening.”

Girl 2: (takes magazine, reads):
And mine says, “You are quick witted and humorous with a powerful attraction to the opposite sex. Get ready for big changes. Today is going to be full of fun and excitement.” Coo, Maybe we’ll see some dolphins!

< Section of SONG:Abductee. (spoken) >

Sag [dreamily]:
Why read your stars, when you’ve got stars in your face,
Whispering of the future in your ears.
I see the specks of light, with which I see,
To be the specks of light from unborn galaxies.
When you’re lit up with the inner fire,
The universe itself is the messiah.

Girl 2:
Whatever. (Both giggle) So what’s your sign then?

Sag:
Sagittarius.

Both girls grab the magazine and pore over it. The Sag sits down in the sand with them.

Sag (eagerly):
Well, what does it say?

Girls with big knowing smiles begin to sway on their bums knocking the Sag slightly off balance and sing.

< Song: Ordinary Stars. (g)>

You’re so ordinary,
You’re so plain
But you have the power to bring the sun out in the rain

Sag is smiling politely at the silly song but the tune begins to awaken a memory. He struggles to recall from where and how he knows this song.

You might have a mission
That is incomplete
You can bring the best out in the people that you meet

You need to get out more
And make some proper friends
You can’t know all you want to know
Until your story ends!

Girl 1:
Oh yeah, and it says ‘Expect a pat on the back for work you have done.’

Sag:
Wait a minute, now I remember! That’s what they said before I went away.

Sag looks towards the heavens and the girls look at him for a few moments.

< Begin sea sound on harmonica. Continue through the dialogue. >

Girl 1:
Been away but you’re back now.

Girl 2:
Do you come from around here, then?

Sag:
Well I came from around here. His answer surprises him. But with increasing confidence he continues: from right here, as a matter of fact, (points to the ground) from the sand, from the earth.

Girl 2 (making as if to dig):
Oooh, any more like you in there, is there?

Sag :
No, I mean I left this place and went to other worlds. I saw things that I can’t describe and understood things without understanding anything. But something pulled me back. It was the sound of the sea and the rhythm of the Earth that is here. Can you hear it?

They all strain to listen as gentle harmonica chords continue. Continues through the dialogue.

Girl 1:
Yeah. It is a nice place, here. We like it.

Girl 2 :
No need to go anywhere.

Girl 1:
Why would you want to?

Girl 2:
We’ve got everything we could possibly wish for, right here on the beach.

< Drum intro, stop sea sound and begin Song: On the Beach (D) >

Everything’s in easy reach
Now we’re sitting here on this beach
Got marooned a while ago
Since then things have travelled kind of slow

See them palm trees that sway around
That’s where you’ll find us here on the ground
See the vast and shining sea
All we got to wonder is what’s for tea

There are fruit and nuts and fish
See them here on a palm-leaf dish
Sometimes in a night of storm
We’ve got our monkeys to keep us warm

We haven’t ventured far inland
There might be things to understand
Everything’s in easy reach
When we’re sitting here on the beach.

Sag applauds, grinning.

Girl 1:
So, the stars say you need to get out more…

Girl 2: (Looking Sag up and down lewdly)
Yes, and they say that I am powerfully attractive to you (puckers lips and flutters false eyelashes)

Sag stands sharply, uncomfortable and embarrassed by Girl 2’s implication.

Girl 1:
Are you off to the beach bar then?

Sag:
Yes yes. Where is it again? The girls are delighted with his discomfort, and, smiling, point the way to the bar.

Sag:
Oh yes of course. Goodbye.

The girls watch him exit stage left.
Girl 2 [calling]:
Mine’s a Wicked!

All lights down. Then lights up stage right, revealing the counter of the beach bar. Behind the bar, Kurt, the barman twists a dirty tea towel around the inside of a glass. He also has a glass of his own, which he fills and empties frequently.

At the extreme end (stage right) of the bar is Jim, an Old Timer, or someone who fancies himself as one. He wears Western clothes (as in Country and Western), has a cowboy hat, chews tobacco and is, in every way a cliché. He is slouched against the bar with a drink in his hand, half facing the door.

The Sag stands inside the bar room, having come through green door from back stage. He looks around as one with déjà vu. He then notices Jim, who has been staring at him since he entered. Finally their eyes meet. The Sag maintains a steady gaze, but does not move. Jim puts his drink down, stands away from the bar, now facing the Sag and assumes the classic gunfight pose.

< A High Noon or Good Bad and Ugly note.>

The Sag simply stands until he suddenly appears to understand that a reaction is required from him. Awkwardly, he puts up both his hands and in a self-conscious attempt at cowboy talk says:

Sag:
I give in. I’ve hung up my guns. What are we fighting for?

Jim gives Sag a look of bitter disappointment and goes back to his drink, turning his back. Sag lowers his arms and looks lost.
<Start Cowboy Song. While focus is on Jim and Sag, rest of scenery and props are moved to form the other half of the bar. >

Jim:
So you been away and came back with a new attitude, eh? Well, some of us like things they way they are, the way they always used to be, back before the time of climate change and global meltdown and pandemics. Some of us just want the old things, like cowboys you can trust.

Jim pulls out a harmonica and begins to play.

Cowboy Song (G)

I wanna hear those cowboy songs
About the outlaw trail
And think about the girl who’s left behind
And how we’re bound for glory
And the lone coyote’s wail
Come sit down here beside me – I don’t mind
Jim turns and looks at the Sag, indicating the vacant stool next to him, as he sings the last line. Sag moves to the bar, smiling now, as he begins to remember his feelings for this old friend.

Let’s listen to Hank Williams
As I’m drinking here alone
Singing, you can never count the cost
And sometimes desperate measures
Can get down to the bone
Reminding you you’re never really lost
Sag joins in the chorus:

Oh! Good old country tune
Beneath this paper moon
Give me hope and give me one more beer
Maybe she’ll come along
Just like in the song
But if she don’t, I will not shed a tear.
While this has been happening, the lights have come up all over the stage, revealing the rest of the barroom. People are sitting at tables, talking in low tones. They nod or grunt towards the Sag (‘All right, mate?’) showing that he is known here. Among them is The Chancer. The Chancer wears a white shirt and expensive strides and plenty of bling. He observes others in the bar with an eye that suggests that he knows what he is looking for. He begins to watch the Sag and Jim intently, perhaps tapping his foot or clicking his fingers to the tune. When the ‘Cowboy Song’ has finished, he stands up, raises his glass and exclaims,

Chancer:
Yeah, Grandpa, you’re telling the truth. No tears, no surrender, no mercy!
With that he leaps up onto the table, or some other high place on stage, and sings:

Song: Old Dog (Am)

Keys in my pocket
And I don’t give a fuck
I went out like a rocket
And came back like a duck.

There seems to be a pattern
Maybe I need a clue
I’m going to roll another fat ‘un
And sink another brew.

I went to the doctor
I should’ve gone to the vet
Because the doctor told me,
There’s life in my old dog yet.

I’m going to have to watch him
I got a feeling soon
We’re both going to be howling
At that old full moon.

Abandoned howling followed by abandoned instrumental in which everyone in the bar begins dancing.

Then the girls sing:

Come on out old dog
Bring the Beastie out
We want to see the Beast!
Show us how you bring that Beastie out!
Show us the Beastie!

Chancer leaps from a table, and with a girl on either side sings:
Keys in my pocket
And I don’t give a fuck
I went out like a rocket
But I came back with a duck!

Howooooooolll!

Chancer howls, girls quack.

Sag:
Yeah, and sometimes it's just nice to be at home without howling and quacking. Do you know what I mean? Home's the best place to open your door.

Chancer:
Yeah, to get out! (general laughter)
Jim: Last time I went home, I found out I'd moved! (more laughter)

Girl 1:
Our grandma always said, home is where your heart is.
Chancer (guffawing): So how come your grandma left one of her hearts in the hospital?

Hippy:
And the one she's got now doesn't even belong to her! (Thigh slapping, hollering and cackling)

Girl 1(apparently upset):
Stop it! You leave our grandma alone. She's a good woman. She told me I would always be happy, and she was right.

Girl 2:
And when I was little she told me I was going to grow up to be beautiful. And she was right! (Preens, Stands, and heaves obviously artificial bosom) (laughter)

Chancer:
And she told me I was gonna get syphilis if I tried that again! And she was right! (Raucous laughter)

< exaggerate glass bang with snare drum beat >

Sag (Slams glass on bar creating immediate silence):
What are you doing? She asked you to stop! Why do you disrespect other people? Do you have nothing better to do?

Chancer:
Oh Sag, are you taking offence? Nobody means any harm. We’re just having a good time.

Hippy:
We’re just..
All apart from the Sag say:
Exercising our free will!

Song: Free Will

Hippy:
Exercising my free will
Sniff that powder, drop that pill
Destroy myself for one more thrill
Exercising my free will

Kurt:
I’ve been working here for years
Deep in debt and rent arrears
My wife left in floods of tears
Exercising her free will

Chancer:
Got two kids I never see
They sold my car and my TV
I’m so glad they’re just like me
Exercising their free will

Jim:
Don’t you touch my cowboy hat
Last guy did, I knocked him flat
Then shot his dog and maimed his cat
Exercising my free will

Hippy:
I like it here, don’t need work
Leave that to some other jerk
But there’s one thing I will not shirk
That’s -

All:
Exercising our free will!

The Sag, who has been watching during the Song with a kind expression on his face now opens his arms to the whole bar and says,

Sag:
Now I remember! I’ve seen things.

Girl 1:
A rubber band

Girl 2:
A sausage stand

Sag:
I saw that we are everything and everywhere. I saw that being human is not the important thing to remember. What we are is much greater than that! We are Earthling! And that makes it simple.

There is stunned silence throughout the Sag’s little speech. Muffled titters are heard. Girls giggle and exchange glances.

Kurt [sarcastically]:
Simple, oh yes, much simpler.

Jim:
Only thing simple around here is you, Sag. What the hell do you mean, being human ain’t the important thing? It’s the only thing stopping me from plugging you right now.

Sag:
No Jim, it means that you don’t have to worry about doing anything or exercising anything. We are Earthling, so we can just BE.

Hippy [aside to the audience]:
He said simple, man, he didn’t say ‘easy’.

Sag [appealing to whole bar]:
Don’t you see that this is it? We can all carry on sleepwalking or we can wake up and BE THERE. We don’t have to wait any longer to realise our rightful place in the Universe. Or we can keep doing the same old thing. Come in here tired and leave asleep.

Kurt:
Looks like you’ve still got a problem with your memory. [Turns to rest of people in bar]
Has anyone else forgotten how ‘asleep’ he used to get?

The Chancer:
Yeah, I’ve never seen anybody asleep who could dance like he did.

Jim:
Or drink. All that being asleep must’ve given him a powerful thirst! [laughter]

Kurt:
Yeah, you remember that certain time of night, don’t you? When all the troubles that you came in with float back out of the door

Hippy:
Ah, like Castaneda, man! It’s non – ordinary! (draws deeply on bong or other obvious tool of smoking)

As Hippy speaks, Kurt moves round from the back of the bar and fills Sag’s glass. He moves on to the rest of the bar and sings as he moves around the tables, either refilling glasses from a bottle of spirits, or drinking from the glasses himself,

Song: Kurtsong (E)

There comes a certain time of night
When we forget the rules.
When worthy thoughts and self-restraint
Are the ways of fools.

When we forget together
And mayhem does ensue…

We see through our disguises,
And know what we should do.
Drink Vodka, schnapps, mescal and gin
To strip us to the skin.

Are you prepared to give it a spin
And leave the skin you think you’re in?

There comes a certain time of night
When we bite through the chain
When we proceed with all due haste
To where there is no pain.

And when we all go together
Behind this old green door…

Things get loose and easy,
And we all cry for more.
Vodka, rum, tequila and gin
Saves us from the grim.

So don't stay outside, come on back in
And leave that certain place your in.
Cause we don't think you've fixed it round here.
No we don't think you've fixed it 'round here.

As Kurt passes the Sag, he slaps him adroitly across the back. The force of the slap propels Kurt back behind the bar and makes him let go of the bottle, which rolls on the floor.

There is a brief moment of absolute silence in which Kurt sways and blinks, wide eyed. His face, which until that point has held a resolutely hard-bitten expression, is suddenly split by an enormous smile.

Sag: (Laughing) Did he smile? Did he smile? You see! He just stopped trying to understand and discovered he knew without understanding!

[Laughter – and a general lightening of the mood at this point.] During this conversation, Kurt, still smiling beatifically, has returned to his tea towel (now delightfully clean); he is a benign presence.

Hippy, sitting at a table with the Jim, shouts across:
And is knowing a good thing?

Sag [at bar]:
Not if you’re worried about the truth of what you think you know.

Jim [muttering]:
Oh God! Now Weird Boy and Wonder Boy are talking about knowing! I need another beer.

Jim reaches for his empty bottle and moves slowly towards the bar, singing in a kind of humorous stage whisper to the rest of the bar:

Give me strength
To listen to this bull
It’s easier to ignore him
When your glass is full
Your glass is full

As Jim passes the Sag, the Sag raises his right hand and slaps him adroitly across the back. The OT’s empty bottle spins across the floor. Jim staggers, looks bewilderedly at the Sag and breaks out into a warm smile.

Sag:
The one in me is the one in you.

Girl 2 slaps Chancer round the face. Chancer falls forward, Sag slaps him adroitly as he passes and he too breaks into smiles.

< with the slap the strong and striding beat of SONG:One in you begins >

Sag moves to where others are sitting and slaps both girls and Hippy on the back, beginning to sing as he does so.

Sag begins to chant and is quickly joined by [the rest of the cast].

Chant: 1 in U (Cm)
The one in me
Is the one in you
The one in you
Is the one in me

The one in me
Is the one in you
The one in you
Is the one in me

The Spirit tells us that it's true
That the one in me is like the one in you

The squid and the mollusc in the great green sea
Know the one in them is like the one in me

The one in me
Is the one in you
The one in you
Is the one in me

The eagle in the sky and the moth know too
That the one in them is like the one in you

The frog, the beetle and the honeybee
Know the one in them is like the one in me

Only humans play the game
That they’re all different when we’re just the same

Other creatures know from birth
That they are children of Mother Earth

We are Earthling! Earthling! Earthling!

At the end of this song, the cast fall back into their chairs, blissed out, smiling broadly.

Sag:
That’s what happened! (Speaking as if to himself, recalling)

All shook up from the quantum dance,
I raved a rainbow trance.
Me the soul was floating free,
Home at last in Zero gravity.

Hippy addressing Sag: Am I mistaken, man, or did you just say, ‘a rainbow trance’? Sag nods
Oh wow. Man, you know what that means? It means the end to all bad things! Is the rainbow trance here, Sag, man? Can we get hold of it yet?

Sag:
You bet we can!

Song: The Hippy Song (G C Am D F)

I’ve been waiting for this day
Since back in ‘67
From the vision that I had
When they raised us up to heaven
To the ship that fills the sky
Full of whole new ways of being
In that vision that I had
I believed what I was seeing.

So sign me up and tell me where
To wait for their arrival
I guess that I should qualify
As a tribute to survival
Cos I’ve been hanging on for this
Despite defeats and sorrow
A way to give some peace a chance
So see you there tomorrow.

The Chancer [quizzically to barman]:
What’s he talking about?

Kurt:
He’s talking about the spaceship coming to take us to a better place.

The Chancer:
Is that right Sag? Are you telling us there’s some kind of spaceship coming?

Sag:
That’s right. The brothers and sisters from the stars are here to help us move on.

Kurt:
Move on where?

Sag:
To where everything you’ve been asking for is waiting.

Jim:
I ain’t been asking for nothing.

Sag:
Oh yes you have. There’s a whole universe of stuff you’ve been thinking about, Jim, and it’s time to put down your cowboy guns and pick up the life you really want.

Chancer:
And who exactly is he going to pick this up from? Who has what he really wants?

Sag: Ha! Chancer. You know where. You’re just not telling us yet.
Sisters [all loved up and raving]: The Source of course! The Source!

Girl 2 [getting carried away]:
Saucy! Ooh Saucy!

Sag:
All we’ve got to do is cooperate with our own desire.
Jim: What the hell’s that supposed to mean?

Sag:
It just means that you have to be willing to face what you want, because it’s waiting for you out there.[points to green door]

The Chancer:
I’m not sure about this. What’s the catch?

Sag [reluctantly at first, but with increasing fervour]:
Well, OK, there is a catch. You won’t be able to moan any more; you won’t be able to feel sorry for yourself any more; you won’t be able to think that you’re not worthy or that you’re too good for this world. But in return, you get to be the Creator. [Feverishly,to whole bar]Are you with me?

Song: Mother Ship ( A D E )

I know we’re gonna be there when the Mother Ship comes in
And we won’t be paying no fare, when the Mother Ship comes in
We’re gonna open that door and step outside,
Beam on up and then we’ll ride!
We’ll all get high and never die
When the Mother Ship comes in.

(People begin to get up from the tables there’s some pushing and shoving in their eagerness to get to the ship)

There’s no need to rush or hurry when the Mother Ship comes in.
There’s an end to strife and worry when the Mother Ship comes in.
There’s room for all in tens and twelves
We’ll step on board and be our a-leen selves
We’ll all get high and never die
When the Mother Ship comes in.

We won’t need no map or bearing when the Mother Ship comes in
Cos now we’re all past caring when the Mother Ship comes in
Wherever we are it’ll do just fine
We’ll be right in place and right on time
We’ll all get high and never die
When the Mother Ship comes in.

They all exit the bar stage left as they sing this song (conga like) walk behind the backdrop out of sight of the audience and reappear across the stage (right) where The Mother Ship has landed and where the door now stands with its golden light. We see the company conga’ing through the door (into the ship) still singing, We’ll all get high and never die.. There is the sound of the ship departing and all goes black. Door disappears.

Spotlight on a lone figure ‘The Fundamentalist. centre stage. He carries a gun in one hand and a heavy book (the Bible) in the other. He is looking upwards. He turns to the audience as he begins to sing

Song: Rupture Rapture

There’s a rupture in my rapture
I’m still on the ground
Jesus said he’d take me up on high
My faith is fundamental
And my beliefs are sound
So why are all them freaks up in the sky?

I saw them all get taken up
The deviant and weird
Beamed on up to join the angel band
And though we sang and prayed
And though we wept and cheered
They left us with our bibles in our hands.

He raises the gun to his head. But at that very moment, a robed figure (The Reverend) leaps from back stage and cries,

Reverend:
Hold on, Brother! There’s no cause for that! (Fundamentalist lowers gun) That’s it, Brother; let’s have a little faith. Tell me, do you believe in the one true way?

Fundamentalist:
Yes I do!

Reverend:
And do you believe that all other ways are mistaken?

Fundamentalist:
Yes, Sir! There is only one path to paradise.

Reverend:
You truly believe this?

Fundamentalist :
Yes sir, I truly do!

Reverend:
Then you’ve been SINNING! Son, you’ve lost your way. Time you found another one. Let me tell you something..

Song: Ain’t No Religion

Now you can shout it out
You can stand or kneel
Clap your hands
Do what you feel
But listen up brother, cos here is the deal
There ain’t no, No No No!
Ain’t no, No No No!
There ain’t no religion when you’re gone

You can talk real loud
Or be meek and mild
Act old and wise
Or be like a child
But the Master Plan is really wild
Cos there ain’t no, No No No!
Ain’t no, No No No!
There ain’t no religion when you’re gone

What is religion?
Who is it for?
Is it good for you?
Or does it lead to war?
Here’s an answer to even the score
Ain’t no religion when you’re gone!

The Mother Ship door reappears stage right and from it pour forth the whole company, singing as they exit, a glorious, extended ho-down finale chorus in which there are embraces and hugs for all – even the Fundamentalist. Then, still singing, they all return through the door. The Fundamentalist follows them but hesitates just outside, as the followers in Act 1 did. This time, however, a hand appears from inside and pulls him in. With the ‘Religion’ tune still playing, the ship ‘takes off’.

Curtain down FIN