THE ELEVENTH CHALLENGE:
Race, Gender, income inequality,
pollution, healthcare, immigration. Pick an issue that was a big deal to you in
the last election.
Now, write a sex scene that
challenges you.
Sex, like nudity, only is
effective on stage when it’s amplifying something else. It makes it more raw,
vulnerable, grotesque, powerful.
Sex also can reverse the normal
moral codes- aka perversion.
Some aspect needs to be
pornographic meaning arousing to the audience.
Some aspect needs to be absolutely
wrenching
Figure out your own climax, but
it should NOT be a physical sexual climax.
Play with power inequities. Play
with consent. Have fun. Enjoy your naughty self.
(I’m very much
looking forward to doing this one. But
for now, on with the post-war puppet show)
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO) escorts the LUCIUS and IACHIMO
puppets away, along with ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis) and ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS).
However, ACTOR 2 and ACTRESS 2 have to
quickly/awkwardly double back for an impromptu family reunion.
So ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis) has the LUCIUS and
IACHIMO puppets shoved into her hands and has to escort herself off to the
dungeon.
Then ACTOR 2 reanimates the BELARIUS puppet on his
arm and ACTRESS 2 reanimates the GUIDERIUS puppet on her arm and they join -
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE) and ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS) to
catch up on twenty years or so of exposition.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
I
thank you for your help in our time of need, strange forest-dwelling citizens.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
It
was nothing really, your majesty. We
enjoy fighting.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
I
was curious about the whole "though wronged and driven into exile"
thing?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
About
that. Funny story. I actually used to work for you, here in the
palace.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Really?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
You
did?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Really. I did.
And while I was in your employ, someone else on the staff stole some
priceless baubles from your royal collection.
But they framed me for the deed.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Really?
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
They
did.
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Really. They did.
And your Highness, I'm sad to say, believed those who besmirched my good
name. And so you banished me.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Really?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
He
did?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Really. He did.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
And
you don't remember any of this, your majesty?
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
I
banish so many people. It's honestly
hard to keep track. I'm sure it's in a
ledger somewhere. How long ago was this?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Twenty
years.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Twenty
years?! Well, I feel a little better
that it wasn't on the tip of my tongue.
That is a while.
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Yes,
it was quite a while. But there's more
to the story.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Really?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
There
is?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Really. There is.
This is the funny bit, really.
You see, I was so very mad about the damage done to my good name, and
the fact that after my many years of faithful service your majesty did not
believe my protestations of innocence that - well, I thought - on my way off
into exile - why not really steal something?
You know, might as well do what everyone was accusing me of anyway. Actually commit a crime to fit the unjust
punishment that had been inflicted upon me.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
What
did you take?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Your
two infant sons.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
Really?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Wait
a minute.
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
And
I raised them as if they were my own sons.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
You
did what?!
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
They
think their names are -
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Cadwal.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
And
Polydore.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
But
your names are actually Arviragus and Guiderius!
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Which
one of us is - ?
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
You're
Arviragus, he's Guiderius.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
Why
would you name us that?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
(to BELARIUS)
Why
would you steal us away from our family?!
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
(he remembers)
Belarius.
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Yes,
my lord.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
So,
you didn't steal anything from me originally - ?
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
No,
my lord.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
But
then you stole his two infant boys?!
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Yes,
but you have to understand, Cadwal -
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Don't
call me that! It isn't my real
name. You're not my real father. My whole life has been one big lie - and
you're the one who told me that lie!
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Yes.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
How
can I ever trust you again?
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Arviragus.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
What? Oh right, that's me now.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Did
Belarius ever mistreat you?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
No.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Did
he raise you both to be strong men of good character?
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
Yes.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
And
when your country was in need; when I, your father, was in need, though Belrius
knew it would be dangerous for himself, he still led you into battle against the
invaders to save me?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
and
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
Yes.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Belarius,
when the battle was won, you could have left quickly, denied me my sons, and
denied my sons their birthright. But
instead you chose to stay, and to tell the truth.
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
Yes,
my lord.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
(to ARVIRAGUS and GUIDERIUS)
Boys
- I should not call you boys, for you are men.
And I cannot call you my sons, for I barely know you.
You
may feel you have cause to be angry at Belarius. That is something you must resolve among the
three of you. And resolve it you should.
For
I have great cause to be angry at Belarius, and yet I am not. He was a father to you when I could not be.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
But
that was because of what he did! He
stole us from you!
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
And
he has also brought you back to me.
So
I will not spoil this reunion. I will
not punish the man who has been your father.
That would only harm you as well as him.
And I will need his help in learning about the boys you have been, and
the men you have become. If it meet his
wishes, he shall live here in the palace with us, not as a servant, but as an
advisor.
ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS,
puppet)
That
is more than I deserve, my lord, and all that I could ask.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
The
first thing you two princes should know is that you have a younger sister. Until today, she was the sole hope of the
future of our kingdom. How I wish that
you could meet her. But I fear I treated
her harshly, and she has disappeared, somewhere outside these palace walls.
ACTOR 2 drops his puppet arm to become PISANIO.
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Your
majesty?
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Yes
- ?
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE) can't remember Pisanio's name
either.
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Pisanio,
your majesty.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Pisanio.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS) is clearly smitten.
So is ACTOR 2 (PISANIO).
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE) tries to get the conversation
back on track.
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
You
had something to say, Pisanio? Some
useful information for us?
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
My
name is -
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS) isn't used to his new name yet
and has forgotten.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS, puppet), seeing his brother's
newfound infatuation, helps him out.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
Arviragus.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Arviragus. My name is Arviragus. Pisano.
ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS,
puppet)
He's
a prince.
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)'s hopes are temporarily dashed -
the man's out of his league.
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Oh.
ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
(hastening to explain)
But
it's very recent.
Until
yesterday I lived in the woods.
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
(maybe there's hope after all)
Oh!
ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Pisanio?
ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Oh! Yes, your majesty. My apologies.
You had mentioned your daughter.
I believe I know where she is.
It's kind of a long story, but she's currently dressed as a boy and
locked up in the dungeon. You may want
to rethink some of those executions.
(to be continued)
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