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CHILDREN'S PLAYS

Frog Wife

FULL-LENGTH PLAYS

Crusoe

Moby Dick

The Last Bird

The Cord

They Came by Night

SHORT (TILT) PLAYS

Geronimo

I Want to Get Into You

Marg

The Invitation

THE LAST BIRD

An excerpt from the play by Keith Johnstone.

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(A repressive society conducts a colonial war.)

Cripples (SONG) Every man is faaaated.
To be educaaaated!
You must be,
The same as me!
That's why we're creaaaated

First (HAPPY) That was such a party.

Second We got one of those kids from the amusement arcade....

Third Stuck his legs though the railings, tied his feet to a truck....

COLLAPSE INTO HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER. BILL ENTERS, ON CRUTCHES. HE
GRADUALLY GETS MORE CRIPPLED?

First 'Ere you!

Bill Yeah?

Second Are you a cripple?

Bill Of course I'm a cripple!

THIRD CRIPPLE HAS HOLD OF HIM AND KEEPS SAYING "YES, THAT'S RIGHT! WE
BELIEVE YOU! THERE! THERE! YES, THAT'S RIGHT! WE BELIEVE YOU..." ETC.,
WHILE STROKING HIM AND BRUSHING HIM DOWN AND SOOTHING HIM.

First A cripple are you! Watch him! This one'll probably run like a
hare!

Bill How can I run with this leg?

Second You aren't really a cripple!

Bill Don't be stupid.

First (THREATENING) Who's stupid!

Bill Well you just have to look at me!

Second We do look at you, don't we boys? And sometimes you limp with
one leg, and sometimes with the other.

Bill You bloody liar!

Second And sometimes your spine's all twisted, and sometimes it isn't!

Bill You've mistaken me for somebody else!

First Where were you broken then?

Bill In a Church!

Second What Church?

Bill All Saints!

Third Rubbish!

Bill I got certificates!

HE'S TRIES TO GET PAPERS OUT AS THEY DRAG HIM DOWN.

First Certificates! Anyone can have certificates!

THEY'RE GROPING AT HIM VIOLENTLY.

Bill You've no right to touch me! No don't! Hay! They're mine!

THEY RIP UP HIS PAPERS. MAYBE THEY HAVE AN OIL DRUM (WITH A FAN IN
THE BOTTOM AND CLOTH FLAMES). THE PIECES OF PAPER COULD BE THROWN IN
AND WOULD BE BLOWN UP INTO THE AIR)..

Second No right! Doesn't every citizen have to be crippled as his
parents were crippled! Doesn't each generation have to be smashed so
as not to outstrip the last! You fucking coward! You were scared of
the breaking and your Mother hid you! You thought the real cripples
wouldn't know the difference! Well we're making good and sure of you!

Bill No, don't! Please! Help! Help me! Help!

First Tear his eyes out!

Second Twist his balls off!

Bill (SCREAMING) Don't break me! For Christ's sake! Aughhhh!

First You see, he's no cripple!

AS THEY BREAK HIM WE HEAR LOUD SNAPPING SOUNDS - MAYBE HE HAS STICKS
HIDDEN IN HIS CLOTHING (OR MAYBE THE PROMPTER DOES IT). THEY LEAVE HIM
MOANING AND GASPING AS THEY GO HAPPILY AWAY, LAUGHING AND SINGING.

(IN THE DISTANCE) Every man is fated.
To be educated!
You must be,
The same as me!
Freedom's over rated!

# # #

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