Send mail | Search site | Mary Celeste index
|
13 A World Away |
From Mary Celeste |
[Edward Lear gets up from his easel, his morning's work over; Barker 2 sneaks a look at his sketch-book and calls out in surprise to the Tourists and the rest of the assembled Crowd; he sings the same tune as at the outset of No 2]
Barker 2
You know the bloke oo's been sketchin' us 'ere
'E's bloomin' famous: 'is name's Edward Lear
Look where 'e's signed, dozens of times
'E's the bloomin' bloke that wrote them nonsense rhymes
[Applause for Lear from the Crowd; he acknowledges it modestly; various children press close to him]
Children
I like The Quangle Wangle's Hat
Children
I love The Owl and the Pussycat
Barker 2
Everybody knows 'e's as clever as 'ell:
Never would 'ave guessed that 'e could paint as well!
[Lear makes to return to his packing; Arthur is brought forward, pulling his wheeled ship toy; this has been his plaything since it was recovered from Mary Celeste by Deveau and Wright during No 4, No Survivors]
Tourists
Now see, Mr Lear, this is the Captain's son
that he left behind in the States
and his visit to Gibraltar hasn't been much fun
hearing nothing but dismal debates
Why doesn't he scream, why doesn't he shout
that he's orphaned and left all alone?
Can't you please say something that'll bring him out
he's a little boy lost, lost in a world of his own
[The musical build-up suggests a comic song; but what emerges is a slow, melancholy ballad as Lear addresses Arthur]
Lear
Well there was an old man
a traveller most of his days
and he painted the natural world as it honestly looks
But they said 'you mustn't blame us;
what you paint will not be famous --
the only world we want from you is in your nonsense books'
And it's always the same with anybody looking at the world
however simple the evidence shown
there is some they're selecting
and the rest they're rejecting:
all they're willing to see is a world of their own
[Suppressed outrage from the stuffier Tourists: packing his easel, Lear sadly comments on their theories]
Crowd {ad lib}
Stuff and nonsense!
Lear
All these differing views, just the one sad case
all the 'experts' vying for their turns
But all they want from the riddle is the big blank space
Just a canvas to colour in with their own concerns
[Vigorous self-defence from the Crowd]
Crowd
Not at all!
Deveau
Plain sailors have to know about health!
and we saw diseases on board
Owners 1&2
Ship-owners keep an eye on their wealth!
and we saw they did it for financial reward
Schliemann
if you were digging in search of a moral
you'd see empires ready to fall
Lear
and the whole wide world starts to bicker and quarrel
'bout who sees clearest of all
and it's always the same
[Barkers break in with something which they hope will clear the air]
Barkers
That's not the stuff your readers adore!
The little lad looks as sad as before
Crowd
Try a few jokes, think of some tricks:
Let him have a chuckle at some limericks!
[Lear prefers to play with Arthur and his ship; the Barkers chip in haltingly, with a tactlessly-improvised limerick]
Barker 1
I say I say I say I say ...
'ere's a simply 'ilarious jest
Barker 2
It's the riddle of Màrie Celeste:
Barker 1
ten days at least
Barker 2
she drifted due East
Barker 1
But everyone that sailed on 'er 'ad all gone West!
Tourists
Everyone that sailed on 'er 'ad all gone West!
[This amuses the Tourists hugely, but Lear tries to shelter Arthur from the Barkers' tactlessness; Arthur has been obliviously toying with his ship the whole time. Crowd is displeased by his exclusive rapport with Lear]
Lear
Well there was a young boy,
who hid in a world of his own
'cos a grown-up point of view seemed a perfect disgrace
But they said, "The boy's been saddled
with cares like the cares of an adult
so he ought to try and do as we do, and look the world in the face!"
[Lear addresses Arthur]
And it's always the same, with anything that they can't understand
like you and your ship, my pictures and me:
They will take what we've got here
make us something we're not here
so we fit in the picture that they want to see
Crowd {ad lib}
How dare you, Sir?
[Lear picks up a slide-viewer from the Barker's photo-paraphernalia, which was deposited near him, and looks through it at the embarrassed and irritated Crowd]
There's a camera slide that you goggle through
in the magic lantern of your mind
you can look wherever you like, and you see the one fixed view
and if others don't see it, tell 'em it's them that's blind
[Another burst of spirited self-defence from the Crowd]
Crowd
Not a bit of it!
Journalist
If you had been a struggling reporter
you'd have seen your very first scoop
Temperance League
Campaigning for a sober Gibraltar
we know that their story is a gift for our group
Missionary
And through the eyes of a travelling vicar
it's been the writing on the wall
Lear
and the whole wide world starts to quarrel and bicker
'bout who sees clearest of all
and it's always the same
[Lear's paraphernalia is now packed; he is about to offer Arthur a drink, preparing the Audience for the interval]
Lear
And there was a great crowd
all waiting for the end of a trial
and they felt it might be time to break for a snack
it was time to do some drinking
and find out what friends were thinking
but, no matter what the final verdict, when we all come back,
if the Captain's little son goes drifting on his own personal sea
a child is entitled to a world of his own
which we shouldn't begrudge him
and we'd better not judge him
as he isn't alone
[Lear takes Arthur's hand]
no, he isn't alone
'cos we're always the same.
[Exeunt Lear and Arthur; Crowd is played off by the Band; fade quayside lights, leaving a spot on Arthur's toy ship; bring up house lights; end of Act One]
[Interval. Ideally Audience refreshments are served from the café on stage]