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16 Revenge of the Kraken |
From Mary Celeste |
[Thunder and lightning; Crowd surge forward raising umbrellas, inside which hang fabric fishes and weed which they whirl and twirl to impersonate a stormy ocean, with the toy ship representing Mary Celeste far above them]
[A Dancer emerges as the Kraken, a sea-monster whose voice is represented by choral speaking from the Crowd]
Kraken
Crocodile worm
æons asleep
stirs in the storm
dark in the deep
dragged from a dream
turn and take flight
upward I swim
head for the light
[The bell strikes and light comes up on the real Mary Celeste, the same level and colour as on the toy ship. Crew gather apprehensively with hymn-books round Sarah at her harmonium on deck; they sway in time with the movements of the toy ship on the pole, reinforcing the correspondence between the two]
[Sarah plays the introduction to a hymn as First Mate addresses them]
1st Mate{intoning}
And as Thou didst succour Thy servant Noah on the ocean of life, placing him above all other living things, we beg Thee, make this little ship Thine ark, and bring Thy precious cargo safely through this perilous storm. Let us sing together Number 23, Lord Let Thy Darkness Vanish.
[Demonstrative, full-hearted singing from the Crew]
Crew
Lord let Thy darkness vanish
reveal Thy bright new dawn
Our souls' dark tempest banish
and let us be reborn
to serve with all our power and skill
always obedient to Thy will.
[Storm continues; other Dancers join on to the first as the Kraken grows: one Dancer has a huge talon, others brandish tentacles, a tail, and so on. During next stanza Kraken starts to climb up pole towards toy Mary Celeste, which shudders; corresponding movement among Crew on the real ship]
Kraken
Fathoms aloft
skyward I scan
pitiful craft
arrogant man
muscles inflate
tentacles swarm
pluck out this mote
from the eye of the storm
[Crew sing defiantly]
Crew
To man Thou gav'st dominion
o'er all the lands and seas
and all that lives within them
to use them as we please
To harvest fish and beast and tree
to render sacrifice to Thee
[Kraken buffets the pole to disturb the toy ship]
Kraken
Talons uncoiled
rasp on the side
Kings of the world
where can you hide?
buffet and toss
shudder their ship
God's chosen race
screams in my grip
[Crew sing in a panic, as they realise Mary Celeste is under attack from the forces of Nature: First Mate brandishes a cutlass dramatically]
Crew
Pour on the troubled waters
Thy blessing and Thy balm
succour Thy sons and daughters
and keep us safe from harm
by day to gaze upon Thy face
by night to rock in Thy embrace
[Crew are indeed rocking as Kraken scales the pole: the huge talon grasps the toy ship, and First Mate makes corresponding, impotent swipes with the cutlass]
Kraken
Open my jaws
seaweedy breath
lunge at her bows
angel of death
feelers that suck
burst from the waves
choir on the deck
swept to their graves
[Crew scream and attempt to reprise their last verse as the Kraken repeats its final chant]
Crew {shout}
... fish and beast and tree
to render sacrifice to Thee ...
succour Thy sons and daughters...
rock at night in Thy embrace ...
sacrifice ...
[Kraken wrenches ship off the pole and toys with it; pandæmonium on Mary Celeste; hymn breaks down utterly. If possible First Mate could fall overboard, creating consternation among Crew]
[Kraken casts the toy ship down. It shatters on the stage: thunder. Momentary blackout as the Dancers rapidly dismantle pole and ocean-fabric, and disperse]