OPENING: A middle aged man enters stage right. The man is carrying a backpack and is wearing a plain grey t-shirt and jeans. He crosses to center stage. Upon reaching center stage he places the backpack at his feet and turns toward the Audience.
MAN: I shall show you a wonder. Here stands an old place upon the trail I have yet to travel. Yet, I too shall pass this place by and continue on my way. But first, I must rest, and while I rest I will show you all the fear in the world in a grain of sand. (Stoops down and picks up a handful of dirt. The Man concentrates until he has a single speck.) Here, here is fear.
Lights fade to black. The Man can be heard coughing as he exits stage left. As the lights fade up two young men are seen sitting at a table drinking coffee while facing each other with an air of casualness. Young Man 1 is wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, while Young Man 2 is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans.
YOUNG MAN 1: I know what youâre thinking.
YOUNG MAN 2: Do you now? (Takes a sip of coffee)
YOUNG MAN 1: I do.
YOUNG MAN 2: And what is that?
YOUNG MAN 1: Donât go back.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Surprised) What?
YOUNG MAN 1: Donât go back.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Fidgets with cup) And why not?
YOUNG MAN 1: (Takes a long sip and then sighs, he suddenly looks weary) You know why. Just donât go back.
The Scene freezes as Young Man 2 rises and moves down center
In a Grain of Sand Page 2
YOUNG MAN 2: (Scowling) Here sitâs a friend! (Gestures toward Young Man 1) A friend of friends so they say! But who are they? Some twisted institution of insanity, bent on the remaking of man into an image more duller than the bluntest of all their purposes. An institution of insanity no doubt! Wellâ¦I wonât have any more of this petty drab existence! Life is for us to live, not to be confined in a cage of someone elseâs making. Not to be confined to a rat hole! (Moves back to the table and sits down composing himself. The scene unfreezes and Young Man 2 speaks in a tone of assurance) Youâre right, I shouldnât go back, and I wonât.
Lights fade to black. Movement can be heard, cursing and loud crashes occur. As the lights fade up in red Young Man 2 can been seen lying face down on the stage. A man in a top hat and a well tailored 18th Century suit enters from stage right.
TOP HAT: (Cheerfully) Why hello there!
YOUNG MAN 2: (Groans) What the hell do you want?
TOP HAT: âtis not I who wants anything. âtis you who wants something. Alas all men want what you want. âtis what makes men, men. Such is the pity that doth befall a race of savages.
YOUNG MAN: (Slowly rising) Stop that!
TOP HAT: Stop what?
YOUNG MAN: Stop speaking as if youâre better than me, as if youâre superior, as if God Himself has blessed your god-
TOP HAT: (Cutting across) Ah-ah-ah such disrespect brings you farther from what you seek. The thing that is always sought.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Frustrated) And whatâs that?
TOP HAT: You tell me, I do not seek what you seek.
YOUNG MAN 2: Of course you do! (Steps closer) You said all men seek what I supposedly seek, but how can you know what I seek when I seek nothing?
TOP HAT: Oh you seek something you just do not know it yet. (Menacingly) And tell me when did I say I was a man? (Steps back)
YOUNG MAN 2: J-just look at you, you must be a man!
In a Grain of Sand Page 3
TOP HAT: (Laughs) Ahâ¦how the birds do sing among the pixies. You, my dear, dear friend are a lost cause. Not all things are what they appear to be. No, not ever in a place of never. Farewell, I shall leave now. Orâ¦erhapsâ¦shall you leave?
Two hooded figures, robed in black, enter from up-left and sneak up on Young Man 2. They grab him and drag him off up-stage left)
TOP HAT: (Turning to face the audience) And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, I shall show you a spectacle. (Climbs off the stage and enters the audience. He walks around as if look for a seat. He reaches his seat near the middle of the audience, the seat is mark Reserved.) Lights! Lights! Lights! (The lights cut to black) You see dear friends? This is an empty place, oh so empty and dark! Itâs lovely, oh a rose, butâ¦do you see? Do you see? DO YOU SEE!? (Sits down)
(Lights snap on. The stage is empty. Laughter can be heard off stage. Two children enter from stage left. Child 1 is dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, Child 2 is dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans.)
CHILD 1: Come on!
CHILD 2: Iâm coming, Iâm coming, itâs not like theyâre going to go far is it?
CHILD 1: Who knows they might. Very unpredictable these ones.
Both children wander to up-right
CHILD 1: (Smiling) Some view ainât it?
CHILD 2 (In awe) Yeahâ¦
CHILD 1: Look at them allâ¦(Gestures to audience)
CHILD 2: Yeah, ugly arenât they?
Both freeze
TOP HAT: (From his seat in the audience) Oh bravo! How adorable! How absolutely stunning! Oh these children are to die for. And the plot! Simply splendid. (Looks around) Do you not see the plot? âtis wonderful is it not? (Stands) do you not see it yet? No? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You donât see it? Very well thenâ¦onward! (Claps hands)
In a Grain of Sand Page 4
Lights snap to black. Movement an be heard on stage. Lights slowly fade up to reveal the two black robed and hooded figures. In between them is Young Man 2 who is being carried by Hood 1 and 2.
HOOD 1: Holdâem steady.
HOOD 2: I am, I am, no need to fret. Not like heâs gettin up anytime soon.
HOOD 1: Think heâs found what heâs lookin for?
HOOD 2: Ha! Ha! What a joke mate. This lump oâmeat wonât find anything he wants here. Something for us, yar, but nothing for him.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Groans)
HOOD 1: Ach! Heâs commin around.
HOOD 2: Hold âem
They lay Young Man 2 on the ground. Hood 1 then proceed to pick up Young Man 2. Holding him in a standing position, facing Hood 2.
HOOD 2: (Hits Young Man 2) There, thatâll keep him down for a bit. Nothin like a good hittin to knock you down.
HOOD 1: Better hope for it.
HOOD 2: And whyâs that?
HOOD 1: a good hittin can wake him up too. You blockhead.
They pick up Young Man 2
HOOD 2: Look who youâre callin a blockhead! One more word and Iâllâ¦
HOOD 1: Youâll what?
HOOD 2: Iâll-
YOUNG MAN 2: (Groans again)
HOOD 1: Aw Christ heâs wakin up!
In a Grain of Sand Page 5
HOOD 2: (Shifting uneasily, almost dropping Young Man 2) Damnâ¦what do we do?
HOOD 1: Donât drop him!
YOUNG MAN 2: (Groans) Wha-
HOOD 2: Gah! We gotta get out of here!
They place Young Man 2 center stage before running off. They both exit up-left.
TOP HAT: (Rising from his seat among the audience) Well, well, well, well, well, well, wellâ¦still havenât found what youâre looking for have you? Iâm not surprised, oh no, not surprised one little bit. (Begins walking toward the stage) A lost cause is what I said, and a lost cause you are. Indeed. But donât worry, youâll find itâ¦eventually. Oh yes (Climbs up on stage) but just remember none of this is real.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Struggling to stand) It must be real. It has to be (Coughs) after allâ¦theyâre real (Points to audience).
TOP HAT: Are they?
YOUNG MAN 2: They must be!
TOP HAT: Are you sure?
YOUNG MAN 2: Yes.
TOP HAT: But how do you know?
YOUNG MAN 2: I just know.
TOP HAT: Theyâre not real.
YOUNG MAN 2: They have to beâ¦
TOP HAT: Alas, theyâre not. Theyâre just here in your head.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Sounding desperate) Noâ¦
TOP HAT: (Whispers) Yes. Now, what do you see?
Lights cut to black In a Grain of Sand Page 6
YOUNG MAN 2: I seeâ¦
TOP HAT: Yes?
YOUNG MAN 2: I seeâ¦darkness.
Top Hat can be heard laughing manically as he walks off stage. Young Man 2 can be heard faintly as he begins to weep. As Top Hatâs laughter trails off Young Man 2âs weeping becomes louder. The lights slowly begin to fade up. Young Man 2 has sunk to his knees and continues to weep. Child 1 & 2 enter from stage left. Both children approach Young Man 2 with grins on their faces.
CHILD 1: (Innocently) Why you cryin Mister?
CHILD 2: I think itâs because heâs fat.
CHILD 1: Heâs not fat!
CHILD 2: He is! Just look at him! Look at him and his blubber!
CHILD 1: Heâs not fat!
CHILD 2: Is too!
CHILD 1: Is not!
CHILD 2: Is!
CHILD 1: Isnât!
Both silently bicker as Young Man 2 comes to his sense. He appears to be in a state of great delusion. He blindly looks at both children.
YOUNG MAN 2: What do I seek!? (Looks around wildly) Tell me! (Grabs Child 1 by the shirt) Tell me! (Turns and grabs Child 2 by the shirt) What do I seek? I do not know! (Speaking to the audience he stands) You all say I know! But I do not, I do not know! How can I know when I do not know! Tell me! Tell me! What to I seek!?
Child 1 & 2 walk toward Young Man 2. They are both in a state of neutrality.
CHILD 1 & 2: (Both speak in an eerie calm)Peace. But, you shall never find peace here, for this is a place of never, a place that is not a place. This place is not real, and is In a Grain of Sand Page 7
a Hell of a different kind. But, have no fear youâll fins what you seek for âtis very near.
Top Hat enters from stage left followed by Hood 1 & 2. They proceed to stand behind Young Man 2. By now he is surrounded in a semi circle on center stage.
ALL: But youâll never find it here.
Everyone exits up-left except for Young Man 2. Who has recollected himself into a state of calm.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Addressing the audience)So, you, none of you are real. Ha! Ha! Ha! How did I not see it before? None of this is real! This place is empty. I am empty! Oh so emptyâ¦(crouches gathering a handful of dirt) And here is the dust. This is also empty, but these individual grains are full. They hold fear. (Stands carrying a handful of dirt) Farewell. (Exits stage left)
Top Hat enters stage left. He walks to up center and turns to face the audience
TOP HAT: (Addressing the audience) So, youâre still here are you? âtis commendable to stand by such a man. This is good, a welcome surprise! This place is not kind to people not from here. Oh no, not at all, a hurricane in a china shop. Just look at our poor friendâ¦alas. Howeverâ¦I would call you all strangers, but we are all strangers, and more than a little strange. Alas (sweeps off his hate and holds it in front of him) that man must endure his haunting memories. I did not lie when I said this place was not real.
Lights slowly fade to black. Top Hat can be seen with his head bowed as if in mourning. Movement can be heard off stage.
YOUNG MAN 1: I know what youâre thinking.
YOUNG MAN 2: Do you now?
Lights fade up revealing Young Man 1 & 2 sitting at a table drinking coffee. Both are sitting on the opposite side from their original positions. Instead of a black shirt Young Man 2 is now in a grey shirt.
YOUNG MAN 1: I do.
YOUNG MAN 2: And what is that?
YOUNG MAN 1: Donât go back. In Grain of Sand Page 8
YOUNG MAN 2: (Surprised) What?
YOUNG MAN 1: Donât go back.
YOUNG MAN 2: (Fidgets with cup) And why not?
YOUNG MAN 1: (Takes a long sip and then sighs, he suddenly looks weary) You know why. Just donât go back.
Lights dim but do not fade to full black. Both Young man 1 and Young Man 2 can be seen moving the table and chairs off to stage. Both of them return to center stage facing the audience.
BOTH: (Dead calm) Here, here is fear. (Both exit stage right)
Top Hat enters stage right carrying a backpack.
TOP HAT: (As Top Hat speaks he slowly takes off his suit and hat revealing him as the Man) I shall show you a wonder. Here stands an old place upon the trail I have yet to travel. Yet, I too shall pass this place by and continue on my way. But first, I must rest, and while I rest I will show you all the fear in the world in a grain of sand. (Stoops down and picks up a handful of dirt. By now Top Hat has changed into the Man. He concentrates until he has a single speck.) Here, here is fear.
this is a interesting piece to say the least. you have to look at it with an open mind or you will be kind of pissed off, but i can't really say anything bad about it. its very open to interpretation and allows the mind to wonder. i think its great.
Note: You should really change the apostrophes to those in Notepad. Simply, if the apostrophe looks like a straight up and down line then it will work on ArmorGames. If it is diagonal or curved then it will create these symbols: �
I got about half way before I lost the plot...it may be helpful to format it a little nicer - so that it isn't just a wall of text.
From what I read it sounds quite interesting; I would be intrigued to see this actually performed on stage...
very good, i can see how it makes you think, but at the start how is the audience supposed to see the grain of sand to know what it is? O_O
lol they're not. In fact I just wrote that in there for the benefit of the assignment and if I ever get this on stage (it would have to be extended a little more). It goes along with the idea that nothing is real, or is real you just don't see it/know it.
