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THE CAST:
BRIAN, in his fifties.
RUTH, his wife.
"M," an exotic female elemental.
NINA FAWCETT, Brian's mother.
ALBERT DE WINTON, in his forties.
JESS, forty.
FAWCETT, Brian's father.
JACK, Brian's brother.
RALEIGH, Jack's friend.
THE SET:
On
the left of the stage, a black space with two or three
contemporary pieces of furniture. This is "the present."
On the right, a grey space represents "the past" and the
world of thoughts and memories. However, the two
realities (and areas) gradually merge together.
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ACT ONE
SCENE ONE. AMAZONIA.
Darkness. Jungle sounds; a gentle morning chorus. Grey, misty light
slightly illuminates an empty stage. The noise of a single engine plane
intrudes from the distance. It comes closer. We hear flocks of parrots
screeching and taking off. The plane swoops low with an ugly invasive
sound and white leaflets drop down. The engine drone diminishes for a
moment but then the plane returns to make another dive. A tall savage
figure emerges, moving in a dreamy, almost zombie-like slow motion.
The figure picks up a leaflet with indifference. From the passing plane we
hear a shrill voice through a megaphone.
BRIAN'S VOICE
Jack!! Are you down there, Jack?! It's your brother! It's
Brian !
The figure examines the leaflet. It is JACK
who has not seen writing for
years. He looks at it as if the message was in hieroglyphics.
BRIAN'S VOICE
If you're down there, come out and wave!! I've come
to take you home, Jack!!!
JACK
is convulsed with a burst of savage, almost insane, laughter.
Then with conviction (and in a public school accent which contrasts
crazily with his Indian appearance) he speaks quietly.
JACK
No thanks, Brian, old chap. I'd
rather not.
The plane roars off. JACK
disappears into the darkness.
SCENE TWO. CARLISLE.
Outside Brian's bungalow ALBERT DE WINTON
tests his portable
recording gear. He is about to do an interview for radio. JESS
carries his
bag and briefcase.
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ALBERT
Testing…one, two, three. (
Earnestly) We present "
The
Fawcett Catastrophe." The greatest exploration
mystery of the 20th century by…
Albert de
Winton…Testing.
As he plays the recording back JESS
puts down his gear.
JESS
Al!… Extra batteries! You better take some.
She starts to go.
ALBERT
Jess! Aren’t you coming in?… After five hours driving
here!!
JESS
No. I'm just going over to Tesco. I need some
Tampax.
ALBERT
Oh, typical ! Your priorities! Christ!
JESS
(
Leaving breezily) I'll pick you up in an hour.
ALBERT
Oh, fuck! Thanks a
lot! I thought you might be
interested!
Inside Brian's bungalow. BRIAN
enters. He wears khaki shorts, open
sandals with grey socks, a green eyeshade and metal framed National
Health glasses. RUTH
scrambles across the stage. She looks not unlike
the Queen Mother. Half really afraid, half exaggerated joking.
RUTH
Aiiiiiyeee! Darling!! I think there's that mouse again in
the kitchen!
BRIAN
The BBC chappie's just arriving. I'll sort
him out first
and
then I'll sort out "Mickey Mouse". Gosh, they're
attacking on all fronts this morning.
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RUTH
hurries off and a beautiful dark-haired woman comes from the
direction of the kitchen. She is "M,"
an "elemental," who embraces all
times and all cultures in her face and can only be seen by BRIAN.
She
looks a bit sheepish about frightening RUTH.
BRIAN
You! Honestly! Will you
behave!
With an impish shrug to BRIAN she
goes off….
MUSIC.
The scene breaks as BRIAN
and ALBERT
arrange themselves at
the table for the next scene.
SCENE THREE. CARLISLE BUNGALOW
BRIAN
and ALBERT
seated, engaged in a standard radio interview for a
Radio Four feature.
ALBERT
So your father had a really audacious agenda for his
final expedition…to find in the heart of South America
the origins of world civilization. A breathtaking
challenge to orthodox science! Sweeping Egypt and
Sumeria aside like that!
BRIAN
Oh yes. He was convinced that south of the mighty
Amazon, in the Mato Grosso,
a still largely unexplored
area, was a
hidden city containing the remnants of the
world's very first civilization. He called this place "Z".
ALBERT
And he took along your elder brother Jack? Still in his
early twenties. And actually turned down Lawrence of
Arabia who was
desperate to go with him on the
expedition.
BRIAN
It
is extraordinary
that he should turn down the
famous Lawrence…