Mr. Burns and Other Plays. Anne Washburn
F: So pretty but I had to take them off directly after. They really hurt my feet—and I was not stable.
C: As soon as I touched her I knew it was on
An umbrella goes up.
A: I said to him I said:
BARUCH: now it’s a sluice of fists beating again and again
Umbrellas go up, and protective newspapers.
F: and then, this is really romantic—
C AND E: I can’t eat that. I said. I really can’t it’s the texture
A, D AND F: We were overcome with wonder
E: Will he be fed upon by the cockatrices?
D: No, no. They will be satiate already
A: He knows his shit!
B, C AND A: We were overcome with wonders
E: I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled
F (Announcement: bored and weary civil servant): There’s no waiting on the platform at this station.
C: In Brooklyn or Queens you drink more than four rounds or you tip him ridiculously you get that drink free
A AND E: The mountains were loaded with lions, waiting to discharge onto the city below
D: I always get the soup here
A:
I beheld, and, lo, there was no man
and all the birds of the heavens were fled
E: I’ll have to check but I don’t think so, I think it’s expired.
F (Announcement): There is a smoke condition at this station. Please enter the train, or exit the station.
D:
His dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat
and in the night to the frost
F:
I will make them drink
the water of gall
D:
for their words are diseases
and must be purged
A: No we all take the 4
E: Then we go downtown.
ALL: Downtown.
C: It’s supposed to be good.
D: I love that fucking place!
F: I think oh, I’m really going to miss New York.
ALL: A dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment.
D:
I was perturbed by the Lion problem
I was disturbed by the cockatrices
BARUCH:
The rain came gushing down in great sputtery bursts
overstepping all bounds of moisture
everything outside was one big drench:
CHAPTER 9
The Palace of King Zedekiah who sits on his throne.
Rain on the roof.
Ebediah is near.
The remaining actors stand on either side of the stage, and frame the action with their hands.
EBEDIAH (To Jeremiah):
Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags
under thine armholes under the cords
and we will draw you up, from the pit
To King Zedekiah:
We threw down old cast clouts and rotten rags
we said:
now put on these old cast clouts and rotten rags
under your armholes, and we will draw you up,
and he did so
And then we threw down the cords
and then did draw him up by the armholes
with cords
Jeremiah is drawn up and brought before the king.
He is drenched in mire.
KING ZEDEKIAH:
The princes said unto me:
PRINCES:
We beseech thee, let this man be put to death
for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men
of war, and the hands of all the people,
in speaking such words unto them. This man seeketh
not the welfare of the people but the hurt.
KING ZEDEKIAH (In explanation):
When ye saideth: this city shall surely be given
into the hand of the King of Babylon’s army
which shall take it.
I will ask thee a thing. Hide nothing from me.
JEREMIAH:
If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death?
KING ZEDEKIAH:
As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death,
neither will I give thee into the hand of those men that seek thy life.
JEREMIAH:
The Lord put forth his hand
and touched my mouth
and the Lord said to me
Behold
I have put my words
in thy mouth
I spake: I cried out, I cried violence
and spoil
I am in derision daily,
everyone mocketh me
then I said I will not make mention of Him
nor speak any more in His name
but His word is in my heart
as a burning flame
and I am weary with forbearing
I must ignite
Jeremiah listens, relaxes.
The Lord sayeth, that He will move
among your arms and
will falter . . . will bring the arms of your
archers to faltering. And the spears will
fail. He will fill your soldiers with trembling
and with tears and in fact will himself fight
against you, moving among the enemy troops shouting
encouragement. With an outstretched hand
and with a strong arm. In anger
and in fury
and in great wrath.
He will employ signs
he will employ wonders against you
Gaining strength.
He will smite the inhabitants of this city
he will