SOCIAL STATEMENT!
This one was more of an exercise than a play. but here it is. I actually don’t remember what the challenge was for this particular day.
As is often the case, my symbolism was pretty heavy handed this day.
Song of the Squalid Samurai
Lights rise on a three-tiered stage with a moat around it. The first tier is the ‘ground floor’ of the stage. The second tier is a large wooden platform about seven feet high, bearing a strong resemblance to a bridge. The third tier is a smaller platform atop the first, at least fourteen feet off the ground floor, made of gold.
Everyone present wears a mempo, or “samurai mask.” Every mempo is identical: a huge smile that obscures the mouth and nose, but leaves the eyes visible.
The first tier is crowded with people. There is only enough room onstage to leave one person with an arms-span of room, but usually no one is granted that much space. They are dressed well enough, but unimpressively.
The second tier is somewhat crowded, but its smaller space necessarily supports far fewer people. They are well dressed.
The third tier has only three or four people. They are dressed lavishly.
Everyone on the third tier wears a golden mempo. Almost everyone on the second tier wears a golden mempo. One or perhaps two of them wear a wooden mempo. Those wearing a wooden mempo have a golden one on their belt, or somewhere else in obvious sight. Almost everyone on the first tier wears a wooden mempo. Three or four have golden mempos. Many have spare mempos, but the spares are all wooden.
The moat is filled to bursting with shabbily dressed people. These people have no mempos.
The scene is a cacophony of voices.
MOAT PEOPLE: The people in the moat are moaning, whispering, shouting, or mumbling, and on occasion speaking normally. They are confessing secrets: whether highly personal secrets, their frustrations with the government, controversial opinions; anything they like, so long as it is genuine. Actors should prepare material ahead of time, but be prepared to improvise as the situation requires. Actors are encouraged to interact with each other and form dialogs, so long as those dialogs are genuine reflections of their genuine opinions and feelings.
FIRST TIER: The people on the first tier may speak from a list of prepared topics: celebrity gossip, political talking points, sports, the weather, recent holidays, or a single event that everyone has agreed upon before the performance (only if everyone agrees, unanimously). All actors must be pleasant and/or sarcastic. They may switch between these attitudes as they wish. Actors are encouraged to speak with each other. All actors move in a stylized manner which can be learned only by copying one another. Actors are encouraged to shun those who are not moving in the proper style. No one person is in charge of determining what this style is. This style may be changed at any time, provided enough people agree to the change. No one is allowed to talk about the stylized movement.
SECOND TIER: The people on the second tier may speak from a list of prepared topics: celebrity gossip, politics, religion, Chicago theater, sports, the weather, recent holidays, or a single event that everyone has agreed upon before the performance (only if everyone agrees, unanimously). All actors must be pleasant. If they choose to speak sarcastically, they must do so in a pleasant manner. Actors may speak with each other if they choose. All actors move in a stylized manner which can be learned only copying one another. Actors are encouraged to shun those who are not moving in the proper style. No one person is in charge of determining what this style is. This style may be changed at any time, provided enough people agree to the change. No one is allowed to talk about the stylized movement. Second tier actors, should they so choose, may reward first tier actors for sufficiently impressive movement or speech by trading their mempos (presumably, offering their golden mempo for a first tier actor’s wooden one). Second tier actors may climb down to the first tier if they choose, but may only return to the second tier if they are wearing a golden mempo. First tier actors may climb up to the second tier if they are wearing a golden mempo, but must return to the first tier if any second tier actor tells them to do so (First tier actors should not be told these rules).
THIRD TIER: The people on the third tier may speak and do as they like. They may reward second tier actors for sufficiently impressive movement or speech by offering a spare golden mempo. Third tier actors may climb down to the second tier and the first tier, and may return whenever they like. Third tier actors are encouraged to enjoy themselves however they like, within the law.
THE SQUALID SAMURAI: The Squalid Samurai wears golden armor and a golden mempo. The Squalid Samurai may go anywhere at any time. The Squalid Samurai may interact with people, but cannot speak. The Squalid Samurai may only speak when performing his/her office. The Squalid Samurai’s office is to move people from one tier to another. The Squalid Samurai may move any actor up one tier by pointing, identifying, and ordering them to do so. The Squalid Samurai can only promote people wearing golden mempos. The Squalid Samurai may also demote people in the same manner, but only if said people are wearing wooden mempos. Actors not wearing mempos may be promoted or demoted, but the Squalid Samurai is encouraged to hide this fact. The Squalid Samurai is encouraged to intimidate those not wearing mempos.
Anyone not wearing a mempo may behave as the moat people do: they may speak openly and honestly about any topic they choose, but they must behave and speak honestly. People wearing mempos are encouraged to shun those not wearing mempos.
Each group of people has their own set of rules to follow (provided above). No group should be told the rules by which other groups must behave, except the Squalid Samurai’s power to promote and demote. They should only be told the Squalid Samurai’s power; they should not be told any of the Squalid Samurai’s limitations.
This performance lasts seven minutes. Whoever is standing on the third tier wins. The Squalid Samurai wins only if everyone who is not wearing a mempo is in the moat.
At the end of seven minutes, the Squalid Samurai declares the winners and explains why they won. The Squalid Samurai should encourage everyone to applaud the winners.
Lights out.