All that stands in the way: A Play in One Act

By Rob Noyes

 

Synopsis:

The persuasive promise of paradise teaches George and Evelyn that compromise never ends and seeks to take away not just their lives…but everyone else’s as well!

 

Cast of Characters

George: A man in his early 70s.
Evelyn: A woman in her late 60s.
Voice of the News: From inside the TV
Chorus of Hissing Shadows: Completely covered in black – no eyes, ears, mouth, fingers, or toes can be seen.

 

PRODUCTION NOTES:

The “fire” is not expected to be real fire. Rolling lights or yellow streams of ribbon blown above a fan is fine. Truly, this is left to the imagination of the set creators. A minimal set is completely acceptable for this play.

 

Scene

George and Evelyn’s living room.

 

Time

After dark.

ACT I

Setting: We are in the living room of George and Evelyn. A small television sits downstage center on a stand with its back to the audience. Two armchairs face inward toward the TV. A family portrait of George and Evelyn with 4 children hangs to the right above a bookcase of old books .A picture of a younger George in uniform and a copy of the U.S. Constitution hang on the side walls. Over the fireplace on the left hangs a shotgun. A crucifix hangs on the back wall between two windows through which can be seen a distant fire burning across the horizon.

 

AT RISE:

George is sitting in his chair with his back to the fireplace watching TV. White noise can be heard. Then, (tickertape) it changes to the news. Evelyn stands to the right tending a task.

 

NEWS

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to tonight’s world news.

 

GEORGE

Evelyn, dear…the news is on.

 

EVELYN

(Evelyn turns from her task, brightens up at seeing the news, and moves to her chair)

(singsong) Coming

 

NEWS

Today’s big story is, of course, the Paradise Parade-commemorating all those who work so hard on so many fronts to bring us the promise of peace and equality and a future of perfect paradise. Today’s parade was a chance for all of us to thank all those who strive to reach this goal for everyone. Today, like every day, we celebrate these heroes.

 

It was a wonderful parade and event, except for the unfortunate appearance of protesters who were quickly arrested for what can only be imagined as“HATING” our plan for an equal and peaceful paradise. Scourge!

 

GEORGE

(George raises the remote and lowers the volume)

 

Can’t they just let things be…!?

 

EVELYN

Who?
(George raises the volume again.)

 

NEWS

And we have a close up of those protesting our paradise heroes…

 

(George and Evelyn lean in.)

 

EVELYN
The two on the left look just like…we know them…they’re from here.

 

GEORGE

What in the world…?

EVELYN

Look! They have their children with them. All those boys and girls - protesting.

 

GEORGE

Shameful! Forcing their children to do such a thing…and arrested now, too. What could be worth all that?

 

NEWS

Only protesters of peace and equality would hold signs and chant at our champions. Look at those awful, contrarian haters of paradise! Lock them up!

 

EVELYN

Oh, I’m humiliated now. What must people think of us knowing we…associated with them?

 

GEORGE

Evelyn, no one can think badly of us. We hardly knew them and…anyway…we’re completely different. We want what everyone else wants. We change with the times.

 

(Brief pause watching.)

 

(Unsettled) Anyway…what reason do they have to protest? They’re as comfortable as the rest of us, right? Whatever it is they’re upset about has nothing to do with us, my dear.

 

(The fire behind the house grows larger and closer. Shadowy silhouettes can be seen dancing in front of the fire.)

 

NEWS

(slow and seductively) Yes… Paradise workers only seek peace and equality and have made it their goal to eliminate all things that are harmful to us or which might cause conflict among us. “No conflict” equals peace. We are that equality. None of us will ever have to worry about conflict or inequality again. How does that sound?

 

EVELYN

That sounds lovely. Don’t you agree, George?

GEORGE

Yes, indeed.

 

NEWS

Leading the way among today’s marchers were those heroes who successfully brought us"Unisex Locker Rooms ”in schools for all our “equal” students. (straining) Their banner reads, “Conform to Equate.”Very nice.

 

This is how things should be.No one wants inequality, right?

 

GEORGE

(worrisome) Yes…well…of course not, but…um…?

 

EVELYN

(unconvinced) It’s probably the right thing nowadays…and…anyway…our children are already grown and gone).

 

(George thinks. The fire in the distance gets closer.)

 

NEWS

Next in the parade today were our transportation squadron who successfully toiled for our “Mass Transit Master Plan”, the all-for-one, one-for-all plan for control…of traffic.

 

(Outside the house, the sound of a car being hauled away is heard and then an image of it being tossed with a hiss onto the not-so-distant fire is seen. George and Evelyn seem unaware.)

 

GEORGE

(dreams) Remember our long drives.

 

EVELYN

(thinking) Why those were peaceful days…but…things must change.

 

NEWS

And, also among the marchers today were the heroic healthy living group who “nurtured” the international “Approved Foods Only” program. Gosh, look how healthy they are!

 

Remember their motto? “All free radicals must go!”

 

EVELYN

Don’t let me forget to put something on the grocery list.

 

(Corn stalks outside from their garden are heard being uprooted with a hiss and their silhouettes seen carried to the fire to be burnt by a shadow.)

 

NEWS

Also, in the parade were the geniuses of peace and prosperity who eradicated all “hate speech”and finally achieved for us our “Approved Speech Dictionary”.

 

Who among us has room for “hate speech” in their lives?

 

Look at them all marching together in unison. Perfect!

 

EVELYN

Why, we don’t hate anyone. We’ve never said an unkind word about a living soul, nor should anyone, for that matter. I’m glad that hateful speech is eliminated…and punishable.

 

(George puffs up for second, his thought then interrupted by the news, exhales and returns to the TV.

 

With a hiss,the portion of the set wall holding the Constitution broken off, carried and tossed into the fire by an unseen shadow.)

 

NEWS

After the min today’s parade came the scholars, philanthropists, and humanitarians who eliminated all offensive books from publication. We never have to worry again about our children reading THOSE books. They’ll never even know they existed.

 

Scholars agree…no one wants to be offended, certainly not by a book, right?

 

(George and Evelyn stare thoughtlessly at the TV. The bookcase gets grabbed with a hiss by shadow.)

 

NEWS

Also marching today were the demigods who brought us the most important advance the world has made toward peace – our “Arms R4 Hugs” program – the program that confiscates only “threatening” weapons.

 

No one wants to worry about their safety, right? Now, we never have to.

 

GEORGE

Well…I’m too old to go out hunting now, anyway.

(The section of set above the mantle holding the shotgun is torn away with a hiss, carried to the fire, and burnt. The fire moves closer.)

 

EVELYN

And…since some of them are scary and you don’t hunt anymore… there’s no need for guns, right? Right! I feel safer now.

 

NEWS

Next today appeared the newest addition to this year’s Paradise Parade…those who brought us the long-awaited “Two Child Only Program” – the equality program that ensures equal resources for everyone- FOREVER- into the future.

 

Look at those two model families marching in front…each with a mother, a father and two beautiful children- EXACTLY AS THEY WANTED THEM, TOO!

 

Limited space this year meant that only two families could march. Judges held a contest for all families wishing to appear. These were the two big winners. Everyone else was sadly denied entry. Tough choices!

 

(George and Evelyn both look at the family portrait the wall. Pause. Evelyn looks back at the TV. George continues looking at the portrait.)

 

EVELYN

(breathlessly) Tough choices…well…I’m glad we’ve had ours already.

(As George looks away from the portrait,the section of set holding it gets torn away with a hiss and burnt.)

 

NEWS

Also,in the march today were the revered “Puritans of Pure Air”. Dutifully, these heroes toiled to purge the use of carbon fuels from our dying planet. They deserve our heartiest applause.

 

(As George claps, the fireplace is removed with a hiss and burnt. Evelyn wraps herself to keep warm. The fire behind gets closer.)

 

NEWS

Next today were the group that brought you the elimination of the armed services. Now, with peace guaranteed, the enormous budget that once went to security can now be used very day to help millions of families that struggle…AND HELP THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, TOO!

 

Who does not want to help struggling families?

 

GEORGE

(guiltily) I ought to visit my buddies' graves!

(The section of set holding George’s picture in uniform is torn away with a hiss and burnt.)

 

NEWS

And, finally, our best heroes were saved for last…the revered “Offensive Religion” petitioners. These heroes worked a month of Sundays to remove from public life all religious images and icons deemed offensive to others…except, of course, for images and icons of certain religions.

 

(The rear wall of the set holding the crucifix gets torn away with a hiss, drug to the fire, and burnt. The fire can be seen clearly just behind. The silhouette shadows add fuel to the fire and dance. All that remains of the living room are the two chairs and the TV.)

 

All hail these heroes!

 

Now, GENUFLECT, GENUFLECT, GENUFLECT, ALL!

 

(Shadows genuflect to the fire.)

 

EVELYN

I have always believed that religion is a very personal thing.

 

GEORGE

Couldn't’t agree more.

 

NEWS

Thanks to all these wonderful heroes of peace and equality, we have ALMOST…(pause)…eliminated all the obstacles to our paradise!

 

(The fire now rages just behind George and Evelyn.The shadows dance in front of the flames. George stands up, stares emptily over the TV into the audience, thinks, pauses. Light from fire goes to black. Shadows go still and silent. Spotlight on George, Evelyn, &TV. George takes Evelyn’s hand.)

 

GEORGE

(concerned) Dear…I think…I think it’s time now for us to go.

 

EVELYN

What? Where are we going?

 

NEWS

(coaxing) That’s it, ladies and gentlemen.

 

GEORGE

We have to go. We’re not wanted here anymore.

 

EVELYN

(shaken) But all of our things are here…?

 

GEORGE

All of it is gone, dear. Nothing is left but us. Now, they want us to go.

 

EVELYN

Who wants us to go?

(Evelyn stands up. Immediately, the two chairs are grabbed with a hiss. Only George, Evelyn, and the TV remain on stage.)

 

EVELYN

(rising to panic) What do we do now?

(George grabs the TV by the handle on its top.)

(George and Evelyn both look at the TV.)

 

GEORGE

(seeking reassurance from the TV) Everything will be fine once we’re gone.

(George and Evelyn leave the stage to walk up the rake isle. George still holds the TV and Evelyn’s hand. Stage lights off. Spotlight follows George and Evelyn up the isle following the TV light. Spotlight narrows over George, Evelyn, and TV.)

 

NEWS

Goodbye, folks.

(Before exit, Evelyn stops George, looks at him. TV lights their faces.)

 

EVELYN

Why must we go? (rising)

 

GEORGE

We’re all that stands in the way, now.

(Exeunt. House goes to black. Then, the onstage sound of a loud “PSSST” brings the audience attention back to the stage in total darkness. Stage apron erupts with the raging fire and first row lights reveal the shadows standing over the audience, hissing, grabbing at the audience with claws extended. House fades slowly to black.)

 

(BLACKOUT)

 

(End of Play)

 

 

Rob Noyes has dedicated his life to the ideals of Freedom and Liberty in a world ever-encroaching on those rights of the individual. He served for two decades in the U.S. Army and earned the Bronze Star Medal in Iraq. Since retiring, he has worked in agencies across the U.S. government. He is a husband, a father, and a grandfather. His goal is to promote Freedom and Liberty around the world.