The Perfect Light Characters Rue: A glassblower traveling from India to Nepal Tesar: His apprentice, companion, and friend Lone Power: The Power that created death at the Creation of the universe, and was then shunned by all the other Powers. Causes havoc wherever it can. Commoner: Short appearance at end of Scene 1-2 Scene 1-1 The scene is set, and lights slowly begin to fade on. The lights (white) are filtered with tree filters, making the light look as if it comes through tree branches. The set is a random placement of trees, which are located slightly backstage, so that the front stage is free for acting, but about 3 trees are placed front stage. A single ‘sitting rock’ is placed at the corner of C.S. and D.S.L (Rue walks onstage from U.S.L, looking frustrated. Tesar is close behind. Each one has a staff in hand. Rue carries a katana in a waist sheath, and Tesar has two daggers tucked into his shoes) Rue: I’ll never do that again…(Looks around with frustration) Tesar, did you ever happen to notice that we were heading away from the North Star? Tesar: Don’t blame me! I told you that shortcut was a bad idea, that we should weather out the main road, it wasn’t all that bad. But you insisted that we were short on supplies, and we needed to take a shortcut in order to make it to the next town! (Strikes staff on ground) Now we are lost. We haven’t eaten in a day, and our water will be gone in two more. (Crosses to ‘sitting rock’ and sits down) Rue: I’m sorry, Tesar. I was foolish to think we could pass an old trail so easily with such meager supplies. The lack of food has left me with less compassion than is due you. (A look of anguish passes over his face as he realizes the weight of the situation he has been placed in. He walks over to where Tesar sits, and placing his hand upon Tesar’s shoulder, draws him back into a standing position) I shall trust you with the task of leading us out. This will be your final test. You have done very well as a glassblower, better than any I have trained thus far, and I will sorrow to see you go. (Pauses for a moment, and looks to the stars) The only task you have yet to learn as a journeyman, is to journey. Show me you understand the language of the stars and the sound of the wind, and I will declare you a journeyman. (Looks back at Tesar). Tesar: (Is shocked by this sudden turn of events). Master… I realize it is not my place, but why do you choose now to give me my final test? When both our lives are at stake? And why… (Turns toward Stage Left) why must we necessarily part ways? I have always admired your work, the way you turn glass, and the way you know the grits like the back of your own hand, the way that under your hand, glass flows like blood, and sets like stone. Rue: (Suddenly sounds rather terse). Tesar, will you make your point? Tesar: (Hopeful tone enters voice, traced with lines of doubt) Master, what if upon my completion of apprenticeship, we were to work as partners? Rue: (Seems surprised, but shock lasts only a few seconds. Stern voice replaces it) You already know this is not how it is done. We are not even allowed to speak in such a fashion. Now, show me how to leave this place, show me if you understand how to reach your destination. Tesar: To the best of my ability, I will. (Rue and Tesar head towards exit, U.S.L) (Lights out) Scene 1-2 A screen has been pulled across about three quarters of the trees, concealing the back 2/3 of the stage - only Downstage is visible. The screen is of a small creek and thin woods. Small shrubs have been located in front of the screen, and it is apparent that the travelers have been walking for some time. They look tired, and lean heavily on their staves. Tesar and Rue walk in, Tesar leading, from D.S.R. A single, black, glittering vase sits centered in the visible stage space, surrounded by red roses. Tesar: Sweet powers that be, what is that? Rue: That should be obvious, Tesar. It is a vase. Tesar: But what is it doing all the way out here? No one would be so forgetful as to just leave such a piece sitting out in the open, unidentified. Rue: There is more to it than you see, Tesar. Someone wants for this vase to be seen. Tesar: What do you mean? Rue: (Steps closer to vase in order to properly observe it, paying special attention to the roses themselves) It is placed with red roses around it, with thorns still on the stems. It is a symbol of beauty and danger. What do you think we should do? Tesar: (Steps up close to vase to investigate as well) This is the most amazing piece I have ever seen… do you know how to make a piece like this, Rue? Rue: Admittedly… (looks away, uncomfortable)… I do not. If I didn’t know better, I would say it was made of diamond; but obviously this can’t be, for diamond can’t be forged the way this one has, with such elegant curves and form. Tesar: Why don’t we test it? If we can scratch it with our corundum fragment, since corundum is weaker than diamond, if it is scratched, it is either corundum or something weaker… if it truly is diamond, than it will not scratch or be damaged by the corundum fragment. Rue: Excellent plan, Tesar. You will be the one to test it, as it was your plan. Here is the fragment you need. (Hands Tesar corundum fragment) Tesar: (Accepts fragment gingerly, then bends low and inverts vase in his hands. He then tries to scratch the bottom of the vase with his fragment. He looks up in disbelief). Master… it didn’t scratch… Rue: A diamond vase? I would have thought such a thing impossible… something is afoot, Tesar. We need to leave, whoever created that piece is much more than human, and may be back for it. Lets go! Tesar: Wait, Master! Lets bring this with us! We can learn from the piece, and maybe someday create one of our own! Rue: (In warning voice) Tesar… (Calms a bit) Okay. You may bring it with you, but you will be responsible for its safety. Even diamond is delicate when spun that way. (Tesar nods in agreement, and picks up the vase. As soon as he stands with it in his hands, a sound of thunder booms through the stage. Lights suddenly black out, and a few seconds later, a coronic light highlights the stage. A figure cloaked in all black has appeared on D.S.L. Tesar, holding the vase, backs away slowly, towards D.S.R. Rue draws his katana and holds it in a ready position.) Rue: State your name and purpose, cloaked one. Lone Power: (Speaks in a deceptively calm, yet cold malevolent voice) I am the darkness that swallows the light… I am the wildfire that consumes the forests… I am death, irreversible. I am here for you both, for once again your species’ feeble desires and childish games have allowed me into your hearts and minds. Tesar: What are you talking about? Lone Power: Your greed, young one. Rue: He has been a humble apprentice, and an excellent student, and knows the rules of this world as well as any other. His greed is less than most people you find on the streets. Lone Power: But in this moment, his greed has taken him at the worst time possible. It has taken him in the vase he carries… my vase… Tesar: (Gasps) Lone Power: Now you both will pay the price for his (points at Tesar) greed, and your (points at Rue) ignorance. Rue: (At this last, Rue seems to struggle for a moment in indecision, and in the next second rushes the Lone Power, katana at the ready. However, when he is 5 feet away…) Lone Power: (Very cold, commanding voice) Stop. (Sharp crack rings over loudspeakers. Rue winces, crumples, and collapses to the ground. The katana skitters away) Tesar: Master! Rue! Rue: (Weak voice) Drop the vase and go, Tesar… if you survive this, consider yourself a journeyman… Lone Power: Tesar… it is over. (Points toward both Rue and Tesar). From this day forward, whenever either of you should be apart, every piece of glass you touch shall break. Every crucible will freeze into ice at the sound of your voice. Every glassblowing fire will be suffocated, and you will always be known as a failure. As long as either of you should be apart… (Through this speech, the coronic light slowly turns a blood red, and a black-light spot highlights the Lone Power) (Lights fade out for three seconds, including spotlights. They return, spotlights still in their original spots, but the Lone Power is gone. We see a countryman running in from D.S.R., rushing to the aid of the two adventurers, who lie disabled on the ground. Lights out, and there is an orchestral interlude as the scene is changed) Scene 2 There are two desks, one located near the corner of U.S.R. and C.S., the other placed at the corner of D.S.L and C.S. Each has a journal and a quill on it. We hear the sound of glass breaking (from Stage Right), and a sigh of despair. A medium wide spotlight highlights the U.S.R./C.S. desk, and another tight spotlight follows Rue, who holds a piece of a broken glass in his right hand, which faces the crowd as he walks towards his desk. Reaching the desk, he sets down the broken vase, and sits down, picking up the quill. Rue: (We hear his voice over the speakers, prerecorded, as he begins to write in his diary. The sound of his quill scratching also under lays the sound of his voice) Dear Journeyman’s Journal… it has been one year since that fateful day with Tesar, one year since I parted ways at the declaration of his full Journeyman hood. I still do not understand what happened that day, but I do know it has had dire consequences for my life. In this whole year, I have not been able to handle a single piece of glass without it shattering, breaking, or becoming faulty under my touch. Either I handle it too harshly, it slips from my grasp, or when I touch it I notice flaws which did not exist before, and I cannot imagine that it is all of convenient coincidence. I cannot imagine it is fully of my own fault when it has happened for this whole year thus far, unendingly. My heart aches, for the craft of my life has rejected me, it seems. I can only imagine how he fares… (Tesar steps onto stage, holding a shapeless lump of glass, walking slowly and despairingly. He sits down, sighs, and picks up his quill, journaling ‘out loud’ as Rue just did) Tesar: Dear Journeyman’s Journal… another day has passed me by, and again, the glass I spin will not respond to my touch, not even as well as it once did while I was an apprentice. After the day of the Black Vase, life has turned away from me, and the craft I love has rejected my works. The glass in my crucible turns solid no sooner than I approach, and I cannot keep the fire beneath it glowing long enough to fully melt the glass… Rue & Tesar Together: Powers That Be, help me… I don’t know what to do… (Both Rue and Tesar put away their quills, close their journals, and picking up their pieces, leave the stage simultaneously, utilizing their same entry points.) (Lights go out, short orchestra interlude) Scene 3 A mock-up glassblowers shop has been set up (no actual fire). It includes a crucible U.S.R, glory hole C.S.R., gaffer’s bench C.S.L, and marver D.S.C. Rue stands near the glory hole, with a pontil rod in hand, extending into the glory hole. He pulls it out, but a faulty lump of glass is on the end. He sighs, and sets the pontil rod in its holder, not bothering to remove the piece of glass from it. Rue: This is it… I can’t go on like this anymore… Nothing I do works, every time I try, I fail. I am done. (Tesar walks in from D.S.L, a determined look on his face) Tesar: If you are going to give up the craft, Master, I propose one more work, to make sure that neither of us is giving up prematurely. Rue: Tesar, I am not your master. By the laws of the Glassblowers Guild we cannot work together, for we were once master and apprentice. And why should you give up solely because I am failing? Tesar: Don’t fool yourself into thinking you are the only one, Master. I haven’t had any better luck than you in the craft. Ever since the day we parted ways, I have not been able to craft a single piece. And as long as I have things to learn from you, you will still be my Master. Rue: (Sighs). Why should either of us bother? Tesar: Because of what That One in the forest said. ‘As long as we are apart…’, remember, Master? We never before tried to make a piece together. What is the worst that could happen? Rue: Then let us, once, try. Take up the blowpipe, Tesar, you will begin this piece. (Lights fade in and out intermittently, as we see different stages of the work, and varied sounds in the background reflect the concept that they are working. We see - Tesar does the gathering, the first go at the marver, and the blowing, Rue does the introduction of the frit, the second gathering/blowing, and use of the Glory Hole. After 2-3 minutes, all lights go out. A coronic light highlights a beautiful, rainbow vase, sitting on a stool center stage. We hear Tesar and Rue’s voices, over the loudspeakers) Rue: To work together is to succeed in ways that you cannot comprehend alone. Tesar: Read the fine print; you never know what important facts you are missing. Rue: Never give up, for a solution will present itself when the time is right. Tesar: Do not let your greed control you, for it can ruin your life. Rue: And be glad when you wake up, for you have another chance to live. Lights go out for last time, orchestra begins playing. Main curtain is drawn closed, and house lights are raised, slowly. ~FIN~ Glossary Blowpipe - A hollow steel pipe, with a stainless steel end. A glassblower can blow air into a tube on one end of the blowpipe, and cause the piece to expand on the other edge, to create blown pieces like vases or jugs. Crucible - The furnace heated container that holds molten glass. Pontil Rod - A solid steel rod. A piece in work will be attached to this rod at the tip, after being blown on a blowpipe (for blown pieces), or it will be used directly to gather glass from the crucible. Gather - To place molten glass on the end of the blowpipe or rod in order to further the development of a project. Bench - Two armed bench where the blower sits, and works the piece with hand tools. The pipe is rolled horizontally on the two metal arms of the bench. Glory Hole - The opening of the furnace that is used to reheat glass. Is usually kept at 2300 degrees F Marver - A metal table that is used for initially forming, and cooling glass during gathering.
Copyright © 2004 Taliesin Parikka |