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Play-Forest Drums V

by Prema Sastri
(Bangalore, India)

Play - Forest Drums -Part II
Play - Forest Drums -Part III
Play - Forest Drums -Part IV

Play - Forest Drums - Final Part

Ramu : That was a near thing.

Jani : I want to go home.

Nitin : That is the point. How do we go home?

Harvey : You can’t.

Rose : There is no way out of the forest.

Rinoo : We tried. We couldn’t get out.

Sheela : I thought you liked it here!

Rinoo : It`s no fun hereThere is nowhere to go. Nothing to do.

Tree : (Roars with laughter) No homework. No chores.
No parents to tell you what to do. That’s what you wanted.
That’s what you got.

Shyam : We’re grateful for our stay here but we’ve had enough.
Tell us how to go home.

Tree : If I knew I would have told you so. You children are no
use to us. Grumbling and fretting, and wanting to be
entertained all the time. If you can find the way go.

Ramu :Let us try. We’ll meet here again.

(They scatter and go around – but are back again soon.)

Shyam : There’s no way out. We’ve been trying for months.

Rinoo : (cries loudly) There’s nothing here. No proper clothes to
wear. No food to eat: no friends to play with.

Tree:It’s what you chose.

Rose : I’m so ashamed of myself. I left home because I did not
want to help my mother.

Shyam : We left because we hated homework. I wish I could go
back and see a page full of homework.

Harvey : I wish I could hear my father call me to help wash the car.

Ramu : You mean we are going to be here for ever and ever?

Shyam : Yes.

Tree : (Loudly)) Don’t complain. You have company.

Sheela : Who?

Tree : The animals. Have you forgotten a forest is full of animals?

Sheela : Let`s run away.

Rinoo : It`s too late.

Enter Tiger, Lion, Monkeys, Deer and other animals. They look at the new comers in wonder.

Tiger : Who are you? Are you tourists, come to stare at us?

Doe : (preening) Perhaps they’ll take our pictures.

Lion : They’re, more likely to shoot you.

Tiger : The tourists are a disgrace. They come in vans to see us.
They make faces and strange noises – as if they had never
seen animals before.

Lion : They are fools. Don’t take notice of them.

Tiger : I was in a.reservation; preserved forest land. The tourists deserved to be locked up in cages.

Elephant : We won’t have them here. I can crush them(Goes
towards children. Children back off.]

Children : No. Don’t. We’re not tourists.

Shyam : We live in the forest the same as you do.

Elephant : (to Ramu; looks him over) You don’t look like
an animal.

Sheela : He behaves like one. That’s what his daddy says.

Ramu : Shut up Sheela. We hae to make friends with our new
companions.

Elephant : You can have a ride on my back.

Monkey : I’ll get you nuts and berries.

Doe : (preening) You can walk with me if you like.

Lion : Children! If you want to stay here you will have to take
the forest pledge.

Ramu : We agree.

Lion : Repeat after me. Lion speaks, the children repeat.

"I promise I will not deface the forest

I will not make the waters muddy
When water is scarce,
I will not use up all the water

I will not break into a herd without warning

I will obey he laws of the jungle"

Tree : These children do not know how to obey rules. We will
have to send them deep into the forest.

Animals : Send them ( All the animals scream louder) Send them.

Children : Don’t send us away. We promise to obey you.

Animals : Send them away.

Lion : Stop. The drums are beating. The lights are changing.
It is time for our roll call. (Drums beat. Psychedelic lights)

[The lion presides.He calls out the names of species of animals. The animals weave around on the stage. There is a clash of cymbals. They leave. The stage darkens). SILENCE.
The children call out on a semi dark stage.

Sheela : It’s eerie. I’m frightened.

Jani : I want to go home.

Nitin : What will we do if the Rogos return? Shyam you’ve been
here a long time – there must be a way out.

Shyam : We never found one.

Harvey : Let’s look

The children run helter skelter but end in confusion. At last:

Ramu : Look!

A light appears at one end of the stage. It highlights a dog.

Harvey : What’s that?

Ramu : A dog.

Nitin : So what!

Ramu : Dogs are always with people. This one has come from
outside. Let’s follow him. (They crowd around the dog
The dog starts running around the stage. They run behind
him. The dog goes towards the wings)

Ramu :(Points) Look! A man made clearing. Come on

Harvey and group hang back.

Harvey : We’re not coming.

Nitin : Don’t be stupid.

Rose : We’ve been in the forest so long. I’m afraid of people. I
Can’t face the world.

Sheela : come on.

Rinoo : Our parents may beat us.

Nitin : What rubbish. They’ll be happy to see you.

Rose : We don’t have proper clothes.

Sheela : We’ll give you our clothes when we get to the camp.

The forest children run back.

Children : We’re going back.

Nitin : Come on. Let’s go.

Ramu : We cannot leave them behind.

The dog is waiting but seems impatient to be off.

Rinoo : I want my forest bed.

Nitin What shall we do?

Sheela : Let’s go

Nitin : There’s a mist coming up. We’ll get lost again. Let them
be.

Ramu : No. We must rescue them. Nitin you have to help me.

(Followed by Nitin he chases the children and rounds them up,after a scuffle. They cluster behind the dog).

Sheela : I hear voices.

Nitin : It’s our campers.

Rinoo: I smell food. I’m hungry.I am ready to go with you.

Ramu : Come before the mist gets thicker(Tells dog) come on
friend. Show us the way.

(Dog leads - children follow him - off stage with cries of relief.)

Ramu : Look. It`s the camping ground. Everyone is still here. Come.
...............Music..........
- END OF PLAY -

Script action from Part I to V: Approx.20 mins.

Songs and dances : Approx.10 mins.
Total.30 mins