* * * *

ACT ONE

Scene opens onto/into a large room, a sort of lounge, with a window corner right. There are three small plastic tables with six plastic chairs, two to a table and one three-seater couch.

Another one seater chair sits close to a wooden night stand, on which sits a large old battered radio.

ORDERLY #1, in white nurse uniform comes in and stand by door, up-stage center. A group of patients, all dressed in flour-bag whites, are next in.
The ASSISTANT, dressed in a green doctor's scrub suit, with a clip-board under his arm is next.
The DIRECTOR, dressed in a cheap brown suit, follows.
ORDERLY #2, also in white nurse's uniform, brings up the rear.

SMITH, carrying a guitar and a few sheets of music, pulls a chair from one of the tables over to night stand, places music sheets on stand, puts one feet on chair and begins to strum his guitar.

DRUMMOND, caressing a trombone, goes to small couch, tests it with his hand, then sits and attempts to engage SMITH in conversation.

LOVE, carrying a bundle of newspapers and other papers, goes over to the table with the single chair, takes a seat and begins to read.

BEDWARD, carrying a hymn book, goes to one end of large couch sits and begins flipping through the book.

EMANUEL, carrying a bible, sits at the other end.

QUEENIE walks towards SMITH and DRUMMOND, chanting as she goes, "Kumina, Kumina."

SMITH removes his feet, wipes chair, with his hand, and offers seat to QUEENIE.

DRUMMOND rises and motions her to take the couch; she does and SMITH goes back to strumming.

DRUMMOND takes QUEENIE’S hand and runs it over his trombone, the while looking at SMITH with a smirk.
HOWELL walks over to back of large couch and remains standing, looking around.

HENRY, goes to center stage left and adopts a defiant stance.
MAIS, carrying several paint brushes, goes to the window and begins looking out.

DIRECTOR:

Let me have your attention.

[Everyone but SMITH still strumming away, QUEENIE and DRUMMOND, who, engaged in a seemingly intimate way, stop what they were doing and looks in direction of DIRECTOR]

DIRECTOR:

You three over there! This concern you also.

SMITH:

Want to hear a song sir? I just composed a new one here.
[Pointing to his head.] Mr. Horn-man. [To DRUMMOND] Give me some music and maybe this pretty lady here [Pointing to QUEENIE] will dance.
[DRUMMOND gently takes trombone from QUEENIE and places it to his lips.]

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Smith if you want to keep that thing -

SMITH:

Everyone calls me Slim and this thing [Kissing his guitar] is called a guitar.

DIRECTOR:

Right now you need to know why you are here and what the rules are. [Pointing to ASSISTANT.]

ASSISTANT: [taking clip-board from under his arm]:

There will be no disturbance. Anyone causing a disturbance will be restrained for at least one week.

MAIS:

What do you mean restrained?

LOVE:

Why don't you just come right out and say straight-jacket?

ORDERLY #1:

If you know, there is no need for us to say it.

LOVE:

Us?

DIRECTOR:

Continue Doctor Jones.

ASSISTANT:

There will be no attempt at escape. The punishment
for such behaviour will be at least three weeks of restraint.

LOVE:

He means straight-jacket people.

HENRY:

Enslaved people should always try to escape.

ASSISTANT:

You're a few hundred years off.

DIRECTOR [taking clip-board]:

Mr. Bedward, you have been sentenced to an indefinite period, which means that -

BEDWARD: [waving his hymn book]:

Do you know who I am? I am Alexander Bedward, the Prophet. I established the Baptist Free Church in 1894 -

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Bedward, you weren't sent here because you established a church. [Looking at clip-board] You were convicted of uttering seditious language. Your commitment papers [Removing slip of paper from clip-board and waiving it around] says it here. “At a ceremony Mr. Bedward told those gathered that, 'the time is at hand when ... blacks must rise up and crush whites and assume the Government as [their] brothers [had] done in Haiti.'’

BEDWARD:

If that is all I am guilty of, I would gladly stand accused again. [Waving book around.] You hear me.

DIRECTOR:

I tell you Mr. Bedward, you are one lucky man. Good for you, you were found to be insane otherwise General Penitentiary would be your home.

HENRY [walking towards Director; Orderlies take up a sort of blocking position besides Director]:

So what, I've been there.

DIRECTOR:

I can make arrangements for you to get back there. [Looking at clipboard] Mr. Drummond. You were sent here for repeated threats against the person of others. To your credit, you haven’t taken any steps towards completing your thoughts. Therefore, depending on your behaviour, your stay here can be a short one or a long one. It’s all up to you.

DRUMMOND: [Blows a blast on his trombone;

Orderly #1 makes a move forward but is restrained by DIRECTOR]:

The name is Don Drummond and you can’t keep me here –

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Drummond, I don’t care what kind of don you are.
DRUMMOND:

I am among the top five trombonist in the world and you seem to have forgotten that I am a teacher at Alpha.

DIRECTOR:

WAS … Mr. Horn-man, was!!

QUENNIE [rising and wheeling around]:

Anyone care to dance. Want to dance. [Begins to chant] Kumina, Kumina.

DIRECTOR:

Ms. McQueen, you are pretty close to causing a disturbance.

[HOWELL goes over, seats QUEENIE, DRUMMOND walks to window and begins to shows MAIS trombone.]

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Emanuel -

EMANUEL: [waving his Bible]:

Prince Emanuel, the Alpha.

QUEENIE ;

[attempting to rise; HOWELL gently rest his hands on her shoulder; DRUMMOND walks over and sits on edge of coach, takes QUEENIE’s hands and begins rubbing it over trombone]

DIRECTOR:

Prince, pauper. You have been committed for life -

EMANUEL:

l am life.

DIRECTOR:

For interfering with Governmental administration.

EMANUEL

[getting up and waiving bible with outstretched arms]:

Run me over with your bulldozers, but leave my people.

[QUEENIE gets up from her seat and does a sexy dance towards BEDWARD; HOWELL brings her back to the couch; DRUMMOND takes her hand again and does the same rubbing motion;

ORDERLY #2 goes to stand by BEDWARD who gives him a defiant look then sits]

DIRECTOR:

Claudius Henry -

HENRY:

Rev. Claudius Henry, Repairer of the Breech, reporting for duty.

[He salutes away from DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT and ORDERLIES]

ASSISTANT:

Mr. Henry, you are no Moses Bogle.

[DIRECTOR and both ORDERLIES burst out laughing]

DIRECTOR:

r. Henry, you were sentenced to six years for engaging in subversive activities to wit -

HENRY [turning in the direction of HOWELL]:

If it pleases the bar. [Banging on table] I was arrested because I engaged the state politically for equal rights and justice for poor people.

LOVE [looking up]:

Right on brother.

DIRECTOR : [impatient]:

Mr. Henry, you were sentenced as a common criminal.

LOVE:

Who defines what a common criminal is?

HENRY:

If fighting for the rights of my people makes me a criminal, then I proudly proclaim Rev. Claudius Henry, the Repairer of the Breach, a criminal.

DIRECTOR:

Well! More power to you Mr. Henry, but consider yourself twice lucky -- once for not receiving a death sentence and twice for being found insane.

HENRY:

Unlike my son -- Ronald – right?

DIRECTOR:

I am sorry Mr. Henry, but your son was a criminal. Furthermore, I did not pull the noose, Mr. Wonder did, even though, maybe, I would gladly have done it if it was my job.

[Henry advances in DIRECTOR's direction but the ORDERLIES step in the way. HOWELL goes over, takes HENRY by the shoulder and leads him over to the coUch. QUEENIE gets up, HOWELL sits beside HENRY, QUEENIE sits on the other side of the coach and begins to stroke HENRY’s shoulder. DRUMMOND attempts to get HENRY interested in his trombone but HENRY steadfastly looks at DIRECTOR in defiance]

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Henry, in case you are not aware. Assault a member of my staff and whatever your sentence is it will be doubled -- not to mention at least three months of restraint.

MAIS:

Straight-jacket people.

LOVE:

And what will it be if the assault is against you?

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Howell -- [Howell moves from HENRY's side to face DIRECTOR] A very complex man, or is it complicated? A man who fails to learn, it seems, from past events. This is your third conviction for the same crimes.

LOVE:

Sounds like a consistent man to me.

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Howell, this represents your third conviction for preaching that man is God and for preaching against Her Majesty the Queen.

QUEENIE [stilling soothing HENRY]:

QUEENIE is the Queen.

DIRECTOR:

As a result of your latest conviction, you were found [Consulting clipbard] "mentally unbalanced" and your sentence is indefinite.

LOVE:

That means forever people.

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Howell, there is no violence in your record as compared to some of these other criminals. [HENRY makes to rise but QUEENIE gently pushes down on his shoulder] So I don’t foresee any trouble from you.

LOVE:

Trouble comes in many forms.

DIRECTOR:

Okay Mr. Robert Love. Mr. Love! I don’t understand you.

[DRUMMOND gives a blast on his trombone; DIRECTOR looks in his direction; DRUMMOND. comes around other side of coach, takes QUEENIE hands and begins to caress trombone]

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Love. Here it is, you received a fine education and wasted it by running around polarizing this peaceful country -- advocating that black stuff.

LOVE:

That black stuff is called Black Nationalism.

DIRECTOR:

This country is out of many one people Mr. Love. So, if you are going to advocate, at least do so across the board.

LOVE:

I am not going to be an advocate for other people Mr -

DIRECTOR:

Just call me Doc, all the other patients do.

SMITH [who all this time has been playing his guitar softly]:

Say Repairer, the man is just a keeper of lunatics, ain't he?

HENRY

[attempts to rise but QUEENIE ignores DRUMMOND, removes her hand from trombone and gently pushes down on HENRY's shoulder] :

Looks like it to me because only a idiot would be chosen for a job like this.

MAIS [looking away from window]:

Plus only an idiot would accept it.

DIRECTOR:

If I were in your shoes I would spend the time contemplating my future.

MAIS:

What do you think I am doing?

LOVE:

Doc, what are you?

DIRECTOR:

What do you mean what am I -- I am a man.

LOVE:

I mean, are you black?

DIRECTOR:

What is the point here Mr. Love?

LOVE: I have spent my entire life advocating the upliftment of people like you; politically, educationally, economically, culturally, spiritually -

QUEENIE:

Amen to the spirit.

LOVE:

And socially.

DIRECTOR:

Well Mr. Love, according to this here, [Removing paper from clipboard and waiving it around] You were sentenced to ten years for advocating the overthrow of the elected Government.

MAIS:

Elected by who?

LOVE: Care to read one of my papers Doc?

DIRECTOR:

I am a Jamaican -- I don't care for that black stuff.

LOVE: Funny, but look Doc. It’s called Jamaica Advocate. [Pointing to name]

DIRECTOR:

Roger Mais. If not for your employers at the Gleaner you would be in a real prison. Like Mr. Love, you had everything going for you -- I don't know what malady has come over you but for some reason, all you newspaper people want to bring down the Government.-

ASSISTANT:

Must be something in the paper.

[Orderlies and Director burst out laughing]

LOVE:

Doc, you must know that insanity can either be inherited or acquired.

ORDERLY #1:

Maybe its not the paper and its the ganja that they all smoke.

[More laughter by DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT and #1]

LOVE:

Don't rule out the social environment Doc.

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Mais, what came upon you to write such an article? "Now We Know," and committing such sacrilege suggesting that Jesus Christ is black?

MAIS:

That's for you to find out.

DIRECTOR:

Ms. McQueen. You women, when you go mad, seems to outdo the men.

DIRECTOR:

Ms. McQueen, you were convicted and sentenced for practicing obeah. To wit, conning people into believing that you have powers of healing. Because you are a woman -- I think -and your state of mind, the judge was rather lenient with you. As a result, you only received two years. Behave yourself and you might be out a bit early.

QUEENIE: [laying a hand on HENRY's head]:

Only believe, only believe, all things are possible, only believe. [She sits.]

DIRECTOR [consulting clipboard]:

Slim Smith.

SMITH

[getting up with with his guitar and moving towards center of the floor]:

Am I on Doc? What tune do you want to hear?

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Smith. Of all your fellow convicts in this room, you stand the best chance of redemption.

QUEENIE [gets up goes to SMITH, places a hand on his head and begins to sing]:

I am redeemed. I am redeemed. I am redeemed by the blood -- of Jesus -- I want a revival in my soul.

DIRECTOR:

Mr. Smith, because your sickness is more physical than mental we have medicine here that can help you. Hopefully you won't kill yourself before we can do so.

HOWELL:

Are you finished abusing us Doc?

DIRECTOR:

This brings me to the end of my presentation and hopefully we won't have any problems and things will go as smoothly as possible. Good day to you all.

END OF SCENE ONE

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