Tuesday, December 14, 2021

[Play] A Hand Grenade Loose in King Arthur's Court - Act 1, Scene 13

 Galahad, Grenademan and Lancelot are all looking at a fold out map.


Grenademan

I THINK WE SHOULD JUST GO BACK AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONS AGAIN.


Galahad

I know where we’re going.  I have a natural sense of direction.


Lancelot

I refuse to spend another second in the presence of Bill the Enchanter.  He’s the one that got us lost in the Disenfranchished Forest


Trees (Off stage, whispering)

Democracy should be the basis of constitutional government


If you must have an aquatic ceremony for the transfer of power it should be with choreographed swimming


A parody of a parody is not as sharp as the original.


Grenademan

I COULD CLEAR AWAY THE TREES WITH GRENADES.


Galahad

Have you ever gotten a really bad splinter before? I don’t think so.


Lancelot

My son has a point, paper cuts are nothing to jest at.


Trees

You probably don’t have enough grenades.


Why not give up and stop trying to find the grail?


This will all end in tears.


Galahad

I am a man, I don’t cry.


Trees

Real men eat Quiche.


Don’t bottle your feelings up inside unless you are opening a franchise


What does that even mean?  That made no sense


I’m trying to go for a sort of ironic sarcasm


Well it didn’t work


Can we focus here please?


Grenadman

ARE YOU SURE I CAN’T BLOW THEM UP? THEY SEEM TO BE WORKING FOR THE FORCES OF EVIL


Trees

More like the forces of sarcasm


The forces of ennui in an inherently entropic universe


I welcome death, maybe I”ll come back as an iguana


Lancelot

You know what? Have at it buddy.


Grenademan

TALLYHO!!!  (Grenademan blows up trees)


Thursday, December 9, 2021

[Play] A Handgrenade Loose in King Arthur's Court Act 1 Scene 12

Lancelot, Galahad and Grenademan ride into a clearing.  


Bill the enchanter enters looking quite hung over.


Grenademan

THIS IS THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR QUEST.


Lancelot

How do you know?


Grenademan

The Movie told me.


Lancelot

What is a movie?  You know what, don’t answer that question.


Bill

Ow.  Must you all be so loud.  (pours a hangover cure, and drinks it)


Grenademan

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.


Bill

Not surprised.  Are you here to seek the grail?


Lancelot

We are.  Do you know where to find it?


Bill

I actually do.  (takes out a fold out map and shows Lancelot) You go that way, turn left, go about 12 miles and take a left.  There will be a large cave with some runes that say ‘Grail here’ and you can't miss it.


Lancelot

Thank you, very helpful


Galahad

That’s...it?


Bill

Excuse me?


Galahad

No riddles? No special tasks? Nothing?


Bill

I’ve got a hell of a hangover.  Sorry, I'm not in the mood, I can find a riddle book if you like.


Grenademan

IS YOUR NAME TIM?


Bill

I’m Tim’s understudy.  Tim is on vacay.


Grenademan

WHERE?


Bill

Albuquerque, lovely this time of year.


Lancelot

Where? Nevermind, I don’t want to know.


Galahad

I feel cheated.


Grenademan

I HEAR ALBUQUERQUE IS LOVELY THIS TIME OF YEAR.


Bill

Not really.  Assuming you can even get there, what with the left turns and all, its blistering hot and full of scorpions.


Lancelot

Let us ride!


Grenademan

TALLYHO


Galahad

This is terribly anti-climatic.


Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Goodreads Giveaway

 Sent.  But I have a spare book, so to anyone actually reading my blog that didnt get one but wants "Have Name, Will Travel" email redanvilcreative@gmail.com w your name and address and the first two will get a copy.


[Play] A Hand Grenade Loose in King Arthur's Court Act 1 Scene 11

 Scene 11


Morgana

Good evening people, may I have your attention? 

(Beat)

Good.  Great changes are happening.

(beat)

Do you care about them?  Do you want change?

(beat)

I am supposed to be championing the status quo, do you know the status quo?

(beat)

Its an argument of blood and bone, fate and free will isnt it? Round and round like ants in an ant farm.  Order? Chaos? What does it matter if you get looped again and again?

(beat)

Do you imagine a savior will fall from the sky that isn't already on the board? Arthur is too lost in his own shame.  Lancelot is stained.  Gallahad is dumb as a bag of hammers.  Merlin is a pompous windbag.  I’m supposed to champion this cycle, and yes I speak openly about it.  You'll never remember anyway, so why not do so? And yes, I have seen you do it before.  It's not like the hidden plans for Morded’s attack are going to fall out of the sky and be delivered by two mechanical men to a farm boy who teams up with a smuggler and a sky wizard (who isn't a pompous windbag like Merlin) to save the non existent rebellion and make the world or the galaxy a better place?  No idea what I’m talking about?  Of course not, you’re medieval peasants.  But your kids are gonna love it.


(Beat)

Well.  The real medieval peasants kids loved it.  You guys are just fictional echoes aren’t you?  I guess that makes me a fictional echo but I’m more real because I know where I came from.  You’re just extras in the background, and not even featured ones at that.


(Grenademan and Lancelot enter)

Lancelot

It’s the witch!


Grenademan

WHICH WITCH?


Lancelot

Does that nonsense never end with you? Its like you are obliged to do it.  Is some fairy hidden in the bushes paying you money every time you spout gibberish?


Morgana

Lancelot.  Grenademan.


Lancelot

We want nothing to do with you witch.  Begin or we will strike.


Grenademan

I DO NOT BELONG TO A LABOUR UNION.


Morgana

You are a bag of particularly sharp doorknobs aren’t you?


Lancelot

She’s evil!  


Morgana

I’m not going anywhere.  Do you think you can hurt me?


Grenademan

TO FIGHT THE FORCES OF EVIL!  (throws grenade)


Morgana

(casts a spell to move it aside)

I don’t have time for this.


(Lights Dim)

Morgana Leaves

(Lights Go Up)


Lancelot

I hate it when she does that.


Grenademan

THAT WAS PRETTY COOL FOR THE FORCES OF EVIL.



Sir Galahad (Offstage)

CHAAAAAAAAAAARGE!


Lancelot

Oh fuck.


Grenademan

WHY IS THAT KNIGHT ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE THE CAR?


Lancelot

Congrations Grenademan, you’ve found your grail finder.  This is Sir Galahad, the pure.


Sir Galahad

(Comes on stage and takes out his sword and begins to hack at the car.  Steam should come out and if possible harmless but physical pieces should come out into the audience to simulate the sheer wantonly ignorant destruction and rage as he beats a dead horseess carriage) Have at thee! Die foul dragon! Beast from hell! I shall slay thee! Smite thee in the name of our Lord God the chaste and pure Jesus of Nazath die foul thing of satan I shall smite at thee and thou shalt die


Grenademan

IT WAS NEVER ALIVE.


Sir Galahad

Neverborn dragon! Technological abomination! I smite thee! (Continues to whack at the car)


Grenademan

I CAN FIX IT.


Sir Galahad

None shall save this wicked beast.


Sir Lancelot

Galahad, Grenademan.  Grenademan, my son (Lancelot air quotes) Galahad.


Sir Galahad

(stops whacking at the car and points a finger at Lancelot)

Noooooooo! You’re not my father.


Sir Lancelot

Join me, and together we can find the holy grail.


Sir Galahad

Never! I’ll never join your side.


Sir Lancelot 

(To Grenademan) 

Finds the holy grail you say?


Grenademan

THAT’S THE SCRIPT.


Sir Lancelot

I think we’ll need to flip that.





Thursday, December 2, 2021

[Play] A Handgrenade Loose in King Arthur's Court Act 1, Scene 10

 Scene 10


Lancelot walks on a weary road.


Lancelot

I seek the grail like any other knight, but am sure I shall not find it.  I am all but banished from court.  The accusation hung in the air like lead.  But how can one who is anything but pure in heart...what in the devil is that?


(Grenademan drives up in a car)


Grenademan

TALLYHO GOOD SIR KNIGHT, HAVE YOU SEEN SIR GALAHAD?


Lancelot

Ah, and yet my other shame is named of me, the illegitimate son I begot with Elaine of Corbenic.  This May Day is anything but festive.


Grenademan

MAYDAY? ARE YOU IN TROUBLE GOOD SIR KNIGHT? I AM GRENADEMAN.


Lancelot

Yes, Sir Grenademan, my heart bleeds for I seek the Grail.  I have not seen my son since we all split ways to search for the grail.  I hear he is north in Cumberland.  Why seek ye him?


Grenademan

JUST GRENADEMAN.  I AM NOT A KNIGHT.  SIR GALAHAD IS THE ONE WHO WILL FIND THE GRAIL.  BY DRIVING WITH HIM IN THIS (he pats the car) WE SHALL SPEED THE SEARCH.


Lancelot

Ah, my apologies.  You carry impressive weaponry for a peasant.  


Merchant enters stage


Merchant

Fruit for sale, fruit!  Who wouldn’t want wonderful fruit on a fine Mayday like this one.  The sun is shining, the wind at my back, what could be better than some nice cool water melon.


Lancelot

I will take a melon good Merchant.


Grenademan

I AM NOT A PEASANT.  I AM A SUPERHERO.  I FIGHT FOR THE FORCES OF GOOD AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL.


Merchant

You’re a Schlemiel.  (Gives Lancelot a melon)


Lancelot

Wait, you said that Galahad WILL find the Grail.   How do you know he will?  Did an angel of the Lord tell you?


Grenademan

THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING TOLD ME.


Lancelot

Who is the Once and Future King?


Grenademan

KING ARTHUR.


Lancelot

So King Arthur told you? How did HE know?


Grenademan

THE BOOK TOLD ME.


Lancelot

What book?


Grenademan

THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING.


Lancelot

(beat) So you call this thing you’re riding a car you say.


Grenademan

YES.


Lancelot

Great.  Lets go.


Grenademan

TALLYHO!


Lancelot

Bloody peasant.


Merchant

Schemiel. 


Grenademan and Lancelot drive off.



Tuesday, November 30, 2021

[Play] A Hand Grenade Loose in King Arthur's Court Act 1 Scene 9

 Scene 9


Herald One and Herald Two duel in the public square


Herald One

The Sword in the Stone

Drew forth made a King

Tales ere of old then

The bards then did sing


Herald Two

And then civil war happened

Bippity boppity boo

Whoo hoo and a dingle berry too

Mystical Arthur and his fipity wizard

He thinks he is wise

Cause he spent time as a Lizard

What the fuck man?

No one with guts took him seriously

So he beat the ever living shit out of them

With his magical sword

Til they pretended he was Uther’s son


Herald One

Unite the realm he did

Under God one and all

A round table he made

True knights follow the call


Herald Two

A gaggle of trash

Randos with nothing better

To spend their time on.


Herald One

Their glory and quests legend

Their numbers swell each day

The Knights of Camelot unquealed

Enlightened by surefire Ephereveence Ray


Herald Two

I can’t take a peck

At the foam and fleck

Of tin cans in a 

Suit of Sardines but

I think the downer

Is the out of towner

Named Mordred so

I heard.  The boy is tight

In a joust or a fight

Didnt Arthur sleep with his Mom?

Morgana boink him

Along comes Mordred

High thee father 

I’ve come to claim my crown

Then froth did the king

At the bastard thing

That oozed into Camelot’s tile

It stains the land

And isnt it grand

That the pureness has turned into bile?


Herald One

A bastard cant undo purity

Behold our glorious queen Guenevere

Soon an heir will grace

That we can then revere.


Herald Two

Oh thats just swell

I like that one one

Iambic pentameter your ass

Seriously pal you gave me that one on a free platter

I knick knack paddy whack your ass

Since everyone

Whose anyone 

Knows that Lancelot has boinked the Queen

Isnt that the problem

If you get what I mean?

The scene

That scene

Such as it is

Made every knight scurry like an ant

Trying to find the grail

To cure a dying king

Who fought Lancelot

And Lost

Trial by Combat

Might as well be Wombat

I’m sure the Desert God

Will answer their prayers any day now


Herald One 

Their prayers are indeed heard

The most high of Order

Will restore the balance anon

And sully not the Queen!


Herald Two

LOL, you broke rhyme brother


Herald One

(beat)

Curse you.


Both leave.


Sunday, November 28, 2021

lllegitimate Farce

 Check out Emmit Other's poem!

https://poetizer.com/poem/3279634

 

After the last great war

We determined to never have another one

A place where nations could talk

Instead of shoot

And for decades it worked

OK

The Security Council was garbage

But sometimes let keepers work

When the big boys didnt have a dog in that fight

Or stopping diseases

With the WHO

Until Winnie the Pooh took over China

And suddenly truth is an embarrassment

The CCP let covid fester

For their pretty pretty meeting

And millions have died

And now the Garbage WHO

Which doesnt and didnt want to offend China

Reelects the same garbage leader

Who now skips the greek letter Xi

To name the latest variant

To avoid offending the glorious leader Pooh

Has demonstrated its time for the UN to go

And be replaced by a world democratic forum

The UN needs to go away

Metaphorically burn it to the ground