ELIPSIS: (spoken)
Yes, friends, come tonight to the edge of the Black Woods and our show will delight and amaze you! You see, tonight, and tonight only, our carnival will be open to all of the citizens of this village. Ah! The wonders that are in store for each person (catching their attention) brave enough to come into the forest tonight.
ONLOOKER #1:
Why? What’s wrong with the forest?
ELIPSIS:
(laughs knowingly) A monster lives there.
(The CROWD reacts. Some scared, some in disbelief.)
ELIPSIS:
Our honored Queen of the Mystic will tell you the story.
QUEEN OF THE MYSTIC:
Well…I’m not sure it will bring pleasant dreams.
CROWD:
Oh yes! Please! Tell us! etc.
QUEEN:
All right, huddle close together, and be prepared to be frightened! (All huddle in groups and prepare to hear the tale.) One dark and cold night, three children struggled to find their way through the enchanted forest. As they were about to give up all hope of ever being found again, they saw lights beaming from a castle on the hill. As they proceeded towards the castle, hoping to find shelter from the storm, they spotted, through the twisted branches, two enormous and spellbinding red eyes, beckoning them to their terrible fate! Then, the monster reached out and grabbed them! (The CROWD shudders in fear.) But that is enough. If I tell you more, you will all be too scared to come to our carnival tonight.
CROWD:
No we won’t! We’ll come tonight! Please, tell us more. Go on! I’m scared. More! etc.
QUEEN:
Very well, but don’t be frightened! The petrified children screamed in terror and begged the monster to let them go. The monster screamed back in rage, but before he could destroy them… (changing her tone) a brave squire scooped them up in his arms and carried them away to safety.
(The CROWD, relieved, cheers and applauds.)
ELIPSIS:
Now, friends, come tonight and we will display the magical and supernatural powers that we possess.
ONLOOKER #2:
You lot are nothing but thieves and vagabonds!
ONLOOKER #3:
Yeah! Why don’t you take off that phony mask!
ELIPSIS:
I wear this mask because beneath it, I have no face.
(The CROWD laughs at this nonsense.)
CROWD:
No! Ridiculous! etc.
ELIPSIS:
Would you like to see for yourselves?
CROWD:
Yes! Show us!
(As the CROWD buzzes with anticipation. ELIPSIS grandly turns to them with his back to the audience and majestically lifts his mask. As he does, the CROWD falls silent, some faint.)
ELIPSIS:
I assume I’ve silenced any doubts.
ONLOOKER #1:
(now a believer) Show us a trick!
ELIPSIS:
(appeasing them) Very well. Our Queen of the Mystic will tell the fortune of one lucky person. And that person is… (ELIPSIS points around the crowd. People in the crowd raise their hands, desperately wanting to be picked. ELIPSIS eventually settles on BEAUTY.) …YOU! (BEAUTY is reluctant, but several people push her towards the center of the crowd.)
QUEEN:
Come closer my child. Have we ever met before today?
BEAUTY:
No.
BROTHER #1:
You swear to these good people that we’ve not met before?
BROTHER #2:
And that all our Queen will foretell about you, you’ve never told us previously?
BEAUTY:
Yes, I swear to it.
QUEEN:
Very well then. Give me your hand, child. Ahhh!
CROWD:
What? What is it? What does she see? etc.
QUEEN:
Your name is Beauty.
BEAUTY:
(astonished) Yes, it is!
(The CROWD reacts.)
QUEEN:
I see…I see your father was a rich merchant who has since fallen on hard times. You and your family had to leave the city and move to a more modest home in the country.
BEAUTY:
How do you know these things?
(The CROWD again reacts.)
QUEEN:
(She eyes Beauty’s hand suspiciously. She looks up at her, afraid to go on.) I see…I see…I see it’s getting late. We better be going.
CROWD:
Boo! Aww! etc.
ELIPSIS:
There will be more to see at the carnival tonight!
(The CROWD leaves, disappointed, but anxious for the carnival later. As they disperse, the QUEEN OF THE MYSTIC calls BEAUTY back over to her.)
QUEEN:
Beauty, wait! Would you like to know what else I saw? (BEAUTY nods her head “yes”.) I saw your future, child. All your suffering will end! You shall live in a castle; have gold and jewels and great good fortune. But you must give up the only thing you love to have the one thing you desire. Do not look with your eyes, but see with your heart. Look! Look!
(The QUEEN gestures towards the bars of the cage, inviting BEAUTY to look inside. She peers in, closer…closer…Suddenly, a great animal roars and a hairy arm reaches through the bars to grab her. She shrieks and runs downstage, where she collapses, sobbing. BLACKOUT.)
