“Godfather Death”

Adapted by Theo, Fuka, and Elly

Reader’s Theatre B – ELS General Section

 

Characters:

Old Tiffany

Kiki

Death

The Father

Doc

The King

The Queen

Young Tiffany

God

The Devil

Two People

 

Scene I: Old Tiffany, Kiki

(Lights up.  Kiki is in her bed. Tiffany, her grandmother, comes in and sits on a chair next to Kiki’s bed.)

Kiki: Grandma?

Tiffany: (gently) Yes my dear?

Kiki: What is love, exactly?

Tiffany: Love is a strong feeling which makes people do beautiful things as well as huge mistakes.

Kiki: But why?

Tiffany: Because, for someone who is in love, nothing else matter except the loved one.

Kiki: I don’t understand.

Tiffany: Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, a poor family lived in a little house in a small village. There was a mother, a father and twelve children. But one day, the mother got pregnant again. Being too poor to raise a thirteenth child, the father decided to find a godfather who could raise the   little boy.

(Lights down)

 

Scene II: The Father, God, The Devil, Death

(Lights up.  The father is walking on a road. He meets God meditating.)

God : A good day to you my son. In my infinite wisdom, I understand that you are looking for a godfather. Being the father of everything, I am more than able to take care of the little Doc.

Father: Please believe that I would give you my son without any hesitation if I didn’t know that you let your son die on a cross.

(The father walk away.)

God: (surprised) But I…But he…But  you…                                                                                         

(He meets the devil smoking a cigarette.)

Devil: Hey, bro. If you give me your child he will become the prince of light, and the richest man on earth.  I’m the Devil.  I can give him anything.

Father: Go away, prince of darkness, master of all pain, I won’t give my child to someone like you.

(The father walk away.)

Devil: What a shame, dude.

(He meets Death sit on the floor.)

Death: How are you, mortal? A beautiful day to die, isn’t it? I am Death.  If you give me your child, he will learn how beings are equal, and it will make him humble.

Father: I like this idea. You will be Doc’s godfather. But promise me you’ll take good care of him.

Death: I promise.

(Lights out.)

 

Scene III: Old Tiffany, Kiki

(Lights up.  Kiki is in her bed.  Tiffany sits next to her.)

Kiki: And he gave him the child?

Tiffany: Yes, he did.

Kiki: (surprised) But how could he send his little boy to death?

Tiffany: (smiling) Well, if you think about it, there’s no better godfather than Death.  If he decides who shall live and die, he is the best to protect his child.

Kiki: (thinking) Maybe…

Tiffany: So, the next day, after Doc had been baptized, Death came.  Fifteen years passed, and the boy had everything he needed to become a healthy young man. One day, Death decided that it was time.

(Lights down.)

 

Scene IV: Doc, Death

(Lights up.  Doc and Death are in a dark room full of trunks, papers and books.)

Death: Today, my son, is an important day for you.

Doc: (surprised) Why, godfather?

Death: Because I am about to give you the power over life and death. You know, I am a very old man. At the beginning, I felt very powerful doing my job.  I was the most important person on earth. Without death, there is no life, and without life, there is nothing. But, after so many years, I am tired of being responsible for drama, pain and tears. Today is the day I give you the most powerful medicine. Every sick person who will take it shall live.  You will become a doctor, and you will cure people. But remember, if you see me standing by the patients’ head, you can give them the medicine, and everyone will be happy. But if you see me at the foot of the bed, the dying are mine. Never forget it.

Doc: (proudly) I won’t, godfather. I promise.

 

Scene V: Old Tiffany, Kiki

(Lights up.  In Kiki’s bedroom. Old Tiffany sits next to Kiki’s bed.)

Old Tiffany: After the godfather gave Doc the herb, he did as his godfather said, and it didn’t take long time that he became the very famous doctor.

Kiki: (curious) Everyone knew him? Why did he become famous? I think there were many doctors, and some of them could be great doctors. I don’t really understand why he was the most famous doctor.

Old Tiffany: Because his way to see a patient surprised people greatly, and also he could know if the patient would live or die because he could see his godfather and understand their extent of a disease. It was easy to be famous for him. He was known by the whole nation and many foreign countries, so lots of people visit and consult him. He could earn a lot of money, and he was a rich man right away.

Kiki: Hmmm

Old Tiffany: Suddenly, a big accident was happened that the king of that country fell ill.  To recover the health of the king, retainers called up the doctors who were supposed to the best doctors at that time, and they also asked Doc to see the king. He went to the castle, and he was ushered into the king’s bedroom.

(Lights down.)

 

Scene VI: Doc, Death, Two People, The Queen, Young Tiffany

(Lights up.  In king’s bedroom. Death stands at the foot of king’s bed. Two people are standing by the door. The queen and the princess stand by the bed. Doc enters king’s bedroom, and see Death standing at the foot of the bed)

Doc: (surprise, whispering) Death is standing at the foot of the bed! I cannot heal him! But I cannot tell people that he cannot survive, and he will die soon! Because I am the most famous doctor in the world, and everyone expects me! (whispering) If I could deceive him, I can heal the king! I will make him angry, but he will let it pass because I am his godson! Just once, just once. I can do it! Don’t be afraid! If I cure the disease, I will be more famous and rich. (loudly) Please turn the king round on the bed.

(The people turn the king round, and go back to their former location. Doc gives the king a decoction of the herb)

Doc: (impatiently) Could you drink this, please?

(The king receives and drinks with difficulty, and wake up slowly.)

The King: I feel better than before. Thank you, doctor.

(Doc feels at ease, and let escape a sigh.)

Doc: I am very glad that you have gotten well.

The Queen: I appreciate you, doctor.

Young Tiffany: You were a big help curing the king. I cannot thank you enough.

Doc: You're very welcome.

Young Tiffany: I want you to be one of our doctor. Many famous doctor saw my father, and everyone said that they couldn’t do anything to cure him. But you did! You are the best doctor in this country.

Doc: Thank you very much.

(Lights down.)

 

Scene VII: Doc, Death, Two People, The Queen, Young Tiffany

(Lights up.)

(In the king’s bedroom. No one moves, except Death and the physician. Death comes to the physician quickly.  Death shaking his finger, and frowning darkly. The physician is alone.)

Death: (angry)I can’t forgive you for what you did. You promised, but you cheat me!

(Doc kneels down.)

Doc: (scared)I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.

Death: What did you mean? What do you want me to do?

Doc: Sorry. I only wanted to cure him. I  wanted him to get better.

Death: (calmly) Today, I let you go. You became a good doctor, and I’m your godfather. However, if you do it again, you cannot exist on the earth.You know that?

Doc: I understand. I promise you.

Death: Don't break your promise.

Doc: Okay, okay. I won't do it again.

(Lights down.)

 

Scene VIII: Old Tiffany, Kiki

(Lights up.  In Kiki’s bedroom.)

Kiki: (curious) And then? What’s happened to him?

Old Tiffany: After that, he worked as their doctor for a short while. In this country, the princess got serious sick.

Kiki: Hmmm...Did the king have a prince?

Old Tiffany: No, he had only one daughter, so the princess had to survive. And also, the king loved her a lot. The king wanted to help her, so he gathered all doctor in the castle, he also asked Doc to see her. The king said that, if someone could heal her sick, he would give someone all his stuffs and could allow him to marry her.

(Lights down.)

 

Scene IX: Young Tiffany, Death, Doc, Old Tiffany, Kiki

(Lights up.  In Tiffany’s room.  Tiffany is lying on her bed.  Death is standing at her feet.  Doc enters.  He looks that Death are standing at the princess’s feet)

Doc: (talking to himself, trying not to see Death) Oh, my god, what should I do?  (being surprised by her face) How a beautiful girl. I want to cure her.

Death: (getting angry, shaking his fist) Grrrrr…

Doc: (ignoring Death’s snarling, trying to turn her round) I should move her.  (taking 2 pills from his pocket and giving it to her) You will be better soon.

Tiffany: (waking up) I feel better, thanks. Thank you so much.

Death : (getting angry) I can’t forgive you. You cheated me 2 times. Why did you do that?  Didn’t you know that you shouldn’t have done that? How? I told you!!!

(Lights dim)

Old Tiffany: Death tied the physician with his bony hand. And he pulled him away from my bedside, and away from the palace, and away from the town, and his ice-cold grasp was so firm that the physician couldn’t pull free, no matter how hard he tried. Death led him to a great cavern under the mountain, where thousands and thousands of candles were burning, some of them tall, some of them medium-sized, and others so short they were on the point of going out. In fact, at every moment some candles did go out, and others elsewhere suddenly came alight, so that the little flames seemed to be leaping about from one spot to another in constant movement.

(Lights down.)

 

Scene X: Death, Doc

(Lights up.  In a great cavern.)

Death: (looking around the candles and calmly) See these candles? Everyone alive on earth has a candle burning own here. The tall ones belong to children, the middle-sized ones to married people in the prime of life, and the little ones to old people. Mostly, that is. Some people who are only young have a very short candle.

Doc: (looking around and trying to find his candle)Which is mine?

Death : (pointing to a little stump)This is yours.

Doc : (being horrified) What? No way, oh.. godfather, please light another one for me. I really beg you! I want to marry the princess. As you know, i fell in love with her at once, that’s why I turned her around. Please.. Let me live my life with her.

Death: (resolutely) No, it’s impossible. I gave you a chance but you didn’t keep our promise.  I can’t forgive you anymore. I can’t light another one without letting the first go out.

Doc: (beginning in desperate) Oh, I beg you. Please, let me live. Please put a fire on top of a new one so it can carry on burning when the first one’s finished!

Death: (pretending to light) Let me see…(purposely making a mistake) I can’t make it for you. I was thinking about forgiving you.  But, I already gave you a chance one time, but you didn’t follow me. I can’t believe you anymore. It’s too difficult to believe you because of your behavior.

 

Scene XI: Kiki, Old Tiffany

(Lights up.  Kiki is in her bed. Tiffany sits next to her.)

Kiki: (sadly) And he died ? Just like that?

Tiffany: Yes indeed, my dear. Just like that. (Thinking) Life can be really fragile sometimes…But he lived in the memories of a lot people even if, today, just a few people can remember Doc’s miracles.

Kiki: Why, grandma ?

Tiffany: Time, my child. Time changes everything. Events become gossips, gossips become stories, stories become legends. That’s how humanity works. But some things never change. People will always do beautiful things and terrible mistakes for love.  In Doc’s case, it cost him his life, and it saved mine.

Kiki: (very surprised) You grandma?

Tiffany: (smiling) Yes, my dear. Me. I am the princess Doc saved. So you see, everything in life create a good thing and a bad thing. When you will clearly understand that, you will walk on the road of wisdom. Always remember this lesson. Amongst all the emotions love is the only one able to create all the others.

 

 

THE END