DRAMA - FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR C
Bible reference: Luke 21:25-36
THE WORLD'S GOING TO END . . .
CHARACTERS: Reader, Shouter, Scientist dressed stereotypically in white lab coat and glasses, Meditator looking very 'new age'
PROPS: Bible, calculator, safety helmet
(Shouter is seated in the middle of the audience at the end of a row next to the centre aisle)
READER:
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(Enters and reads Luke 21:25-36, ends with . . .) This is the end of the reading.
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SHOUTER:
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(Stands up in audience) Did you say the end? (Panics, runs up and down aisle) Oh no! The world's going to end! The world's going to end! Ahhhhhh!
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READER: (Rolling eyes) No! I said it was the end of the reading.
SHOUTER:
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Oh, that's alright then. (Goes to sit down then stands up again) Wait a minute! When will the world end then?
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READER:
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No one knows . . .
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SCIENTIST:
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(Enters with calculator, interrupting) I'm glad you asked that. According to the signs and my long and extensive calculations the world is going to end in precisely ten seconds.
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SHOUTER:
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(Panics again) Ahhhhhh! The world's going to end! I'm not ready! (Gets safety helmet from under seat, puts it on and crouches down, hands over head)
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SCIENTIST:
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(Looks at watch and counts down) 10 . . . 9 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . .
4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 (Looks around) Oh rats! Sorry everybody. Must've made a mistake in my calculations. (Embarrassed) Er…just continue on with what you were doing. (Exits)
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SHOUTER:
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(Standing up again) Phew! That's a relief! (Talks to people around him) For a minute I thought the world really was going to end, I didn't know what to do!
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READER: (Pointing to Bible) It says here that we should watch and pray.
SCIENTIST:
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(Rushes back in) Hang on a minute. Sorry, everyone. It seems I was wrong. I forgot a decimal point. It could happen to anybody! The world is actually going to end in two minutes. (Stands to one side looking at watch, and doing calculations)
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SHOUTER:
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(Stands) Ahhhhhh! The world's going to end! I'm not ready! (Starts to run from building)
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MEDITATOR: (Entering from rear of building, stopping shouter mid-exit and pushing him/her back towards the front of the building) Wait a minute! Wait a minute. We shouldn't be panicking, we should be getting ready.
MEDIATOR:
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(Takes over. Optional: could try to get audience to participate) Right, everyone hold hands. (Grabs hands of reader and shouter. Gets them to join in) Like this. Come on. Now breathe deeply. Good air in, bad air out.
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READER: But I don't think that . . .
MEDITATOR:
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Good air in, bad air out. Good air in, bad air out. That's right. Be at one with the earth, even though it's soon going to blow up into a thousand million tiny pieces. (Shouter looks nervous) Relax. Don't think about the fact that this is the end of all life as we know it.
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READER:
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But it's not . . .
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MEDITATOR:
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(Glaring at reader, then smiling at audience) Think happy thoughts. Now then, let's . . .
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SCIENTIST:
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(Interrupting frustrated) Rats! (Everyone looks at him/her) Sorry everyone, er . . . it seems I was wrong again. The world is in fact going to end next Tuesday week. (Apologetically) Sorry.
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READER:
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(Angrily, snatching hand out of meditator's grasp) Look, I've had just about enough of this! (To scientist) You come in here and interrupt us with your crazy calculations when nobody really knows when the world will end. It will end when God wants it to end, not when your calculator says it should! (To meditator) And you, all the deep breathing in the world won't help you. You need to be right with God! (To shouter) And as for you, stop panicking, and start praying! Oh, and if you read this, (Shoves Bible at shouter) you'll find that it's not really the end, it's just the beginning. (Exits leaving meditator and scientist staring after him/her in amazement, shouter is looking at Bible)
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MEDITATOR:
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Well, I never!
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SCIENTIST:
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All that talk about God!
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MEDITATOR:
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(Casually to scientist) So what are you planning to do before next Tuesday week?
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SCIENTIST: Well, I'll have to check my calculations. And you?
MEDITATOR:
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I thought I might organise some relaxation seminars. (To shouter) What about you?
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SHOUTER:
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(Looking at Bible) Maybe I'll read this . . . (All exit)
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© Reality! Drama Group
Permission is given to the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their group or congregation, for rehearsal and performance purposes only.
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