Monday Rewrite A group mime performed by a group of 2-8 people, and a narrator. It could also be set to atmospheric music. The narrative is in bold. Based on an original piece by Geoffrey Stevenson.
The spirit of the Lord took hold of me
The group begin standing in a line looking down, then they look up sharply as the narrator speaks
And set me down in a busy street
They freeze in poses of walking and talking, some on phones
In a shopping precinct
They make poses of buying and selling and browsing in shops, with various facial expressions
In a local neighbourhood
In twos mime chatting, happy, sad or arguing, whilst leaning on fences
And as I watched people came and went, ate and drank, worked and rested, laughed and cried
Poses of eating and drinking, laughing and crying
And the Lord said to me,
All sharply look up and place a hand to right ear to listen
‘Summon the wind from the four corners of the earth.’
Reach out and pull the approaching wind in, some to the front, others behind, others left and right
‘Tell it to breathe life into these bones.’
Having pulled the air in, mime blowing it out and sweep right hand out towards the audience
So I spoke and I felt a breeze brush my face,
Press hand to face, then take it down and look it, amazed
And I heard a noise as the wind began to rush through the streets,
Look around
Buffeting the bodies,
Group sways a little, with their eyes closed
Breathing life into the flesh and bones,
The group sways much more violently
And the people stirred and woke and began to live again.
Wake and stretch as if from a deep sleep, rub eyes, then freeze looking around, amazed
‘See,’ said the Lord, ‘see what I can do?’
Look up, and nod
‘I will breathe on all who those are dead and dry, all those with no future or hope and I will put the life of my spirit within them, and they will live again. I will do it,’ says the Lord.
Pull hand towards face, blow into it, close it then open it as you sweep it over the audience
‘I promise. It will happen – not by might,
Look out at audience and hold up a fist, and make an aggressive face
Nor by power,
Hold up both fists and look as if shouting at the sky
But by my spirit,’ says the Lord.
Pull right hand towards face, blow into it, close it then open it as you sweep it over the audience. Freeze.
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