BooksBarbecue
Back The Darker Face of the Earth Save as PDF
Chapters (27)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Half-Title Page
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Dedication
  7. Cast
  8. Prologue
  9. Act One
  10. Scene 2
  11. Scene 3
  12. Scene 4
  13. Scene 5
  14. Scene 6
  15. Scene 7
  16. Scene 8
  17. Act Two
  18. Scene 2
  19. Scene 3
  20. Scene 4
  21. Scene 5
  22. Scene 6
  23. Scene 7
  24. Scene 8
  25. An Interview with Rita Dove
  26. Biographical Note
  27. Back Cover

Dimly lit, the light rather blue. Each group is in its appointed “place” on stage—AMALIA in her parlor with TICEY standing impassively in the background; LOUIS above, in his study; most SLAVES going about their chores; SCYLLA isolated, with her herbs and potions. In the swamp, HECTOR searches for snakes; the CONSPIRATORS huddle, occasionally lifting a fist into the circle. AUGUSTUS stands front and center, back to the audience, gazing at AMALIA. Mostly silhouettes are seen, except when a single voice rises out of the chanting, which will grow to cacophony at the end of the sequence.

SLAVES

They have bowed our heads,

they have bent our backs.

Mercy, mercy,

Lord above, mercy.
AMALIA

I slept, but my heart was awake.

How beautiful he is!
SLAVES

Lord have mercy.

They have bowed our heads . . .
SCYLLA

There’s a curse on the land.

The net draws closer.
HECTOR Under rocks, ’twixt reeds and roots . . .
SLAVES

They have bent our backs,

they have snatched our songs . . .
AUGUSTUS (Singing.)
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child . . .
SLAVES (Joining in.)

A motherless child, a motherless child,

sometimes I feel like a motherless child—

Continue humming through most of the scene.

LOUIS (In a scientific voice, detached, as if reciting.)

Every night at the same hour, each star appears

slightly to the west of its previous position.

Scientists calculate that the 12 houses of the zodiac

have shifted so radically since ancient times,

their relation to each other

may now signify completely different portents.
HECTOR So many, so many.
SLAVES (Singing.)
A long way from home.
AUGUSTUS One soft night, Massa stood up—
CONSPIRATORS Selah.
AUGUSTUS —and laughed to himself.
CONSPIRATORS It is time.
SCYLLA The net draws tighter.
CONSPIRATORS Selah!
AUGUSTUS One darkening evening, I stood up—

SLAVES humming, CONSPIRATORS chanting “Selah” in a barely audible whisper.

—and she was mine,

mine all night, until

the day breathed fire

and the shadows fled.
AMALIA Look, how beautiful he is!
CONSPIRATORS Rise up!
SLAVES (Simultaneously.)
Mercy, mercy.
AMALIA His eyes, his brow, his cheeks—
CONSPIRATORS Rise up!
AMALIA —his lips . . .
AUGUSTUS . . . until the day breathed fire . . .
HECTOR Eshu Elewa . . . ogo . . . gbogbo.
SLAVES

They have bowed our heads,

they have bent our backs.
SCYLLA Closer . . .

PHEBE dashes to center-stage, hands out-stretched as if to hold back a flood.

PHEBE Stop it! Stop!!!

Everyone freezes.

Scene 2

SCENE 2

The tableau remains.

PHEBE drops her arms and moves slightly stage-left. AUGUSTUS, with his back still to the audience, backs downstage, towards the slave cabins, looking alternately at AMALIA and the CONSPIRATORS until the tableau disintegrates. PHEBE taps him on the shoulder, and he whirls around.

PHEBE Evenin’.
AUGUSTUS Oh! Phebe. Evening.
PHEBE You’re trembling.
AUGUSTUS I am?

Laughs.

Cold spell coming on, I imagine.
PHEBE No, that’s what you said to me!

AUGUSTUS looks at her, uncomprehending.