Drama Workshop: Ideas For Teaching Drama
OUT OF THIS WORLD
By Andrew McCann
ACT TWO: SCENE FIVE
In the Space Craft
(ENTER SALLY, JANE, JACKO, LUCY and PROFESSOR stage left, one by one, breathlessly.)
SALLY Phew! Made it!
JANE That was lucky! There was no-one in sight!
JACKO Couldn't have timed it better.
LUCY The Zenotrons have seen us!
SALLY Oh no! Hurry up, Uncle! They're crossing the courtyard!
PROFESSOR .....Maybe....(gasp) ....Maybe they've come to wave us goodbye!
SALLY The doors, Uncle! How do we close the doors!
PROFESSOR (dithering) The doors....Yes.....How do we close the doors?....Good question....Now let me think!....Ah, yes, there's a button in the control room through here! (indicating offstage right area)
JACKO Then press it, Uncle- quickly!
PROFESSOR There's no time! They'll be here before I get there! The remote control unit, that's the answer!
LUCY Oh, hurry up, Uncle! Before it's too late!
PROFESSOR Yes, yes- but where is the remote control unit?.....Ah,yes- Here it is... Now which button is it?....Ah, yes of course! This one!
(Sound of doors sliding closed.)
SALLY Thank goodness! I thought we'd had it, then!
LUCY Let's get out of here ! I want to go home!
JANE Don't we all!
PROFESSOR All right, down on the floor all of you! Stand by for blast off!
(ALL lie on the floor. We hear the sound of the space craft. The movement of those on the floor, suggest a jolt, as the space craft lands.)
LUCY Are we there, Uncle?
JANE Are we back on Earth?
SALLY Oh, please say we are!
PROFESSOR (looking at the remote control unit) Yes, the setting is correct.... We're safe at last!
SALLY Thank goodness for that!
LUCY Let's have the biggest meal we can! I'm starving!
JANE Let's have a party!
PROFESSOR I agree. Our homecoming's worth celebrating!
JACKO Who's going to do the cooking?
PROFESSOR None of us. The robots can handle that.
JACKO Good idea! I forgot about them!
SALLY Hope they're all right.
PROFESSOR Oh, they're perfectly resilient. I'm sure they'll be fine!
(ENTER ZENOTRONS from control room, stage right)
2nd ZENOTRON Thank you for your demonstration, Professor.
SALLY The Zenotrons!
LUCY (tearfully) But I thought we were safe!
PROFESSOR So did I, my dear- so did I!
3RD ZENOTRON It looks like our leader was right.
4TH ZENOTRON We were told that you might be misleading us, Professor. That's why we were asked to stay on guard duty inside the space craft.
5TH ZENOTRON We have, of course, made a careful note of the details on the control panel in there. I'm quite certain that we will be able to direct our leader towards the planet Earth when the time comes.
PROFESSOR Time comes for what?
5TH ZENOTRON To invade, of course! It seems quite obvious to us that the planet Earth is ideally suited for colonisation.
PROFESSOR Oh no!
JACKO You can't!
2ND ZENOTRON Oh can't we! Just you wait and see!
3RD ZENOTRON Enough of this talk! Take us back to our planet, Professor!
LUCY Oh no! Not back there!
2ND ZENOTRON I'm afraid you have no choice. We are quite capable of controlling this space craft now you have shown us how.
3RD ZENOTRON We can kill you now, if we have to- but if you wish to co-operate, I am quite sure that our leader will spare your lives for the time being.
PROFESSOR Oh, very well, I'll do as you ask. Stand by for blast off!
(ALL lie down as the space craft takes off and reaches its destination.)
2ND ZENOTRON Thank you, Professor. Now I am going to fetch our leader who wishes to have a few words with you on your return.
(To 3RD ZENOTRON ) Go into the control room and open the doors for me. Then keep an eye on the prisoners, until I get back.
(Exit 3RD ZENOTRON, stage right.)
(To the other ZENOTRONS ) The rest of you keep guard outside the space craft! If they try to escape, kill them!
(The doors are heard sliding open.)
(ENTER 3RD ZENOTRON, stage right.)
(Exit 2ND ZENOTRON and OTHER ZENOTRONS, stage left.)
3RD ZENOTRON (to PROFESSOR) You can give that remote control unit to me.
(THE PROFESSOR hands over the remote control unit.)
Now I'm going to study the control room. If you cause me any bother, you're dead! It's up to you!
PROFESSOR We understand.
(Exit 3RD ZENOTRON into the control room.)
LUCY I want to go home! I've had enough of this place!
PROFESSOR We all have, Lucy, but there's not much we can do about it.
JACKO Let's overpower the guard and blast off for Earth before the others get back!
PROFESSOR No chance of that. The fuel supply will be exhausted by now.
JACKO All the more reason why we need to escape and find some more rock.
PROFESSOR Too risky! There are guards outside and we are unarmed. We'll never get out alive!
JANE But what about the robots? Couldn't they help us?
JACKO Surely we'd have a good chance of getting away with their help.
PROFESSOR 'Fraid not. They're useless without the remote control unit.
JACKO Pity, but never mind.
PROFESSOR Wait a minute, though. I forgot about Clarice?
ALL CHILDREN Clarice?
PROFESSOR She's an experimental robot of mine. Responds to a voice sensor rather than a remote control unit. What's more, she's got a built-in anti-mugging device, in case she gets attacked on the way to the shops.....It's a lethal weapon- an umbrella, which she flourishes with such gusto, our Zenotron friend will hardly stand a chance against her.
JACKO What are we waiting for? Call her, Uncle!
PROFESSOR She's in the recharging room at the moment. I'll have to shout, or she won't hear me!...........Clarice! .........Come here, Clarice!..........Clarice!......It's no good. Let's all shout together, that'll make a difference.
ALL Clarice! Clarice!
(ENTER 3RD ZENOTRON, stage right)
3RD ZENOTRON What is the meaning of this? Why were you shouting?
PROFESSOR We were calling you.
CHILDREN That's right. Yes we were.
3RD ZENOTRON Then why do you call me Clarice?
PROFESSOR That is your name, isn't it?
3RD ZENOTRON No, it isn't......and what was it you wanted, anyway?
PROFESSOR Would you believe it? I've completely forgotten!
(To CHILDREN) Why did we shout (raising his voice in the hope that Clarice might respond) Clarice! Come here, Clarice!
(ENTER CLARICE, stage right, brandishing an umbrella and approaching the 3RD ZENOTRON from the rear.)
SALLY Wasn't it because we wanted Clarice to come here?
PROFESSOR Of course it was, but why did we want her to come here?
3RD ZENOTRON Are you trying to be funny? I keep telling you, my name's not Clarice!
PROFESSOR I remember now. That's Clarice behind you!
3RD ZENOTRON Don't you try that one on me. I'm not stupid, you know. (Imitating the Professor) "That's Clarice behind you!" A likely story. There's no-one behind me at all!
PROFESSOR It's about time Clarice made her presence felt. Get bashing Clarice!
(The 3RD ZENOTRON is felled by a blow from CLARICE'S umbrella.)
SALLY That was brilliant, Uncle!
PROFESSOR Yes, it was rather. She's one of my best, is Clarice.
(THE PROFESSOR takes the remote control unit from the 3RD ZENOTRON.)
Now to stir the robots into action. The trouble with this remote control unit is that I can never quite remember what is meant to do what.....Which button will make them fight?
LUCY Look out, someone's coming!
(THE PROFESSOR hides the remote control unit in his pocket.)
JACKO We'd better stick this guard out of sight. Quick, give me a hand, you two!
(SALLY and JANE help JACKO to drag the 3RD ZENOTRON off the stage, stage right.)
PROFESSOR Good idea- but hurry up! If anyone sees you, we've had it!
(ENTER ZENOTRON LEADER with ZENOTRONS, stage left.)
ZENOTRON LEADER Ah, so we meet again, Professor. I trust you enjoyed your little journey back to Earth.
LUCY Why didn't you let us stay there? You said you wanted to help us to get back home!
ZENOTRON LEADER I am a man of my word- and I did help you to get back to Earth, just as I had promised. Thanks to you, I now know the exact location of your planet Earth.
PROFESSOR If you think you'll get away with invading Earth, you're mistaken!
ZENOTRON LEADER We are superior beings! The Earthlings will not be able to stop us!
PROFESSOR I wouldn't underestimate our people, if I were you. You won't be able to take over the Earth as easily as you took over this planet.
ZENOTRON LEADER Oh no? Well let me tell you this. Before we even set foot on your planet, your people will be under our control!
PROFESSOR And how do you plan to do that?
ZENOTRON LEADER (producing a small cylinder) With our nerve gas. We shall pump a large quantity of it into your atmosphere. It will paralyse all Earthlings .
2ND ZENOTRON We Zenotrons are of course immune to the gas.
ZENOTRON LEADER It will be a simple matter to make all Earthlings our slaves, by taking over their minds.
PROFESSOR You'll never get away with it!
ZENOTRON LEADER Oh won't we! Well, just to make absolutely sure that we do, we're going to try our methods on you first!
SALLY Oh no!
LUCY Please don't let them, Uncle.
2ND ZENOTRON I don't know what you're all complaining about! This is the only reason your lives have been spared!
PROFESSOR You plan to turn us all into mindless zombies and yet you say our lives have been spared? What kind of life do you call that!
ZENOTRON LEADER You'll find out soon enough, Professor. I'm going to release the gas.
(The gas valve is released.)
SALLY It's awful! I can hardly move!
LUCY Please stop them, Uncle!
ZENOTRON LEADER No-one can help you now. It's too late!
PROFESSOR I am weak......too weak.
JACKO But the robots, Uncle! Press the button, quickly!
PROFESSOR If it isn't too late.....It's up to the robots, now....
(ENTER THE ROBOTS, who fight THE ZENOTRONS The gas cylinder is dropped as the ZENOTRON LEADER attempts to defend himself.)
SALLY Quickly, Jacko! Turn the gas off!
(The fight continues with THE ROBOTS winning.)
JANE The robots are winning!
PROFESSOR Good for them! I knew they could do it!.......Go on, you bash 'em! ......That's the way! ...etc.
(ALL ZENOTRONS are lying unconscious on the floor.)
CHILDREN The robots have won! They've won!
PROFESSOR It's a good start, but that's all. There'll be hundreds of Zenotrons out there. I can't see the robots overpowering all of them, but we'll give it a try!
(ENTER KRELLS, stage left.)
LUCY The Krells!
PROFESSOR You're free. How did you manage to overpower the Zenotrons?
1ST KRELL There was no need.
2ND KRELL They were all fighting among themselves!
3RD. KRELL We just worked out of the work camp! Even the guards were too busy fighting each other to notice us.
JACKO But it doesn't make sense. I can't understand what reason they could have to be doing that.
PROFESSOR Let me think....but of course! .....It might just be possible......
(He picks up the remote control unit and presses a button. ALL ROBOTS begin to laugh.)
(To 3RD KRELL) Look outside. What are the Zenotrons doing now?
3RD KRELL (looking outside) They're all laughing! But what's so funny?
(THE PROFESSOR presses another button and THE ROBOTS begin to cry.)
PROFESSOR What are they doing now?
3RD KRELL They're all crying their eyes out like big babies!
PROFESSOR Well, I'll be blowed!
(He bends down to examine an unconscious ZENOTRON.)
The Zenotrons are all androids- robots! Just like mine! They must operate on the same frequency as mine! My remote control device must have been powerful enough to have overridden whatever controls them!
1ST KRELL Does that mean that they won't be able to harm us any more?
PROFESSOR Not exactly. This remote control unit is only powerful enough to control those Zenotrons who are within immediate range. There is also a chance that this force that controls the Zenotrons will find a way of jamming my remote control device. It's just a matter of time.
JACKO We must find some fuel and return to Earth before they do!
PROFESSOR And expect an invasion of the Earth by the Zenotrons in the near future? No, that would not be a good idea. We must find whatever it is that controls the Zenotrons and destroy it for once and for all. That way, we will eliminate their evil domination of this planet and the threat to our own for good.
1ST KRELL We will all help you!
2ND KRELL Anything to get rid of the Zenotrons!
PROFESSOR Glad to hear it! If my theory is right, we're going to need every bit of help we can get......But first, we must locate the Central Control.
4TH KRELL I think I know where it might be. There's one zone of the city that is forbidden to Krell working parties.
PROFESSOR You must show us! Come on, we've no time to lose!
(EXIT PROFESSOR, KRELLS and CHILDREN, stage left.)
©Andrew McCann
Drama Workshop: Ideas For Teaching Drama