Drama Workshop: Ideas For Teaching Drama
OUT OF THIS WORLD
By Andrew McCann
ACT TWO: SCENE SIX
In the Forbidden Zone
(ENTER KRELLS, PROFESSOR, SALLY, LUCY, JACKO and JANE stage left.)
4TH KRELL This is the Forbidden Zone- and it seems pretty quiet around here at the moment.
1ST KRELL Be careful. Don't let it give you a false sense of security.There are certain to be guards about!
PROFESSOR With a bit of luck, my remote control unit should help to keep them under control!
(The sound of a large computer is heard in operation.)
JANE What's that sound, Uncle?
PROFESSOR If it's what I think it is, it proves we're on the right track. Sounds like a giant computer to me!
(ENTER ZENOTRON GUARDS, stage right.)
1ST GUARD Who goes there? Answer me, or you will die?
PROFESSOR It's.....It's only us.
JACKO Uncle- the remote control unit!
PROFESSOR (pressing a button on the remote control unit.) All right- don't panic! Here goes!
1ST GUARD Put your hands in the air and step forward!
2ND GUARD Krells! What are they doing here!
3RD GUARD It is forbidden for you to come here! You will die!
(The 3RD GUARD raises a space weapon and is about to fire.)
SALLY Hurry up, Uncle! Quickly!
PROFESSOR It's not working! The forces working against it are too strong! We're too close to the Central Control, I think!
JANE It must work! It's got to!
1ST GUARD Kill them! .......Kill them!
3RD GUARD You will die!......
(THE GUARDS slowly grind to a halt.)
.....Y...o...u....w...i...l..l.........d...i...e.....
2ND GUARD K......i....l....l........t....h...e...m
LUCY It's worked!
JANE You stopped them just in time, Uncle!
PROFESSOR (looking towards stage right wings) So far so good. The control is through here. ....Goodness me, what a remarkable computer: a combination of human brain cells and microcircuitry. This could be interesting! Most interesting!
SALLY Do you mean this is all that controls the Zenotrons, Uncle.
PROFESSOR Absolutely! I always thought the day might come when computers are programmed to think for themselves- and this is the outcome! A super-race of robots that has the capacity to control the universe!
(There is the sound of a hydraulic door sliding closed. THE PROFESSOR, slightly ahead of the group, continues to walk towards the wings to study the computer. The others find that they are prevented from following him by a force barrier.)
JANE What was that noise? Sounded like some kind of door sliding shut.
LUCY I can't see one.
SALLY Neither can I.
(JACKO bounces off the force barrier in an attempt to follow THE PROFESSOR.)
JACKO It's a force barrier! It's blocking the way through to the computer!
SALLY Uncle's on the other side of it!
JANE (placing her hands flat against the invisible force barrier.) There's no way through! It's impossible!
PROFESSOR Hurry up, all of you! What are you dawdling for?
SALLY We can't get through, Uncle! There's something stopping us!
(THE PROFESSOR attempts to step through the barrier to join them, but is prevented from doing so.)
PROFESSOR It's an energy barrier! Intended to stop us us from reaching the computer, I would think.
JACKO Can't see why it let you through then, Uncle!
PROFESSOR Probably got some interest in my brain cells. There's a whole network of human brains in there linked to the microcircuitry. I'm beginning to think that the Zenotrons were once humans like ourselves. Their brains were moved to feed the intellect of the computer and replaced by microcircuitry to turn them into robots. I'm going to have to keep my wits about me, if I'm to defeat this "thing."
(An unpleasant high-pitched screaming noise emanates from the computer room. THE PROFESSOR covers his ears as he speaks.)
SALLY What's happening, Uncle? I don't understand!
PROFESSOR It's trying to take control of me! I must fight this on my own! Get back to the space craft all of you, quickly, before it tries to do the same with you!
JACKO But you'll never escape! The force field will prevent you!
PROFESSOR If I can put the computer out of action, I'm pretty sure the force field will disappear. Do as I say. Get away while you can!
(The noise becomes louder and more unpleasant. THE PROFESSOR'S legs buckle as he covers his ears in agony, his head feeling ready to burst under the pressure. He stumbles into the stage right wings.)
(THE CHILDREN, on the other side of the force field, are concerned for him. They turn to exit, but come face to face with THREE ZENS, each one a shapeless mass with protruding brain-like tissue, who enter, stage left. They speak in a robotic monotone.)
ZEN 1 What are you doing here?
ZEN 2 They wish to destroy us!
ZEN 3 Then it is they who shall be destroyed! Kill them!
SALLY No, please don't kill us!
ZEN 1 There is no room for mercy if we are to survive!
LUCY I wouldn't want to survive if I looked like you! You're like.....like nothing on Earth!
JACKO That makes sense- I mean- we're not actually on Earth, are we!
ZEN 2 They insult us! Waste no time! Kill them!
ZEN 3 No! Wait! Even we Zens have pride. We must convince them that we are a superior race, before we kill them!
ZEN 1 Very well- but be quick about it!
ZEN 3 I will. I don't waste time!
JACKO You'll be wasting plenty of time trying to prove to us that you're something special....I mean....You've not even got arms and legs. You're just a shapeless mass.
LUCY Like a big wobbly jelly! You don't half look stupid!
ZEN 3 For your information, Earthlings, we were once like you. We had arms, legs- and faces, not unlike yours. But a war destroyed us! Our bodies melted and we transformed into this....But we still have our intelligence, which, I might add, is vastly superior to yours!
JACKO You must be kidding! If you were stupid enough to destroy yourselves by war- one which you probably started in the first place- you can't be that brilliant!
ZEN 2 We won the war! We are the rulers of the universe!
SALLY I think you're making it all up! How could anyone rule the universe in your shape? It took you nearly all day to wobble this far!
ZEN 1 How dare you!
SALLY Well, it's the truth- and you can't deny it!
JACKO Sally's right, you know. How can anyone rule the universe in your condition. You couldn't even rule a budgie's cage!
ZEN 3 We rule by means of the Zenotrons. they have been created and operate according to our instructions.
ZEN 2 They have the arms, the legs, the mobility that we do not have....but they are controlled by our intelligence.....the computer. They do what we make them do- and think what we make them think.
ZEN 1 So the fact remains, Earthlings, that although we have no arms or legs, although we can hardly move, we are superior to those who can.
ZEN 3 You cannot escape from here, because we have trapped you! You are helpless, you with your feeble arms and legs, but we have you in our power. That alone is proof of our superiority!
JACKO You've convinced me of one thing. Now I know where the Zenotrons got their arrogance from! If you created them, it just goes to show why they are the way they are.
ZEN 3 They obviously do not have the intelligence to understand what we are telling them.
ZEN 2 The ultimate proof of our superiority lies in the fact that we are now in a position to kill you- and you are helpless!
JACKO That's what you think, eh? Well, let me tell you, you're wrong! In seconds, this computer of yours is going to blow up- and that'll put an end to your dreams won't it!
ZEN 1 You are lying!
ZEN 2 There is no way that anyone could pass through our energy barrier. It is programmed to act instantly to intruders. No-one can get anywhere near the computer!
SALLY Well for your information, you're wrong!
ZEN 1 That's impossible. We do not make mistakes!
SALLY The mistake you made was to make a computer that is capable of making decisions for itself.
JACKO And it decided, for reasons we don't quite understand, to let our uncle in there.
SALLY And he knows all about computers and central controls- and whatever other fancy gadgets you've got in there!
ZEN 1 You are lying!
ZEN 2 They could be telling the truth. The one they call "The Professor" is not with them.
ZEN 3 They are bluffing!
ZEN 1 They are lying to save themselves! We have wasted too much time with their lies!
(The sound of a computer going wildly out of control is heard.)
ZEN 2 No, they are telling the truth! The computer is going out of control!....We must do something!
ZEN 1 We will kill them first!
(They move towards THE CHILDREN and THE KRELLS)
ZEN 3 The electricity that is generated by our bodies is sufficient to kill you in seconds.
ZEN 2 You will not escape!
ZEN 1 We will kill you- and then we will kill the Professor, before he can do us any more harm!
LUCY No, leave us alone.
(THE CHILDREN and THE KRELLS back towards the force field, but are unable to move any further.)
SALLY The force field! We're cornered!
ZEN 1 It is too late! Nothing can save you now!
ZEN 2 Nothing!
ZEN 1 Not even your precious Professor !
(THE CHILDREN and THE KRELLS fall backwards as the barrier gives way.)
(ENTER PROFESSOR)
PROFESSOR Run, all of you! The computer's going to go up in smoke at any second!
JACKO Well done, Uncle! You couldn't have timed it better!
PROFESSOR Thank me when you're safe. I said seconds.
RUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(THE PROFESSOR, THE CHILDREN and THE KRELLS exit stage left, at speed. THE ZENS spin round in a confused dither.)
(There is a massive explosion and a crackling and flickering as the Central Control bursts into flames.)
©Andrew McCann
Drama Workshop: Ideas For Teaching Drama