THE SWEEPER By Karin Johnstone

Based on The Sweeper of Dreams by Neil Gaiman

THE STAGE IS FULL OF THE ARISTOPHANESIAN STUCK-TOGETHER-PEOPLE These people are joined as one. One one side is a man , on the other a woman. STUCK-TOGETHER-MEN (zombified staring blankly) ma ma ma ma mamamama da da da da dadadada ga ga ga ga gagagaga ba ba ba ba baaaaaaa STUCK-TOGETHER-WOMEN Nothing helps us here, we are naked Awkward and ashamed , laid bare If we could go back , we would do it STUCK-TOGETHER-MEN ma ma ma ma mamamama STUCK-TOGETHER-WOMEN No one can be blamed but us STUCK-TOGETHER-MEN da da da da dadadada Dark figure of the SWEEPER enters. He glides singing his lament. SWEEPER Its not easy Being Me People pander To my needs I see places In your minds Darker than death (MORE)

2.

SWEEPER (contd) That you leave behind Grimmer than any grimoire Bleaker than any bloody scene Darker than any Saw movie that youve ever seen I despise you (pointing at audience members) I despise you I despise you too ! A group of YOUNG PEOPLE playing are is his path. A MOTHER runs to push them away. They all swiftly disperse except one beautiful teenager FREYA. SWEEPER Child FREYA is in her own world building an incredible giant sandcastle. SWEEPER (louder) Child FREYA Good morning Sir SWEEPER Get out of my way Do you know who I am ? FREYA Of course I do You are the sweeper Sweeper of dreams SWEEPER Good, then move Get out of my way

3. FREYA Im sorry , I cant do that. I have made this thing of beauty For my father and my mother It would be a breach of duty And I would suffer from my brother SWEEPER Do you know what I can do to you ? I can let your dreams destroy you The darker visions of your soul Would crawl inside your mind to haunt you Destroying love and joy and hope FREYA I have heard about your legend Of the malice you dish out But dear sir I cant believe it You are gentle theres no doubt The Sweeper takes Freyas hand and holds it. He puts her fingers towards his lips. Then he violently pushes her away. He goes into the crowd of Stuck-together-people and starts cutting them in half with his Sweeping brush. Some of the crowd scream in a beautiful wailing. The rest sing still zombified. STUCK-TOGETHER-MEN ma ma ma ma mamamama da da da da dadadada ga ga ga ga gagagaga ba ba ba ba baaaaaaa Some of the Stuck-together-people start to sing and move individually.

4.

STUCK-TOGETHER-MEN We can dream again, you have saved us Youve released our souls, once more STUCK-TOGETHER-WOMEN We can live our lives, you have freed us You our grace our hope , we adore SWEEPER NO. NO. NO.NO I despise you I despise you I despise you too ! The Stuck-together people all swarm towards the Sweeper. As he runs from them he smashes into the giant sandcastle. He roars a deathly scream. Sand pours from above onto him and he is smothered.