Alls Fun and Games At the Circus

Written by A. Havili

Characters
(In order of appearance)
Alex Hoffman. 10-12 years old, at the age where being tough is
key and crying or being scared is out of the question. Older brother to Lucy.

Lucy Hoffman. 5-8 years old, very girly, loves pink. Younger
sister to Alex.

Fortune Teller/Mrs. Hoffman. age unknown, finds pleasure in

creating games and puzzles. Feels contempt for others but is also lonely. Past Master of Kaspar. Also plays Mrs. Hoffman, mother of Alex and Lucy Hoffman. 30-40 years old, worrywart, and expert at fussing over her children. Loves her children and scolds them often. Married to Mr. Hoffman

Kaspar/Mr. Hoffman. 25-40 years old, spirit. Previously

indentured to the Fortune Teller, died in her service. Also plays Mr. Hoffman. 30-50 years old, father of Alex and Lucy. skeptic and

Creature 1 and Creature 2. creatures of the night. shrouded

completely in black, no features recognizable except for a leering full-faced mask. Only their forms are visible.

Alls Fun and Games at the Circus

SCENE I

(The time is the early 50s. The setting is a traveling three ring circus, complete carnival and freak show. The lights come up on a bare stage, the only decoration a circus ring on the floor. (Enter Alex and Lucy) Alex. Wow! Look at the size of this circus tent! Lucy. Lets go get some cotton candy. Alex. Just a minute. I want to look around first. Lucy. I want cotton candy. Mommy said you were going to get me some cotton candy. Alex. One minute, Luce! Wow, look at those elephants! Lucy. I want cotton candy! Alex. Just shut up already! (Lucy starts to cry, Enter Fortune Teller, unnoticed) Oh, Im sorry, Luce. I didnt mean it. Fortune Teller. (Sarcastically) Of course you didnt. Alex. Who are you? Fortune Teller. I am the circus Fortune Teller. Lucy. Fortune Teller? Can you pull a bunny out of a hat? Fortune Teller. I am a fortune teller, not a magician, Lucy.

Lucy. How do you know my name? Alex. Cmon, Luce. Lets go. Fortune Teller. I know a lot of things about you, dear. Alex. Luce! Cmon, were leaving. Fortune Teller. And where do you think you are going, Alex? I have something special for the two of you. A treasure hunt. (Alex pauses) Lucy. Alex Fortune Teller. I lost my magic mirror in the Carnivale*. If you get it for me, you may each have a wish. Alex. A wish? Lucy. I like wishes! Fortune Teller. Whatever you wish for will come true. You, Alex, could wish to be a great athlete, loved by all, and that is what you would become in the blink of an eye. Alex. That doesnt sound so hard. Lucy. Wheres the Carnival? (attempt to say Carnivale) *Carnivale is pronounced cahr-ni-vahl Fortune Teller. Carnivale. Its over there (point offstage), behind the Freak Show. Alex. How do we know that youre telling the truth? Fortune Teller. You cant, but that wont stop you, will it? Lucy. I want find the mirror and make a wish! Alex. But Luce, what about your cotton candy? We cant trust this lady. Lucy. I want to make a wish! If you dont, Ill tell Mom about that time when you --

Alex. Okay, well go! (Exit Alex and Lucy) Fortune Teller. Good Luck. Youre going to need it.

BLACKOUT

SCENE II
(Stage dim, but not dark, somewhat bare, eerie noises and broken carnival games are everywhere) (Enter Alex and Lucy) Lucy. Its dark in here. Alex. This seems a lot like The Twilight Zone. Lucy. Youre scaring me! (Enter Kaspar, unnoticed) Alex. Hush up, its not that scary. Youre such a baby some times. Lucy. Am not! Alex. Are too. (They move on, followed by Kaspar. Lucy stops) Lucy. Hey, Alex? (Alex stops) Alex. What?

Lucy. I think were being followed. Alex. Nonsense. Theres no one else here. (They move on, stopping and glancing back after a little while. Kaspar ducks out of view when they turn around) Alex. Okay, maybe were not alone. Lucy. Hello? Whos there? We wont harm you, unless youre a spider. Alex. Shh! (Kaspar comes up behind them) Kaspar. Boo. Alex. AAAHHH! Whered you come from? Lucy. Who are you? Are you a spider? Kaspar. I am Kaspar. Why are you in the Carnivale? This is no place for children. Alex. The Fortune Teller sent us on a treasure hunt. Kaspar. That old woman? What did she send you here for? Lucy. Were looking for her mirror. Have you seen it? Kaspar. I know where it is. Ill take you there, but be careful. That woman loves to play games. Beware of her. She tricked me into staying here with her, for the past two hundred years. (Exit Kaspar) Lucy. Two hundred? (turning to Alex) I think hes a ghost. Alex. Whatever. Cmon, Luce. Lets go get our wishes! (Exit Lucy and Alex)

BLACKOUT

SCENE III
(Bare stage, misty, hard to see towards the back of the stage. The mirror lies on the ground onstage in plain sight) Kaspar. This is the place. Alex. Look, Luce, there it is! One wish, coming right up. Lucy. Well that wasnt hard. I want to make my wish first. Alex. No, Im going to. Im the oldest. Im not a stupid baby like you. Lucy. I am not! Its my turn first because I saw the mirror first. Alex. No you didnt! I did, so Im going first. Lucy. You never let me do anything! I want to go first! (Enter Creature 1 and 2, unseen by actors and audience) Alex. No! Mom and Dad always give you what you want! Thats why youre such a spoiled brat! Lucy. Its my turn! I want my turn! Alex. Oh, just shut up! I wish youd just leave me alone. (Bell tolls three times. Lucy dragged offstage by Creatures 1 and 2, silently, as the bell tolls) Now, what to wish for I know! I wish I was at a Red Sox game, no, in the game! (pause, enter Fortune Teller, unnoticed) Why isnt it working?

Fortune Teller. Because you already used your wish. Alex. What in the What do you mean I used my wish? Fortune Teller. You wished for your sister to leave and never come back, and so she has. Alex. Oh, no. Lucy Whered you put her? Tell me where she is! Fortune Teller. I will return her to you, but only if you play my game. Alex. What kind of game? Fortune Teller. Another finding game. If I win then you will stay here with me. If you win, then you and Lucy may leave. Alex. All rightIll play. For Lucy. Fortune Teller. Very well. To the Freak Show!

BLACKOUT

SCENE IV
(Lights up on the Freak Show. Many freaks are there, all in cages.. Lucy is there also, dressed as a freak) Fortune Teller. Here we are. Alex. What an ugly bunch. Fortune Teller. Your sister is among them. Find her and you may leave. Alex. This should be easy. Lucy! Where are you? Lucy (Voice)*. Alex? Please find me. Im scared. I want to go home. Alex. What did you do to her?

Fortune Teller. You thought she was a freak before, now she is one. You have one minute to find her. Lucy (Voice). Hurry, Alex! Im so scared. Dont leave me alone. Alex. Dont worry, Ill find you! (Alex finds the right cage, Kaspar enters) Alex. Shes in this one! Fortune Teller. Are you sure? You only get one chance. Lucy (Voice). Dont listen to her! Shes trying to trick you. Fortune Teller. Silence! Alex. (Hesitation) Kaspar. Follow your heart. It will lead you in the right direction. Fortune Teller. (hits Kaspar, Alex pays no attention to them) Thats enough from you, Kaspar! This has nothing to do with you. Kaspar. Ah, but it does. You tricked me into having to stay and leave my wife and child behind. Now I can repay the favor by helping these little ones. Fortune Teller. Oh, if you think you are miserable now, wait until I am through with you. (Turns back to Alex) Alex, your time is up. Choose. Alex. This is Lucy (grabs Lucy out her cage). Im sure. Fortune Teller. Very well, you may leave. Alex. But you have to change my sister back, first. Fortune Teller. That was never part of our agreement. Alex. How are we supposed to leave with her looking like this?
*Recording of Lucys lines

Kaspar. Healing her broken heart may reverse the spell. Alex. What? Kaspar. Tell her something that will fix the pain that you have caused. Fortune Teller. (Strikes Kaspar, who falls to the ground) Quiet! You have no part in this. Kaspar. She once was your sister. She can be so again. Mend the rift between you and her. Fortune Teller. (Strikes him down again) Do you want to spend eternity as my puppet? Silence! Alex. What? What do you mean? Ive never hurt her! I never meant to, anyways. I love her! (Lucy flinches) Alex. I love you? (Lucy falls down, covering her ears) Alex. I love you! (Lucy continues to flinch and shake with each proclamation) Fortune Teller. Stop! Alex. I love you! I love you! I love you! Fortune Teller. Stop it, stop it! Alex. Im sorry! I didnt mean it! Fortune Teller. No! Alex. I love you! Youre my sister, and-Fortune Teller. Shes a freak! Alex. I love you!

Fortune Teller. Stop! (Lucy collapses, then comes to, herself again) Lucy. Alex? Alex. Luce! Oh, Im so sorry, Luce. Im so sorry. (They embrace) Fortune Teller. Well, look at that. The boy and his brat sister, together at last. Alex. Leave us alone! Lucy. Yeah, I wish you would just leave everyone alone! ( Creature 1 and 2 appear) Fortune Teller. No. (The Creatures approach as the bell tolls once) No! (They grab her as the bell tolls a second time) No! (They drag her offstage with the final toll) Alex. You did it, Lucy! You used your wish to wish her away! Lucy. I did? Oh no! I wanted a pink bunny rabbit. Kaspar. I think you will be able to live without the rabbit, Lucy. You two have been through quite a lot, and now it is my time to leave. Alex. Leave? What do you mean? Kaspar. I stayed in this life to see that the fortune tellers next victim would survive their confrontation. Now that she is gone forever, I can finally rest. Lucy. Thank you, Kaspar. Well never forget you. Kaspar. Nor I you. Good-bye. (Kaspar disappears) Lucy. I still want cotton candy.

Alex. Oh, Luce, Ive missed you so much. Im so sorry for what I said. Lucy. Its okay. I forgive you. (They embrace) Alex. Cmon, lets get out of here. I want to see the rest of the show. Lucy. Can we get some cotton candy first? Alex. You bet. (Exit Alex and Lucy)

BLACKOUT

SCENE V
(Back at the circus, the circus ring onstage. Enter Alex, Lucy, Mr. Hoffman and Mrs. Hoffman, Lucy with cotton candy) Alex. And then Lucy used her wish to get rid of the fortune teller lady and the ghost disappeared. Lucy. And I said we should go back and get cotton candy and we did! Mr. Hoffman. Well, that is the best story youve come up with yet, Alex. You should become a writer. Lucy. But its true, Daddy. Mrs. Hoffman. Lucy, its not good to tell lies. Alex. Shes not lying, Mom. We were really there.

Mr. Hoffman. We just peeked in the Carnival. Theres nothing there but old games and rides. Mrs. Hoffman. Lucy, youve torn your brand new dress. What on earth have you been doing? Lucy. Playing hide and seek. And treasure hunt. Mrs. Hoffman. Well, no more playing until we get home. You could get hurt! You have no idea what could be out there in those tents. Alex. Believe me, we wont. Who likes the carnival, anyways? (Bell chimes. Hoffman family exits as

THE CURTAIN FALLS