skellig libretto final 5-15-08 - mit media labtod/media/pdfs/skellig... · 2012. 7. 23. · mum my...

SSSKKKEEELLLLLLIIIGGG An Opera by Tod Machover

Libretto by David Almond

(based on his novel of the same name)

May 2008

SKELLIG (draft 3) 1

ACT I

1 THE FAMILY IN THE WILDERNESS

Michael in the wilderness, outside the creaking garage. It’s boarded up.

DANGER. KEEP OUT.

MICHAEL (alone on stage and unaccompanied)

I found him in the garage on a Sunday

afternoon. It was the day after we moved into

Falconer Road. The winter was ending. Mum

had said we’d be moving just in time for spring.

Nobody else was there. Just me. The others

were inside the house with Dr. Death, worrying

about the baby.

He was lying there in the darkness behind the

tea chests, in the dust and dirt. It was as if he’d

been there forever. He was filthy and pale, and

dried out and I thought he was dead. I couldn’t

have been more wrong. I’d soon begin to see the

truth about him, that there’d never been another

creature like him in the world.

Chorus gradually comes onstage on “world”. Prepares for next line, spoken.

SKELLIG (draft 3) 2

CHORUS Just imagine.

He inspects the garage. It creaks and groans. Garage sounds by chorus.

MUM (from inside) Michael!

Bird alarm calls. Bird calls by chorus and orchestra.

MICHAEL They said this is a home.

They said this is a garden.

They said this is a garage.

The garage creaks and groans. Scratching and scuttling. Sounds by chorus

and orchestra.

CHORUS See it with your mind’s eye.

DAD (from inside) Michael!

MICHAEL There’ll be benches and a table and a swing.

Goalposts, a pond, fish and frogs.

Nettles, thistles, weeds, half-bricks, cracked

concrete, dandelions, lumps of stupid stone!

He rattles the garage door.

MUM (from inside) Michael!

SKELLIG (draft 3) 3

Dad comes out.

DAD Didn’t we tell you to wait till we’re sure it’s safe?

Well, didn’t we?

MICHAEL Yes.

DAD Do you not think there’s more to worry about than

stupid you getting crushed in a stupid garage?

MICHAEL Yes.

DAD You just keep out, then! Right?

MICHAEL Right. Right, right, right.

The baby begins to cry inside. (Chorus makes baby cry.) They look towards

her in dread.

MICHAEL How could you bring her to a place like this?

Dad thumps the garage. It quakes. Birds scatter. As birds scatter, chorus

goes offstage.

DAD What? See? See? It’s a death trap.

SKELLIG (draft 3) 4

Baby cries again. (Chorus offstage, or placed wherever needed, unseen.)

DAD Oh, love! I’ll fix it up. It’s all routine. See it with

your mind’s eye. Imagine brand new doors, a

brand new roof. It’ll be a den, a camp, a hideaway.

Leakey and Coot’ll come over, and it’ll all be…

The garage creaks and groans. The baby cries. (Chorus heard, not seen.)

DAD Oh, Hell.

He goes back inside.

MICHAEL And it’ll all be stones, stones, stones and stones

and stones!

Mum comes out with the baby.

MUM Michael. Hold your sister. Just look at her.

Just look at how she looks at you.

Go on, tell her who you are.

MICHAEL I’m your brother. I am Michael.

MUM Sorry it’s so rotten and we’re in such rotten moods.

You understand, though. Don’t you, Michael?

Don’t you?

SKELLIG (draft 3) 5

MICHAEL Is she going to die?

DAD She’ll be fine. You’ll see.

MUM She came early, that’s all.

She hasn’t quite arrived yet, have you, my sweet?

DAD Hold her careful. Keep her in the light.

Maybe there’s no point in saving it.

Knock it down, get it done, and start again.

Whack! Whack! Whack!

Sledge hammer, lump hammer, ruddy great skip.

A lovely bit of knocky-down!

MUM (joins Dad) Shhh. Tell her that you love her.

Go on, tell her that you love her.

MICHAEL (joins them) I love you.

MUM See, she knows you, Michael.

Doorbell rings. A rattle at the door.

DAD That’ll be Doctor Dan.

He hurries inside.

SKELLIG (draft 3) 6

MICHAEL Doctor Death.

MUM Don’t call him that!

She takes the baby from Michael. She follows Dad.

MICHAEL Doctor Death. Doctor Death.

I love you. I hate you. Why did you come? Where

did you come from? What do you want? If you’re

going to die just hurry up and get it done. Get

well. Get better. Oh, love!

SKELLIG (draft 3) 7

2 THE GARAGE

He steps inside the garage. Chorus is inside the garage – is the garage – for

this scene. They produce many of the “sound effects”, and show flitting,

indistinct movement – can’t tell what they are. The dry sounds of scuttling,

scattering creatures. The creaking and groaning of the garage. The thump of

Michael’s heart.

CHOIR Making “garage” sounds, plus words, ie “Death”.

Michael tiptoes through, shines the torch down onto Skellig’s face. Skellig

groans. His voice at first is dry and cracked and indistinct, as if he hasn’t

used it for an age, as if he has almost lost it.

SKELLIG What do you want?

What do you want?

I said, what do you want?

MICHAEL Who are you?

Skellig groans.


SKELLIG Nobody.

SKELLIG (draft 3) 8

MICHAEL What are you doing there?

SKELLIG Nothing, nothing and nothing.

Skellig retches, coughs, as if he is in agony.

MICHAEL Is there something I can bring you?

SKELLIG Nothing. An aspirin!

He catches a bluebottle, eats it.

MICHAEL Is there something I could bring you to eat?

SKELLIG An aspirin! And 27 and 53.

MICHAEL What?

SKELLIG 27. Food of the Gods.

53. Sweetest of nectars!

Nothing! Where did you come from?

MICHAEL There. Out there.

SKELLIG What’s out there?

MICHAEL Nothing.

SKELLIG (draft 3) 9

DAD (from far far away)

Michael! Michael! Michael!

CHOIR Michael! Michael!

SKELLIG Who’s that? Tell nobody nothing!

MICHAEL I could bring a doctor.

SKELLIG Ahahahahaha!

CHOIR Ahahahahaha!

He eats a spider, groans and retches. Michael recoils but supports him.

MUM (from far far away)

Michael! Michael!

MICHAEL What are you?

SKELLIG What are you?

Let me be! Go away!

Michael recoils from his savagery, is about to leave. Then the sound of the

baby crying from far away. Skellig hears, is attracted, then appalled.

Michael leaves. A blackbird’s alarm call.

SKELLIG (draft 3) 10

He goes to garage door, opens it. Bird alarm calls.

Perhaps chorus remains in/around garage, completely still and silent

through the next two scenes. This would be less conspicuous than having

them leave and come back for the next garage scene, and would also give us

the liberty of placing individuals or small groups as needed for Scene 3 or 4;

also keeps source(s) of “baby cries” nearby.


3. A GIRL CALLED MINA

Mina appears. (No chorus in this scene in my opinion, but happy to discuss

with Mark, i.e. do we add or detract by having multiple people mirror Mina?

I don’t see a need to use the chorus here vocally.)

MINA Are you the new boy here?

Are you the new boy?

My name is Mina. Well?

MICHAEL Well, what?

MINA My name is Mina. You are…?

MICHAEL Michael.

MINA Do you like birds?

MICHAEL I don’t know.

MINA Typical. Do you like drawing?

Shows her notebook.

MICHAEL Sometimes.

MINA Drawing makes you look at the world


more closely. It helps you to see what

you’re looking at more clearly. Did you

know that?

What colour’s a blackbird, Michael?

MICHAEL Black.

MINA Typical!

((CHORUS Typical! ???))

MINA Where did you come from?

MICHAEL From over there across the city

Where my friends are.

MINA Friends?

MICHAEL My pals from school, my mates.

Leakey and Coot. Leakey and Coot!

They’re coming soon. What school you at?

MINA School! Ahahaha!

We believe that schools inhibit the natural

curiosity, creativity and intelligence of children.

Don’t you agree?


MICHAEL Don’t know.

MINA How can a bird that is born for joy

sit in a cage and sing?

William Blake. You’ve heard of William Blake?

He was a painter and a poet.

He often wore no clothes.

He encountered angels in his garden.

You have a baby sister. What’s her name?

MICHAEL She has no name yet.

MINA ‘I have no name, I am but three days old…’

I live just there.

I’ve been watching.

I’ve been wondering who would come

You’re a quiet person.

Michael makes the owl sound.

MINA That’s brilliant!

MICHAEL My mate taught me at school.

MINA Show me. Brilliant! So brilliant!

They hoot like owls.


The baby cries inside the house. (Chorus – or individual – makes sound.)

MINA/MICHAEL Is she going to die?

DAD (from far away) Michael! Michael!

MICHAEL That’s my dad.

MRS MCKEE (far away)Mina! Mina!

MINA That’s my mum.

Nice to meet you, Michael.

MICHAEL Nice to meet you, Mina.

It’s dusk. Mina leaves. Then there’s the owl sound. Michael answers with his

own owl sound. He listens at the garage door. The garage groans.

MICHAEL You can’t just lie there, like you’re going to die!

DAD Michael!

Dad comes out to him.

DAD Michael, man!


What’s the matter with you?

We’re having a takeaway.

What do you want?

MICHAEL 27 and 53.

DAD 27 and 53? Crispy won ton. Fried king prawns in

kung po sauce! Now that’s clever. You did that

without even looking. What’s your next trick?

Come on, get yourself inside.

Dad leaves. Michael leans to the garage door.

MICHAEL 27. Crispy won ton. 53. Fried king prawns in kung

po sauce.

CHORUS Sweetest of nectars. Food of the Gods.

The garage groans (with sound made by chorus and orchestra). Michael

heads inside.

4. 27 and 53

At the table. Mum holds the baby. No chorus in this scene.

DAD Special chow mein for Mum, 27 and 53 for you,


spring rolls and pork cha sui for me. And prawn

crackers and crispy seaweed for the baby. And if

you don’t eat them up, we will. You’ll be back on

boring mummy’s milk again.

He swigs and eats. He reaches out to Michaels’ food. Michael protects it.

Mum erupts, pointing out the window. (chapter 12)

MUM It’s this damn place! How can she thrive when

it’s all so dirty and all in such a mess?

DAD I’ll work harder. I’ll get it all ready.

MUM My little girl. My poor little girl.

MICHAEL I can feel her heart.

MUM Yes. There and there. There and there. Clear the

table, love. We’re eating nothing.

Michael stores 27 and 53 and a bottle of brown ale. The family disperses.


5. ARTHUR ITIS

Michael steps into the garage, goes to Skellig. Again, chorus inhabits the

garage, is the garage, both in movement and sound. Insects, scuttling,

creaks, etc.

SKELLIG You again? Thought you’d gone away.

MICHAEL I brought you something. Aspirin. And 27 and 53.

Crispy won ton, and fried king prawns in kung po

sauce.

SKELLIG Not as stupid as you look. No strength.

Michael has to help him to eat. Skellig slurps and licks and belches and

groans.

SKELLIG Put the aspirin in.

He finishes eating, slumps back against the wall.

SKELLIG Food of the Gods. 27 and 53.

CHORUS (in sync

with Skellig) 27 and 53.


Michael shines the torch on him, inspects him.

MICHAEL Twisted fingers, knuckles, bones. Creases, cracks

and dead pale skin. Tiny hairs, tiny veins,

bloodshot eyes. So cold and dry. Hunched back.

The filth, the stench! Is there a heart?

SKELLIG No!

CHORUS (echo) No…no…no…no…no…

MICHAEL What can I do?

SKELLIG Nothing. Leave the aspirin.

CHORUS (echo) Nothing…nothing…nothing…nothing…

MICHAEL There’s a doctor comes to see my sister.

SKELLIG No doctors. Nobody.

CHORUS (echo) Nobody…nobody…nobody…nobody…

MICHAEL My baby sister’s very ill.

SKELLIG Babies!


MICHAEL Is there anything you can do for her?

SKELLIG No! Babies! Spittle, muck, spew and tears.

CHORUS (fracture) Spittle…muck…spew…tears…

MICHAEL My name is Michael. Is there anything else I can

bring you?

SKELLIG Nothing. 27. 53.

CHORUS (sing, sync) 27. 53.

Skellig retches, slumps forward. Michael gags at the stench of him.

Michael reaches across his back to steady him. He feels the wings beneath

the jacket.

Chorus back to making “garage” sounds, slightly more sustained – noise

and pitch – than before.

MICHAEL Who are you? I wouldn’t tell anybody.

SKELLIG I’m nearly nobody. Most of me is Arthur. Arthur

Itis. He’s the one that’s ruining my bones. Turns

you to stone then crumbles you away.


MICHAEL What’s on your back?

SKELLIG A jacket, then a bit of me, then lots and lots of

Arthur.

Michael tries to touch again.

SKELLIG No good. Nothing there’s no good no more.

CHORUS (echo) No good.

MICHAEL I’ll bring you more. I won’t bring Doctor Death.

SKELLIG 27 and 53. 27 and 53.

CHORUS (echo, sing) 27 and 53. 27 and 53.

Michael leaves. Birds sing. He enters the house, stands at the baby’s cot. He

touches her – the rattle of her breath; how soft and warm she is; how tender

her bones are.

Chorus disperses all over stage, while singing to accompany Michael.

MICHAEL Skin, and bone, and flesh, and hair, and eyes, and

ears, and nose, and mouth, and arms, and fingers,

and legs, and toes, and breath, and heart, and heart,

and heart.


6. THE SWEETEST NOISE

Chorus is all over the stage – some elevated if possible – so their voices can

be heard from many different places during this scene.

MINA You’re unhappy. (chapter 13)

MICHAEL It looks like the baby is going to bloody die.

MINA Would you like me to show you something?

Hush. Be very still, and very quiet.

Listen.

MICHAEL Listen to what?

MINA Just listen. Hush.

Close your eyes. Listen deeper.

Listen for the tiniest sweetest noise.

What do you hear?

MUM (from far far away)

Michael! Michael!

MICHAEL I hear the world.

The choir sings the world.


I hear the city’s endless roar.

The choir sings the city.

The bitter breeze that rattles through the trees.

The choir sings the wind.

The dogs and cats, the frantic noise of birds.

The choir sings the animals and birds.

MINA Listen closer.

MICHAEL This drumming blood, this sighing breath,

these hectic thoughts.

This heart! This thumping heart!

The choir sings the heart.

MINA Listen deeper, listen closer,

listen for the sweetest noise.

It comes from above you,

from inside the tree.

MICHAEL From inside the tree?

MINA Be still and listen, Michael!

MICHAEL Yes! The tiniest sweetest noise.

The choir sings the tiniest sweetest noise.


MINA The chicks inside the nest.

The sweetest noise, the heart of everything.

The noise of cheeping chicks.

MICHAEL I hear it!

MINA Tell nobody. (chapter 13)

MICHAEL No.

MINA Hope to die.

MICHAEL What?

MINA Cross your heart and hope to die.

MICHAEL Cross my heart and hope to die.

MINA Good.

Mina runs away. Michael steps back through the gate and goes back inside

the house. As Mina runs away, the chorus also disappears from the stage.

7. WHERE YOUR WINGS WERE

MUM It’s this damn dump! How can she thrive when it’s


all so filthy and all in such a mess. Bloody ruins!

Bloody stupid wilderness! We should never have

come to this stinking derelict place. My little girl.

My poor little girl.

DAD It’s all routine. She’ll be fine.

MUM Don’t worry, son.

MICHAEL Mum, what are shoulder blades for?

MUM Oh, Michael!

She hesitates, then relents.

MUM They say that shoulder blades are where your

wings were, when you were an angel. They say

they’re where your wings will grow again one day.

MICHAEL It’s just a story, though. A fairy tale for little kids.

MUM Who knows? Maybe one day we all had wings,

and one day we’ll all have them back again.

MICHAEL Do you think the baby had wings?

MUM Oh, I’m sure that one had wings. Just got to take


one look at her. Sometimes I think she’s never

quite left Heaven and never quite made it all the

way here to Earth. Maybe that’s why she has such

trouble staying here.

Michael holds the baby.

MICHAEL (CHOIR?)

This is where your wings were, when you were an

angel. This is where your wings will be again.

Mum takes the baby, then leaves the room with Dad.

Michael holds the image of the baby in his hands, takes it into himself.

MICHAEL I feel your heart. I feel it beating inside mine. I feel

your breathing inside mine. I feel you inside me.

There and there and there and there. Stay safe,

little sister, deep inside.

Michael sleeps. His bed is like a nest. The hooting of owls. He dreams that

the baby is in a blackbird’s nest. The blackbirds feed her on flies and

spiders. Mina sits drawing her. Michael goes to her.

I can imagine adhering to Mark’s note from 3/07: “Chorus crowds round

nest/cot feeding baby inside. Very low lit, black shapes moving.”


MINA (in dream) They’re feeding her, Michael. Stay away. You’re

danger!

CHORUS Stay away! Danger! Danger!

The baby cries. Chorus moves back to garage. Michael wakes up. He

collects his offerings.

MICHAEL Aspirin. Brown ale. 27. 53.

I must be stupid.

I must be going round the stupid bend.

He goes out into the pre-dawn. Owls hoot. He hoots. There is a reply.

8. MY NAME IS SKELLIG

Michael hoots. A reply. Mina comes to him. Chorus inhabits the garage

again. Only visual punctuation at first; gradually make noise, more singing

– at first tentatively – than noises, sustaining some of the notes sung by the

others, as if the garage is “resonating,” at first imperceptibly, then

unmistakeably.

MICHAEL Mina! I didn’t sleep all night. Then at the very

last minute when the night was ending I did.

(chapter 22)


MINA But you’re awake now.

MICHAEL Yes.

MINA We’re not dreaming this?

MICHAEL We’re not dreaming this.

MINA We’re not dreaming this together?

MICHAEL Even if we were we wouldn’t know.

You’ve got to come with me.

MINA Where to?

MICHAEL The place is filthy. And it’s dangerous.

MINA Good!

He takes her to the garage door and leads her in. Garage is kind of

“humming,” thanks to the chorus.

MICHAEL It’s all right. Keep close to me.

SKELLIG Again?

MICHAEL I brought my friend. This is Mina.


Michael shows the brown ale.

MICHAEL I brought this as well.

SKELLIG Nectar. Drink of the Gods.

MINA (is there a moment of recognition?)

Who are you?

SKELLIG Mr Had Enough of You.

MICHAEL I could bring a doctor. Not Doctor Death. One that

could help you.

SKELLIG No doctors. Nobody. Nothing. Let me be.

CHORUS (sustains) Let me be.

MICHAEL You’ll die. You’ll crumble away and die.

SKELLIG Crumble crumble. More beer.

CHORUS (sustains) More beer.

MICHAEL I brought these as well. (cod liver oil capsules)

Some people swear by them.


SKELLIG Stink of fish. Slimy slithery swimming things.

She shines the torch on him. She touches his cheek.

MINA Dry and cold. How long have you been here?

SKELLIG Long enough.

CHORUS (sustains) Long enough.

MINA Are you dead?

SKELLIG Yes, the dead are often known to drink brown ale

and to suffer from arthritis.

MICHAEL Tell her things. She’s clever. She’ll know what to

do.

Mina shines torch onto her own face.

MINA I’m called Mina. Well? I’m Mina, you’re…

SKELLIG You’re Mina. I’m sick to death.

CHORUS (sustains) Sick to death.


MINA Calcification. The process by which the bone

hardens, becomes inflexible. The process by which

the body turns to stone.

SKELLIG Not as stupid as she looks.

MINA It is linked to another process, by which the mind,

too, becomes inflexible. It stops thinking and

imagining. It becomes hard as bone. It is no longer

a mind. It is a lump of stone wrapped in a wall of

stone. This process is ossification.

SKELLIG More beer. Take her away.

CHORUS (echos) Take her away.

The garage creaks and groans (thanks to chorus). Skellig slumps.

Michael guides Mina’s hand to his shoulder blades.

MICHAEL Touch, Mina.

MINA Oh, extraordinary. Sit up. Sit up!

Begin to clear the rubbish from around him.

SKELLIG I can’t. I’m ill. I’m sick to death. I’m weak as a


baby.

MINA Babies aren’t weak. Have you seen a baby

struggling to crawl? Have you seen a blackbird

chick daring its first flight?

SKELLIG I’m frightened.

MINA Don’t be frightened.

He whimpers in pain. Mina and Michael support him.

MINA What is this on your back?

SKELLIG No. No.

MINA You’re beautiful! Sit him up, Michael.

SKELLIG Let me be!

MICHAEL You’re stronger than you think you are. Sit up!

MICHAEL My dad’ll be back soon.

SKELLIG Go then! I’m knackered. Sick to death.

MINA We’ll make you better. What else do you


need?

MICHAEL 27 and 53.

SKELLIG 27 and 53.

Mina kisses Skellig.

MINA Let us help you. I’ll make you more comfortable.

She begins to take off his jacket.

SKELLIG No. No.

MINA Trust me.

His wings begin to unfurl. He whimpers in pain. He cries. Michael and Mina

reach out to touch.

CHORUS (sings) “Voice of the Ancient Bard”

MINA You’re beautiful.

SKELLIG Let me sleep. Let me go home.

MINA Oh, what are you?



SKELLIG My name is Skellig.

CHORUS (echos) Skellig…Skellig…Skellig…Skellig…Skellig….

I N T E R M I S S I O N


ACT II

9. LEAKEY AND COOT

Michael and Mina together. They’re drawing? Chorus is offstage at the

beginning of the act.

MICHAEL Mina, I can feel the baby’s heart beating inside my

own. Can you feel it? There, and there, and there.

MINA Yes. No. Yes!

MICHAEL If I can feel it beating with mine,

I know the baby’s safe.

MINA Extraordinary

MINA/MICHAEL Skellig! Skellig! Skellig!

MINA We’ll go back to him tonight.

MICHAEL We’ll call each other.

We’ll hoot like owls.

MINA Yes! We are extraordinary.


MICHAEL Extraordinary!

Leakey and Coot burst in with a football. Chorus bursts in along with them,

making sports-like vocal sounds, and mirroring the physicality of Leakey

and Coot without distracting from them. Mina retreats.

LEAKEY/COOT Ahahahahahaha!

LEAKEY He’s extraordinary!

COOT She’s extraordinary!

LEAKEY On your head, Michael!

COOT Michael, man!

LEAKEY It’s just a bit of fun.

COOT It’s in the net! Yeaahhh!

LEAKEY It’s yours, Michael!

COOT On me head! On me head!

LEAKEY Michael, man!


COOT What’s the matter with you, man?

MICHAEL I’m out of practise.

COOT Rubbish! He turns, he shoots, he scores! Yeahhh!

LEAKEY It’s cos he’s been ill.

COOT Rubbish! He’s just been upset.

LEAKEY Hey, it’s her in the tree.

COOT That lass he was with.

LEAKEY Her that climbs in a tree like a monkey.

COOT Her that sits in a tree like a crow.

MICHAEL Get lost! The baby’s ill. Really ill.

The doctor says I’m in distress.

LEAKEY Yeah. Yeah. I know. I’m dead sorry.

COOT He holds hands with her.

LEAKEY He says she’s extraordinary.


LEAKEY/COOT Ahahahahaha!

MICHAEL Shut up! Shut up! You’re stupid.

COOT Oh, aye?

LEAKEY Oh, aye?

MICHAEL The world’s full of amazing things. I’ve seen them.

COOT Oh, aye? Like er…

LEAKEY Like up there in that tree!

COOT Like up there in that tree!

LEAKEY Hey, mebbe they’re right about that evolution

stuff.

COOT Aye?

LEAKEY Aye! They could come and see

there’s monkeys all around us still!

LEAKEY/COOT Ahahahahaha! Monkey girl! Ahahahahaha!


They leave. Chorus remains on stage, but becomes silent and inactive,

perhaps even invisible.

MINA Thank God I was never sent to school,

to be flog’d into following the style of a Fool.

MICHAEL We don’t get flogged and my friends aren’t fools.

MINA Ha!

MICHAEL You know nothing. You might know about

William Blake, but you know nothing about

ordinary people!

MINA There’s nothing to know!

Playing football, jumping about, screeching like

hyenas.

MICHAEL Hyenas? They think you’re a monkey.

MINA See? They know nothing about me!

And that little ginger one…

MICHAEL Blake was little and ginger.

MINA How do you know that?


MICHAEL See? You think nobody but you can know

anything.

MINA Go away, hyena boy! Go and play football with

your stupid mates. Leave me alone!

She runs. Distant laughter of Leakey and Coot.

Michael howls/rages: an animal cry.

Dad appears.

DAD Michael! Michael!

You can tell me, son. Come on, eh?

MICHAEL There’s nothing to tell!

There’s nothing to bloody tell!

He runs.

10. A DREAM

A dream of beasts. Hyenas, monkeys, crows. Then Mina. Chorus provides

the visuals and sounds for the beasts.

MICHAEL (whispers) Skellig, Skellig, Skellig…


MINA Are you the new boy?

Thank God I was never sent to school.

How can a bird that is born for joy

My name is Mina.

Well? Well? Well?

Hyena boy!

Extraordinary being.

You’re beautiful.

Listen. Listen. Hush. Just listen.

We’ll hoot like owls.

SKELLIG Michael! Michael! Michael!

The dream fades to the hooting of owls. Michael wakes. Chorus remains on

stage but becomes “invisible,” moving silently back to garage.

11. SKELLIG AND THE OWLS

Mina is waiting. Pre-dawn.

MINA What took so long? I thought I was going to have

to do this all alone.

MICHAEL Thought that was what you wanted.


MINA We said stupid things. I said stupid things.

Don’t be angry. Be my friend.

MICHAEL I am your friend.

MINA It’s possible to hate your friend.

You hated me today.

MICHAEL You hated me.

MINA I love the night.

MICHAEL/MINA Anything seems possible at night when

the rest of the world has gone to sleep.

MINA Oh, Michael, let’s go inside.

They enter the garage. The space is cleared. They can’t see Skellig at first.

MICHAEL It’s so different, Mina!

MINA Where is he?

MICHAEL He’s left us!

MINA No. Look and listen. Skellig! Skellig!


MICHAEL Skellig! Skellig!

MINA Stand still, Michael. Listen.

Listen to the deepest deepest places of the dark.

Oh, look!

Skellig is there. Owls are feeding him: mice, worms, birds. Chorus

represents the owls in this scene, musically and visually. [MUSICAL

NUMBER – description on p.118 – CONTINUES TO END OF SCENE]

MINA They’re feeding him, Michael!

Michael groans, recoils.

MINA No, Michael. Wait. It’s beautiful.

MICHAEL Beautiful?

MINA Come closer.

They approach Skellig. He continues to eat.

Skellig sees them, snarls at them, goes for them like a savage beast.

MICHAEL No, Skellig!

SKELLIG You! What do you want? Go away!


Mina draws Michael closer. They see how he is becoming stronger, how his

wings are stronger.

MINA Oh, look!

SKELLIG No! No!

MINA But how are you like this now?

SKELLIG The owls and the angels. Go away!

Michael explores his wings.

MICHAEL Skellig, my baby sister…

Skellig snarls again. Michael recoils from the stench of him.

MICHAEL Please, Skellig.

SKELLIG No! No!

He eats viciously.

MICHAEL We’ve given you everything, Skellig.

SKELLIG Oh!


As if in pain, he rises like an angel for a moment.

SKELLIG I asked for nothing!

MICHAEL Please, Skellig. Please, Skellig!

MINA Skellig, you’re beautiful!

You are extraordinary!

SKELLIG Go home. Go away.

His wings rise. He groans in pain, an agonised recognition of his destiny. An

attempt at savagery again, then a reluctant but irresistible gesture of

tenderness towards Michael.

SKELLIG Oh, leave me, Michael. Go home.

His wings rise.

12. BLOODY BLOODY

Early morning. Dawn chorus (sung by chorus as they are exiting stage; by

end of short number, they are gone). Dad is searching.


DAD Michael, man! What are you doing? Where have

you been?

MINA We were sleepwalking.

DAD What?

MICHAEL Yes. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was

dreaming. I was sleepwalking.

A taxi sounds its horn.

MUM That’s my taxi, Michael. I’ve got to go. Say your

prayers, love. Hold me close, let me go.

She leaves.

MICHAEL Mum! What’s happening? Dad, what’s happening?

DAD They’re going to operate.

MICHAEL Operate?

DAD Yes. Today. There’s your bag, look.

And your books.

What else will you need?

They’re operating on her heart.


So hurry up and get your things and get to school!

MICHAEL Her heart?

DAD Yes! Aye! Heart! Heart! Heart!

MICHAEL I’m not going to school.

DAD You’ll do as you’re told.

You’ll do what’s best for your mum and the baby.

MICHAEL You want me out of the way so you won’t have to

think about me and you just have to think about the

bloody baby.

DAD Don’t say bloody!

MICHAEL It is bloody. It’s bloody bloody bloody and it isn’t

fair.

DAD See the state you get me in? Get to bloody school.

Get out my bloody sight! I love you. I love you.

MINA I’ll stay with him.

DAD You?


MINA Yes.

Dad leaves.

13. MICHAEL FAINTS

Michael and Mina walk. It’s like walking in a dream: glaring sun, distressed

birdsong, tottering buildings, frantic heart. They enter the garage, search

for Skellig. The place is empty. (Chorus is offstage.)

MINA Skellig!

MICHAEL Skellig!

MINA Not here. Skellig! Skellig!

MICHAEL He isn’t here.

MINA Skellig!

MICHAEL Maybe he’s gone away for ever.

MINA Skellig!

MICHAEL Maybe he was never even here at all.

Skellig! Skellig!

What does it mean if Skellig eats living things


and makes pellets like the owls?

MINA We can’t know.

MICHAEL What is he?

MINA We can’t know. Sometimes we just have to

accept things we can’t know. Why is your sister

ill? Why did my father die? Sometimes we think

we should be able to know everything. But we

can’t. We can’t know. We have to allow ourselves to

see what there is to see, and we have to imagine.

MICHAEL Oh, Mina!

MINA What is it?

MICHAEL My heart’s stopped. Feel my heart. There’s nothing

there.

MINA I can feel it. There and there and there.

MICHAEL But it’s only my heart. It’s not the baby’s.

MINA Oh, Michael.

MICHAEL It’s only mine. Not the baby’s. The baby’s dead.


MINA You can’t know that.

MICHAEL Where is he? She’s dead. There’s nothing there.

He faints.

14. THE OPERATION, SKELLIG AND THE BABY

The hospital. The operation is being prepared. Mum is with baby. Heartbeat,

breathing, machines, dread. [Operation sounds continue throughout scene,

even after Skellig arrives, making an eerie duet.]

Chorus is offstage during this scene.

Mum dresses the baby for the operation; sings softly.

MUM Skin, and bone, and flesh, and hair, and eyes, and

ears, and nose, and mouth, and arms, and fingers,

and legs, and toes…

Oh, my darling!

Be strong. Be brave.

Oh, darling!

Skellig appears.


MUM What do you want?

Who are you?

No! Get away!

Get away from my baby!

Help!

Skellig becomes the angel. He reaches down and lifts the baby. He holds

her, moves her in the air in a strange choreography. They move into each

other. Ghostly wings appear at the baby’s back.

SKELLIG I have no name [from Blake’s “Joy”]

What shall I call thee?

I happy am

Sweet joy befall thee!

Thou dost smile.

I sing the while


I am but two days old,


Love is the child that [quoted in Skellig]

That breathes her breath.

Love is the child

That scatters death.


He tenderly gives her back to Mum. He leaves.

Dad arrives.

MUM I had a dream.

DAD She’s not gone yet?

MUM The strangest dream.

The baby is taken away for the operation.

MUM / DAD Oh, love!

Hold her close.

Let her go.

15. THE DANCE Michael and Mina search for Skellig.

MINA Skellig!

MICHAEL Skellig!


MINA He isn’t here again.

MICHAEL Where is he, Mina?

MINA Maybe some other kids have found him.

Skellig appears. Chorus begins to reappear, one by one, slowly. Perhaps

they make a circle – very near the ground – around area where Dance is

about to take place.

MICHAEL Skellig.

SKELLIG Michael. Mina.

MICHAEL We brought you this, Skellig. 27 and 53. Brown

ale.

SKELLIG Sweetest of nectars. Food of the gods. Thought it

was cold mice for supper and I come home to a

banquet. Pair of angels, that’s what you are.

MICHAEL What are you, Skellig?

SKELLIG Something. Come to me. Come to me. Take my

hands. Don’t be afraid. Come to me.

They take his hands. They begin to rise.


MINA Don’t stop, Michael.

SKELLIG No, Michael. Don’t stop!

They rise, and merge with each other. Ghostly wings appear on their backs.

[Major musical number; all sing, including chorus, no words; strands of

music from entire opera interwtine, become something else.] Swirling

chorus helps to create sensation of twisting and perhaps also rising for three

main characters. Michael, Mina and Skellig come to earth again. Chorus

becomes absolutely still, perhaps flat on the ground.

SKELLIG Remember this.

MINA We’ll remember forever.

MICHAEL You’re going away.

Skellig closes his eyes and nods.

MICHAEL Where will you go?

SKELLIG Somewhere.

MICHAEL What are you?

SKELLIG Something like a beast, something like a bird,


something like an angel, something like you.

MINA (from Blake) “The sun descending in the west.

The evening star does shine…”

MICHAEL (joins) The birds are silent in their nest

And I must seek for mine…”

SKELLIG Thank you for 27 and 53. Thank you for giving my

life to me again.

DAD (from far away) Michael! Michael!

MICHAEL She’s home! You went to my sister.

SKELLIG Lovely thing.

MICHAEL You made her strong.

SKELLIG That one’s glittering with life. Heart like fire. It

was her that gave the strength to me.

DAD (again, far away) Michael!

SKELLIG Now you must go.

MINA/MICHAEL Goodbye.


SKELLIG Goodbye. Now you have to go home.

DAD (from far away) Michael!

They leave the garage. Chorus leaves stage as swiftly, silently, and

imperceptibly as possible. With equal discretion, they sweep through the

theater from backstage through the lobbies and hallways, entering silently

back into the hall to take positions that surround the entire audience. This

action takes place bit by bit over the next scene, so that audience members

are hardly aware; perhaps final positions are only assumed just before the

chorus is about to sing.

16. JOY

DAD It’s over, son. Come and see.

Mum and the baby are home.

MICHAEL Welcome home, Mum.

MUM Look how beautiful your sister is.

Look how strong she is.

MICHAEL Oh, look, Mina.


MINA She’s beautiful. She’s extraordinary.

MUM They said she has a heart of fire.

They said there was a moment when they thought

they’d lost her. But she burst into life again.

Wouldn’t give in.

MICHAEL We haven’t even named her yet.

MUM Joy.

DAD Eh?

MUM Joy. We’ll call her Joy.

CHORUS (sings from positions surrounding the audience)

We’ll call her Joy.

skellig libretto final 5-15-08 - mit media labtod/media/pdfs/skellig... · 2012. 7. 23. · mum my...

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