Scene 6

Tuco’s Lament:

A Spaghetti Western Morality Play

Draft 06/04/07

Scene 6: Ascent to Boot Hill

Setting the Scene:

Everyman is crushed by the refusal of Goods to accompany him to his reckoning. He thought that the riches of the world would not fail him. He is pretty bummed at this point and wanders out of town and ascents up to Boot Hill where he laments his situation. There are several graves, a sign saying Sad Hill and a ragged leafless tree. He decides that he will call upon his Good Deeds, whom it turns out is lying in a open grave and is near death due to his neglect. Everyman is looking at this cemetery and thinking about his sundown with Death in Samara the next day.

He begins to talk with Good Deeds and it introduces him to Knowledge and Confession (perhaps a combined character because of the pagan nature of our play) and Good Deeds is resurrected and able to accompany Everyman and Knowledge? Somewhere in this story, they call forth Beauty, Discretion and Strength (all represented in a manly strong wrestler like cowboy). Only to have them desert them when they prepare to ride for Samara on a wagon.

Technical

Sad Hill is the name of the cemetery, in reference to the one in the GBU. The above ground grave will block the open grave that contains Good Deeds, who is lying there waiting for the arrival of Everyman. The grave that he is in has a wooden marker with the name of Arch Stanton, another GBU reference.

Props: As the curtains close, the Salon Prop is removed and it is replaced by the Sad Hill prop. Then the shadow relief of the outside of the salon (SR) and Sand Hill (SL) are placed to allow for the beginning of the transition of EM. The shadow relief lights rise. At the completion of the transition, the lights go down and EM is waiting (SR) for his entrance. Goods Deeds is sitting in the graveyard prop and the puppeteer pick up the control before the curtain is opened.

Action: Everyman Shadow Puppet (EMSP) makes his way out of the salon, down the several steps, across the open area and slowly ascends up the hill to the top.

The music for this transition starts as the curtain is closing on the salon scene and the lights come up on the shadow screen. EMSP is standing on the porch of the salon, pausing before he steps off the porch of the salon and continues moving (SL) until he arrives at the top of the hill.

Everyman enters the scene from (SR) position. He is standing. As he faces the house he laments his situation and his realization that he has been deserted by his friends. He calls out to his Good Deeds to come and rescue him. Good Deeds calls out from his grave. Everyman is startled by the voice coming from the tombs.

Good Deeds talks for awhile and then introduces Knowledge to the conversation. She is waiting (SR) in the wings and enters into the scene. The three converse for awhile. When it is decided that they will all go to Samarra together the light begins to brighten to show the coming of day. The curtain starts to close. The shadow screen becomes illuminated for the start of the Sad Hill/Samarra transition.

Lighting: The lights dim as the salon scene ends and the curtain closes. The shadow screen lights come up to reveal the transition scene. After EMSP completes his journey to the top of the hill the lights slowly dim on the shadow screen and the curtains open to reveal the Sad Hill scene. The lighting is low and eerie and simulates the evening hours as it makes it’s transition to night, as it is the night before he rides to Samarra.

Sound: The salon music fades with the closing of the curtains and the illumination of the shadow screen. A lamenting and haunting music, TBA, fills the air. It plays throughout the slow transition across and up to

music does as well. This is replaced by the next clip as the curtains open up on the Sand Hill scene.

As the shadow screen begins to fade the scene is meant to take place over the many hours until daylight comes when EM starts his journey with his two companions.

Unedited Text:

Everyman:

But alas, she is so weak,

That she can neither go nor speak;

Yet I will venture on her now.-

My Good-Deeds, where be you?

Good-Deeds:

Here I lie cold in the ground;

Thy sins hath me sore bound,

That I cannot stir.

Everyman:

O, Good-Deeds, I stand in fear;

I must you pray counsel,

For help now should come right well.

Good-Deeds:

Everyman, I have understanding

That ye be summoned account to make

Before Messias, of Jerusalem King;

And if you do by me that journey what you will I take.

Everyman:

Therefore I come to you, my moan to make;

I pray you, that ye will go with me.

Good-Deeds:

I would full fain, but I cannot stand verily.

Everyman:

Why, is there anything on you fall?

Good-Deeds:

Yea, sir, I may thank you of all;

If ye had perfectly cheered me,

Your book of account now full ready had be.

Look, the books of your works and deeds eke;

Oh, see how they lie under the feet,

To your soul’s heaviness.

Everyman:

Our Lord Jesus, help me!

For one letter here I can not see.

Good-Deeds: There is a blind reckoning in time of distress!

Everyman:

Good-Deeds, I pray you, help me in this need,

Or else I am forever damned indeed;

Therefore help me to make reckoning

Before the redeemer of all thing,

That king is, and was, and ever shall.

Good-Deeds:

Everyman, I am sorry for your fall,

And fain would I help you, and I were able.

Everyman:

Good-Deeds, you counsel I pray you give me.

Good-Deeds: That shall I do verily;

Though that on my feet I may not go,

I have a sister, that shall with you also,

Called Knowledge, which shall you abide,

To help you make that dreadful reckoning.

Knowledge: (enter Knowledge)

Everyman, I will go with thee, and be thy guide,

In thy most need to go by thy side.

Everyman:

In good condition I am now in every thing,

And am wholly content with this good thing;

Thanked be God my creator.

Good-Deeds:

And when he hath brought thee there,

Where thou shalt heal thee of thy smart,

Then go with your reckoning and your Good-Deeds together

For to make you joyful at heart

Before the blessed Trinity.

Everyman:

My Good-Deeds, gramercy;

I am well content, certainly,

With your words sweet.

Knowledge:

Now we go together lovingly,

To Confession, that cleansing river.

Everyman:

For joy I weep; I would we were there;

But, I pray you, give me cognition

Where dwelleth that holy man, Confession.

Knowledge:

in the house of salvation:

We shall find him in that place,

That shall us comfort by God’s grace.

Lo, this is

Confession: kneel down and ask mercy,

For he is in good conceit with God almighty.

Everyman:

O glorious fountain that all uncleanness doth clarify,

That on me no sin may be seen;

I come with Knowledge for my redemption,

Repent with hearty and full contrition;

For I am commanded a pilgrimage to take,

And great accounts before God to make.

Now, I pray you, Shrift, mother of salvation,

Help my good deeds for my piteous exclamation.

Confession: I know your sorrow well, Everyman;

Because with Knowledge ye come to me,

I will you comfort as well as I can,

And a precious jewel I will give thee,

Called penance, wise voider of adversity;

Therewith shall your body chastised be,

With abstinence and perseverance in God’s service:

Here shall you receive that scourge of me,

Which is penance strong, that ye must endure,

To remember thy Saviour was scourged for thee

With sharp scourges, and suffered it patiently;

So must thou, or thou scape that that painful pilgrimage; Knowledge, keep him in this voyage,

And by that time Good-Deeds will be with thee.

But in any wise, be sure of mercy,

For your time draweth fast, and ye will saved be;

Ask God mercy, and He will grant truly,

When with the scourge of penance man doth him bind,

The oil of forgiveness then shall he find.

Everyman:

Thanked be God for his gracious work!

For now I will my penance begin;

This hath rejoiced and lighted my heart,

Though the knots be painful and within.

Knowledge: Everyman, look your penance that ye fulfil,

What pain that ever it to you be,

And Knowledge shall give you counsel at will,

How your accounts you shall make clearly

Everyman:

O eternal God, O heavenly figure,

O way of rightwiseness, O goodly vision,

Which descended down in a virgin pure

Because he would Everyman redeem,

Which Adam forfeited by his disobedience:

O blessed Godhead, elect and high-divine,

Forgive my grievous offence;

Here I cry thee mercy in this presence.

O ghostly treasure, O ransomer and redeemer

Of all the world, hope and conductor,

Mirror of joy, and founder of mercy,

Which illumineth heaven and earth thereby,

Hear my clamorous complain, though it late be;

Receive my prayers; unworthy in this heavy life,

Though I be, a sinner most abominable,

Yet let my name be written in Moses’ table;

O Mary, pray to the Maker of all thing,

Me for to help at my ending,

And same me from the power of my enemy,

For Death assaileth me strongly,

And, Lady, that I may by means of they prayer

Of your Son’s glory to be partaker,

By the means of h is passion I it crave,

I beseech you, help my soul to save.

Knowledge, give me the scourge of penance;

My flesh therewith shall give a quittance;

I will now begin, if God give me grace.

Knowledge: Everyman, God give you time and space:

Thus I bequeath you in the hands of our Savior,

Thus may you make your reckoning sure.

Everyman:

In the name of the Holy Trinity,

My body sore punished shall be:

Take this body for the sin of the flesh;

Also though delightest to go gay and fresh;

And in the way of damnation thou did me brine;

Therefore suffer now strokes and punishing.

Now of penance I will wade the water clear,

To save me from purgatory, that sharp fire.

Good-Deeds:

I thank God, now I can walk and go;

And am delivered of my sickness and woe.

Therefore with Everyman I will go, and not spare;

His good works I will help him to declare.

Knowledge:

Now, Everyman, be merry and glad;

Your Good-Deeds cometh now;

Now is your Good-Deeds whole and sound,

Going upright upon the ground.

Everyman:

My heart is light, and shall be evermore;

Now will I smite faster than I did before.

Good-Deeds: Everyman, pilgrim, my special friend,

Blessed by thou without end;

For thee is prepared the eternal glory,

Ye gave me made whole and sound,

Therefore I will bid by thee in every season

Everyman:

Welcome, my Good-Deeds; now I hear thy voice,

I weep for very sweetness of love.

Knowledge:

Be no more sad, but ever rejoice,

God seeth they living in this throne above;

Put on his garment to thy behove,

Which is wet with your tears,

Or else before god you may it miss,

When you to your journey’s end come shall.

Everyman:

Gentle Knowledge, what do you it call?

Knowledge:

It is a garment of sorrow:

From pain it will you borrow;

Contrition it is,

That getteth forgiveness;

It pleaseth God passing well.

Good-Deeds:

Everyman, will you wear it for your heal?

Everyman:

Now blessed by Jesu. Mary’s Son!

From now have I on true contrition.

And let us go now without tarrying;

Good-Deeds, have we clear our reckoning?

Good-Deeds:

Yea, indeed I have it here.

Everyman:

Then I trust we need not fear;

Now friends, let us not part in twain.

Knowledge:

Nay, Everyman, that will we not, certain.

Good-Deeds:

Yet must thou lead with thee

Three persons of great might.

Everyman:

Who should they be?

Good-Deeds:

Discretion and Strength, they hight,

And thy Beauty may not abide behind.

Knowledge:

Also ye must call to mind.

Your Five-wits as for your counsellors.

Good-Deeds:

You must have them ready at all hours

Everyman:

How shall I get them hinder?

Knowledge:

You must call them all together,

And they will hear you incontient.