All club plays are written as a group collaboration between the participants and the group leader.
May 29, 2010
THE GODDESS, HER CAT AND THE RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX
Starring:
The Sphinx (Emma)
Isis the Goddess (Sabine)
Tigress the Cat (Maddy)
The Sculptor, The Baker, The Easter Bunny (Emma)
Synopsis:
In an Egyptian Temple, Isis and Tigress sit in the sitting room playing sanskrit games. Isis complains of being thirsty and Tigress goes to the pitcher to pour her some cold, cool water. The pitcher is dry so Tigress goes outside of the temple to the well. To her shock the well is also empty. Tigress runs to Isis to report that there is no water in the well. Dumbfounded, Isis suggests that they go down to the river together to see what the problem is.
The two sit down next to the river, chalices in hand. They dip the vessels into the river and nothing comes back but air. They reach a bit further and nothing comes back but air. Reaching even further, the two bring their chalices back up and dry, gravely dirt comes pouring out. “This is an emergency!” proclaims Isis. “We must go see the Sphinx!” Walking thirsty though the desert, Isis and Tigress seek answers from the river Sphinx. The Sphinx sits smuggly on her perch. To Isis and Tigress' inquiry she calmly states that yes, it was she, who dried up the river Nile. The Sphinx will not invite the water to flow again until she receives 3 gifts that demonstrate the answer to a grand riddle. The two agree to accept the challenge.
“For your first quest, find a representation of the answer to this riddle... ''What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?' Go to Greece and bring me back this gift. Saddling their magic flying carpet, Isis and Tigress find themselves in Greece amongst massive stone scraps near the workspace of a gifted sculptor. Chiseling the finishing touches on a beautiful statue of a man, the sculptor dryly greets the breathtaking Isis and her talking cat with an air of complete disinterest. He was so taken with his own work. The two ask him if he knows the answer to the Sphinx's riddle: 'What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?' Impatiently, the sculptor remarks, “Of course I know the answer. Why it's MAN of course. Look at my immaculate sculpture! Excuse me while I fetch a different chisel...” As he walks away, Tigress comments, “Well he said to have a look, perhaps he wouldn't mind if we looked at it on the magic carpet?” Swiftly and sneakily the two hoist the life size statue and make off with it. As they fly overhead, the sculptor returns shouting in distress “My statue! No! Come back....”
Returning to the Sphinx, Isis and Tigress present her with the sculpture. “Your gift is absolutely correct,” states the Sphinx. In the morning, the beginning of his life, man crawls on four legs. In the afternoon, the middle of his life, man walks on two, but in the evening of his life, in his old age, man uses a cane and walks on three. You have done well. For your next quest, please find the very thing I describe in this riddle... 'I am fair, I am true, The present someone else would give to you, As sweet as honey, As the first morning dew.' Go to Easter Island to solve this riddle. Tigress and Isis saddle the magic carpet and soon find themselves on Easter Island in a paradise of bird song, sweet smelling trees and open waters. On a hill they see the Easter Bunny picking flowers. “So this is where the Easter Bunny lives the rest of the years!” Flying down to the Bunny, they ask him, “Easter Bunny, do you know the answer to this riddle... 'I am fair, I am true, The present someone else would give to you, As sweet as honey, As the first morning dew.' Dreamily, the Bunny exclaims, “Of course I know the answer. Why it's FLOWERS of course. Feast your senses on my flourishing bouquet. Here, you hold that while I pick some more...” As he walks a little further into the dense flora to collect, Tigress comments, “Well he said to hold the flowers, perhaps he wouldn't mind if I held them all the way home?” Swiftly and sneakily the two steal away with the fragrant bouquet to the carpet. As they fly overhead, the Bunny looks around confused, “My perfect bird of paradise! O Dear! Heavens! Come back...”
Returning to the Sphinx, Isis and Tigress present her with the bouquet. “Your gift is absolutely correct,” states the Sphinx. You have done well. For your next quest, please find the delectable I describe in this riddle... 'Yummy, Scrumptious, Piping Hot, You'll find me in a special spot, this creation of choc-o-lot.' Go to France to solve this riddle. Tigress and Isis saddle the magic carpet and soon find themselves in France in a slurry of pedestrians, marketplace pizazz and bustling commerce. Following their noses into a nearby pâtisserie (bakery) they find a plush and jolly pastry maker. Taking a bite of everything he has made, he is interrupted by Isis and Tigress. “Excuse me Sir, but do you know the answer to this riddle... 'Yummy, Scrumptious, Piping Hot, You'll find me in a special spot, this creation in choc-o-lot.' With his mouth full of cookies and cakes, the pastry maker nods pointing at something in his ornate glass case. There within is a perfect chocolate CUPCAKE, with a swirl of soft whipping and a tiny berry on top. As he turns to wipe his mouth, the two nod at each other, and like a flash of lightning, they are off with the still-warm little cake. A dough-muffled exclamation comes from within the pâtisserie, but Isis and Tigress are already flying over the double-domed cathedral to their own time and place.
Returning to the Sphinx, Isis and Tigress present her with the cupcake. “Your gift is absolutely correct,” states the Sphinx. You have done well. Isis and Tigress are eager for water to flow again in the river and urge the Sphinx to incite the flow. “I'm sorry, but what you have forgotten about this challenge is to learn the lesson that inspired me to dry up the river in the first place. People take water for granted and forget to be thankful. It isn't until it is gone that it is appreciated. Did you thank the sculptor, the bunny and the pastry maker for the work they do? The gifts they provide us?” Isis and Tigress knew that they had missed something: THANKFULNESS. And so, once the gifts were returned to their creators with apology and gratitude, Isis and Tigress helped the people of their land to understand the gift of art, ceremony, food, flora, fauna, air and of course, water. The river flowed freely once again.
