Last Teller

7/27/2019 Last Teller

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! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER

! ! ! ! ! by Ed Ballou

Copyright Ed Ballou, 2010

PROLOGUE: There has been recent speculation that the last Neanderthals were drivento extinction at the caves of Gibraltar.

CHARACTERS: Although the characters are Neanderthal, I do not believe that heavymake-up is a prerequisite to the portrayal of the characters. No make-up, but a certainfacial set or a set of facial gestures, and attendant body language, gait, etc., could servethe characters just as well. Again, an internal mind-set by the actor could illuminate thecharacters as effectively as extraneous devices.



LANGUAGE: Although there seems some question as to the nature or even acquisitionof language by the Neanderthals, there is no question in my mind that they couldcommunicate at least as effectively as a pack of wolves, where there appear few

barriers to an effective hunt or productive social interactions, even be they made largelythrough the subtleties and variances of a few barking, or guttural, sounds, and thecommon usage of body language and its resultant interpretation. Because of my beliefs,I have represented Neanderthal “language” in simple English language terms,eliminating or reducing much of the “flowery”, verbose, or unnecessary verbiage ofmodern-day English, including most “articles”, while trying not to resort to a stereotypicalpicture of grunting Neanderthals relying on a few monosyllabic utterances. I have triedto portray a different form of Neanderthal communication that relies on a smallervocabulary, shorter sentences, and an emphasis on concepts that may have been ofprimary importance to the Neanderthal in his world, through the use of capitalizingwords, or sounds, that must have held tremendous importance for him - words largely

relating to nature and his natural activities - such as the Cold, Snow, the Hunt, etc. Ofcourse, capital letters, when spoken, are unseen, but an actor may place either aninternal or external emphasis, or both, on these capitalized words to show theimportance these natural concepts must have had for the Neanderthal, who after all,must have been the ultimate Child of Nature.

LAST TELLER - An older Neanderthal, shorter but powerfully built, the body of amodern-day football player who has fallen out of shape, possibly including a pot belly -he squints as he talks.

GAR - A younger Neanderthal, although more probably what passes for middle-age inthe Neanderthal age span. He is somewhat taller, also with the body of a modern-dayfootball player, although he is still in good shape, he has a limp, which sometimes alsoshows itself as a slightly dragging foot.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !AT RISE: A cave running the width of the set, wider than it is deep - a blackened andslanted rock roof sloping from front to rear - an rock cleft entrance on the left, throughwhich we can hear the sounds of the sea. Five people appear to lie sleeping underanimal skins around a low crackling fire. GAR and LAST TELLER sit staring into the fire- the LAST TELLER is using a stone tool to bore two holes into a short piece of bone.The plaintive cry of a hawk searching for its mate repeats over and over again, throughthe cave mouth.



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-1

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Why does Soaring Bird call?

! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER

! ! ! ! ! ! (The bird calls again)

It calls its mate, afraid of being alone...

! ! ! ! ! ! (A pause - they stare again into the fire)

Gar.. Gar good friend.. Gar tell big Hunts - good Stories - Teller tell People!

! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks in GAR’S direction)

Gar happy Big Cave? - Gar want Hunt? - Gar great Hunter!

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (Gets up. limps to cave mouth, looks out - the !! ! ! ! ! ! hawk calls)

Gar can’t Hunt.. Gar stay Big Cave...


! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

Tell again, Gar, Story of Sleeping People...

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

Some say Big Cave not end.. after Bear Fight, Gar weak, Leg Blood, Gar want Sleep..find Gar going deep down Big Cave.. find dark River.. Gar see People Sleeping acrossRiver.. old Hunters, old Women, old Friends - even Sleeping Young!.. Sleeping Peoplecall to Gar.. come.. come, Gar.. cross River!.. join Sleeping People - stay with SleepingPeople! - Sleeping People old friends!.. but Gar.. not ready to cross.. Gar turn away..come back up Big Cave - behind Gar, Sleeping People still calling.. come, come, Gar,cross River!.. Gar walk up, step out Big Cave Mouth.. look up at Bright One.. feel Warm,feel alive... now Teller turn... tell Story of Hunt of Tall Ones...

! ! ! ! ! !



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-2


! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, twirling a stone tool into a bone)

Day Hunt of Tall Ones...

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Bright One up?


Bright One’s head over Big Water...! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Cold? !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER

Not like Short Days, but Bright One not warm..! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Many Hunters?

! ! ! ! ! ! (LAST TELLER slaps him on the arm with an !! ! ! ! ! ! open hand and a finger)


Hunters trailing together...

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

First trailing..


Then rounding Big Rock, Tall Ones stood.. near top Big Cliff...in far grass, eating..

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Drinking!

! ! ! ! ! !



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-3

! ! ! ! ! ! TELLER

Eating..

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (Interrupting)

Not eating! - Gar on Hunt! - Tall Ones stream drinking! - Teller not tell Story, Hunt of TallOnes!

! ! ! ! ! ! (Taking over)

Three Hunters left, four right!.. Tallest One lift trunk, sniff Wind, other Tall Ones lift heads- three Hunters go behind Tall Ones - one Hunter run past, front - Tallest One grab

Hunter, trample - Hunter Sleep - Tall Ones bunch, face out - Hunters run at Tall Ones,Spear-stab smallest in side - Gar Spear-stab Tallest One - Tall Ones run, one in circles -Hunters drive that Tall one off Big Cliff - crash, roar! - quiet, quiet.. Hunters go top BigCliff, look down - see Tall One Sleeping - People Prey!.. but from out Forest come..Others!.. like People, but not People.. Other - many Other! - come bottom Big Cliff -poke Sleeping Tall One with Other Spears - People shout down - People Prey, PeoplePrey! - Other throw up Spears at People - many Other Spears!.. then, Other cut up TallOne, take Prey - People Prey! - back into forest...


! ! ! ! ! !(Pauses)

Other?

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Not People...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Picking up a spear, putting it in LAST ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TELLER’S hands)

Here.. Other Spear...

! ! ! ! ! ! (LAST TELLER turns spear in hands, feeling it)


Good Spear, Other Spear... better than People Spear...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Turns spear in hands)



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-4

! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER (Con’t.)

Teller not told Story of Other... Gar tell Story of Other! - then Teller tell People Story...

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

End of Big Snow.. Hunters trail Prey, far over Long Ridge.. new! - Trees, River, Land! -Hunters see Other in Far Mist.. People not know Other.. tall.. not strong, like People..FarMist over Other.. Hunters drive Prey.. Prey run into Far Mist.. but, Other kill Prey! - takePrey from People! - run into Far Mist...


! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

Other.. not People.. Other...

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Many Other.. few People...


! ! ! ! ! ! (Stares off)

Teller hear People in Caves - more People!

! ! ! ! ! ! (Gesturing)

Teller hear Caves full of People - Hunters shouting, on morning Hunt - Women laughing,calling Young - Teller hearing People!

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

When?


Last Big Snow!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Now?! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! !



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-5


People many - many People Caves!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

Gar see in Caves...! !! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER

See?

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

No People...


Moons ago - I hear People! - how many People Caves, at end of Big Travel?

! ! ! ! ! ! (GAR knocks all the fingers of one hand on !! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER’S arm three times, plus two !! ! ! ! ! ! fingers more)


Now?! !! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

This cave, Big Cave...


People.. where People?

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Few People.. only Hunters not back from Hunt of Barking Ones.. Gar - and Teller!


No Women? Young?! ! !! ! ! ! ! !



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-6

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (GAR slapping two hands once on !! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER’S arm)

On Beach, collecting Crabs, waiting for Hunters...


! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

Hunters gone three Suns...!! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! !(Pauses)

When Bright One rises.. Gar goes to Beach, look for Hunters...

! ! ! ! ! ! (He rises, limps to the cave mouth)


! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses)

Teller glad Gar here...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Grunts)

.. one day.. Teller go down Big Cave.. to dark River.. cross over.. join Sleeping People..Gar be Last Teller.. tell Last Story to People.. Story of Other...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Contemplates the unseen spear, turning it !! ! ! ! ! ! over and over - suddenly throws spear - it !! ! ! ! ! ! bounces off a cave wall with a flinty sound)

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

Not Last Story.. One Story more, when Hunters return.. Story of Hunt of Barking Ones...

! ! ! ! ! ! (The light of the rising sun slowly lights up his !! ! ! ! ! ! face, fills the cave)

Bright One rises.. Gar goes Beach, looks for Hunters...

! ! ! ! ! !



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-7


Teller talk to Sleeping People, here...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Gestures towards figures on cave floor)

! ! ! ! ! ! GAR

! ! ! ! ! ! (Pausing in cave mouth)

Tell Sleeping People.. People are Hunting, still..

! ! ! ! ! ! (He EXITS out the cave mouth. The plaintive !! ! ! ! ! ! cry of the soaring hawk echoes into the cave. !! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER rises, feels way to cave mouth -

! ! ! ! ! ! listens, cupping hand to ear.)

No People?

! ! ! ! ! ! (Listens, pauses, puts hand down, feels his !! ! ! ! ! ! way back into the cave, takes a pouch from his! ! ! ! ! ! belt, pulls out some dried plant material, !! ! ! ! ! ! squinting down, he addresses the sleeping !! ! ! ! ! ! figures around him, as he sprinkles each with !! ! ! ! ! ! dried flowers and red ochre)

You.. I heard laugh.. talk of Hunt, of bringing People Prey back to Cave, Safe Cave, BigCave, Warm Cave.. you.. I heard talk.. of making Fire, Warm Fire, Safe Fire.. you, Iheard shout.. giving birth to your Young... then, I heard your cry.. and now here is yourYoung.. Sleeping... and you.. I heard moan.. of Hunter Sleeping, your big Hunter.. andnow.. no more talk.. no more People.. Sleep came, took People.. People Sleeping...

! ! ! ! ! ! (He pauses)

Gar come back.. Hunters come back.. People come back - more People, good People! -People come back Big Cave.. Teller tell stories to People.. tell Story of Bear Fight! -good story...

! ! ! ! ! ! (He practices telling the story to ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! the Sleeping People)

Story of Bear Fight!.. time of Big Snow.. Cold, Cold.. People walk down Ridge.. look forShelter.. up Ridge, Hunter see Cave.. People travel up Big Snow to Cave.. go inside..Warm, Warm Cave.. but bones, many big bones!.. People sit in Cave, make Fire..Warm, Warm, Fire!.. People hear sound, deep in Cave.. Gar light Torch, go in Cave..Torchlight dim, dim.. dark, dark.. then roar! - great roar!.. Gar shout! - People jump up! -



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-8


Hunters put up spears! - Cave light from Gar Torch - Gar run up! - Bear chase! - Bearbite Gar, Bear claw Gar - grab Gar leg!.. Gar crawl, Gar call! - Hunters put Fire Sticks inBear face! - Bear let Gar go, Bear stand, Bear roar! - Hunters around Bear - Spear-stabBear! - Bear bite, claw three Hunters to Sleep! - Gar, Leg Blood, Gar stand - Gar club,club Bear! - Bear fall, Bear crawl - Gar limp after Bear - Gar club, club Bear toSleep..then People stay in Big Cave - Warm Cave, Big Cave!

! ! ! ! ! ! (Gestures around)

People eat Bear.. give Teller Bear Bone - Teller suck Marrow, feel Warm Fire.. Tellersuck Bear Bone dry.. hold Bear Bone to Fire - feel Warm Fire through Bear Bone - feelBear Fight through Bear Bone!

! ! ! ! ! ! (Holds up the short piece of bear bone - puts !! ! ! ! ! ! bone in mouth, toots through it - varies the !! ! ! ! ! ! pitch by covering one or both of the holes with !! ! ! ! ! ! his fingers - a haunting, imperfect melody !! ! ! ! ! ! echoes through the cave - the musical Story of !! ! ! ! ! ! the Bear Fight - the sudden appearance of a! ! ! ! ! ! Cro-Magnon hunter in the cave mouth, holding !! ! ! ! ! ! two clubs - the LAST TELLER puts down the !! ! ! ! ! ! bear bone)!! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER

Gar? - find Hunters, Gar? - back from Hunt of Barking Ones?

! ! ! ! ! ! (Pauses, cocks head toward cave mouth)

Find Hunters, Gar?

! ! ! ! ! ! (The Cro-Magnon throws a bloody club at the !! ! ! ! ! ! feet of the LAST TELLER - the LAST TELLER !! ! ! ! ! ! picks it up, feels it)

Gar?

! ! ! ! ! ! (His hands suddenly find blood on the club - he! ! ! ! ! ! sniffs it)

Gar hurt?

! ! ! ! ! ! (The LAST TELLER slowly feels his way to the !! ! ! ! ! ! cave mouth - senses a presence, sniffs air)



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-9


Not Gar.. not People..

! ! ! ! ! ! (The LAST TELLER slowly puts his hands up !! ! ! ! ! ! to the CRO-MAGNON’S face, then puts his !! ! ! ! ! ! hands on the unfamiliar face for an instant, !! ! ! ! ! ! feeling its shape and texture with his fingers.)!Other!!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! (The CRO-MAGNON clubs him with a blow !! ! ! ! ! ! that is completely unseen - The LAST TELLER !! ! ! ! ! ! falls to his knees, then struggles to his feet, !! ! ! ! ! ! holding on to the CRO-MAGNON)

Last Teller.. tell Stories of People...

! ! ! ! ! ! (The CRO-MAGNON grunts something guttural! ! ! ! ! ! and unintelligible)

.. People Hunting People Prey..

! ! ! ! ! ! (THE CRO-MAGNON clubs the LAST TELLER! ! ! ! ! ! with another unseen blow - the LAST TELLER !! ! ! ! ! !falls to his hands and knees)

.. People Making People Tools...

! ! ! ! ! ! (The CRO-MAGNON clubs him, again, ! !! ! ! ! ! ! flattening him, then stands over him, club at the! ! ! ! ! ! ready - the LAST TELLER climbs to a ! !! ! ! ! ! ! crouch)

.. People Watching over Sleeping People...

! ! ! ! ! ! (The CRO-MAGNON knocks him down, again, !! ! ! ! ! ! with a terrific blow - the LAST TELLER sprawls !! ! ! ! ! ! on the floor, pauses, then with great effort, pulls! ! ! ! ! ! himself off the cave floor - stands in a fully !! ! ! ! ! ! erect posture before the CRO-MAGNON)

.. People Loving People...

! ! ! ! ! !



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-10

! ! ! ! ! ! (The CRO-MAGNON clubs him on the other !! ! ! ! ! ! side of his head, knocking him against the cave! ! ! ! ! ! wall - THE LAST TELLER slowly slides down !! ! ! ! ! !the wall, legs outstretching, leaning his head

!! ! ! ! ! ! back against the wall with a great groan, !! ! ! ! ! ! slowly closing his eyes - the CRO-MAGNON !! ! ! ! ! ! towers over him, club raised for the coup-de-!! ! ! ! ! ! grace. THE LAST TELLER slowly opens his !! ! ! ! ! ! eyes, again, and stares sightless at something !! ! ! ! ! ! far, far away - he raises the flute to his lips, !! ! ! ! ! ! toots on it one last time, puts it down, holds it in! ! ! ! ! ! his hand.)

Now, Other.. tell Stories of People...

! ! ! ! ! ! (The LAST TELLER’S great head sinks slowly !! ! ! ! ! ! onto his chest, as his eyes dim and close. The !! ! ! ! ! ! CRO-MAGNON pauses, then stirs the body !! ! ! ! ! ! with a foot - satisfied, he lowers his club, goes !! ! ! ! ! ! over to the sputtering torch, blows it out. !! ! ! ! ! ! Enter a STELLAR BEING with flowing, !! ! ! ! ! ! iridescent, astral robes.)

! ! ! ! ! ! STELLAR BEING

! ! ! ! ! ! (To CRO-MAGNON)

Dead? - the life form is dead?! !! ! ! ! ! ! (He pokes the LAST TELLER with a foot. The! ! ! ! ! ! CRO-MAGNON says something unintelligible, !! ! ! ! ! ! waves club)

He was the last - of the primary life form.. you found the crippled one?

! ! ! ! ! ! (The CRO-MAGNON nods, kick’s GAR’S !! ! ! ! ! ! bloodied club)

We found the other primary life forms on the beach - disassembled them - theirmolecules shine in the crests of their waves!... we have planted our seed on thisblue-green planet - we leave you new tools, to insure your success.. a promising world,a good world.. future generations will never know.. that this evolutionary life form.. wasonce replaced.. by a star species..

! ! ! ! ! ! (Turns)



! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1-11

! ! ! ! ! ! STELLAR BEING (Con’t.)

We must depart.. sail our ships across cosmic waves, under sterilizing clouds ofradiation - search for more worlds, more planetary fields in which to sow our seed.. oneday we’ll return.. to reap our harvest...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Looks down at the corpse of the LAST ! !! ! ! ! ! ! TELLER)

Another life form decomposes...

! ! ! ! ! ! (Sees the bone flute in the LAST !TELLER’S !! ! ! ! ! ! hand - pries it from his fingers, holds it up - !! ! ! ! ! ! toots through it - a primitive sound echoes !! ! ! ! ! ! throughout the cave - he pauses)

A haunting species...!! ! ! ! ! ! (He slowly places the flute on the !! !! ! ! ! ! ! LAST TELLER’S chest - the plaintive CRY of !! ! ! ! ! ! the hawk is heard, again - they turn and EXIT - !! ! ! ! ! ! the lights slowly dim on the cave - a spot !! ! ! ! ! ! lights up the LAST TELLER’S face, then slowly! ! ! ! ! ! fades)

! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! CURTAIN

! ! ! ! !

Last Teller

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