A TRAGEDY OF THE FAR EAST

CAST: KING OH MY, QUEEN GOODNESS, PRINCE WHAT AH, PRINCESS BLOOMING, GARDENER PONG, NARRATOR

SPEECH: ON HEARING ONE'S NAME REPEAT IT - SAY, ME OH MY, ME PONG AND SO ON.

DRESS: JAPANESE STYLE : KIMONO, FAN, PARASOL, GARDENING GLOVES, TROWEL, STRAW HAT, CROWNS.

PROPS: BOTTLE OF WEED KILLER, KNIFE, SWORD, POTTING SHED LABEL, ROSE BED LABEL.

ACTION: ONLY IN LAST PARAGRAPH AS EACH CHARACTER FALLS ON EACH OTHER.

Long ago, in a rich Eastern Kingdom, there lived KING OH MY and his beloved wife QUEEN BLOOMING. The apple of their eye was their only child, the beautiful PRINCESS BLOOMING.

KING OH MY and his wife, QUEEN GOODNESS were very ambitious for PRINCESS BLOOMING and had arranged her betrothal at the tender age of six, to PRINCE AH, the heir of a neighbouring kingdom - and now, ten years later, PRINCE WHAT AH was on his way to claim his bride. This did not please PRINCESS BLOOMING one little bit, for she was in love with the palace gardener, PONG and what is more, GARDENER PONG was also in love with PRINCESS BLOOMING.

GARDENER PONG was very sad because he knew that very soon his beloved PRINCESS BLOOMING would be leaving the land of her birth and going with PRINCE WHAT AH. GARDENER PONG knew he could not live without PRINCESS BLOOMING and decided to put an end to his life. He crept into the potting shed and stole some of the quick acting weedkiller which had just been ordered by KING OH MY, drank some, and died instantly. His body lay in the rose bed among the favorite flowers of PRINCESS BLOOMING. Meanwhile PRINCESS BLOOMING, sitting in her room in the palace, could no longer stand the sight of all the preparations being made for the arrival of PRINCE WHAT AH so she went for a walk in the garden, hoping to see GARDENER PONG once more to tell him of her undying love and to say goodbye. Of course she saw the body of PONG and knew at once why he had done this terrible thing. She said, "If my beloved PONG cannot live without me, then I cannot live without him." Then she too crept to the potting shed , stole some of the weedkiller ordered by KING OH MY, then lying down so that her body covered that of PONG, she too took her life.

PRINCE WHAT AH had by now arrived, and , eager with longing to see his beautiful bride, PRINCESS BLOOMING, he strolled into the garden and came across the bodies of GARDENER PONG and PRINCESS BLOOMING lying in the rose bed. Now PRINCE WHAT AH could not return to his kingdom without PRINCESS BLOOMING. Just fancy, PRINCESS BLOOMING had preferred GARDENER PONG to himself!! So, he drew forth his knife, which he always carried in his belt for such occasions, and killed himself - throwing his body on top of PRINCESS BLOOMING, who was on top of GARDENER PONG.

KING OH MY and QUEEN GOODNESS were beginning to get impatient for the return of PRINCE WHAT AH and PRINCESS BLOOMING, so off they went to look for them. What a sight met their eyes!! The rose bed was ruined!! Now he could not show his prize blooms in the Rose Exhibition. This was unbearable. KING OH MY quickly drew his sword, smote QUEEN GOODNESS, who fell on top of PRINCE WHAT AH who was on top of PRINCESS BLOOMING - on top of GARDENER PONG. Then he killed himself and fell on top of QUEEN GOODNESS, on top of PRINCE WHAT AH, on top of PRINCESS BLOOMING, on top of GARDENER PONG.

Thank you for your applause. Our players will now introduce themselves to you once more.

OH MY GOODNESS WHAT A BLOOMING PONG!!! Each person says their name along the line.