Interlude

Things are about to get a bit... different, let's say.

Interlude

Pompo walks on stage still bewigged, carrying a leash that isn’t attached to a dog. He walks with it as if there were a dog at the end of it and there is a hard collar attached at the end that mimes the presence of an animal.

Pompo: Get out! Get out! [He waves his hands to the audience as he walks to the front of the stage, attempting to herd them towards the exit.] We have to go! [He comes to the front of the stage and jumps down to the floor, continuing to call for the audience to get up and follow him. He looks at a specific group of people.] Be careful! He’s wicked. [He motions towards the leash.] With strangers. [The audience begins to get up as Pompo walks through the theatre. Some may get up before he reaches him and begin to leave the theatre. Pompo moves within the mass of people. He continues to speak, raising his voice as the people move around him.] There’s someone on my land! My land! They just keep coming in, onto my land! [As the crowd leaves the theatre, there is a roped off space in front of them. In this area, Pandrio and Pasha now stand dressed in tattered clothes. They appear less sure of themselves than usual. As Pompo leaves the theatre, he approaches this area, while the audience stays back. Once Pompo becomes visible to them, Pandrio and Pasha begin to converse.]

Pandrio: [undertone] Is that… him?

Pasha: Um… a man? [He pauses, apparently thinking of a name.]

Pandrio: Gadot?

Pasha: Yes.

Pompo: I present myself: Pozmo.

Pandrio: [looking Pompo up and down with a frown] Not at all!

Pasha: He said Pompo.

Pandrio: You’re not Ms. Gadot, sir?

Pompo: [nearly screaming] I am Pozmo! [He pauses.] Pozmo! You don’t even know my name?!

[Pandrio and Pasha look at each questioningly. They appear to be afraid of acting.]

Pandrio: Gizmo?

Pasha: Venmo?

Pompo: PPPOZZZMO! [Continuing in a smaller voice.] Pozmo? [He lifts his hands as he again shouts.] POZMO!

Pandrio: There was that one movie once with a Gizmo…

Pasha: We’re not from these parts, Sir.

Pompo: You are human beings none the less. Men like me! [He lifts the leash for emphasis.] Made in God’s image! [He points to the end of the leash.] This is Great.

Pasha: It’s great?

Pompo: My dog is Great.

Pandrio: I think it’s a name.

Pompo: Who is Gadot?

Pandrio and Pasha look at him quizzically.

Pompo: As I came here with Great, as we walked up here, you mistook me for Gadot.

Pandrio: Could never!

Pasha: We’ve been in the sun. [He wipes his forehead.] We have been waiting.

Pompo: Waiting? On my land?

Pandrio: We stand in the road.

Pompo: The road? Dangerous. You must step up! [He motions to part of the area in which they are standing.] You need not wait in the road.

Pasha: In the sun, you from a distance. Maybe due to part of how you walk…

Pompo: How I walk? Pozmo, walking Great?

Pasha: It’s maybe a bit…

Pompo: Yes?

Pasha: Effeminate…

Pompo [raising his hands as he speaks]: Effeminate? Pozmo! Great! Effeminate?! [He throws the leash.]

Pandrio [under his breath]: That’s animal cruelty. That’s worse than the dogs in the backs of cars going seventy on the highway…

Pompo: What?

Pandrio: Why so mean to your dog? To Great?

Pompo: He’s wicked. They’re all wicked once they disappoint me.

Pasha: They?

Pompo: People. [He thinks for a minute.] You were waiting?

Pandrio: Yes.

Pasha: Every day we wait.

Pompo: Every day, why?

Pasha: He’s in love.

Pompo: Waiting? Love? On my land? Here in my land? Who could have imagined…

Pandrio: We’re just waiting. She said she would come.

Pompo: Waiting? For how long?

Pandrio: Let me count the days.

A dog barks in the distance. Pompo leaves Pandrio and Pasha moving toward the sound.

Pompo [Looking back over his shoulder]: They disappoint me, yet they always need me. [He turns to the sound.] You son of a bitch! [He begins to run as the dog barking becomes more desperate. Turning back over his shoulder again as he runs, he shouts.] Remember, POOOOOOOMMPOOOOOOO! [He turns back around but then pauses. He turns around completely.] Pompo? [He raises his hands up to his mouth and screams.] POOOZZZMOOO!

Pasha: That was Pompo?

Pandrio: Is she coming?

Pasha: Not today, my friend, not, I think, today.

End interlude.

*** 

Coming out of character, Pandrio and Pasha remove their current clothing, showing regular clothes under the tatters. They appear much more in control now, out of character. They address the audience and call for their help in restaging the scene. A number of people are selected from the audience to put on costumes and take part in the next scene. You comes out into view in a superhero outfit.