A Gift of Tongue, a play by Lanti T. Montreal

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Talino/Tongue Twister
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Townsfolk/Persons
Camp kid
Mother
Child
Farmer
Tula
King Hari
Queen Reina
Pisi
King’s Guard
King B Magno
Queen Azteca
Ugat
Makata
Bu-an
Bagyo
Lindol
Yelo
La Nina
Animals
Flowers
Clouds
Thunder/Lightning
King Bobo
Mr. Tacao
Mr. Saca
Doggie
Tongue Twister Heads (three)

Actors can play more than one role

ACT 1

PRELUDE

Darkness. Whisperings in the dark. These lines may be spoken over and over in different languages, overlapping each other (maybe pre-recorded).

ALL VOICES: Tongue Twister, Tongue Twister
Who’s afraid of the Tongue Twister?
Is he a monster or a man, evil or good?
Or is he just a myth that’s misunderstood?
They say he lives in the forest
Haven’t slept, not a wink
They say he can cause unrest
Steal your tongue in a blink

SPANISH
Trabalenguas, Trabalenguas
Quien le tiene miero
A la Trabalenguas
Es hombre o monstro
Buena o malo
Es un mythologia mal intendido
Dicen que vive en el bosco
No dormido, ni un minuto
Dicen que causa problemas
Serova tu lengua en un momento
Trabalenguas, Trabalenguas
Quien le tiene miero
A la Trabalenguas?

TAGALOG
Siya ba ay aswang o tao
Mabuti o masama?
O siya ba’y isang alamat na di maintindihan?
Nakatira daw siya sa kagubatan
Di natutulog, ni isang sandali
Hatid niya raw ay gulo
Nanakawin maging sariling wika mo

MALAYSIAN
Silapa takut kepada
Adakah Ia maausia atau gergasi
Jahat atau baik
Atau ia satu kyayalan
Yang disalah bahawi

CAMBODIAN
Ne nake klad Tongue Twister
Vitjeamanu rug ea baisat
A krah ru laah
Ru vea gea runityana
Da manu yolcas

ALL VOICES: Tongue Twister, Tongue Twister
Who’s afraid of the Tongue Twister?

SCENE 1

Lights up to reveal a vibrant community onstage. People are farming, studying, playing. A mother is reprimanding a child. In the middle of stage stands Tula seemingly giving counsel to couples and families. In one corner, kids are telling horror stories around a campfire.

NARRATOR 1: Somewhere on earth is a paradise called Ma-Yi. Here, in this kingdom, peace reigns and people value words over diamonds.

FARMER 1: How are you today?

FARMER 2: I’m fine. How about you?

FARMER 1: Things are going well. (Adlib)

NARRATOR 2: They choose them carefully before they speak like a gift they’d give to someone they love.

NARRATOR 1: No word is said out of spite or anger.

CAMPKID 1:: Hey, let’s tell horror stories around the fire.

CAMPKID 2:: Yeah, how about those marshmallows, Jake?

CAMPKID 1:: I don’t know where they are.

CAMPKID 2:: Why don’t I help you look for them?

NARRATOR 1: They are weighed and sifted, until only the best pass through their lips.

NARRATOR 2: Because of this, the people of Ma-Yi are admired for their diplomacy, and their love of their native tongue.

CHILD:: (To Mom) But mom, I wasn’t lying. I just didn’t tell you the whole truth.

NARRATOR 2: Ma-Yi’s people also love stories. In one particular legend, a human being is transformed into a monster because he had angered the gods with his arrogant words.

NARRATOR 1: The beast, they say, lives in the magical forest but every one hundred years it comes out to wreak havoc in the kingdom.

NARRATORS: They call this monster:

Tongue Twister appears briefly each time his name is mentioned.

CAMP KID: (Trying to scare other kids) Tongue Twister’s lurking in the dark.

MOTHER: (To child) Tongue Twister’s gonna make your tongue disappear.

FARMER: (To co-workers) Tongue Twister is an old wives’ tale.

TOWNFOLK: Tongue Twister, Tongue Twister
Who’s afraid of the Tongue Twister?
Is he a monster or a man, evil or good?
Or is he just a myth that’s misunderstood?
They say he lives in the forest
Haven’t slept, not a wink
They say he can cause unrest
Steal your tongue in a blink
Tongue Twister, Tongue Twister
Who’s afraid of the Tongue Twister?
Legend says he’ll be back after 100 years
To wreak havoc, so beware, be prepared when he appears

CAMP KID: There he is. (Points at TT but he disappears quickly.)

CHILD:: Where?

MOTHER: There! (Points at TT but he disappears.)

Farmers point to the back of Farmer at the same time as the mother. Tongue Twister is behind farmer.

FARMER: Yeah, right.

Other farmers cower in fear. Gestures to him that Tongue Twister is really there. Farmer turns slowly around.

FARMER: (Screams loud as he sees TT)

Everyone else echoes farmer’s scream. They run out in fear. Black out.

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