Prologue
[The curtain rises on a plain drop curtain. The Maker of Sounds enters with his arms full of instruments, crosses the scene and sits with his back against one side of the proscenium, outside the curtain line. He tries out all his instruments, wind, string, percussion and "traps." He yawns. He becomes impatient and raps on the stage.]
Cymbal Crash The lights go out The drop is lifted in the darkness
Cymbal Crash The lights are turned on
Scene I
[The Wazir's garden. Discovered left to right, the Nubian, standing with folded arms, the Vizier, seated at the chess table, playing with the Wazir. At the other side of the stage, the Princess, her attendant, her two slaves. All stand motionless until set in action by the Maker of Sounds.]
The Music The Pantomime, etc.
Tap--on Chinese wood Nubian unfolds his arms block
Tap He salaams
Tap Resumes original pose
Tap Vizier moves a chessman
Tap Wazir moves a chessman
Tap Vizier moves a chessman
Tap Wazir picks up snuff-box
Tap Opens it
Tap Offers Vizier snuff
Tap Vizier takes a pinch
Sand blocks Sniffs it
Drum crash Vizier sneezes
Drum crash Sneezes again
No sound Sneezes again Nubian sneezes synchronously with Vizier's paroxysms
Tap Vizier returns snuff-box
Tap Wazir puts it away
Bell Princess yawns
Tap Signals her attendant
Tap Attendant picks up telescope
Tap Hands it to Princess
Wind instrument Princess uses telescope [The middle portion of the back drop is lifted to show the "Distance" in which the Shepherd is discovered piping for the Goat's dancing.]
Stringed instrument The Shepherd sees the Princess, stops piping, and declares his adoration across the distance. He beckons her to join him. Princess promises to do so. [The lifted portion of the drop is lowered again. The "Distance" vanishes.]
Tap Princess signals to her retinue
Tap Attendant relays the signal
Tap Slaves stoop.
Tap Lift the hope chests to their shoulders
Bass chord on Princess and retinue take one step stringed instrument downstage
Treble chord All lean forward, watching Wazir
Drum crash Wazir and Vizier stand up
Drum crash They glare at Princess
Tap on wood block They sit
Bass chord Vizier yawns
Bass chord Wazir yawns
Bass chord Nubian yawns
Bass chord Vizier nods
Bass chord Wazir nods
Bass chord Nubian drops on one knee
Treble chord Princess and retinue lean forward
Bass chord They take one step [A continuation of this business takes them off at the left] The lights go out
Cymbal crash [In the darkness. Princess and retinue cross to right of stage, ready for Scene II] The plain drop is lowered
Cymbal crash The lights come up
Scene II
The Music The Pantomime, etc.
Tambourine jingles Ghurri-Wurri discovered above at center, with his dark glasses pushed up on his forehead, counting his money.
Tap on piece He finds a bad coin of crockery
Sand blocks Bites it
Tap crockery Throws it away
Begins the Princess Hears the Princess and retinue approaching rhythms on Chinese wood block
[Telegraphically He pulls glasses over his eyes expressed it is ... ... ... ... Musically, accented triplets, common time, presto] He grovels
Princess rhythm Princess and retinue enter from the right continues They pass by Ghurri-Wurri without pause
Drum crash Ghurri-Wurri runs ahead and prostrates himself before the Princess
Tap Princess' retinue halts
Tap Princess signals to attendant
Tap Attendant signals to nearest slave
Tap Slave proffers chest
Tap, Tap, Tap Attendant opens it, takes coin, closes it
Tap Gives coin to Princess
Tap on crockery Princess drops coin in beggar's hand
Princess rhythm Princess and retinue exit at the left
Begin drum roll Ghurri-Wurri looks at coin, scrambles to pp. cresc. to ff. his feet, looks after Princess, shakes his fists, starts to the right, turns, shakes his fist again, exits at right, raging
Cymbal crash Lights out In the darkness Ghurri-Wurri crosses to left of stage, ready for Scene III The drop is lifted
Cymbal crash Lights up
Scene III
[The Wazir's Garden as in Scene I]
The Music The Pantomime, etc.
Bass chords Wazir, Vizier and Nubian asleep as before
Tap on drum Ghurri-Wurri enters at the left
Tap on drum Prostrates himself before Wazir
Bass chord Wazir and court sleep on
Tap on drum Ghurri-Wurri again prostrates himself
Bass chord The Court sleeps on
Drum crash Ghurri-Wurri slams himself down hard
Drum crash Wazir, Vizier, Nubian awake
Drum roll Wazir shakes his fist at the beggar
Wood-block tap Signals Vizier
Sand blocks Vizier runs thumb along his scimiter blade
Tap Ghurri-Wurri retreats to the right
Tap He stumbles over the telescope
Tap, tap He picks it up and hands it to the Wazir
Tap Ghurri-Wurri points to the "Distance."
Tap The Wazir uses the telescope
Princess rhythm The "Distance" is revealed as in Scene I Princess and retinue are seen traveling [across the platform from right to left]
Tap The Wazir lowers the telescope The "Distance" vanishes as in Scene I
Drum crash Wazir stamps his foot
Drum roll He shakes his fists, first at the distance, then off left
Tap Points at Ghurri-Wurri
Tap Vizier seizes Ghurri-Wurri by the scruff of the neck
Tap Vizier points off left with his scimiter
Wazir rhythm on The Court and Ghurri-Wurri begin to wood-drum run, Nubian first, then Ghurri-Wurri, [Telegraphically then Vizier, then Wazir. The running stated ... ... etc. is entirely vertical in movement, no ground being covered at all. Musically, accented Lights out eighth notes in 2/4 [In the darkness, the runners move downstage time, presto] without losing step. A plain drop is lowered behind them]
Cymbal crash
Cymbal crash Lights on
Scene IV
The Music The Pantomime, etc.
Wazir rhythm, The runners increase their speed throughout the crescendo and scene acceleramento Ghurri-Wurri slips to his knees, Vizier, without losing a step, jerks him back on his feet Ghurri-Wurri, pointing left, resumes running Wazir points left When the runners have reached their maximum speed
Cymbal crash The lights go out In the darkness the Wazir's court and Ghurri-Wurri exit and take their places at the right ready for Scene V The Shepherd and Goat take their places
Cymbal crash Lights up
Scene V
The Music The Pantomime, etc.
Wind instrument [A plain drop] The Shepherd is discovered well to the left, piping for the Goat Goat is dancing
Begin Princess Goat stops to listen, looks off to the right rhythm Shepherd looks to the right Goat crosses to extreme right, bows Princess and retinue enter
Tap They halt
Tap The Shepherd kneels to the Princess, then dances for her
Stringed instrument
Drum roll _pp. The Goat becomes alarmed crescendo_ All turn and look to the right Goat, on all fours, offers his back to the Princess Shepherd induces Princess to sit on Goat's back
Princess rhythm Goat exits, followed by Princess and retinue
Tap Shepherd folds his arms
Wazir rhythm Wazir's Court and Ghurri-Wurri enter from the right
Tap They halt
Tap Wazir points to Shepherd
Tap Vizier brandishes his scimiter
Drum roll Nubian approaches Shepherd
Drum crash Nubian falls
Drum roll Wazir shakes his fists Crescendo Points at Shepherd to Vizier attacks Shepherd with scimiter Shepherd grasps scimiter They struggle, conventionally, one, two, three, four, five, six
Drum crash The Shepherd falls
Drum roll The Vizier waves his scimiter aloft
Drum roll Wazir exults
Tap Nubian rises
Tap Wazir points to the right
Tap Vizier points at Shepherd with scimiter
Tap Nubian seizes the Shepherd
Wazir rhythm Wazir's Court and Shepherd exit at the right, ignoring Ghurri-Wurri, Nubian and Shepherd first, then Vizier, then Wazir. [All cross behind the drop to left of stage ready for Scene VI]
Drum crash Ghurri-Wurri stamps his foot
Drum roll Shakes his fists after them
Drum roll Runs to left and shakes his fists at the Princess
Drum roll Runs to right and shakes them at the Wazir Runs to center and shakes them at the audience
Cymbal crash Lights out Ghurri-Wurri exits The drop is raised
Cymbal crash Lights on
Scene VI
[The Wazir's garden. No characters on scene]
The Music The Pantomime, etc.
Wazir rhythm Nubian enters from left, holding the Shepherd The Wazir and Vizier follow
Tap Wazir takes his seat, smirking
Tap Wazir orders Shepherd thrown down at the right
Drum crash Nubian complies
Tap Vizier orders Nubian off right
Wazir rhythm, fast Nubian hurries out
Wazir rhythm, slow Reenters, staggering under a ball and chain [the chain of papier mache and the ball a balloon]
Drum crash Drops these beside the Shepherd
Clank, clank Rivets chain to Shepherd's leg
Tap Rises
Tap Vizier orders Nubian off, left
Wazir rhythm Nubian exits left
Tap Vizier sits
Tap Wazir moves a chessman
Tap Vizier moves a chessman
Tap Shepherd, in a gesture of despair, finds the telescope He looks into the "Distance" [The "Distance" is shown as in Scene I]
Stringed music Princess and Goat discovered in conference. Goat has an idea. He points to the Shepherd, then to the Wazir, then to the Princess and executes an ancient dance movement which is contemporaneously described as the "shimmy" The Princess claps her hands and exits, followed by the Goat
Tap Shepherd lowers the telescope [The "Distance" vanishes]
Tap Shepherd is puzzled
Stringed music Princess enters from the left, veiled and carrying a scarf in her hands Goat enters with her, goes at once to the Shepherd Princess poses at center Wazir and Vizier turn, smirking Princess dances Wazir leers and strokes his beard Princess ends dance beside Vizier
Chords, agitato She ties his arms with her scarf
Sand blocks Wazir is convulsed with laughter
Chords Princess binds Wazir's arms with her veil
Sand blocks Vizier is convulsed with laughter
Princess rhythm on The Attendant enters from the left with a box wood drum on which a skull and cross-bones are conspicuous
Tap Princess takes two pills from the box
Tap She pops them into her prisoners' open mouths
Princess rhythm The Attendant exits as she came
Sand blocks Wazir and Vizier swallow vigorously
Drum crash They lay their heads upon the chess table and die
Tap Princess beckons to the Shepherd
Tap Shepherd points to his fetters
Tap Goat attacks the ball and chain
Drum crash He "bites" the ball [bursts the balloon]
Tap He "bites" the chain.
String music Princess, Shepherd and Goat dance in a circle
Cymbal crash Lights out Princess and Shepherd and Goat ready at left for next scene The drop is lowered
Cymbal crash Lights up