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  Laughter mounts.

  Slowly the confusion diminishes. Now there is one small pile of hats and rabbits. Now there are no rabbits. At last there are only two hats. Magician, perspiring from overexertion, gasping for breath, staggers to table with two hats.

  Light applause, laughter.

  Magician, mopping brow with silk handkerchief, stares in perplexity at two remaining hats. Pockets handkerchief. Peers into one hat, then into other. Attempts tentatively to stuff first into second, but in vain. Attempts to fit second into first, but also without success. Smiles weakly at audience. No applause. Drops first hat to floor, leaps on it until crushed. Wads crushed hat in fist, attempts once more to stuff it into second hat. Still, it will not fit.

  Light booing, impatient applause.

  Trembling with anxiety, magician presses out first hat, places it brim up on table, crushes second hat on floor. Wads second hat, tries desperately to jam it into first hat. No, it will not fit. Turns irritably to pitch second hat into wings.

  Loud booing.

  Freezes. Pales. Returns to table with both hats, first in fair condition brim up, second still in a crumpled wad. Faces hats in defeat. Bows head as though to weep silently.

  Hissing and booing.

  Smile suddenly lights magician’s face. He smoothes out second hat and places it firmly on his head, leaving first hat bottomside-up on table. Crawls up on table and disappears feet first into hat.

  Surprised applause.

  Moments later, magician’s feet poke up out of hat on table, then legs, then torso. Last part to emerge is magician’s head, which, when lifted from table, brings first hat with it. Magician doffs first hat to audience, shows it is empty. Second hat has disappeared. Bows deeply.

  Enthusiastic and prolonged applause, cheers.

  Magician returns hat to head, thumps it, steps behind table. Without removing hat, reaches up, snaps fingers, extracts rabbit from top of hat.

  Applause.

  Pitches rabbit into wings. Snaps fingers, withdraws dove from top of hat.

  Sprinkling of applause.

  Pitches dove into wings. Snaps fingers, extracts lovely assistant from top of hat.

  Astonished but enthusiastic applause and whistles.

  Lovely assistant wears high feathery green hat, tight green halter, little green shorts, black net stockings, high green heels. Smiles coyly at whistles and applause, scampers bouncily offstage.

  Whistling and shouting, applause.

  Magician attempts to remove hat, but it appears to be stuck. Twists and writhes in struggle with stuck hat.

  Mild laughter.

  Struggle continues. Contortions. Grimaces.

  Laughter.

  Finally, magician requests two volunteers from audience. Two large brawny men enter stage from audience, smiling awkwardly.

  Light applause and laughter.

  One large man grasps hat, other clutches magician’s legs. They pull cautiously. The hat does not come off. They pull harder. Still, it is stuck. They tug now with great effort, their heavy faces reddening, their thick neck muscles taut and throbbing. Magician’s neck stretches, snaps in two: POP! Large men tumble apart, rolling to opposite sides of stage, one with body, other with hat containing magician’s severed head.

  Screams of terror.

  Two large men stand, stare aghast at handiwork, clutch mouths.

  Shrieks and screams.

  Decapitated body stands.

  Shrieks and screams.

  Zipper in front of decapitated body opens, magician emerges. He is as before, wearing same black cape and same black silk hat. Pitches deflated decapitated body into wings. Pitches hat and head into wings. Two large men sigh with immense relief, shake heads as though completely baffled, smile faintly, return to audience. Magician doffs hat and bows.

  Wild applause, shouts, cheers.

  Lovely assistant, still in green costume, enters, carrying glass of water.

  Applause and whistling.

  Lovely assistant acknowledges whistling with coy smile, sets glass of water on table, stands dutifully by. Magician hands her his hat, orders her by gesture to eat it.

  Whistling continues.

  Lovely assistant smiles, bites into hat, chews slowly.

  Laughter and much whistling.

  She washes down each bite of hat with water from glass she has brought in. Hat at last is entirely consumed, except for narrow silk band left on table. Sighs, pats slender exposed tummy.

  Laughter and applause, excited whistling.

  Magician invites young country boy in audience to come to stage. Young country boy steps forward shyly, stumbling clumsily over own big feet. Appears confused and utterly abashed.

  Loud laughter and catcalls.

  Young country boy stands with one foot on top of other, staring down redfaced at his hands, twisting nervously in front of him.

  Laughter and catcalls increase.

  Lovely assistant sidles up to boy, embraces him in motherly fashion. Boy ducks head away, steps first on one foot, then on other, wrings hands.

  More laughter and catcalls, whistles.

  Lovely assistant winks broadly at audience, kisses young country boy on cheek. Boy jumps as though scalded, trips over own feet, and falls to floor.

  Thundering laughter.

  Lovely assistant helps boy to his feet, lifting him under armpits. Boy, ticklish, struggles and giggles helplessly.

  Laughter (as before).

  Magician raps table with knuckles. Lovely assistant releases hysterical country boy, returns smiling to table. Boy resumes awkward stance, wipes his runny nose with back of his hand, sniffles.

  Mild laughter and applause.

  Magician hands lovely assistant narrow silk band of hat she has eaten. She stuffs band into her mouth, chews thoughtfully, swallows with some difficulty, shudders. She drinks from glass. Laughter and shouting have fallen away to expectant hush. Magician grasps nape of lovely assistant’s neck, forces her head with its feathered hat down between her stockinged knees. He releases grip and her head springs back to upright position. Magician repeats action slowly. Then repeats action rapidly four or five times. Looks inquiringly at lovely assistant. Her face is flushed from exertion. She meditates, then shakes head: no. Magician again forces her head to her knees, releases grip, allowing head to snap back to upright position. Repeats this two or three times. Looks inquiringly at lovely assistant. She smiles and nods. Magician drags abashed young country boy over behind lovely assistant and invites him to reach into lovely assistant’s tight green shorts. Young country boy is flustered beyond belief.

  Loud laughter and whistling resumes.

  Young country boy, in desperation, tries to escape. Magician captures him and drags him once more behind lovely assistant.

  Laughter etc. (as before).

  Magician grasps country boy’s arm and thrusts it forcibly into lovely assistant’s shorts. Young country boy wets pants.

  Hysterical laughter and catcalls.

  Lovely assistant grimaces once. Magician, smiling, releases grip on agonizingly embarrassed country boy. Boy withdraws hand. In it, he finds he is holding magician’s original black silk hat, entirely whole, narrow silk band and all.

  Wild applause and footstamping, laughter and cheers.

  Magician winks broadly at audience, silencing them momentarily, invites young country boy to don hat. Boy ducks head shyly. Magician insists. Timidly, grinning foolishly, country boy lifts hat to head. Water spills out, runs down over his head, and soaks young country boy

  Laughter, applause, wild catcalls.

  Young country boy, utterly humiliated, drops hat and turns to run offstage, but lovely assistant is standing on his foot. He trips and falls to his face.

  Laughter etc. (as before).

  Country boy crawls abjectly offstage on his stomach. Magician, laughing heartily with audience, pitches lovely assistant into wings, picks up hat from floor. Brushes hat on sleeve, thumps it two or three times, return
s it with elegant flourish to his head.

  Appreciative applause.

  Magician steps behind table. Carefully brushes off one space on table. Blows away dust. Reaches for hat. But again, it seems to be stuck. Struggles feverishly with hat.

  Mild laughter.

  Requests volunteers. Same two large men as before enter. One quickly grasps hat, other grasps magician’s legs. They tug furiously, but in vain.

  Laughter and applause.

  First large man grabs magician’s head under jaw. Magician appears to be protesting. Second large man wraps magician’s legs around his waist. Both pull apart with terrific strain, their faces reddening, the veins in their temples throbbing. Magician’s tongue protrudes, hands flutter hopelessly.

  Laughter and applause.

  Magician’s neck stretches. But it does not snap. It is now several feet long. Two large men strain mightily.

  Laughter and applause.

  Magician’s eyes pop like bubbles from their sockets.

  Laughter and applause.

  Neck snaps at last. Large men tumble head over heels with respective bloody burdens to opposite sides of stage. Expectant amused hush falls over audience. First large man scrambles to his feet, pitches head and hat into wings, rushes to assist second large man. Together they unzip decapitated body. Lovely assistant emerges.

  Surprised laughter and enthusiastic applause, whistling.

  Lovely assistant pitches deflated decapitated body into wings. Large men ogle her and make mildly obscene gestures for audience.

  Mounting laughter and friendly catcalls.

  Lovely assistant invites one of two large men to reach inside her tight green shorts.

  Wild whistling.

  Both large men jump forward eagerly, tripping over each other and tumbling to floor in angry heap. Lovely assistant winks broadly at audience.

  Derisive catcalls.

  Both men stand, face each other, furious. First large man spits at second. Second pushes first. First returns push, toppling second to floor. Second leaps to feet, smashes first in nose. First reels, wipes blood from nose, drives fist into second’s abdomen.

  Loud cheers.

  Second weaves confusedly, crumples miserably to floor clutching abdomen. First kicks second brutally in face.

  Cheers and mild laughter.

  Second staggers blindly to feet, face a mutilated mess. First smashes second back against wall, knees him in groin. Second doubles over, blinded with pain. First clips second with heel of hand behind ear. Second crumples to floor, dead.

  Prolonged cheering and applause.

  First large man acknowledges applause with self-conscious bow. Flexes knuckles. Lovely assistant approaches first large man, embraces him in motherly fashion, winks broadly at audience.

  Prolonged applause and whistling.

  Large man grins and embraces lovely assistant in unmotherly fashion, as she makes faces of mock astonishment for audience.

  Shouting and laughter, wild whistling.

  Lovely assistant frees self from large man, turns plump hindquarters to him, and bends over, her hands on her knees, her shapely legs straight. Large man grins at audience, pats lovely assistant’s green-clad rear.

  Wild shouting etc. (as before).

  Large man reaches inside lovely assistant’s tight green shorts, rolls his eyes, and grins obscenely. She grimaces and wiggles rear briefly.

  Wild shouting etc. (as before).

  Large man withdraws hand from inside lovely assistant’s shorts, extracting magician in black cape and black silk hat.

  Thunder of astonished applause.

  Magician bows deeply, doffing hat to audience.

  Prolonged enthusiastic applause, cheering.

  Magician pitches lovely assistant and first large man into wings. Inspects second large man, lying dead on stage. Unzips him and young country boy emerges, flushed and embarrassed. Young country boy creeps abjectly offstage on stomach.

  Laughter and catcalls, more applause.

  Magician pitches deflated corpse of second large man into wings. Lovely assistant reenters, smiling, dressed as before in high feathery hat, tight green halter, green shorts, net stockings, high heels.

  Applause and whistling.

  Magician displays inside of hat to audience as lovely assistant points to magician. He thumps hat two or three times. It is empty. Places hat on table, and invites lovely assistant to enter it. She does so.

  Vigorous applause.

  Once she has entirely disappeared, magician extends both hands over hat, tugs back sleeves exposing wrists, snaps fingers. Reaches in, extracts one green high-heeled shoe.

  Applause.

  Pitches shoe into wings. Snaps fingers over hat again. Reaches in, withdraws a second shoe.

  Applause.

  Pitches shoe into wings. Snaps finger over hat. Reaches in, withdraws one long net stocking.

  Applause and scattered whistling.

  Pitches stocking into wings. Snaps fingers over hat. Reaches in, extracts a second black net stocking.

  Applause and scattered whistling.

  Pitches stocking into wings. Snaps fingers over hat. Reaches in, pulls out high feathery hat.

  Increased applause and whistling, rhythmic stamping of feet.

  Pitches hat into wings. Snaps fingers over hat. Reaches in, fumbles briefly.

  Light laughter.

  Withdraws green halter, displays it with grand flourish.

  Enthusiastic applause, shouting, whistling, stamping of feet.

  Pitches halter into wings. Snaps fingers over hat. Reaches in, fumbles. Distant absorbed gaze.

  Burst of laughter.

  Withdraws green shorts, displays them with elegant flourish.

  Tremendous crash of applause and cheering, whistling.

  Pitches green shorts into wings. Snaps fingers over hat. Reaches in. Prolonged fumbling. Sound of a slap. Withdraws hand hastily, a look of astonished pain on his face. Peers inside.

  Laughter.

  Head of lovely assistant pops out of hat, pouting indignantly.

  Laughter and applause.

  With difficulty, she extracts one arm from hat, then other arm. Pressing hands down against hat brim, she wriggles and twists until one naked breast pops out of hat.

  Applause and wild whistling.

  The other breast: POP!

  More applause and whistling.

  She wriggles free to the waist. She grunts and struggles, but is unable to free her hips. She looks pathetically, but uncertainly at magician. He tugs and pulls but she seems firmly stuck.

  Laughter.

  He grasps lovely assistant under armpits and plants feet against hat brim. Strains. In vain.

  Laughter.

  Thrusts lovely assistant forcibly back into hat. Fumbles again. Loud slap.

  Laughter increases.

  Magician returns slap soundly.

  Laughter ceases abruptly, some scattered booing.

  Magician reaches into hat, withdraws one unstockinged leg. He reaches in again, pulls out one arm. He tugs on arm and leg, but for all his effort cannot extract the remainder.

  Scattered booing, some whistling.

  Magician glances uneasily at audience, stuffs arm and leg back into hat. He is perspiring. Fumbles inside hat. Withdraws nude hindquarters of lovely assistant.

  Burst of cheers and wild whistling.

  Smiles uncomfortably at audience. Tugs desperately on plump hindquarters, but rest will not follow.

  Whistling diminishes, increased booing.

  Jams hindquarters back into hat, mops brow with silk handkerchief.

  Loud unfriendly booing.

  Pockets handkerchief. Is becoming rather frantic. Grasps hat and thumps it vigorously, shakes it. Places it once more on table, brim up. Closes eyes as though in incantations, hands extended over hat. Snaps fingers several times, reaches in tenuously. Fumbles. Loud slap. Withdraws hand hastily in angry astonishment. Grasps hat. Gritting teeth, infuriated, hurl
s hat to floor, leaps on it with both feet. Something crunches. Hideous piercing shriek.

  Screams and shouts.

  Magician, aghast, picks up hat, stares into it. Pales.

  Violent screaming and shouting.

  Magician gingerly sets hat on floor, and kneels, utterly appalled and grief-stricken, in front of it. Weeps silently.

  Weeping, moaning, shouting.

  Magician huddles miserably over crushed hat, weeping convulsively. First large man and young country boy enter timidly, soberly, from wings. They are pale and frightened. They peer uneasily into hat. They start back in horror. They clutch their mouths, turn away, and vomit.

  Weeping, shouting, vomiting, accusations of murder.

  Large man and country boy tie up magician, drag him away.

  Weeping, retching.

  Large man and country boy return, lift crushed hat gingerly, and trembling uncontrollably, carry it at arm’s length into wings.

  Momentary increase of weeping, retching, moaning, then dying away of sound to silence.

  Country boy creeps onto stage, alone, sets up placard against table and facing audience, then creeps abjectly away.

  THIS ACT IS CONCLUDED

  THE MANAGENENT REGRETS THERE

  WILL BE NO REFUND

  THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

  (1969)

  1

  A pine forest in the midafternoon. Two children follow an old man, dropping breadcrumbs, singing nursery tunes. Dense earthy greens seep into the darkening distance, flecked and streaked with filtered sunlight. Spots of red, violet, pale blue, gold, burnt orange. The girl carries a basket for gathering flowers. The boy is occupied with the crumbs. Their song tells of God’s care for little ones.

  2

  Poverty and resignation weigh on the old man. His cloth jacket is patched and threadbare, sunbleached white over the shoulders, worn through on the elbows. His feet do not lift, but shuffle through the dust. White hair. Parched skin. Secret forces of despair and guilt seem to pull him earthward.

  3

  The girl plucks a flower. The boy watches curiously. The old man stares impatiently into the forest’s depths, where night seems already to crouch. The girl’s apron is a bright orange, the gay color of freshly picked tangerines, and is stitched happily with blues and reds and greens; but her dress is simple and brown, tattered at the hem, and her feet are bare. Birds accompany the children in their singing and butterflies decorate the forest spaces.