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A One Act Play
a ten minute puppet play
Under Cover
By G. L. Horton
copyright © 2002
Geralyn Horton
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CANDICE, a generic American woman with a vivid imagination.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN in imported clothing shop: modest,
warm and charming.
NIKKI, Candice's friend; sharp, witty, formidable—probably
a lawyer.
(NIKKI and the SALESWOMAN can be doubled by
the same actress)
All the other characters are disembodied. They are voices on tape,
and facial “types” derived from news photos, manipulated
as simple paddle puppets on sticks by two “invisible”
black-clad puppeteers. These TAPE SCENES include a sound design
as aural background and a change in the lighting from “ordinary/daylight”
to “theatrical”.
ordinary/daylight LIGHTS UP as CANDICE enters, reading aloud
from a political action group's flyer, acknowledging and confiding
in the audience.
CANDICE
“Show solidarity with our Islamic sisters: wear the Muslim
head scarf, the hijab. Some American Muslim women are afraid to
leave their houses… “ What a good idea! Of course! I
have scarves that could be-- No. I'll have to buy a—hajib.
No, hijab. Somewhere—where? Some place that gives instructions
in how to fasten it.
Lights on shop set piece: small sales counter, clothes rack,
life size
burqua standing as if on a mannekin. The burqua is in fact a bigger
than life size puppet, which will come to life, later, with a
puppeteer inside.
CANDICE
Uh… good morning.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN (smiling)
Good morning.
CANDICE
I want to buy one of those scarf things. A head covering. Hajib?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Hijab?
CANDICE
Hijab. To wear. To show solid— to um, to help—It is
all right if a non Muslim buys one?
I mean, you don't have to actually be a Believer, do you? If you're
a friend?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Of course you can buy for a friend.
CANDICE
I don't actually have a friend. Yet. I want to, but….
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
You want to buy bright colors, or black or white?
CANDICE
Yours is very pretty.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
My family is from Morocco. We like colors.
CANDICE
Who likes black or white?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Very strict or old likes black. American N.O.I. wears white.
CANDICE
N.O.I.?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Nation of Islam: what you call the Black Muslims.
CANDICE
I think I want bright colors. Like yours.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN (shows scarf)
Many women now are wearing red white and blue. For America.
CANDICE
So they won't be taken for terrorists.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
We are Americans, too.
CANDICE (stroking the scarf)
This is really beautiful.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Very soft.
CANDICE
O, yes!
Lights change to theatrical mode. CANDICE launches into a
Dance of the Veils
with sensual Arabic music, abundant swirls of silk
CANDICE
Lovely and silky and so feminine!
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
You want this for a costume?
CANDICE (pulled back to reality—lights to daylight)
Uh—what?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
For a costume?
CANDICE
I'm sorry… I didn't..?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Like for Halloween? Like the gays wear the nun veil. In the parade?
CANDICE
Oh! O, no.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Because if you are to be wearing it —
CANDICE
For friendship.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
You should know to be –
CANDICE (shows flyer)
Respectful! Yes. The idea's to, um, to help Muslim women feel
safer. When they're out walking. To see some friendly women around
them, in case—like it says there.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN (reads)
Oh. Yes.
CANDICE
I wouldn't want to offend anyone.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
I understand.
CANDICE
I know the scarf has to do with God.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Some wear the scarf for God, some for their family.
CANDICE
A sign of modesty.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Some, they take it off when they do something -- not bad, really
-- but what their family doesn't like. Go to the movies, maybe.
I do that, sometimes.
CANDICE
Leaving off the scarf?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
For some movies. Where nobody who knows my family would go. Otherwise,
it's like they're are always watching over us. We have to be so
careful not to embarrass them.
CANDICE
I'd try not to do anything embarrassing while I'm wearing it.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Not me, by me it's OK. It's mostly the men.
CANDICE
Can you show me how?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN (drapes the scarf on CANDICE)
Fasten it like this. And carry your head tipped a little. Stand
straight, for respect, but the face tipped down. For modesty.
CANDICE
Like this?
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
Like that. Unless you are at home, with your family. Then you
can look straight and be loose. (Sharply) Your family approves
of this?
CANDICE
I—I don't know. I haven't talked to them.
Lights black out, then bump up in theatrical mode. SALESWOMAN
is gone.
Faces, puppet/masks pop out and bobble and loom. A splash of
music is followed by domestic sounds such as a TV tuned to news
or dinner dishes being washed. TAPE SCENE ONE is hectoring family
VOICES
FATHER
Are you out of your mind?
MOTHER
Against your own kind?
GRANDFATHER
Going out like that!
FATHER
Can't you just wear a hat?
GRANDFATHER
How can you even put that thing on your head?
ALL FAMILY VOICES TOGETHER
We'll never be able to hold up our heads again!
FATHER
You're doing this out of spite, pure spite.
MOTHER
You never do anything right!
GRANDFATHER
Always selfish. Always “Look at me, me, me!”
MOTHER
You've got to be different! Got to be free, free, free!
ALL FAMILY VOICES TOGETHER
The center of attention!
FATHER
Who do you think you are?
GRANDFATHER
Think you can do whatever you want?
MOTHER
You think it's easy?
FATHER
If you think those people will be grateful you've got another
think coming.
MOTHER
Some stranger pretending to be buddy-buddy.
GRANDFATHER
Parading around in their outfits like it's Halloween.
MOTHER
Nothing but a Drama Queen.
VOICES SINGING TOGETHER
“I see by your outfit that you're a Believer,
You see by my outfit that I am one, too
We see by our oufits that we are Believers
If you get an outfit—
CANDICE (screams. Assumes fetal position)
Aaaarrrggg!
(Lights change to daylight. Puppets disappear.
CANDICE gets up, tidies herself. NIKKI enters)
NIKKI
Darling! Don't you look--! What's the occasion? (CANDICE silently
hands NIKKI the flyer) Solidarity? You mean like The Internationale?
(sings) “Solidarity forever—“
CANDICE
Something like that.
NIKKI
How droll. A communist fashion statement.
CANDICE
It's modeled on the King of Denmark wearing the Star of David,
saying to the Nazis Danes are Jews, too. He represents…
VOICES SINGING TOGETHER (TAPE)
“I see by your outfit that you're a Believer,
You see by my outfit that I am one, too
We see by our outfits----
NIKKI
Oh. I see. It's not communist. You're just borrowing a symbolic
gesture made to protect Jews in the 1940's, to make common cause
today with the Jews' enemies.
CANDICE
No! I'm not.
NIKKI
Well, some Muslims say it was Jews who destroyed the Towers. Secret
Mossaad agents, disguised as Arabs, crashed the planes to bring
the US into Israel's war against Islam.
CANDICE
Say what?
NIKKI
Jews were warned, don't go to work at the Towers, don't fly on
a plane.
CANDICE
That's crazy!
NIKKI
Crazier than wrapping up like a mummy?
CANDICE
The hijab is for modesty, like no shorts at the Vatican —
NIKKI
Crazier than a heavenly reward for killing infidels?
CANDICE
These women aren't like that!
NIKKI
How would you know?
CANDICE
Even if they believed that craziness about Jews, couldn't it be
because they can't imagine their own doing such a thing?
NIKKI
But Jews would?
CANDICE
No! I don't --!
NIKKI
That's what you're in solidarity with.
CANDICE
That's not what -- what's meant.
NIKKI
You must admit a certain ambiguity.
CANDICE
I don't see it.
NIKKI
This'll be taken for an anti-Semitism.
CANDICE
Arabs are Semites, too!
NIKKI
Tell it to the Marines!
CANDICE
It's a gesture of peace. Of inclusion.
NIKKI (laughs)
Darling, don't you wish!
CANDICE
If people with blue hair were being attacked, I'd dye my hair
blue. I'm taking a stand against hate, is all—
NIKKI
Oh! That's all!
CANDICE
That's right.
NIKKI
Standing tall.
CANDICE
As best I can.
NIKKI
Appeals to your sense of the dramatic, does it?
CANDICE
I'd say to my sense of---
NIKKI
Run into any exciting antagonism, yet?
CANDICE
You're the first.
NIKKI (laughs)
Me? If you think this is antagonism--
CANDICE
You're the first person I've seen. Except the shop clerk. She
was very nice to me.
NIKKI
She's a sales clerk. Nice is her job.
CANDICE
I know.
NIKKI
Do you? Have a nice day. (exits)
Lights change to theatrical mode. A new set of puppet/masks
appear, and the
SECOND TAPE SCENE
CANDICE
They're all looking at me. I've never felt so vulnerable.
PUNDIT
Dupe.
HARDHAT
Spy.
PUNDIT
Fifth Columnist.
HARDHAT
Traitor.
CANDICE
What is it you see when you look at me?
HARDHAT
Terrorist bitch.
CANDICE
The hijab is just a piece of cloth.
GANGBANGER
Hankie head whore.
HARDHAT
Where do you think you're going?
GANGBANGER
You love it, don't you, mamma?
PUNDIT
Love it or leave it.
HARDHAT
Go live in Afghanistan!
GANGBANGER
You're gonna get what's coming to you.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN's TAPED VOICE
Does your family approve?
PUNDIT
Get out while you still can.
Burqua slowly rises, larger than life, menacing, moved by
the puppeteer inside.
The garment “stalks” CANDICE, threatening to swallow
her up.
MUSLIM MILITIAMAN (new faces/masks pop out, loom)
You shouldn't be here.
MULLAH
Islam means submission.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
The modest way is with a bent head and lowered eyes. (MUSLIM
MALE threats continue)
At the same time as these “MUSLIM” masks accompany
threatening lines, the recorded “FAMILY” threats from
earlier are repeated, as are the taped “AMERICAN” threats
from the top of this TAPE SCENE TWO theatrical sequence, all accompanied
by sirens, explosions, shots, menacing movie music
CANDICE (as she tries to escape the embrace of the giant burqua)
No! Don't! Let me go! Help! (screams)
FATHER
Who do you think you are?
GRANDFATHER
Think you can do whatever you want?
MOTHER
You think it's easy?
FATHER
If you think those people will be grateful you've got another
think coming.
MOTHER
Some stranger pretending to be buddy-buddy.
GRANDFATHER
Parading around in their outfits like it's Halloween.
MULLAH (with FAMILY lines above, and AMERICAN threat sequence)
Cover yourself.
MOROCCAN SALES WOMAN
A woman is a pearl, a treasure to be guarded.
MUSLIM MILITIAMAN
No women allowed.
MULLAH
Unclean.
HARDHAT
Filthy bitch.
MUSLIM MILITIAMAN
Be silent.
MULLAH
Unseen.
MUSLIM MILITIAMAN
Unheard. (The giant Burqua envelopes CANDICE, cutting off her
screams)
ALL MEN's VOICES (with reverb effect)
Gone.
ALL VOICES TOGETHER
Who do you think you are?
BLACKOUT
THE END
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