### Act 1, Scene 3: Bring it on

- Backdrop: Living room at home
- Props: Lionel's cell phone (Zefiro), Mika's cell phone (Xan)
- Setup: TV in [3]
- Special FX: Scanner Keylight on section 4 / OSP = Overall snow provider (Tigerseye)
- Puppets: Lionel, Lori, Poke
- Puppeteers: Lynard, Eisfuchs, Fairlight
- Setting:
- Music:
- PreRec: Voice mailbox, recorded message

##### INTRO

Malika cries, silently.

door opens, Rana comes in.

Rana: “Malika! I've been looking for you all over the place, what in allah's name are you doing here?"

Malika (crying): “Please leave me alone, Rana. Please."

Rana: “Malika? Why are you crying? Oh no! Please don't tell me this is about Amatallah …"

Malika (cries): “Amatallah! My little girl …. she died in my arms, and there was nothing I could do …"

Rana: “I'm so sorry, Malika! I'm so sorry! I wish there was something I could do!"

Malika (cynical): “There is nothing you can do. Life's not fair, it's as simple as that. Allah is the One who gives life and takes it away, at a time appointed by Him. And is not for us to question His wisdom!"

Rana: “That is true. And you should't be sitting here all alone. You should go and be with your family and friends."

Malika (canical): “Even when my eyes shed tears and my heart is grieved, I'm not supposed to say anything except which pleases our Lord. So rather than embarassing myself, I went here to be alone."

Rana: “What?"

Mailika: “I immediately knew when the spirit left Amathalla's body. I don't know how, but I felt it. And I prayed for Allah's mercy to be with her, in hopes that they may find peace and happiness in the eternal life to come. Then I immediately called everyone in the house … and together we prayed again. Then I made the mistake of talking to Fareed."

Rana: “Since when is talking to your husband a mistake?"

Malika (bitter): “Well, I told him how angry it made me to live in supposedly modern time, and yet lose my only daughter to something as ludicrous as a bottle of contanimated drinking water."

Rana: “And? What did he say?"

Malika: “He said: 'It could have been worse. I could have been your only son.'. All I could do was turn around and run, or I would have spat him in the face in front of the entire family. How DARE he say something like that?"

Rana: “*sigh* Well, that's how things are, and we'll have to live with it. It's getting harder and harder to get fresh water. That's why so many of our friends have already left. Maybe you should finally do the same!"

Malika: “No! This is my home! And this draught is neither our fault, nor is it the will of allah! It's the will of our goddamn government! They made the river run dry, and nobody else!"

Rana: “Yes, but what choices do we have? We can only stay, or leave. That's it."

Malika: “No. There is a third option. I have enough of being humiliated by men who think my knowledge as a teacher is worth nothing, just because I happen to be a woman!"

Rana: “And what do you want to do? We ARE women after all."

Malika: “In the first place, we are humans, rana! Gods creatures! Listen. Tomorrow will be Amathalla's funeral. All the other women will be there. Tell them to come to the school building after midnight. And they must not tell their husbands what they are up to, under no circumstances, do you understand?"

Rana: “Okay. I have a bad feeling about this. But I will do it because you're my friend."

Malika: “Thank you. And don't worry. We don't have anything to lose."

##### MAIN DIALOGUE

Curtain open

Main light on (white 100%, blue 100%, yellow 100%)

0301 - Door busts open, gust of wind

Lionel busts in through the door from [7], with snow in his mane.

A gust of snow blowing in behind lionel

Lori and Poke come in after him

Lionel: "… i mean come on, how hard can it be to build a stupid snowman? Today was the last time I've let you two talk me into something like this. I feel like a goddamn icicle!"

0301 (STOP)
0302 - Door closes

Lionel shakes his mane, sending snow flying everywhere

Poke: “It wasn't my fault that Lori didn't know where all the parts go!"

Lori: “Yes, I do! The carrot goes in the face. IN THE FACE!"

Poke: “Oh yeah? I liked it much better where I put it. They call 'em snow MAN for a reason, you know?"

Lionel (ANGRY): “Holy mother of all that is fluffy, won't you two EVER stop? You're so full of it, it's almost unreal! I … I need a break! I need a goddamn break! MIKA! MIKAAAA! I'M HOME!"

Lionel walks out to [1]

0303 - Door slams

Lori: “Ooops. There he goes."

Poke: “My, aren't we touchy today."

Lori (nodding): “M-hmm!"

Poke yawns

Lori: “So … what do we do now?"

Poke: “Uhm … I dunno"

Lori yawns

Poke: “Okay, let's see what's on TV."

Lori: “Where's the remote?"

Poke: “Uhm … I dunno"

0304 - Door open

Lionel runs in from [1]

Lionel: “Lori, Poke! You won't believe it! Mika is gone!"

Lori: “What do you mean, she's gone? Didn't she say she wanted to go home?"

Lionel: “Yes! But she's not here!"

Lori: “Well, maybe she decided to go for a walk instead?"

Lionel: “No! You don't understand! I just came into our bedroom, and the wardrobe was open, and there were clothes scattered around everywhere! And two of our suitcases are missing! It looks like she packed her things and … left! Without notice! I don't know what has gotten into her! Did I do anything wrong? Why does she leave me like that? What the FUCK is going on here?"

Lori: “Calm down, Lionel. I'm sure she's got a good reason … this is so totally not like her. Something important must have happened … perhaps some kind of family affair."

Lionel: “But what? No matter how important it might be, why didn't she just TELL me about if before running off like that!"

Poke: “Maybe she tried. Did you check your cellphone?"

Lionel: “Of course! My cellphone! I turned it off before we left!"

fumbles around, and produces a cellphone.

0305 - Cellphone Dial

Lionel (to himself): “Come on Mika … pick up the phone … "

0306 - Mika's Cellphone

Mika's Telephone rings!

Lionel: “Huh? What the hell?"

Poke holds up Mika's phone

Poke: “Look what we have here! It seems like Mika forgot to take her cellphone with her!"

0306 (STOP)

Lionel: “I … DON'T … BELIEVE IT! WHY is she doing that to me?"

Lori: “Lionel, don't panic! So she forgot her cellphone in a hurry … happens to me all the time!"

Lionel: “I don't know. It's almost like she doesn't WANT me to know where she went. I really wish I knew what happened!"

Lori: “I think you should relax, and trust her to know what is the right thing to do."

Lionel: “How am I supposed to trust her, while she obviously doesn't trust me?"

Poke: “Oh, look! It seems like Mika has a message on her voicemail …"

Lori: “Poke! You don't nose around other people's private messages! That's illegal! And immoral! And …"

Lionel grabs the phone from Poke's hand. He is standing at [4] now.

Lionel: “Give me that!"

presses some buttons

0307 - Beep Beep Beep

Lori: “Lionel, no, that's wrong, I will …"

Lionel: “Pssssst!"

Keylight slowly on section 4 (Lionel)

0308 - Mailbox System: “Welcome to your Kit-T-Mobile voice mailbox. There are NO new messages, and ONE saved message. Press ONE to replay saved message. Press 2 .."

Lionel presses “ONE". *BEEP*

0308 (cont.) - Mailbox System: “First recorded message. Today, 4:30 pm."

0308 (cont.) - Adham: “Hello Mika. rThisr is Rashid. Yes, I am still alive. I know we haven't been in touch for a long time and I am still sorry that we had to part in such a painful way. But today is your chance to make up for the bad things that have happened in the past, if you want to. There is a conspiracy going on against me, and you are the only person I can still trust. I need your help, and I need it now. Go to the airport. Immediately. There is a ticket reserved for you, the number is 7483-2851. The flight will take you to the Emirate Dawlat Al Nimr, with one changeover in Dubai. Unfortunately I am unable to send anyo ne to pick you up. Rent a jeep, and follow the only road to Ash-Maqwa, and then further up to the Mountain Jabal Abu Nahla. I am currently residing at the very top, at the recently finished reservoir dam. You can't miss it as long as you stay on the road. That's all I can reveal to you for now. Don't tell anybody that I sent for you, or where you're going. Not your friends, not whomever you may meet on the way, nobody. I'll be waiting for you. Please don't let me down. I still love you."

0308 (cont.) - CLICK + Drama Music

Key light slowly out

Lionel (in shock): “This … this can't be … Dawlat al WHAT? Where in the world is that supposed to be? And who the hell is this guy? And why does he call Mika, “my love"?"

Poke: “Don't look at me. I have no idea what this is about."

Lionel: “That's it. I'm not going to sit down and watch my love being taken away from me by some guy I've never heard about … I'm going after her. Now. She's not getting rid of me so easily!"

Lori: “But Lionel! You can't just … I mean …"

Lionel runs off to [1], slamming the door shut behind him

0309 - door slam

Poke: “Wow. Just wow."

Lori: “Sweet Jesus on a bicycle, I've NEVER seen Lionel so upset!"

Poke: “Well, that's how guys behave when you make 'em jealous!"

Lori: “Yes, you're right. Lionel seems well past the point where his brains have shut down in favour of his balls. He must be truly out his mind to even think about chasing after Mika all alone."

Poke: “Uh oh. Am I thinking what you are thinking?"

Lori: “Yup."

Poke: “Let me guess: We are going to some arab country without any clue what we're getting ourselves into?"

Lori: “Yup."

Poke: “Sandstorms, armed bandits, all the works?"

Lori: “Most likely."

Poke: “Bring it on."

0310 - Ending music

Main light off

Curtain close