Aluredian 47
Madness
by Melissa McFarlane
This play was first performed at the English Society Evening
Every Inch a King? in July 2012 in the College Chapel, with the
following cast:
Insanus: Charlie Webb
Sanus: Ted Vickery
A quick sketch based in the English Countryside of the 18th
century.
Insanus creeps tentatively onto the stage and
approaches the upright and poised Sanus, who is
inspecting the flora of the forest on his land.
Insanus: High, low, deep, shallow. What to you, to you, to
you?
Sanus: To me? Look upon this oak dear friend and instruct
me as to its purpose.
Insanus: Babbling. The oak, the tree, the branch, the bird,
the nest, the egg.
Insanus continues to babble away his list whilst
Sanus consults his book titled 'The Botany of Native
English Species'.
Sanus: Reading. An oak, a tree in the genus Quercus that
bears acorns and typically has lobed deciduous
leaves and hard durable wood. May I ask why you
are still jabbering?
Insanus: Me? Pause. Insanus speaks jumping from foot to
foot. A flea, pea, sea, glee, tree … ah the tree, the
branch, the bird, the nest, the egg.
Sanus: Dear me, you are a strange fellow. Look over there
at that prancing doe?
Insanus: Singing. The dough that flies, the dough that flies, it
makes great pies, it makes great pies.
Sanus: Venison pies are a true favourite of mine.
Insanus: Singing again. You knead, you fold, you knead, you
fold, the dough that flies, the dough that flies.
Sanus: No young sir. A doe not some dough.
Insanus: Perplexed. Ah yes to eat, to chew, to munch, to
crunch.
Sanus: Hoorah! Yes, to eat it is quite delicious. Kneels
down to inspect the flora. Look there at that flower
… Consulting book. Ah, an iris sanguinea.
Insanus: Skipping across the stage. The flour, the milk, the
eggs, the butter … the bread.
Sanus: No young sir. A flower, not some flour.
Insanus: Suddenly stops moving and speaks calmly. Do you
eat bread?
Sanus: What is this madness? Kind sir, I believe your mind
is somewhat confused.
Insanus: Yes sir. Pause. I find my thoughts just cannot be
prevented from being heard. A bird coos in a far-off
tree. A tweet, a bird, a feather, a chick, a nest, an
egg …
Insanus merely exits the stage humming endless
lists to himself.
Jordan Kanz A2
Edward Bishop A2