(Curtains Open)
Welcome to a play which takes place in America, where in 1935, there were two twins by the names of Alice and Elaine Galophene. They were the most elegant ballerinas to take the stage. They danced all over the world being showered with gifts of gold and silver wherever they went. They were also famous for their self-composed choreographies and music pieces which they kept secret in their notebooks. But one day the twins and their notebooks were nowhere to be found. Everyone looked for them, but it was as if they had disappeared off the face of the Earth.
(Curtains open and Mr. Johnson and Peter are standing frozen until Narrator finishes)
It is now 1951 where a 17-year-old boy named Peter is working in a bookshop waiting for a special arrival of new books. Although Peter doesn’t know it yet, today will mark the beginning of his big adventure.
Mr. JOHNSON: Do me a favour and clear some space for the new books aye?
PETER: Rightio.
(Peter clears books from a bookcase until the silence becomes too awkward)
How-how’s your wife Sir?
Mr. JOHNSON: Look kid, I ain’t great at this small talk thing-
(There is a knock on the door)
They must be our new books, I’ll get it.
(Mr. Johnson walks quickly to the door and opens it)
OLD MAN: I reckon these books belong to you.
Mr. JOHNSON: Thanks mate.
OLD MAN: Pleasure’s all mine.
Mr. JOHNSON: See ya.
(Old man leaves)
Boy!
PETER: Yes?
Mr. JOHNSON: C'mon ‘elp me with these darn books, mighty ‘evey this lot.
PETER: Where would you like me to unpack them, Sir?
Mr. JOHNSON: Well, they’re mostly the new lot ‘o encyclopedias, so on these rows over ‘ere.
PETER: I’m right on it.
(Peter Unpacks the encyclopedias until he finds two interesting-looking books/diaries)
Mr. Johnson!-
Mr. JOHNSON: I ain’t good at small talk I told you-
PETER: No, no that’s not it. I just found these two books and they look really old and strange, are you sure you ordered these sir?
Mr. JOHNSON: Le'me see (Puts glasses on) you’re right boy, they are a bit old, I ain’t think these were supposed to land ‘ere, must just be a mistake-wait a darn minute they look like handwritten notebooks! (turns to next page)-could it really be?
PETER: Be what sir!?
Mr. JOHNSON: Peter, have you ever heard of the Galophene twins?
PETER: No, not at all, who are they?
Mr. JOHNSON: Well, that ain’t a story for today kid.
PETER: What will we do with the notebooks sir?
Mr. JOHNSON: I guess we gotta keep ‘em, you’re off to lunch now I reckon.
PETER: Alright then, I’ll be back this afternoon to finish shelving the encyclopedias.
(Peter leaves stage but Mr. Johnson stays and looks at the notebooks)
(Outside in a field with Peter and Jack)
PETER: Father!
JACK: Yes Peter! What’s on your mind son?
(Sentent is listening while hiding behind a bush)
PETER: Who were the Galophene twins?
JACK: Galophene you say?
PETER: Yes, I thought you might know who they are.
JACK: Yes son, I do know who they were, they were the world’s most amazing ballerinas, they danced and danced earning thousands of dollars every time they performed. (There is a pause) One day though, they were supposed to perform in front of King George the VI, but when the curtains opened there were no twins, just empty space. No one knew where they were, everyone looked for the two girls, but it was as if they had just disappeared, leaving absolutely no trace behind them. Some say they were tired of dancing; others say they were too nervous to dance in front of the King. But I think that a greedy man wanted their beautiful dancing abilities to himself.
PETER: How old are they now?
JACK: It’s been almost 15 years since their disappearance, I’m guessing they’re about 35 years of age. Why do you ask me about the twins, son?
PETER: Well, I found two notebooks in the box of the new encyclopedias. I showed Mr. Johnson and he said something about the Galophene twins and when I asked him who they were, he said it was a tale for another time.
JACK: Are you trying to tell me that you found Alice and Elaine’s diaries!?
PETER: Well, I mean, I may have found them.
JACK: Son, if you found their notebooks you must give them back where they came from, if anyone sees those books in Mr. Johnsons’ shop, they’ll accuse him of stealing them.
PETER: But why?
JACK: Because they’re probably over a thousand dollars each!
PETER: Really! that’s a lot of dollars!
JACK: Let’s talk about this later, now it’s time for lunch, your mother made roast.
PETER: Yum.
(Jack and Peter leave stage, then Sentent jumps out of his bush)
SENTENT: I don’t bloody believe it! We’re gonna be bloody rich.
(Mary comes rushing on stage)
MARY: Sentent! What’s with you, keep the noise down.
SENTENT: Well, I just figured out that we're not gonna be bloody poor anymore.
MARY: What are you going to steal and get caught for now?
SENTENT: I ain’t gonna get caught Mary!
MARY: Don’t you always say that!
SENTENT: No Mary this time I ain’t getting caught because I’m nicking the Galophene’s diaries.
MARY: Sentent! Where will you get them from!
SENTENT: Look Mary I’ve got it all sorted out, today, when that bloody Johnson locks up, I’ll smash a window, run to his desk, steal the bloody diaries, run back down, run into an alley, sleep there the night, and walk calmly home the next bloody day.
MARY: I don’t think-
SENTENT: Come on Mary, we’ll be rich.
MARY: Alright, just don’t get caught.
SENTENT: Mary, there is no bloody way I’ll get caught.
MARY: When are you leaving?
SENTENT: When I’ve packed my things.
(Mary and Sentent leave stage)
(Next to the station with a window on the other side representing the bookshop with Mr. Johnson, Peter, Sentient and the Sheriff)
Mr. JOHNSON: Hey Peter, you lock up. I need to head off to meet an old friend.
PETER: Don’t you need me to shelve the rest of the books?
Mr. JOHNSON: We’ll do ‘em Monday, (Mr. Johnson throws keys to Peter) ‘ere are the keys. (Mr. Johnson leaves stage)
PETER: I guess I’ll just lock up then.
(Peter locks up, and then there is a loud bang, Peter then quickly runs toward the broken window and sees there is a smashed window with a person hanging on it, he gives the person a hard punch and the person get knocked out)
PETER: Help! Can anyone hear me!
(Sheriff comes running)
SHERIFF: Who is it, what is it, who can I shoot?
PETER: Over here! (Waves at the Sheriff)
SHERIFF: Why’s your father knocked out on the floor!?
PETER: It’s not my father, I don’t know who it is, all I know is that he smashed a window and I suppose he was trying to steal something.
SHERIFF: Let’s get him to my office right away then.
(The Sheriff and Peter head toward the station)
SHERIFF: Hey kid, how come Mr. Johnson wasn’t with you?
PETER: He said he was meeting an old friend.
SHERIFF: I see.
(The Sheriff and Peter enter the station)
SHERIFF: You should call your mother before she gets worried sick, the telephone’s out the back. (Peter leaves the stage to get to the phone. Then, the thief wakes up)
SHERIFF: What were you doin’ in Mr. Johnson’s bookshop Sentent? Was there a book that you couldn’t afford, and you thought you had to steal it?
SENTENT: I have no bloody idea what you are talking about. I was walking into town to get some bread for my wife and I, when suddenly, I got punched in the bloody face by some kid and then don’t know what bloody happens next.
SHERIFF: I ain’t stupid you know!
SENTENT: I never doubted you were, but I’m telling you I’m bloody innocent!
SHERIFF: Alright then, you will go to court first thing tomorrow, I’m sure the judge has a spot just for you in his courtroom, now (Put’s handcuffs on Sentent) if you’ll excuse me, I have telephone calls to make to your witnesses and the judge, the prison cell is just over there, Rob will show you.
SENTENT: You’re treating me like a turkey! (Sentent spits on ground and walks away)
(Sentent leaves stage and Peter enters)
PETER: My mother said that Father would pick me up, so I guess I’ll wait out the back.
SHERIFF: There will be a court session for the thief tomorrow morning, make sure to be there,- Oh, and tell your parents to come too.
PETER: Alright, well I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. (Peter is about to leave)
SHERIFF: Hey Peter.
PETER: Yes.
SHERIFF: What you did out there was really brave, you should know that.
PETER: Thanks.
(Peter leaves and curtains close)
(Inside a courtroom with chairs and a block for the judge’s book, Mrs. Howard, the Judge, Peter, Jack, Sentent and Mary are in this scene and are either wearing suits and ties or fine dresses)
JUDGE: (Bangs his gavel) ORDER IN THE COURT! (Everyone goes silent)
JUDGE: Now that I have the attention of you folks, I will explain to you why we are here today. (Sentent is brought in) This young man who is being brought in, smashed a window, now, this wasn’t just any window, it was a window that belonged to Mr. Johnson’s bookshop. Although we don’t have any proof that this thief stole anything, we are certain that he would have, if the bravery of a young boy by the name of Peter Lawson hadn’t come to the rescue-
PETER: Is that Sentent-?
SENTENT: O’course it’s me, who else do you reckon you knocked out you little bastard.
JUDGE: ORDER! (Bangs gavel) Do I really need to shoosh you lot of sensible adults every 2 minutes! (Everyone is silent) Good, now where were we, ah yes, this thief will be given one chance to speak and so will Mrs. Howard, our witness who claims to have seen the disaster. Mrs. Howard, Would you like to explain to us what you saw?
MRS. HOWARD: There was a man dressed in black, he smashed a window and crawled in, but I didn’t think much of it then, it was first when I heard someone shouting for help that I realised that the man in black was doing something he shouldn’t have.
JUDGE: Thank you Mrs. Howard, is there anyone else who would like to add? If not, we will let this so-called innocent thief talk. No one? Alright, in that case, what do you have to say to this? (To thief)
SENTENT: Yes, I am not guilty, all I was doing was getting some bread for my wife and I when that kid knocked me out and took me to the station, I am telling you I am innocent! (Crowd makes noise)
JUDGE: Do I need to get myself an army of gavel throwing monkeys to shut you people up!? (crowd still makes noise, Judge bangs gavel) Do I need to get myself a new gavel! (Crowd quietens down) Now, the thief claims himself as innocent, but our witness and the sheriff think otherwise, therefore this thief will go to jail for 6 years as he has stolen things in the past, so hopefully he will learn his lesson this time. Session dismissed.
MARY: May I remind you that you don’t really have any proof.
JUDGE: The court has decided he is guilty; therefore, this case is closed.
(Judge leaves and so does the rest of the crowd)
(Inside a forest with a hut with Peter, Elaine and Alice)
NARRATOR: It is no longer 1951, but 1955, and the 21-year-old Peter has decided he wants to look for the Galophene twins. He has searched high and low but the only thing he has found is their two notebooks years earlier. One day though, he came across a small hut in the middle of a huge forest on the outskirts of the small town where he grew up.
PETER: (Knocks on the hut door) Hello? Anyone home?
ELAINE: Who is it? (Door opens slowly)
PETER: It’s Peter, who are you?
ELAINE: Come in. (Peter sits himself at the kitchen table) Alice! We’ve got guests.
PETER: Alice? Who’s she?
ELAINE: My twin sister.
PETER: Right… you haven’t by any chance really randomly seen the Galophene twins?
ELAINE: Well-.
(Alice enters)
ALICE: Who’s this banana-shaped person on my counter?
PETER: H-Hi, I’m Peter.
ALICE: Well, Peter why have you come here, were you sent on a mission to take us back?
PETER: No, take you back to where?- Wait a minute, totally random question but are you the G-Galophenes?
ELAINE: Yes, that is us.
PETER: Wait what! you’re not joking.
ALICE: No, we’re not.
PETER: I have so many questions, why didn’t you perform to King George the VI, why are you living here, where did you come from, why-
ALICE: Hold your horses, one question at a time and we’ll do our best to answer you.
PETER: My biggest question for you is, why did you disappear that night?
ALICE: (Alice looks at Elaine with sadness) Well, there was a man named Sentent-
PETER: Sentent!? He was my neighbour!, well until he went to jail for the 9th time.
ALICE: Would you like me to continue?
PETER: Yes, sorry.
ALICE: Sentent, yes, he was a very jealous man, he saw us perform, found us so flawless and the next thing we know, we’re packed in the back of a stinky truck, when we arrived where he wanted us to, he made us perform to him as his private dancers, until one day he told us he’d found our notebooks, and that he wanted to sell them, but we asked him not to, so we made a deal, once he gave us the notebooks we would perform and earn him money, we didn’t exactly love the idea but it was better than performing only for him. But then Sentent got caught stealing our notebooks and went to jail. We then decided to escape. That’s why we are here today, is that a good enough answer for you.
PETER: Yes, thank you, speaking of your notebooks I have them here. (Peter hands them their notebooks)
ELAINE: They’re exactly the way we left them. Thank you Peter, but why have you come looking for us?
PETER: Well, I was hoping you would come back with me, back to the real world.
ELAINE: Well, if we do go back we’re not performing, we would just live our own lives and be ordinary people.
PETER: How about this, you come back and perform three times and if you still don’t like it, you can come back here.
ALICE: I’m not sure, but let us sleep on it, you can stay here the night, and sleep on the couch, it's rather comfortable.
PETER: Alright, but tomorrow we’ll head straight to the city, Yes?
ALICE: Patience Peter.
(Peter leaves stage)
ELAINE: Do you reckon this is a good idea?
ALICE: We should definitely try performing again.
ELAINE: We should, shouldn’t we?
(Elaine and Alice both leave stage)
(Inside the station with Peter and the Sheriff)
PETER: Sheriff! I found the Galophene Twins!
SHERIFF: Very funny joke.
PETER: I’m not kidding!
SHERIFF: If you actually found them, you will be rewarded with thousands, of thousands of dollars, you know that right?
PETER: Yes, I did know that, but the reason I came to tell you is; I made a deal with the Galophenes, they would come and perform three times and if they didn’t enjoy it, they would go back into hiding.
SHERIFF: Well, let’s get them performing tomorrow night then!
PETER: How will you inform the whole town!?
SHERIFF: The town will inform itself, all I have to do is tell one person there will be a surprise in the town square, and I’m sure they will all turn up.
PETER: Great, thanks sheriff, I better get back to the twins, they probably want some time to think over tomorrow.
SHERIFF: Yes, but you are totally sure that you found the Galophene twins?
PETER: I am sure of it.
(Peter leaves stage but sheriff stays at office)
(Outside on field with Peter, Elaine and Alice)
PETER: Alice! Elaine!
ALICE: Slow down Peter, wait ‘till Alice comes and then tell us how it went with the sheriff.
PETER: Alright.
(Alice comes onstage)
ELAINE: Peter! What did the sheriff say?
PETER: I told him that I found you and that you were ready to perform.
ELAINE: When are we performing though?
PETER: Tomorrow night, I know that this is short notice and I’m sorry, but-
ALICE: It’s fine if It’s anyone who can handle short notice, It’s us!
PETER: Great!
ALICE: We better get our dance together then, Elaine, are you coming?
ELAINE: Yep, see you tomorrow Peter.
(Alice and Elaine leave stage and so does Peter)
(Inside al hall with chairs lined up for the cast to sit, everyone is on stage except Sentent)
SHERIFF: I have assembled you all here today because of the arrival of two girls which you all know of, so… drum roll please… (Elaine and Alice enter) Alice and Elaine Galophene! (crowd is confused) I know that you all think they were lost, but thanks to Peter who has spent the last 5 years looking for them, we get to see them perform to us today, now without further ado, let’s see what these twins can do!
(Cello and Violin start playing and Alice and Elaine start their dance but then a strange person dances with the twins and they finish it together)
SHERIFF: What a wonderful performance but who are you?
ANN: I’m Ann.
SHERIFF: Well, you’re a great gymnast Ann, you should continue performing with Alice and Elaine.
ANN: That was what I was hoping to do.
SHERIFF: Great! In that case, I would like to announce to you all that Sentent will be in jail for the rest of his life as he was the one to kidnap the twins. (There is cheering and confusion in the crowd)
I am glad that you all came today, and I hope that we can continue our lives as usual now that we know what happened to Alice and Elaine.
(Crowd cheers and everyone leaves stage and bows begin)