Characters

 

King is stupid but feared

 

Councilmen - concepts of reality (time, ego, desire, space) 

They are unwavering servants almost without deferring personalities (at least the way they act with the king) they serve to create an echo chamber for the king. They aren't singular people

 

Man who steals smiles:

Believes he is evil and unfeeling

A new adult ends up in a bar with the woman he is exposed to revolutionary ideals there.

 

The woman 

Love interest also guide 

 

Poor woman

Desire one of the councilwoman

 

Homeless (beggar) landlord

Councilman of Space 

 

Ego exists as multiple men and women with red eyes that the child interacts with 

 

The child that steals smiles

 

The three men in hats

 

Old Lady (councilwoman of time)

 

The Witch

 

The Cowboy

A man exiled until he brings back the witch who knows all 

 

Rough Scenes

 

Ego 1: Welcome your king! The ruler and rightful heir to the throne.

 

They applaud and cheer

 

​

My king you own all the land but there is unrest in your mind, tell us.

 

King: It doesn't matter what is right or left, wrong or right, what I am or not is by design.

From head to toe decked in golden tears, I’m dressed in the labor of a thousand men. Why is it never enough? A mighty kingdom, but at what cost?

 

The king shakes his head. 

 

King: How could someone want more than this? Of course for more wealth - wealth for all, we would have more suffering.

 

Ego 2: Absolutely my King! Equality is a nightmare. If there are so few rich as it is, more wealth can only bring more poverty. After all, how can one imagine industry and progress without exploitation?

 

King: Peace, freedom  — that’s all the rebels talk about. They ask for too much!  What is the worth of something that can't be held?

 

Desire: They don’t truly desire these things; they don’t want freedom and peace like they want money and fame.

 

Ego: Peace is the absence of freedom, and freedom is the absence of peace. 

 

Ego 3: Nature is the closest balance of peace and freedom, but what is it like? Murderous, barbaric, inhumane. The tiger mauls the monkey; the monkey eats the bird. It is carefully orchestrated chaos. Cruelty and suffering! No moral duty, only hunger and survival. 

 

Ego 2: Man must be detached from nature; Man is the only animal that rules over itself, that entraps itself. Man is an animal and its master too.

 

Desire: If there is no rich and poor what can one desire, how can we differentiate ourselves?

 

Ego 1: Man is not an animal.

 

King: Yes, yes, I do believe it is all quite ridiculous. We must squash these rebels and maintain order. Man must rule over himself!

 

Time: I have news for my King.

 

King: Well tell won’t you?

 

Time: There are whispers of the witches return.

 

A silence comes over the room.

 

Ego 2: And I’m sure the cowboy has brought her back?

 

The councilmen laugh.

 

Ego 1: Of course it must be false rumors. 

 

Time: Yes but I thought the king must know…

 

King: Keep such nonsense out of my court! Such a thing is impossible… Now bring me my new crown. I have overgrown this small hat and I shall show off the new one to my dear subjects!

 

The cowboy on his horse is staring into the sun. He is in a desert that is empty of even sand.

 

It’s darker now and he sees a fire and approaches it.

 

Cowboy: Hello.

 

Witch:....

 

Cowboy: I’m here to bring you to the kingdom to be prosecuted for your crimes.

 

Back at the kingdom a woman sits on the steps of a small house in dingy lighting.

 

Poor women: Was I born insignificant, lesser?

Wrong compared to my master

Is all I’ve known all I deserve?

What is God? How is he?

Who can reason right from wrong but one who is neither?

Who could watch from the sky?

What a terrifying lie.

 

Was I born to suffer? Oh god was I born to suffer?

 

Homeless man: Wretched woman.

 

Poor woman: God?

 

Homeless man creeps out of the shadows 

 

Poor woman: Oh hush, at least I am no beggar.

 

The homeless man laughs gaily.

 

Homeless man: I must be the richest beggar.

 

Poor woman: So beggar and mad man? 

Look at that opulence, how can it be wrong to want it all?

 

Homeless man: Do whatever you like just quit making such a racket!

 

Move to the boisterous loud bar where men are singing and dancing

 

Drink away your pain! Toast to your sorrows!

 

Joyful Singing:

The king is a mighty mighty lad.

Can’t tell his right or left and good or bad.

A king or jester.

A huge crown covers his eyes.

He ignores our cries!

 

Two men enter the bar

 

A friend of the man: For a famous actor you sure are a recluse! Come now, let me introduce you to my friends!

 

They sit at the bar and the man looks at a woman having a heated discussion.

 

A friend of the man: Oh no she may be beautiful but she will bite off your head!

 

The group of men laugh.

 

A friend of the man: Don't even think of it my friend!

 

The Man approaches the woman the other men follow laughing and egging him on. The woman is now sitting bored and gives the man a look.

 

The Man: You’re beautiful

 

She sighs and looks at him mockingly.

 

The Woman: Why do men always say that? Of course you think so you aren’t blind. Who are you the king of my mind?

 

The men oooh

 

The Man: To heal the minds wounds that fester,

 all I wish is to be the jester

 

The men cheer and the man looks at the woman with a soft smile. The group of men stay at the women's table. The man has his arm around the woman.

 

A friend of the man: It is the worst thought the reason why I drink…

 

The Man: To talk to pretty women?

 

The group laughs.

 

A friend of the Man: This loneliness could consume me. Why does everything feel so empty and dark? Everyday is worse than the last.

 

Another friend of the Man: You talk as if the world has ever been different, as if anyone told you differently!

 

A friend of the man: Of course they have! A child dreams to be an adult because it is promised to be paradise!

 

Another friend of the Man: Life is like chess after all!

 

They all laugh

 

Another friend of the Man: How could there be meaning to this mess?

What fool compared life to chess?

 

The Woman: You just did!

 

They all laugh the most genuine and hearty of the night

 

The Woman: Meaninglessness is not your issue. It is the freedom of meaninglessness that you dread! You are afraid of the control you have over yourself because someone has controlled you your entire life! All you have to do is take it back.

 

The men glance around nervously

 

A friend of the man: What you can’t be talking of revolution? Like- 

 

Whispers now: Murdering the king?

 

The Woman: The king is evil but he wasn’t born so.

Can’t we want more than a corrupting system?

It is time for change!

 

Another friend of the Man: Listen here, do you hear what you're saying?

 

The Woman: I think it's about time I tell you all something…

 

The woman gets on the table and the people in the bar turn to look at her.

 

The Woman: I assume you all have heard of the rebellion.

 

Whispers flood the room.

 

The Woman: I am its leader.

 

The room erupts in gasps and shouts.

 

The Woman: I know there is a bounty on my head but we have almost succeeded. It is time for  the kingdom to rise, get up you silly drunks!

 

The crowd cheers and applauds.

 

The Woman: Meet at the bar at noon tomorrow! We’ll see you day drinkers as well!

 

The poor woman is standing outside the door listening in.

 

Poor Woman: What is this? A choice between rebellion - a power exchange or the bounty from the king.

 

Some laughter as the Woman leaves with the Man. 

 

The Man: Do you have a plan?

 

The woman: Of course not, I'm not even the leader!

 

The Man: Huh then-

 

The Woman: They only needed to be asked. There is fight in every citizen. The king has no idea what's coming… I’ll find the true leader tomorrow!

 

The Woman and Man continue walking down the alleyway they laugh and chat

 

The Woman: I recognised your face from somewhere… You're that actor!

 

The Man: Want an autograph?

 

The woman: No, a performance!

 

The Man smiles broadly and leaps onto a fountain and starts marching around the ledge.

 

The Man: I’m a famous clown! The most pathetic clown! Forget your troubles, come to the circus! Here your repayment for your struggles - a distraction! Watch this shell of a man outsource your identity! Find your place in the soul crushing machine. I’ve been selling a nightmare.

 

The Woman: I for one like your acting

 

The Man: Well it's a fitting job. I’ve acted as someone else my entire life. I don’t know if I’ll ever be whole…
 

The woman: Toss a coin in the well! Just wish for it, wish to be whole!

 

He tosses a coin. She gasps, smiles at the man and tilts her head.

 

The woman: There you are…

You feel more than you realize you are more than you realize…

 

The Man: If not, at least I have you…

 

Switch back to the witch and cowboy sitting at fire about to rest. The cowboy is adjusting the fire. He looks up at an empty black sky.

 

Cowboy: You were the one who killed the stars weren't you?

 

Witch: I was.

 

Cowboy: I can’t remember what they looked like but I remember the feeling… Could you ever bring them back?

 

A moment of silence

 

Witch: No.

 

Cowboy: They say you can control minds… Could you make my mind recreate an image of them?

 

Witch: Most fear my powers over the mind.

 

Cowboy: What good is fear without stars?

 

Back to the Man and Woman.

 

The Man: I have nothing to offer you.

 

The Woman: I don’t need anything.

 

The Man: I steal. I have since I was a child.

 

The Woman: You- are you-

 

The Man: I’m the man that steals smiles.

 

Back to when they were children.

 

The three men in hats: That is the child, the child that steals smiles.

Does it do magic like the witch?

No, it is more terrible. It took an eye for an eye don’t look!

 

The three men follow the child as he walks in an empty dark street; their eyes glow red.

 

The child who steals smiles: I wish I were happy.

Like my parents asleep,

The dead dog on the street.

 

The child begins to run as he sees people chasing him. He hides in an alleyway the three men pass by. He turns to see a homeless man.

 

Homeless man: What are you doing in my alleyway!

 

Child: Oh, sorry I-I didn’t know.

 

Homeless: It isn’t my alleyway stupid! No one owns these silly things, they only exist!

 

Child: So you’re a liar-

 

Homeless: No you are! No one can own space. Why? Any idiot could tell you you can't own time but space oh why not! Space allows you to exist, it doesn't exist to define you! Who cares how big your house and fancy your coffin! See, look at those fools go!

 

Homeless man gestures at the three men in hats

 

Child: Do you know them? Why are they chasing me?

 

Homeless: They are a part of you! You must let go of your ego and your desires.

 

The three men kill the child and leave the alley way in a line. the man emerges after them.

 

The Man: I wouldn’t know how to talk about it.

I wish it were so simple.

Why should I carry someone else’s pain?

 

The three men continue to follow the man

 

The three men: He may have all the laughter but none of his own.

 

The Man: Something in me looks for happiness like the moon on an empty sea. The fish stare, they judge me don’t they?

I chase after the reflection and not the light.

What is this yearning? Where is my sense of belonging? How can these hunting wolves teach me to see?

I can never be what people want.

 

Back to the present the Man and Women are going to bed.

 

The Woman: Lie with me, lie and forget we cry ourselves to sleep - our tears drench our beds as a child wets one.

 

They sleep.

 

Back to the cowboy and witch

 

Cowboy: We should probably start. It's already dawn.

 

The witch starts packing up.

 

Cowboy: I must seem strange to you.

 

Witch: Nothing is strange to me.

 

Cowboy: They told me to bring you back. I'm only doing as I was told.

 

Witch: Were you following orders when you killed that man?

 

Cowboy: Yes.

 

Witch: You were the King's most loyal servant and you were cast out.

 

Cowboy: I-I was punished, the law is above the king…

How did you know I-.

 

Witch: I know everything, so nothing at all.

 

Cowboy: To question my actions now would be- It's too late.

 

Witch: Yes, too late.

 

Back to the man and woman.

 

The Man: What if we fail?

 

The Woman: We can’t.

 

The Man: We might.

 

The Woman: We won’t… I will enter the castle undetected due to the chaos at the gates!

 

The Man: But you're our leader! How can you do something so reckless!

 

The Woman: Reckless?! How else will we get past the castle gates! 

 

The Man: However it doesn't matter I need- if you get caught it will all be for nothing!

 

The Woman: Nothing? The rebellion cannot be squashed… The people will know their strength!

 

The Man: For their hopes to be crushed! We still have time…

 

He reaches for her hand she pulls away

 

The Woman: We don't.

​​

The Man: I’ll infiltrate the castle.

 

The Woman: No, I can't let you do this! This is my responsibility!

 

​​​​The Man: No it isn't I joined you - this cause this is my part to play you must stay with the people.

 

The Woman: But-

​​

The Man turns away from her.

 

The Man: It makes the most sense strategically.

 

She turns him around grabbing onto his arm. He looks at her hand as she speaks.

 

The Woman: But what if something happens to you. How will I-I-

 

The Man: If all goes to plan I’ll be fine… Even if I don’t manage to get in, the people won’t be punished, only me.

 

The Woman: I-

 

The Man: It-It’s almost noon, ready the citizens. I should be able to hear when you attack.

 

The Man walks away and the Woman stands looking after him. 

 

The man is now looking for a secret entrance the cries of battle reach him

 

Homeless man: You can always turn back.

 

The Man: Space, what are you doing here?

 

Homeless Man: You still don’t understand. You never did as I asked. How can you fight for freedom without freedom of the mind!

 

The Man: So you’ve come to stop me.

 

Homeless Man: Of course not, what do I care? Who owns what is none of my concern. That door will lead you to the courtroom.

 

Points at a door hidden by curved architecture. 

 

The Man: Thank you for everything.

 

Homeless Man: Hmmph don’t thank me yet. You have grown to be incomplete.

 

The Man goes through the door shift to the woman and the rest of the rebellion.

 

The Woman: These walls will fall beneath our convictions! We cannot fail!

 

Poor Woman: This woman doesn’t care for the rebellion she only wishes to turn you to criminals!

 

The Woman: What?! What do I have to gain from that?

 

Poor Woman: She plans to have you arrested instead of herself!

 

The Woman: That's ridiculous!

 

Man in the crowd: It makes sense! Why should we trust her!

 

Poor Woman: We should capture her and turn her in for the bounty! Get her!

 

The crowd shouts and scrambles to find the woman. She runs away and hides.

 

The Woman: I hope he’s made it inside! Maybe the uprising hasn't failed yet.

 

Back to the man he enters it’s super dark then he sees ego they are standing and staring at him they were expecting him.

 

Ego 1: We've been waiting for you.

 

Ego 2: It's been too long!

 

Ego 2: Much too long.

 

Ego 3: I hope you haven't forgotten us.

 

Back to the cowboy and witch.

 

Cowboy: You’ve done terrible things but you don’t feel guilty… How?

 

Witch: No action is either good or bad. And even within those definitions what's the point of guilt? What's done is done no matter how you feel about it.

 

Cowboy: Somethings you say… It's as if you aren't even human.

 

Witch: Human… And what's so good about being human?

 

Back to the Man he is being tortured by Ego (three men) he is in a chair with chuffs he is crying with his eyes wide open.

 

Ego 2: Enjoying watching your worst fears come true?

 

The Man: The one situation I can control is still before me. I won't tell you anything!

 

Ego 1: Hmm but you’ve been subject to much crueler punishment none that we could take credit for.

 

The three men laugh.

 

The Man: What are you talking about?

 

Ego 2: The punishment your mind inflicts on you!

Ego 1: Your memories of course!

 

Ego 3: How hard have you tried to forget - forgive yourself?

 

The Man: So what can you do? They're my own memories afterall!

 

Ego 1: We are a part of you didn't that old man tell you? That pain is what we were born from. We are your mind’s revolt against the pain your body has experienced. 

 

Ego 2: You will re-experience that pain and remember in such vivid details you will wish you were blind. When you're ready to talk we will stop it.

 

The three men (ego) exit

 

They return sometime after the man's hair covers his face.

 

Ego 3: Are you ready to admit guilt?

 

Ego 2: Tell us where the Woman hides!

 

Ego 1: Tell us the rebellion’s plans!

 

The Man screams eyes wide with rage.

 

The Man: Let me taste my own blood. Just shoot me and let me remember I’m human.

 

The Man begins to cry.

 

Ego 1: You don’t have to feel this pain, we will take it back if you tell us what we want to hear!

 

The Man: No chance!

 

Ego swarms the man.

 

Back to the cowboy and witch.

 

Cowboy: I haven't been to the kingdom in decades. I wonder if it will be the same or completely different.

 

Witch: It will be both.

 

Cowboy: Did you grow up in the kingdom as well?

 

Witch: Yes.

 

Cowboy: What will you go to see first?

 

Witch: I will destroy the kingdom once we arrive

 

Back to the Man he is being tortured by Ego he is hung by his arms legs limp in the dark grimy torture chamber his blood is mixed with dirt dripping from his head.

 

Ego: Have you forgotten who you are yet?

 

The man: No, I still dream.

 

Three men (ego) form a semi circle farther from the man they whisper.

 

Ego 1: What will we tell the king he is not giving in!

 

Ego 2: He will… He must! There is no one who can brave their own ego!

 

Ego 3: He is just too used to being  broken he will reach his limit.

 

Three men (ego) leave the scene.

Back to the cowboy and witch.

 

Cowboy: No I don’t-

 

Witch: How is this so different from when you killed that man? Follow your duties. It's too late to question them now is it not?

 

I don’t know why we love the brave

I felt less of a man when I was brave

I am cowardly brave, nothing more, nothing less. My fears are greater to me than I am.

 

Jail

Old lady (is actually time)

No one is truly happy. You are only a man.

Everyone loves in a selfish manner. Love itself is selfish yet not vile. It is the only beautiful thing people are capable of. We all - the children with no laughter of our own - grow the same as everyone to find joy in others, but we try to find fault in our love because we weren’t given it for free. Love is not innocent or guilty, selfish or selfless. It is the only thing we forever own.

 

Here I sit on a throne of shadows; a memory of a great kingdom. To rule over nothing is still to rule. I will become the King of shadows.