MARTHA AND THE DARK - STORY SYNOPSIS
ACT 1
Scene 1
At the opening of the story we meet Martha, a twelve year old girl. She is alone in some sort of sterile institution. Her room is stark and cold; brick walls with a rusty metal hospital bed, book shelves with a few odds and ends and an orange and yellow shag rug near the bed.
She speaks to the audience, telling them about her predicament. She feels she's being held hostage in this place for no apparent reason. Her parents have been taken over by some strange, evil force that controls them and has them depressed and without energy. They try to convince her to give in and admit the truth. To admit that “he” is gone. But she stands firm.
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She tells us the only one who understands her, the only one not under this dark spell, is her older brother Danny. We see Danny projected on a video screen. He speaks to her in flashback. She giggles and laughs with him, calling him “knucklehead” over and over as she speaks to the screen. They even play a game of “spinning” where he takes her hands and spins her till she rises off the ground. In the flashback he tells her that there is a dark force coming. Something that will take everyone over. But not her, because she is strong.
“Stronger than anyone I know” he tells her.
Before the memory ends, he hands her a necklace with a small golden half-orb dangling from the chain. It is encrusted with different colored jewels. He tells her that he has to go into hiding, but it she ever needs help, this jewel will be her key. Her memory of him fades as he tells her he loves her.
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But Martha is still confused. She doesn't know what the necklace does or what it means. She becomes distraught and begins to cry.
“Help me, Danny!” she sobs. “I don't know what to do!”
At this, the orb begins to glow. As it does, the yellow and orange shag rug by her bed begins to writhe and undulate. It keeps moving and rising and expanding until it becomes the form of a large, rotund, shaggy dog standing on it's hind legs like a human. He is goofy and cartoonish. His name is Rugby, and he's been sent by Danny to help Martha. He tells her he is her “protector”, although he is not very brave. He also has a seemingly insatiable appetite.
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As Martha tries to take in the fact that her rug is now her colorful “dog-protector” the lights start to dim. Deep, ominous noises are heard. Rugby tells her that they have to leave. This is the sound of “The Dark.” It is a menacing weapon wielded by an evil woman called The Administrator. She is trying to spread The Dark into every corner of the Universe, trying to control the minds and wills of every living thing.
Rugby loads everything from Martha's shelves on to the bed. The he breaks off some hooks from a coat rack and holds them on the bed like handlebars. He tells Martha to hop on as he kicks his foot. The bed starts like a motorcycle. Confused and shocked, Martha hops on.
“How are you doing this?!” she asks.
“Don't ask!” he answers, and the bed speeds off stage.
Scene 2
Enter The JarHeads. They are something from a fever nightmare. They wear white surgical clothes with long black leather aprons, in the belts of which are tucked dangerous looking knives, pliers, saws and other shiny chrome instruments of pain. They wear black rubber gloves up to their elbows.
Where their heads should be is something else altogether; some have a flickering, distorted video screen. The image on their screens jumps from a close up of an eye, a mouth, nostrils and sometimes their whole face, which is lit below from a stark white light. Their faces roll and distort like they are projected through a magnifying lens.
Others have mutated welding helmets with tubes running out and plugging into their spines.
And still others have white faces surrounded by a series of stretched skin grafts that lead out to painful looking stainless steel tubes that surround their head like an eerie crown.
They creep around the stage with LED wands that give off an eerie blue light. They scan the lights over various parts of the room, looking for clues or evidence. After a moment the large, center video screen flickers on. The Administrator appears on screen.
She is a severe looking, middle-aged woman with her hair styled in a neat pageboy cut, ala Louise Brooks, only purple. She wears severely angled sunglasses that match the direction and thrust of the severely angled shoulder pads of her dress.
She criticizes and chides the JarHeads for being too late. For letting Martha get away. She threatens them, telling them that the only way to get to Danny, the only one who can conquer The Dark, is to get to his little sister.
“Just get them or you're all fired!” she screams. “And by ‘fired’, I mean skinned alive, doused in honey and fed to hungry buzzards. Okey-
doke?”
The JarHeads fearfully bow to her and exit.
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Scene 3
Martha and Rugby enter. They are weary and on foot. Martha asks him why they didn't keep riding the bed.
“It's out of gas...duh!” he answers.
He leads her on stage, which has transformed into The City. It is filled with cardboard cutouts of people selling their wares in an open street market. Martha and Rugby go from stand to stand buying apples and cookies. Rugby says that Danny told him to take Martha to the city and find the Cart Maker. But there is no cart maker to be found. There are no carts at all in the city. Martha sees a sign saying “Cartographer”, and realizes that's what Danny meant. She and Rugby enter the Cartographer's shop.
Scene 4
The lights dim on stage.
A group of JarHeads enter the house. They walk up and down the aisles with their LED flashlights looking for Martha and Rugby. Some of the Jarheads have "dogs" on leashes. They are three emaciated, grotesque creatures who at one time used to be men.
They crawl on the ground wearing loincloths and ragged tunics. On each of their faces is a large lens in a brass cylinder mounted with leather straps around their heads. From out of their skulls are tubes and wires that run down to a central plug. From the ends of leashes they sniff and snorffel around the room. who sniff around the seats and the feat of the people in the audience.
This goes on a few moments, then they exit the theatre.
Scene 5.
Martha and Rugby enter the shop. It is filled with every kind of map, chart and globe imaginable. High wall shelves filled with them. They meet Centerlane Rumblestrip, the cartographer and owner of the shop.
On his face is a most elaborate contraption. To say it was simply eyeglasses would be a severe understatement. It is a confusing array of lenses upon lenses upon lenses, all framed in brass. The various pieces of glass are hinged so they can be rotated in front of each other in endless variations. It looks like an optician's eye testing device gone out of control.
It is attached to a leather strap that is anchored around his head.
After learning who she is, Rumblestrip climbs a tall ladder and brings down a wooden box from a shelf. He tells her that her brother Danny left it for her, and only she can open it with her “secret word.” But Martha doesn't know any secret word. Danny never told her. She tries every magic-type word she can think of. Over and over again, but to no avail. The box stays shut.
“Danny, you knucklehead!” she yells out.
And magically, the box opens. Inside is another half- orb jewel; the twin of Martha's on the chain. Light streams from it and we see Danny projected on screen again. He speaks to her. He tells her that she's got a long road ahead of her. And a lot of it isn't easy. But it's a journey we all have to take. He did. Now it's her turn. She'll have help along the way, but in the end, it's about her. And her alone. She had the first piece of the puzzle, now she'se got the second. Each piece will point her down the path. She needs to stay calm, take a breath and look into her heart. Then she'll know what to do.
His image fades and the orb projects images of a map on the walls. On the map is a small island with a red “X” on it. Using his elaborate eyeglass device and his cartographer skills, Rumblestrip determines the island is called Jewelania, and is far off across the sea. They need to find a ship.
The lights begin to flicker and dim. The eerie noises and clanking of The Administrator and her JarHeads is heard. The Cartographer opens a chest and pulls out goggles, lanterns and rubber boots; three pairs in all. They all put on the goggles and boots. The Cartographer pulls a lever coming out of the wall. When he does, all of the maps, globes, charts and papers quickly disappear, retracting into the floor, the ceiling and into the drawers on the wall, which slam shut. He opens a trap door in the floor. A belch of steam and smoke rises up. Martha and Ruby gag and cough. It is the city sewers. Rugby jumps in. Martha reluctantly follows. The Cartographer enters last, he takes the wooden box and shuts the trap door behind him.
Scene 6
The Administrator enters the shop with the JarHeads leading their “dogs” on leashes. One of the dogs sniffs and area of the floor and begins to twitch. The great lens on the front of his face projects fragments of images on to the video screens; Martha and Rugby talking with Rumblestrip, the wooden box, and the map projections.
“Hold it! Back up!” the Administrator shrieks.
She twists on the Dog's head like a DJ, spinning it to and fro. The image on the screen reverses till we settle on the island. She has found their destination.
Scene 7
Martha, Rugby and Rumblestrip slosh their way down the sewer (aisle) until they reach the Port (stage). As they get closer to the stage, the lights slowly come up. It is set with a series of abstract masts pointing in all directions. They all have flags and sails and guide lines. Rumblestrip sends out a series of strange whistles. They are eventually answered by the same kind of whistles. Captain Sawbuck enters.
She wears an over-sized Captain's outfit with high boots, a blue, long tailed jacket full of medals with huge, golden epaulets on each shoulder. A sash with a sheathed sword hangs from her torso. On her head is a large, ornate British Captain's hat turned sideways on her head; ala Cap'n Crunch.
Captain Sawbuck recognizes Martha. She can “see” Danny in her eyes. Sawbuck regales them with stories of adventures she and Danny had together; treasure hunting on far away islands, fighting natives in dark jungles.
“Seems like you all knew Danny a lot better than I did.” Says Martha, sadly.
“Oh nonsense.” replies the Captain. “Why, he told me once you were the most important thing in his whole life.”
The Captain tells them it’s time to set sail if they want to reach Jewelania. From off stage comes her ship; it is Martha’s hospital bed.
“You've got to be kidding me...” says Martha, incredulously. “Ain't she a beauty?” says Sawbuck. “I call her ‘The Tainted Lady!’”
Martha, Rugby, Rumblestrip and Captain Sawbuck climb aboard the bed. Sawbuck pulls a rope and large sheets come down from the ceiling. She attaches them to the corners of the bedposts.
Rugby feels a little squeamish and says he gets a little seasick. But his real fear is heights.
“Oh, that’s too bad, me hearty!” says the Captain.
Sawbuck pulls a lever and the bed rises up into the sky, above the audience. The whole contraption looks like a gondola of a hot air balloon. They soar off stage with Rugby nervously hiding his eyes.
Scene 8
We are back at Martha’s institutional room. The Administrator enters with The JarHeads. She is agitated.
"It’s do or die time, gentlemen.” she tells them.
She has a very specific business plan for The Dark. She’s done the cost analysis, broken down the assets and liabilities, checked the time frame. If they want to spread The Dark to every corner of the known universe, then the moment to strike is now.
“Bring out The Device!” she hollers.
One of the JarHeads rolls in a huge and elaborate device. It looks like something from Dr. Frankenstein's lab; all metal and lightning rods and a pointy ray gun shape at the top. A cable runs from The Device attached to a crude headpiece filled with tubes and transistors. The Administrator sits in a chair next to The Device.
“Now what does this do again, exactly?” she asks.
The JarHead explains that The Device will gather and amass her negative mind energy and project it like a death ray to any coordinate they program into it's guidance system.
“Any successful tests as of yet?” she inquires.
“Well...Edgar tested it out last week.” The JarHead says, reluctantly. “And?” she asks.
“You know that big stain on the wall in the front hallway?” he answers.
She gets it. The Device is very dangerous and unstable. Just like her. They strap the headpiece on to The Administrator and turn on the machine. They punch in the coordinates. The Device hums and bellows, almost ready to explode. The Administrator screams in delightful agony.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha!!! You're mine, now, little Martha! ALL MIIIIIINE!!!”
Scene 9
Martha and her crew float back on stage aboard the bed-balloon. It hangs above the stage just a few feet. Everyone on board is looking about the sky joyfully as Captain Sawbuck steers the big wooden ship’s wheel. Rugby still grips the post and stares downward, petrified with fright.
Martha moves next to him, trying to console him. She tells him that if they do plummet at super-sonic speed and splat like week old lasagna on the cold, hard ground...then she’s glad she was with him. She’s glad he was her protector. She kisses him on the cheek and he smiles and swells with courage and pride.
The lights flash and grow darker. The sound of deep thunder and wind is heard. The floating bed starts to sway back and forth. A dangerous storm approaches. Another crack of lightning and thunder. The bed rocks and sways in the wind. They all hold on.
Another bright flash of lightening and a clap of thunder fills the sky. On the thunder clap The Administrator’s face appears, projected onto the bed sheet sails. Her face distorts as the sheets flap in the wind.
“So you thought you were taking a pleasant little trip in the clouds, didn’t you?!” screeches The Administrator. “Well I got news for you, my pretty little sewer rat! You’re never going to get to Jewelania! And you’ll never see your stupid brother Danny alive again...EVER!!!”
“You shut your big, fat, ugly, stupid face!” yells a defiant Martha.
“MY...FACE...IS...NOT...FAT!!!” bellows The Administrator.
The Administrator puffs up her cheeks and blows. The winds howl terribly and the bed gets blown out over the audience. The crew screams.
The lights go black.
END OF ACT I.
ACT 2
Scene 1
The lights come up on stage. The sounds of seagulls and waves breaking on a shore are heard.
Laying on the stage are Martha, Rugby, Rumblestrip and Captain Sawbuck. They all seem unconscious. Rugby and Martha start to slowly stir.
Rumblestrip and Sawbuck awaken as well. Groggy, they all stand, trying to get their bearings. Martha asks where they are. Could it be Jewelania?
Rumblestrip sets down the wooden box, opens his map and adjusts his multi-lens reading glasses.
“I would surmise if we bisect the meridian latitude, compensate for north eastern winds gusts and traverse the outlying aquatic borders, then that would mean...I have no idea where we are.” he concedes.
Martha becomes frustrated and distraught. That awful woman, The Administrator, blew them off course and crash landed them. They're completely lost. How are they going to get to Jewelania and find Danny if they don't know where they are?
Suddenly the bellowing sound of laughter is heard, echoing around the theatre. A large shadow looms on the back wall. It is an enormous figure with his arms outstretched. Captain sawbuck gulps, petrified.
“I know where we are” she whispers.
The laughter grows louder.
“I've heard stories from the old and dusty sailors,” warns Sawbuck. “We all thought they was tall tales. This must be the Land of Bayabegga. Said to be ruled by the meanest, most despicable, most terrifying, most gigantic cannibal king in the south seas—MaLooga!”
The laughing voice bellows out.
“Who dares walk the shores of Bayabegga without my permission?!”
“Oh boy, this can't be good.” whines Rugby.
The shadow grows larger.
“Prepare to feel the wrath of the omnipotent, the all-powerful, the huge and mighty MaLooga!!!” bellows the voice. The group huddle together in fear.
From over a crest steps Malooga. He is a rotund man wearing a Pacific islander-style garb with an ornate grass skirt, a necklace made out of various shells and a woven fiber crown on his head. His face is painted in patterns with white and yellow paint
“What are you puny creatures doing in my kingdom?! I should stomp on you and crush all of you!” he booms.
The group stops shaking and look at one another, confused. Rumblestrip even grins a little.
“That's the cannibal giant?” he asks, incredulously.
Their confusion might be because MaLooga is also only about four feet tall. So besides being blustery and menacing, he also seems to have serious height perception problems. He is followed by an even shorter contingent of islanders. They all wear a variation of the garb, and some sport white, clay-like makeup. They also all carry carved wooden spears.
Martha smiles and steps towards MaLooga with her hand outstretched. She bends over to him.
“Hello, my name is--”
“SILENCE!” he shouts, cutting her off.
MaLooga stomps around proudly as he threatens the group with death or torture. He claims he could stomp on all of them at once or sit on them all with his massive posterior till they exploded like jelly doughnuts. Rugby steps forward.
“Now wait just a second” he chides the Cannibal King, “You just can't talk to her like that.”
MaLooga's minions step forward with their pointy spears. Rugby concedes and moves back with the group.
King MaLooga decides that the group looks tasty and tells them that he is “having them for dinner.” The small natives gather the group around a wooden pole sticking up out of the stage. They are all tied to the pole except for Martha. The small natives pile wood around the base of the pole.
King MaLooga tells them that one of them must be sacrificed to appease their god, the great and powerful Don-Hee. That sacrifice will be Martha. Rugby shouts and growls and tears at the ropes. The small natives jab at him with their spears. Martha tells him to stop struggling. That she thinks she'll be all right. She goes to Rumblestrip and takes the wooden box from him.
“I also have a gift for your god, Don-Hee.” she tells The King.
Martha opens the box and the sphere of jewels begins to glow. King MaLooga and his minions gasp and throw themselves on to the ground, bowing and chanting.
“Those are the relics of our great god Don-Hee!” says MaLooga.
Martha turns to the others, still tied to the pole.
“Don-Hee...Dan-Eee...It's Danny.” she says, “He meant for us to come here.”
MaLooga approaches Martha with a box made from carved coconut shells. She opens it. Inside is a strange carved handle with a golden hilt. Martha studies it for a moment. She takes the handle from the box and places the jeweled orb on top of it. It begins to glow brighter. Danny's image appears on the video screens.
“Hah! Caught me!” Danny smiles.
He explains to her that he knew The Administrator was getting too close, and that he needed to let her think she had the upper hand. He tells her the golden handle is another piece of the weapon she needs to defeat the Dark.
“It looks like a sword handle.” says Martha.
“It's a sword handle.” Danny says in the video.
He tells her there is one more piece, the blade, to add to the sword. But the journey to get it will be her hardest yet. She has to go to the Cave of Blackness and face The Uber Murk; a dark, evil presence that was there at the beginning of The Dark. It is the essence of what The Dark has grown into. The Uber Murk is weakened, but it is still deceitful, spiteful and very, very dangerous.
And Martha must face it alone.
King MaLooga knows where the Cave of Blackness is and offers to take Martha there.
Martha, Rugby, Rumblestrip, Sawbuck, MaLooga and his minions climb aboard the bed. It is now longer by twice as much. The minions pull out canoe paddles and begin paddling. They head off stage and to the Cave of Blackness.
Scene 2
The Administrator and The JarHeads enter. They have come to the Island of Jewelania. The Administrator screeches at them to find any hint, any scrap of evidence that would show where Danny might be hiding.
One of the JarHeads finds something. It is another ornate wooden box. The Administrator takes it and carefully opens it.
“I've got you now, Danny.” she purrs.
Inside is an orb that glows. Projected on the screens is the image of a cartoon butt breaking wind followed by the close-up of a cartoon mouth sticking it's tongue out and making a raspberry sound. This loops over and over again. One of the JarHeads addresses The Administrator.
“I don't get it.” he says. “Is it in code?”
The Administrator glares at him. Lights out.
Scene 3
Martha and the others arrive. They walk down the aisles to the stage, which is still dark. It is The Cave of Blackness.
Martha tells them to wait, that he has to go in alone. Rugby says he can't let her. It is his job to protect her and he will never leave her side, no matter what. A dark, monstrous gurgling sound comes from the cave. Rugby shakes her hand.
“Good luck.” he says. “We'll be right here when you get back.”
Martha climbs on stage, entering the cave. She is bathed in a pale, blue-gray light.
The video screens flicker. On the screens appear frightening images; glowing red eyes, wrinkled, gnarled fingers and a hideous mouth filled with yellowing, crooked teeth. The mouth speaks. The voice is a dark, rumbling whisper. It is The Uber Murk.
“Who is that?” it asks. “Who is in my cave?”
“I came for what's mine” Martha asserts.
The voice laughs, a rumbling chuckle. He knows who she is and he knows what she wants. But he doesn't think she has what it takes to get it.
“You're brother didn't have what it takes...so why should you?” it asks.
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“My brother and I are going to defeat The Dark, together.” she tells him.
The Uber Murk laughs. He explains to her that nothing and no one will stop The Dark. He gave birth to the dark. He know what it is and what it will become. He explains that people want The Dark. They ask for it. They crave it. It takes over their minds and controls their will and becomes part of them. They welcome it and they love it. And the more they love it the more it will grow; larger and larger and into more and more people...until every last bit of light is snuffed out.
She tells him it's not true. She and her brother and all of her new friends will stand up to The Dark no matter what. They will always carry a light to shut out The Dark.
“Now give me what I came for!” she demands.
The Uber Murk chuckles again.
“You've had it all along, you stupid child.” it hisses.
Martha looks down. In her hand is a long, slender blade. She takes the handle-orbs from her backpack and attaches the blade to it. It glows a bright pink light. The Uber Murk hisses.
“Your petty little blade will not stop The Dark, little Martha. It's only a matter of time.” “I'm not afraid” she answers. And she leaves the cave.
Outside the cave she greets Rugby and the others. She holds up the sword to them.
“It's time.” she tells them.
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“To do what?” asks Rugby.
“To go back, to my room. I have to face her.” she answers.
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“But you can't!” cries Rugby. “She's too strong!”
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“I have to, Rugby.” she says. “This is what Danny wanted. He knew this was the only way. I have to go.”
Rugby stops her. He tells her that even though he promised to be her Protector, he is afraid. He's always been afraid and he probably always will be.
“But you showed me that being brave isn't being without fear.” he tells her. “Being brave means being afraid and still doing what you need to do. So I am afraid. But I'll be right by your side. No matter what.”
She hugs him and climbs on the bed.
“This can be whatever I want it to be, right?” she asks.
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“What? You just figured that out now?” Rugby answers.
Martha laughs and they all climb on board the bed. She closes her eyes.
“Well...back to my room, I guess. And don't spare the horses.”
The bed shakes and spins in place. Lights flash and flare. After a moment or two the rotating bed comes to a stop. They are back in her room.
Scene 4
Martha stands in her room. She holds the sword out and tells the others she knows that if they all work together they can defeat The Administrator and stop The Dark.
The Administrators laughter rings through the room. Her face appears on the video screens.
“Welcome back, little Martha.” she cackles. “We missed you.”
The JarHeads come on stage. They carry menacing knives, saws and other surgical tools. Rugby jumps forward and tells Martha.
“You can do this, Martha.” he says. “Do it for Danny.”
Rugby then yells and jumps up and down, distracting the JarHeads. The others yell and scream, too. Rugby and the others run around the stage in different directions and exit at different exits. The JarHeads chase them, leaving Martha alone.
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The Administrator enters, clapping in a slow, sarcastic manner. She stands opposite Martha.
“So...you made it through, you little brat.” she hisses. “But it's too late now. It'll do you no good.”
Martha holds up the glowing sword.
“And what about this? Will this do any good?” she asks.
The Administrator recoils in terror. It isn't right. She's worked too hard planning out Operation Dark. It can't all end now. Not after all the flow charts and meetings and paperwork. How did Martha get The Sword?!
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Martha lunges at The Administrator and plunges the glowing sword into her. The Administrator screams in pain. She falls to her knees, slumps her head and dies.
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Martha sighs in relief.
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After a moment The Administrator starts to quietly chuckle. She isn't dead. Her laughing grows louder and louder. Martha is completely confused. The Administrator stands, laughing loudly. She pulls out the sword and stares at it, disgustedly.
“Did you really think this dime store trinket was enough to defeat me?!” she screams
Martha stands in shock as The Administrator pulls apart the pieces of the sword and drops them on to the floor. She explains to Martha that this was all part of her plan. To make Martha think she had a chance. To make her think she had courage, enough courage to come back and face her on her own.
“And now it's all over except for one thing.” she tells Martha. “We have one last piece of this puzzle to get out of the way for good. You're going to tell me where your brother is, and you're going to tell me now.”
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