Introduction

Good evening to you all.

The short play you are about to watch, is based on a script written by one of my fellow students, who is also participating in it.

Our play begins with a common every day event. A thoughtless action of a seven-year old child, leads to the constant battle between Good and Evil. The issue of the destruction or rescue of the environment comes up.

We want to show you in our own simple way, how terrible the destruction of nature is, but also who can be its savior, that is, the new generation, we, the young people all over the world.

First Scene

(Hope, around seven and her older sister, Christine, fourteen years old are in a park playing together. The youngest one, suddenly throws away the wrapping of the croissant she had been eating.)

Christine: Hope, what have you done? Pick the wrapping up and put it in the litterbin.

Hope: Why should I do this? Look at all the rubbish around.

Christine: Don’t you love the environment? Come on, pick it up and put it in the recycling bin!

Hope: Cycle? Are we going cycling? Great! But what don’t I love? Environ… what?

Christine: I didn’t say go “cycling” but that you should recycle the croissant wrapping. You don’t love the environment because that plastic will live for ever unless you recycle it. You know, rubbish, recycling, clean environment…

Hope: My little rubbish, all that trouble? I think you are overdoing it.

Christine: You’re too young to realize the serious problems the environment is facing today.

Second Scene

(The two girls have returned home having fallen out with each other. Their mother is there, waiting for them.)

Mother: What’s wrong girls? You seem to have had a fight.

Hope: She says I’m destroying the environment.

Christine: She throws rubbish down…

Hope: But it was just a tiny little thing.

Christine: Imagine what would happen if everyone did that!

Mother: That’s enough! I can hear no more! Go to your rooms and do your homework! (talking to herself: ) Christine is exaggerating. What harm can some little rubbish do…?

Third Scene

(Young Hope is sitting in an armchair in her room, reading a book. While reading, she falls asleep and sees a nightmare.)

Hope: Where am I? How dark it is! What’s happening?

Good Spirit: Hello.

Hope: Hallo! My name’s Hope.

Good: What’s your name again?

Hope: Hope. What’s your name?

Good: Hope? ... There’s still hope? I thought hope was long gone.

Hope: I can’t understand you. Why are you all in white? You look pale. Is there anything wrong with you?

Good: I’m very ill little girl. I’m dying.

Hope: What’s your illness? My mum’s got medicine for all.

Good: Oh my little Hope! Hope is the medicine I need.

Hope: What’s this! Is it a medicine? (She hears a noise and she’s startled) Somebody’s coming! Who is this?

Evil Spirit: Don’t you know me?

Hope: No, I don’t. Please sir, you, in white. Help me please. I’m cold and I’m scared.

Evil: Are you afraid of me?

Hope: I want to go away. I need my mum.

Evil: Young girl, you’re afraid of me but you also love me. You don’t like me because I’m filthy and dirty and evil but you’re on my side.

Hope: How come sir? I’ve never seen you before!

Evil: Yet, I was with you, this morning, when you threw down that rubbish, when you fought with your sister. Oh your sister… how I hate people like her!

Hope: Who are you?

Evil: I’m the one, who’s the master ruling people and their environment. (he looks at the man in white).

Hope: Is the man in white the environment? Is he the good guy in fairy tales?

Evil: Fairy tales? That’s not a fairy tale, my little girl. That’s reality We’re enemies, fighting on for years.

Hope: And you’re the bad one. What’s your name?

Evil: I have lots of names. You can call me Nick, George, Helen, Joan. They call me America, Asia, Europe. Those who are with me have got my name. Even you are my ally.

Hope: No I’m not.

Evil: Yes, you are, because you throw down rubbish, you go downtown on your dad’s car, you leave the lights on all night, you wash your bike over and over again.

Hope: Say no more! You’re right. I do all these. I’ve helped you be the master.

Evil: Not just you, but many others. I am the ruler! Remember the oil slick in the gulf of Mexico? The floods in Australia and Brazil? I was there. Look at my kingdom! Smog, pollution, the ozone layer! I change the climate, I pollute the seas, I destroy forests, I kill animals.

Hope: (turns towards the good spirit) Sorry Mr. environment. I know nothing about it.

Good: Don’t blame yourself. You’re not the only one. Too many fight against me and they don’t know it.

Hope: And now what’s to be done? There’s seems to be no solution.

Good: Of course there is! There’s you Hope! You all, young people! You have the power to change it all. With your strength, faith, hope and dreams. You, kids can save me.

Hope: Yes, we will do it!

Evil: (It takes Hope’s hand and pulls her away). You’ve got nowhere to go! You’re staying with me. I don’t intend to leave. I’m at war!

Good: Stay with me! Help me! You’ve promised to help me!

Evil: I’ve got her. She can’t fight against me.

Hope: Please, let me go! Let me go!

Fourth scene

(Christine gets into the room scared and hugs Hope)

Christine: What’s the matter? What’s wrong with you?

Hope: Oh my God! I had a nightmare. Thank god I woke up. Oh, I’m sorry sister.

Christine: Sorry about what?

Hope: You know, today at the park… that rubbish… As from today, we’re together. We’ll help to clean the environment. We’ll fight against evil. We can do it. He said so… there’s still hope… There’s us. The young!

Christine: Calm down, Hope. It will all be done. Come round, close your eyes and I’ll tell you a nice fairy tale. Once upon a time, the environment was clean…..