Dark Comedy in 2 acts. CHARACTERS: Her Grace Majesty Evolution as an ostrich, Bobby Big Bang lieutenant general, Tobias Death general, and others. LOCATION: Ruined Church, Italy, Europe. Around 1810 A.D. Age of the Napoleon wars. Running time approximately 1 hour 40 minutes, plus, one intermission.
In this dark comedy, two tyrants and their two panders dictate the laws of nature and decide the fate of the living beings. These individuals include Johnny Bing Bang, lieutenant general; Her Majesty The Evolution (appearing as an ostrich); His Excellence Tobias Death, the general; and Her Excellence Amalie The Devastating, the eternal queen of sicknesses. The story occurs in a ruined church building where, day after day, embodied tyrants have banquets with rich meals consisting of varied living beings and properly cooked human beings. Again and again, their banquets are interrupted by Basilius the alchemist. Basilius has considerable knowledge about the evolutional and genetic views of Lamarck and Augustinus. With his colleagues, he works for an entirely new world that is planned to be independent of the recent natural rules of the living and non-living world. He 287 represents humanity and the scientists who want to fight against the dictators of nature and the Universe. The sarcastic conflict between Basilius and the tyrants takes the stage most of the time. Basilius shows the tyrants the models of the new world, in which people will be able to free themselves from tyranny. The tyrants look down on him, laughing and stating that the models won’t work. Then arrives the older-than-old, doting Quintus Leopoldus – the Cardinal and State Representative who is the first person of Leopoldia State. He misunderstands everything: he believes that Basilius has befriended the devil tyrants, and that he has turned against humanity and human interests. Thus, in the name of the Holy Mother Church and the State Authorities, Leopoldus kills the scientist with the help of his corrupt and hypocritical friar servants. The play is shocking; however, the audience can still laugh many times as they follow the story.
ANDREW R. DAMU