Land Of Betrayal lyrics
Land Of Betrayal
Lucetta
We come from the land of betrayal
An indian word meaning hate
But the people smile all the time there
And the cultural advantages are great
Proteus
Follow me.
Lucetta
The air that we breathe is polluted
The wars that we fight are the same
But no one is quite sure who leads us
So no one is ever to blame
Our principal export is lying
Truth, youth and beauty we ban
Our principal pasttime is loving
The kind they stamp made in japan
I must say you do look familiar
Could it be that you’ve ever been there’
We live in the heart of the city
Where deceit double-crosses despair.
I’m happy to talk of the old town
I see now i am not away
The town changed its name to everywhere
And i live in it every day
We come from the land of betrayal
An indian word meaning hate
But the people smile all the time there
And the cultural advantages are great
Proteus
Come, you are now in the service of my lady, silvia.
(they exit right.
As proteus, julia, & lucetta exit
Stage right the duke enters from up
Center, looks around then blows his
Whistle. Thurio enters up center
Followed by three guards which he
Positions off stage to wait for
Valentine as he positions himself
On the second level stage left.
The duke has crossed down the right
Center steps into the audience and
We see valentine enter up left center
On his bike wearing a long cloak and
He rides down center)
Duke
Sir valentine.
Thurio
Ah, sir valentine.
Duke
Whither away so fast’
Valentine
Please it, your grace, there is a messenger
That stays to bear my letters to my friends,
And i am going to deliver them.
Duke
Be they of much import’
Valentine
The tenor of them doth signify
My health and happy being at your court.
Duke
Nay then, no matter; stay with me awhile.
(the duke crosses the stage to
Down left to lean against a pole
As thurio crosses to valentine)
Thurio
Ay, stay.
Duke
I am to break thee of some affairs
That touch me near, where in thou must be secret
‘Tis not unknown to thee that i have sought
To match my friend, sir thurio, to my daughter
Valentine
I know it well, my lord, and sure the match
Were rich and honorable; besides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and such qualities
Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter.
Thurio
You’re very perceptive
Duke
Sir valentine.
(he motions for valentine to come
Closer and thurio balances the
Bike as valentine crosses to the
Duke)
Thurio
My what a lovely bike!
Duke
There is a lady in milan here
Whom i affect; but she is nice and coy
And nothing esteems my aged eloquence.
Now, therefore would i have thee to my tutor ‘
Thurio
And i would have thee for my tutor.
Duke
For long ago i have forgot to court;
Besides, the fashion of the time is changed ‘-
How and which way i may bestow myself
To be regarded in her sun-bright eye.
But she i mean is promised by her friends
Unto a youthful gentlemen of worth
And kept severely from resort of men,
That no man hath access by day to her
Valentine
(nervously)
Why, then, i would resort to her by night.
Thurio
Ay, but the doors be locked and the keys kept safe.
Duke
That no man hath recourse to her by night.
Valentine
What lets but one my enter at her window’
Thurio
Oh, no. Her chamber is aloft.
Duke
And built so shelving that one cannot climb it
Without apparent hazard of his life.
Valentine
Why, then a ladder...
Thurio
A ladder.
Duke
A ladder.
Thurio
Oh, a ladder!!
Valentine
A ladder made quaintly with cords
With a pair of anchoring hooks to cast up
Would serve to scale another hero’s tower,
So bold leander would adventure it.
(all laugh)
Duke
Now, as thou art a gentlemen of blood.
Advise me where i may have such a ladder.
Valentine
Pray tell, when would you use it’
Thurio
This very night.
(the duke removes his sunglasses)
Duke
(a threat)
For love is like a child
That longs for everything that he can come by.
Valentine
By seven o’clock ...
Thurio
Seven o’ Clock ...
Valentine
I’ll get you such a ladder.
Duke
Hark thee: i will go to her alone.
How shall i best convey the ladder thither’
Valentine
It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it
Under a cloak.
(the duke puts on his sunglasses.
Thurio goes into a dancing frenzy)
Thurio
A cloak, a cloak, a cloak!
Valentine
That is of my length.
Duke
A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn’
Valentine
Ay, my good lord.
Duke
Then let me see thy cloak:
I’ll get me one of such another length.
Valentine
Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord.
Duke
How shall i fashion me to wear a cloak’
I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.
(thurio has now reached valentine
And takes the cloak from his back
Exposing the rope ladder under the
Cape. As the duke prepares to blow
The whistle to bring on the guards)
Thurio
(ad lib without accompaniment)
Night ladder so divine
(the duke blows the whistle and
The guards appear as thurio does
A dance with the cape. Valentine
Tries to escape. He is blocked at
The right)
Night ladder now you’re mine
(valentine tries to escape to the
Left. Once again the duke blows
The whistle and another guard appears
Stage right with army clothes which
Thurio takes after handing the guard
The cape)
Oh, nothing gladder than a long night ladder
(thurio hands the uniform to
Valentine)
Duke
(ad lib without accompaniment)
No need to look so quizzical
You just passed your physical
You have no future and no past
The army is your home at last
I don’t know why he looks so sad
Army life it ain’t so bad
He’s patriotic is this man
To god, to country, and milan
(duke & thurio exit up center.
Duke smiles at valentine just
Before exiting)
Valentine
And why not death rather than living torment’
To die is to be banished from myself:
And silvia is myself: banished from her
Is self from self: a deadly banishment!
Valentine (cont’d)
What light is light, if silvia be no seen’
What joy is joy, if silvia be not by’
Unless it be to think that she is by,
And feed upon the shadow of perfection.
Except i be by silvia in the night,
There is no music in the nightingale;
Unless i look on silvia in the day,
There is no day for me to look upon:
She is my essence and i leave to be
If i be not by her fair influence
Fostered, illumined, cherished, kept alive.
(proteus enters)
Proteus
Cease to lament for that thou canst not help
And study help for that which thou lamentst.
Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.
Here, if thou stay, thou canst not see thy love;
Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life.
Hope is a lover’s staff: walk hence with that
And manage it against despairing thoughts.
Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence;
Which, being writ to me, shall be delivered
Even in the dark ebony bosom of thy love.
(valentine starts to protest)
The time now serves not to expostulate:
Come, i’ll convey thee through the city gate;
(silvia runs on the top level
Of the stage)
Silvia
Valentine!
Proteus
Don’t look back. You’ll turn in to salt.
(proteus leads valentine off.
The ensemble runs on)
Duke
Now, now daughter.
Silvia
Oh, you.
First i loved eglamour, and you sent him away
Now i love valentine and you sent him away
Why do you send away everyone i love’
Duke
Go back to your tower, dear.
Silvia
I don’t want to go back to my tower.
No. No. Valentine! Valentine!
(duke carries silvia off)
Thurio
My lord, my lord
Duke
(running back on)
Yes
Thurio
She takes his going grievously.
Duke
No! No!
I just talked to her and she said you were a poet
And she mentioned how orpheus’ Lute was strung with poets’ Sinews
Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones
Make tigers tame and huge leviathans
Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands.
Thurio
She said all that’
Duke
All that and more.
Last Update: December, 31st 2013