Riverton MDT 2017 One Act - The Wall
Five speakers enact a ritualized negotiation over land, voting to build a wall despite absurd concerns about animals that can't read borders. The play satirizes democracy and border politics through repetitive dialogue that spirals into philosophy about war's futility, ending with the wall's collapse and the cycle beginning again.
Chapters
How odd. I felt sure there was someone here just a minute ago.
There's still a trace of an echo. I could have been mistaken though. They come and go. Well, it's my job to wait and see. I may have to wait some time, but there's nothing I can do about that. Time passes. Listen! Footsteps coming from this direction! And more footsteps coming from that direction!
Something's about to happen.
I must make a note. Party B from the east, Party A from the west. Worn out from traveling, they come to rest. Heard some official records? At first they are too exhausted for words. That's better. Gradually they look around them. At first critically, then with growing admiration and delight, but too taken with their own concerns. Do you notice the other group?
Here?
Here.
It's a good place.
Yes, it's a good place. Better than any other place we've seen. It's a good place, alright.
To pause at?
To stay at. To make our own. Forever and ever.
This? This is our place?
Ours! Ours! Took us long enough to find it. It was a long journey. But it was worth every day we searched.
It was worth every mile we tramped.
Look at it! Just look!
"Look here!" "Look there!" "Look!" Of course, they could have commented on the natural advantages of the place, such as the average hour of sunshine, the mean rainfall, the geological structure, the chemistry of the topsoil, the lush pasturage. They'll find the words in time. But next, they notice each other. "Look!" "Look!" "Look!" "Look!" Party A goes into a huddle looking warily into Party B. Party B goes into a huddle looking warily into Party A. Nothing's comments on there. It's the usual pattern. Any minute now, the scope camera will face up to each other.
Who are you?
Who are you?
We've come a long way.
We've come a long way. We want to live here.
We want to live here.
You—
we won't We don't want to drive you away.
One man, one vote. It takes time, but that's democracy. There's no guarantee that we'll come to the right decision in the end, but then again, that's democracy too.
Isn't there enough room for all of us?
There's enough room for everybody.
You can have all you see from there to here.
And you can have all you see from here to there. From here to there.
Agree? Agree!
Agree!
Do you mind if we pause the negotiation?
For a conference.
Agree.
I don't know who gave me this job. I seem to have been doing it as long as I can remember. Not that I'm complaining. Someone has to do it. The record must be kept. Who knows, one day someone may learn from it.
We have come to a conclusion.
A conclusion is a good thing to come to. We have reached an agreement.
It's just as well to reach an agreement.
That you take that stretch of country with all its natural amenities, grazing rights, hunting rights, water rights, fishing rights, arable land, and mineral deposits.
And that you take all that stretch of land and call it natural boundaries, etc., etc., etc.
Furthermore.
Furthermore?
Yes. For the benefits of all concerned.
Does that include us?
It includes everybody. Let's say a line be drawn.
A line?
A line. Let's say a line be drawn to mark where your land ends and ours begins.
Ah yes, I was just about to add that a line be drawn to mark the place where our land ends and yours begins.
Good fences make good neighbors.
Good neighbors make good fences.
Shall I argue now?
Why not?
Shall I? It's true.
Proposals, counter-proposals, resolutions, amendments, points of order, appeals to the chair, motions, votes, whole provisions, and redacts. Everybody has a say. It can become tedious at times, but it has one advantage: if anything goes wrong, Everyone, it's a good line.
It's a good line?
Don't I say it myself?
I don't know.
Are you criticizing this line?
Perhaps you could draw a better line.
We're all listening. What have you got against this line?
Well, chickens.
Chickens? What?
I know a thing or two about chickens, I do. There's not much you can tell me about chickens. I was brought up with them, and I'll tell you this: chickens can't read.
Chickens can't read? I can't read.
What difference does that make to this line?
None at all to your line.
None to your chickens for that matter.
No use putting up your "Beware of the Bulls" signs, your "Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted" notices, and you might as well forget your one-way streets, your diversions, and your road closed. Because chickens go where they want to. No use drawing a line and expecting them to stay on that side of it, or this side for that matter.
But why does it matter where your chickens go?
Oh, if it doesn't matter, there's no one to be saved.
Good, then we can go out to the mountains— But suppose it should be sheep? Sheep? Sheep can't read either. At least, I never saw a sheep reading. Ignorant animals, really. A line won't keep a sheep from straying. Especially if it can't read. Or cows from wandering, or horses from getting lost. And that's for Rob Bagley!
All right!
What do you want?
Schools for animals.
What we need are fences.
Walls. Thick enough to stop cows from breaking through. High enough to stop chickens from flying over. You know, good walls make good neighbors. Good neighbors make good walls.
You want walls?
Shall we build walls?
Before we do anything else.
This high? Higher, think of the cows.
This height?
Higher, think of the horses.
This high.
Higher, think of the chickens. I think this shall do. Yes, that should do. It had better do, now make it fast.
And build the wall.
I won't say they're right. I won't say they're wrong. It's my job merely to record the events. Events speak for themselves. They marched to the wall. They built the wall.
Side to side, you see. Over or through or round.
That's a wall.
That's a wall. That's glass.
Nothing we need to learn about building a wall.
Except how to make your way over or through or round.
Are you there?
We're here. Are you satisfied?
Everything went according to plan. What now?
We settle down.
And you?
We settle down too. It's good land.
It's very good land.
We're lucky.
We have good neighbors.
We've got good neighbors too. It's a good wall.
Good walls make good fences.
Good neighbors make good walls. Uh, goodbye, must get down to work. Goodbye. Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Nothing left but the wall. And these chickens on each side of the wall. And the sheep on each side of the wall. And the horses on each side of the wall. And the cows on each side of the wall. And the people on each side of the wall. It's a busy life. And the greatest advantage to being busy is that it occupies the mind. Working keeps thoughts under control. You see, thoughts are more apt to run wild than any sheep. Thoughts can fly higher than any chickens. In fact, walls make thoughts fly even higher. But as long as those thoughts are controlled, there's no harm done. Except there comes a time when all of the chickens have been fed, and all of the cows have been milked, and all of the sheep have been rounded up in a fold, and the dogs are free to stray.
I wonder what they're doing over there.
Over there?
Over there. What do you think they're doing? Why?
Why not?
I wonder what they're doing over there. We can't see them, can we? They can't see us.
I just wonder.
Anybody could wonder.
Like, do spring and summer come before autumn and winter, or do autumn and winter come first?
Like, can a worm think?
Like, what are they doing over there?
The usual things, I suppose. What do you mean, the usual things?
What do you mean, the usual things?
Things that you usually do. Things that we usually do. Not the things that they usually do? The things that they usually do. You said the things that we usually do. They're the same things. Are they the same? Why shouldn't they be the same? Why shouldn't they be the same?
They're not like us.
Aren't they?
Wait.
Stands to reason.
Work it out for yourself. Just work it out. For instance, you're not like me, are you?
Not, not. So much. You're not a bit like me.
So much.
They're not a bit like us. So they're not a bit like us. We're on this side of the wall. They're on the other side of the wall.
Fancy living on the other side of the wall.
Fancy wanting to live on the other side of the wall. When you could be living here. Fancy not wanting to live here.
Funny.
They've got some funny ways.
Yes, they've got some funny ways.
Have they? Of course! You've got some funny ways too! They look funny to me, all right! We've all got funny ways. But theirs are funnier over there. We don't even know ways they've got. If they've got ways we don't know about, they must be funny ways.
Still, as long as they're on the other side of the wall, it doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter as long as they're on that side of the wall and we're on this. I'm not so sure.
What do you mean?
I've been thinking. They're very quiet. We're quiet? We've got nothing to make a noise about. What about them, huh?
What about them?
What have they got to be so quiet about? It's unnatural.
It's unusual.
It's disturbing. It's disquieting. It's abnormal.
It's unpopular.
It's sinister.
It's—
It's enough to send cold shivers down your back.
It's enough to make your hair stand on end.
Just thinking about it. Just wondering. What are they up to? What are they doing behind that wall? They could be doing anything behind that wall. Like? What?
Just think.
Oh!
Uh, they wouldn't.
Not that. I wouldn't put it past them. Not them.
Not that.
Not what?
Not what you're thinking.
Oh, really?
Really?
They're not to be relied on.
You're exaggerating.
Exaggerating?
You wouldn't expect anybody to do that, would you?
We wouldn't do it. We're not like them. They're not like us. But they wouldn't— Like? For instance? Or even?
Not to mention.
Just you wait. Wait for what? You'll see. You'll believe me then. Just you wait till you see it happening. I don't believe it. Oh, you will. If you ask me, they're wicked. That's the reason. They're a wicked lot.
They wouldn't get up to that sort of thing if they weren't wicked.
Well, as long as they're wicked on their side of the wall—
Wickedness spreads.
Wickedness creeps. How long will they go on being wicked on their side of the wall?
It's a high wall.
It's a thick wall.
Let them do what they like on their side of the wall. They can't interfere with us.
Can't they?
Well, what can they do to us? They could be making plans now.
Think!
Just think!
They could be spying on us now!
Don't be silly! That's absurd! Is it? Well, pass me out the check. It wouldn't do any harm to look. You can look if you like. I'm not making a fool of myself. I'll tell you what they're doing on the other side.
What?
I know what they're doing.
Tell us!
They're lying down in the sun like sensible people, maybe chewing long bits of grass. They're looking up at the sky. Drying and working out tomorrow's weather. Or they're counting chickens. Or counting sheep. They're doing what we're doing. They're doing exactly what we're doing.
I knew they weren't to be trusted.
Well, have a look quickly. Look at them.
Look. Help. Climb up.
Before the top.
At this point, there's always a temptation to shout, "Stop!" But a recorder mustn't. It's a recorder's job to record, no more, no less. And my goodness, the fuss that's made about handwriting and spelling. And the spelling really— They've taken the first step, you see. And after the first step, the rest follow naturally. All a reporter can do is report.
They climb up to the top of the wall and—
It's all true!
They were!
Looking over!
Spying!
On us!
On us!
It's a good thing we looked.
We caught them at it!
And they were surprised.
They never expected that.
And they were fairly caught.
Caught in the act. But why were they doing it? But why would they want to do it? Why? Why? We can guess.
That's only half the story.
That's only the tip of the iceberg.
They're up to no good.
They're ready for something.
We must be ready for them.
Ready for what?
Ready for anything.
Well, anything might happen.
They're not like us.
They're a bad lot.
They're cruel.
Ruthless.
Devilish. Fiendish.
Wild.
Savages.
Keeping calm.
Sneaks. But let's consider. Let's think carefully. We looked over the wall too. We'd never have seen them if we hadn't peeked.
It's as well that we did.
And where would we be now if we hadn't? Wait though. Couldn't we forget that it happened? Couldn't we make allowances?
Oh yes, indeed.
Why not indeed?
If you want to be turned into mince.
If you want to wake up with your throat cut. But what can we do?
But what's to be done?
One thing's certain.
There's no doubt at all.
We can't live here any longer with them just there.
We either have to fight or move on.
Either they go, or we go. Or we have to go.
It's either them or us.
Them!
Them! But we've got the wall. There's always the wall.
Pull it down!
Pull it down!
It's on.
Even sensible actions that would never be taken in a causal peace are taken in the name of war.
Like pulling together.
Like breaking down walls. But the results As for instance, they fight. No, I'm not recording all of the details. Any battle is just like any other battle. There are some acts of chivalry, some deeds of compassion, a hint of cowardice, A bunch of paper. But the heroes and the cowards, the patriots and the traitors, all have one thing in common. They all end up dead. And this? This is nothing. I've seen battles that made this look like a squabble between sticklebacks. Not that I'm giving any prize for the best battle. I mean, every battle end the same way. One side thinks that is won, and the other side thinks that also is won. Someone cleans up the mess, and the ground is up and tidy, ready for someone else to fight over another time. I could moralize. I could draw conclusions, but the conclusion is so obvious. They fight until— oh, is it over already? Now, is there anything to add before I draw the line?
No?
I thought there might have been. Like the last spark in the dying fire. Like the last syllable in a fading echo. Ah, I thought so much.
Am I going?
Going. You can stay now. No, you can't stay now. It's good land. It was good land. We, we didn't want to Two. If only we hadn't— But you! Me? We two. It was the wall, you know. The wall was split. The wall.
The wall.
We should have made it stronger.
Thicker. Higher.
Longer. It was the law. Ugh!
I don't want to know anymore. It's all down here, over and over again. History. The record is being kept because someday someone may learn from it. Now I'm required elsewhere. Oh, this all becomes so monotonous. Someday? Somewhere? Someone? Is it possible?
