(As BEAUTY sings the last lines of THE LULLABYE, she turns and looks upstage. There, behind the scrim, the lights have come up on the INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE. BEAUTY and FATHER rise and cross upstage, joining the rest of the family, who are waking up and moving about the house. There is a long, plain table with a few simple chairs/benches. Some crude mugs and bowls are on the table, possibly a fireplace. BEAUTY’s family consists of OLGA and TANYA, both teenagers, SASHA and PETER, about 12 and 10 respectively, and the little ones, ALEX, 7, and ELLIE, 5.)
ALEX: (spoken)
Good morning, Papa!
FATHER:
Good morning, and who are you? Are you my son Alex? I can’t see you for all the dirt on your face little boy!
BEAUTY:
Ellie, come here darling and let me comb your hair.
OLGA:
(OLGA and TANYA are used to the life they once led and are not accustomed to doing housework. BOTH carry baskets with clothing in them.) Oh, the wash! I hate doing the wash. Just look at my hands, all red and sore.
TANYA:
In the old days, we never would have done the wash ourselves!
OLGA:
How I wish that just once I could sleep late in the morning and have my maid bring me breakfast in bed.
SASHA:
(draping a rag over his arm) Here you are m’ladies, your breakfast in bed. Now do the wash!
(The other children laugh.)
TANYA:
You think it’s funny? How are we ever to find wealthy husbands when we are forced to live in this shack and act as servants?
PETER:
I actually rather like living in the country! When I grow up, I can hunt in the forest!
ALEX:
When I grow up I’ll have my own sword and slay the monster that lives in the Black Woods. (ALEX and PETER pretend to swordfight.)
SASHA:
When you grow up, you can help me chop wood!
ELLIE:
(frightened) Beauty, is it true there’s a monster in the forest?
BEAUTY:
Oh no, Ellie. Monsters are just in fairytales and nightmares. There’s no such thing as monsters.
(A loud knock at the door is heard. ELLIE shrieks and hides behind BEAUTY’s skirt. FATHER opens the door to a ragtag bunch of SAILORS. Leading them is CAPTAIN SOBOTKA, a salty and somewhat ancient mariner, who is partially deaf.)
FATHER:
Captain Sobotka! My faithful crew! What brings you to this part of the country?
CAPTAIN SOBOTKA:
Greetings, sir. We were just passing through and we stopped by to bring you some good news.
FATHER:
Really? I could use some good news.
CAPTAIN:
Eh, what’s this? You’ve already heard the news? Who from, sir?
SAILOR #1:
(yelling) No, Captain, he said he could use some good news!
CAPTAIN:
Ah, yes. A very good brew. I’ll have a glass.
(FATHER gets a glass from the table and brings it to him.)
FATHER:
Now, what’s this news, Captain Sobotka?
CAPTAIN:
Oh yes, some vodka would be fine. But enough of this, let me tell you the news.
SAILORS:
TELL HIM!
CAPTAIN:
Sir, we’re on our way to the Volga. We’ve heard there’s work for good crews there. But just as we left the coast, word came that your ship, The Beauty, has finally come back to port.
FATHER:
What?! The Beauty has returned at last? This is a miracle!
CHILDREN:
Papa! That’s wonderful! I can’t believe it! etc.
FATHER:
This could change everything!
CAPTAIN:
Well, we hope the tide of fortune has changed for you. Perhaps with The Beauty home safe at last, your troubles are at an end.
ALEX:
(running over to the CAPTAIN) Captain, did you sail with my Papa?
CAPTAIN:
JAIL!? Who told you about that? (getting more upset) That was a long time ago. Just a little misunderstanding…
SAILORS:
(breaking in before he says anything worse) Captain Sobotka! SAIL!!!
SAILOR #2:
He asked if you ever SAILED with his father!
CAPTAIN:
Oh! Yes, of course. We were all very proud of it.
FATHER:
Captain Sobotka, you were ever my faithful friend. I promise you that if The Beauty has brought back a fortune, I will send word to you and your crew.
CAPTAIN:
I look forward to that, sir. Now, we must be off. We have a long journey ahead of us and a storm’s coming on. If you plan to go back to the port, you’d better leave soon as well. The roads are very bad already.
FATHER:
(as the CAPTAIN and SAILORS are leaving) Yes, I’ll leave right away. Farewell… and thank you! Best of luck to you all.
(The SAILORS all exit.)
FATHER:
Children, I must hurry. Sasha, my pack.
SASHA:
Yes, Papa!
(He goes to get it offstage.)
FATHER:
Peter, my cloak.
PETER:
Right away, Papa!
(He goes to get it offstage.)
ELLIE:
Papa, do you have to leave right now?
FATHER:
Yes, my dear. There’s no time to lose. (SASHA and PETER come back with FATHER’s things.) But, I wish I didn’t have to leave you all.
FATHER: (singing)
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY FATHER HAS TO GO?
