The Army of General Ven Has Crossed the Highest

Looney Town

Act 1 SARGENT EDWARDS ENTERS to DC. As he speaks to the audience members of the army enter along up wall behind him. GENERAL VEN ENTERS Left. EDWARDS

Sergeant Edwards, diary entry, March, 28. The army of General Ven has crossed the highest

slopes of the Mountains and will soon descend into the plains of central Europe.

We have destroyed every village we have encountered. We have burned every house,

taken all of their valuables, and those who surrender are made to join our army.

VEN Sergeant Edwards!

EDWARDS Yes Sir.

VEN Have the scouts returned?

EDWARDS Indeed they have.

VEN How many more of these mountain

villages remain before we reach the plains? EDWARDS

Only one Sir.

Excellent. How soon do we reach the last village?

EDWARDS It is not in front of us, Sir. It is many miles

to the North; a three day march. VEN

Then we will go there. We will burn it as we have done all the others.

EDWARDS It is a tiny village, Sir. It is not worth

the march. I have been told there is nothing there. VEN

We will destroy it as we have done all the others. No one is to survive the march of General Ven’s army.

EDWARDS Yes Sir.

VEN Onward! To the North!

EDWARDS As you wish Sir.

Set is brought on stage of a large burnt hole with a burnt forest around it. The army enters with Edwards and Ven.

EDWARDS March Thirty-first. We have reached the

outskirts of the final village. We have encountered a strange sight.

What is this? EDWARDS

No idea Sir. It appears to be a large blue rock. Someone has set the forest on fire around it and tore down the trees.

VEN Strange. How far is the village?

EDWARDS A mile down this river.

VEN Very well. We will camp here tonight. Make

sure everyone is given fresh water. Tomorrow morning we will attack the town.

EDWARDS As you wish Sir.

(to the audience) On the following morning, we attacked the village.

Set is taken away. Ven and army cross to Audience CAT PETTERS ENTER TO DOWN LEFT. Ven and army cross to Right Steps.

VEN I see. The village is empty.

EDWARDS No doubt they have scattered to the hills.

VEN Very odd. Every village has put up some type

of resistance. In their ignorance they fight the army of Ven with pitchforks and farm tools.

3 EDWARDS

They fight for their honor, Sir. VEN

And where does that get them? At least these people had the sense to be cowards.

EDWARDS What should we do Sir?

VEN We will find them, bring them back, ransack

their village and burn it as we have done the others. Edwards points out the Cat Petter.

EDWARDS Sir, I see a villager who has stayed behind.