Don't Let Me Subvert Your Artistic Vision

A question, says Saint Roley.

Go for it, says Sweezus.

It's for Belle, says Saint Roley.

Yes? says Belle.

I'm an oyster catcher, says Saint Roley.

I know that, says Belle.

I have a certain shaped head, says Saint Roley. And a beak that requires balance.

In a hat? asks Belle. I'm with you. Don't worry. I'm thinking, a straw hat with a few pretty flowers.

Good one, says Sweezus. Flowers from the garden before it got wrecked. It's like, ironic.

You think so? asks Vello. You have a strange idea of ironic.

An ironic hat, says David. I like it.

How would it stay on? asks Saint Roley.

A ribbon, says Belle, tied under your chin. Not too showy, because of the beak thing.

Celia is sorry she chose to play Brother Giroflée.

She would really like a straw hat with ironic flowers and a ribbon.

Any ideas about my hat? asks Celia.

Sure, says Belle. You're a monk, right. You could wear a pointy hood hat.

I cant quite picture a pointy hood hat, says Celia.

Where's a pencil? says Belle.

It's an office. Of course there's a pencil.

She quickly sketches her idea for Celia's hat.

It looks pointy, but plain.

Could it.....maybe be folded back so my eyes show? asks Celia.

Fold it however you like, says Belle. It will be good if your eyes show.

Encouraged, Celia asks for flowers.

Could it have flowers?

NO! says Vello.

Maybe one flower, says Belle. But we need to remember your character.

Celia tries to remember her character. What does she know of him so far? He has a brother who is nothing more than a device. He is stuck in a monastery because of this brother. Now he is with Paquette who gave someone syphilis. It will not be mentioned, but Celia can't forget it.

What is my character? asks Celia.

Candide gave you money, says Vello. You quickly squandered it. It did not make you happy.

Can we change that? asks Saint Roley.

Not the money, says Vello. But the point of this play is to show you the way to be happy.

In a garden, says Celia. But hasn't the garden fallen into a sink hole?

That's what we now have to deal with, says David. Sweezus, tell us what happens.

Okay, says Sweezus. Paquette and Brother Giroflée look down from the top of the chasm into the  sink hole.

Paquette says There go my pistachios. Brother Giroflée says Yeah and the oranges. Paquette says What's that horrible smell coming up from the stink hole?

Is it ME? cries Terence.

Yeah, and they leave, says Sweezus.

Am I STUCK down there for ever? asks Terence.

No way. Pangloss and Martin are there too, remember?

Yes so we are, says Vello. How do we handle the situation? I imagine Pangloss wants to leave things as they are.

Yep, you got it, says Sweezus. But Martin goes off to get the old lady.

That's me, says Gaius. Will I have a hat too?

You could have, says Belle. In fact yes you should have. Maybe a bonnet?

I was thinking of something more modern, says Gaius. Possibly a bucket hat? But don't let me subvert your artistic vision.

No, a bucket hat, great! says Belle. Easy.

Do I get OUT? asks Terence.

Is that all we DO? asks Saint Roley.

No. It's just the beginning, says Sweezus.