| Pagallo Tiko Tada |
| The scene is
night time in front of a row of basement shops, tenements, and a
jazz-house. There is a telephone booth to the right, and in the centre,
a lamp post with one of its two lights knocked out. Pagallo staggers from the Jazz Grotto with a wine-bottle under each arm. He stops with his knees together, then moving his head to focus his eyes, executes a turn and a leap towards a passing cab. Pagallo: Wait 'Taxshi! Taxshi!...Taxshi!' Cab! Pagallo shakes a bottle menacingly while saying this. Then with his side view to the audience, bent slightly forward from the hips, one bottle pendant in his left hand, gesticulating with the other, continues... Pagallo: The deplorable lack of decency and respect for law-abiding, just, upright, 'honourhible', sober people. These 'driversh' should be deflagrated. 'Hic.'They're 'sho' small that they would... (Here, he pulls the bottle down abruptly.) Pagallo: ...fit perfectly into the spoon of 'that purpish.' A drop too much has caused Pagallo to lose control of the muscles of his face which is now set squarely before the entertained. To add to his difficulties, this Launcelot Gobbo is very highly aggravated. Pagallo: Their dirty, springless, fashionless vehicles...Oh well, I'll call one. I remember the, 'numbersh' of 'shix thaxi' Corporations 'anywaysh'. With his legs crossed, bleary-eyed, he holds a long finger to the audience; his shoulders squared, and his elbows rammed into his ribs, he swerves into the acquaintance of a post. Pagallo: Good morning! 'Thish' is Thursday...you. (Flippantly) After the night comes twelve am, then morning...Well, aren't you goin' to answer me?...Hum...hum. Pagallo totters to the telephone booth where he draws a handful of coins from his pocket. Selecting one, he inserts it then discards the remainder and commences to dial all the numbers of all six taxi corporations in succession. Pagallo: 'Shend' a car to the 'Jazzth' Grotto. Pagallo 'desiresh hit,' and Pagallo shall have it! Dropping the receiver, he falls out and inquires of the noise. Pagallo: 'Who'sh' knocking? Swaying and staggering into the steps from his latest job, Pagallo dances to the left. The scene is gradually pulled out to the right and the side of the block of buildings is unfolded, to reveal the second scene. A fourth class tenement with out-dated public facilities along the streets with a backdrop of a modern city forms the stage. The streets are marked in white on a grey floor. The 1910 street lamps cast a glow as Pagallo dances around while humming pop tunes lazily. After a while, he places his wine bottles on the floor on either side of a lamp post, and with one arm around the post, the other extended in a claw to cast a shadow, hoofs his way through a garbage can, mail box, drumming-session with his feet. He stops; swings his torso sideways with his arms straight and stiff, and clings to the post partially sober. Pagallo flings himself away and with a brilliant introduction, sings. Pagallo: Vesti la Guibba...ha, ha, ha, ha,... His brief recital is followed by the draining of both bottles of wine. Then presently: Pagallo: 'Where'sh 'my' hic, hic, hic,...taxshi?...'I called a 'taxshi.' Pagallo wavers and weaves his way to the telephone, bumping into almost any available object. The first scene is slowly moved until the corner of the block and the Jazz Grotto are shown; third scene. Still hiccoughing at a ratio greater than that which his constitution cares for, he returns and the Jazz Grotto is now closed. Pagallo: Ooohhh! You're still there. You haven't hung up yet? My, my, but you are patient. He fumbles around for the telephone receiver and finally, with the wrong end to his mouth: Pagallo: 'Goooo-bye...bye. Heeheeheeheehee hee hee heeeeheee. Clanging the receiver sideways on the lever, he leaves, laughing. The lights grow dark leaving only shadows, and Pagallo walks irregularly to the back of the stage giggling. |