SCENE ELEVEN

(THEY arrived in a kind of strange courtyard formed by walls of corrugated metal fencing – The Isle of Dogs. Fires burn in oil drums. A group of HARLOTS and THUGS is gathered around a manhole on a circle of tires. There are needles being passed around. In the background DRUNKS sip at bad beer and rubbing alcohol. The HAWKER and HARMONICA PLAYER stand CENTERSTAGE. JAMES and TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY stand DOWNSTAGE RIGHT. The HARLOTS dance seductively in the background.)

HAWKER, HARMONICA PLAYER (Cont'd)

SHE'S GOT THE POWER TO HEAL YOU, NEVER FEAR.

HARLOTS, THUGS

WHOA – WHOA –

HAWKER

OH –

HAWKER, HARMONICA PLAYER, HARLOTS, THUGS

(Variously)

SHE'S GOT THE POWER TO HEAL YOU, NEVER FEAR.

HAWKER, HARMONICA PLAYER, SIX HARLOTS

JUST A WORD FROM HER LIPS

AND THE DEAF BEGIN TO HEAR.

$$&&&&$$WARNING, WILL ROBINSON, WARNING! DANGER, DANGER!$$&&&&$$

Lady Apolla: This next song is very suggestive. There is some sexual content and drug action within this song that you may not be interested in. Proceed with caution.

$$&&&&$$

#14 Acid Queen (Gypsy)

(The HAWKER and HARMONICA PLAYER move STAGE RIGHT. JAMES quickly leads TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY across the stage and they face UPSTAGE from DOWNSTAGE LEFT. The JAKES all fade off. Only the HAWKER and HARMONIC PLAYER stay behind to observe.

A wild looking GYPSY PROSTITUTE lifts her right leg into the air, pointed diagonally left. SHE lowers it and turns regally in her seat to face diagonal right. The GYPSY QUEEN then stands and turns her back on JAMES and TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY.)

GYPSY

IF YOUR CHILD AIN'T ALL HE SHOULD BE NOW,

THIS GIRL WILL PUT HIM RIGHT.

I'LL SHOW HIM WHAT HE COULD BE NOW;

JUST GIVE ME ONE NIGHT.

(SHE raises her cape with her arms and turns to face front.)

I'M THE GYPSY – THE ACID QUEEN!

PAY BEFORE WE START.

(The GYPSY moves to CENTERSTAGE.)

I'M THE GYPSY – I'M GUARANTEED

TO TEAR HIS SOUL APART.

(JAMES is uncertain. HE hesitates. The GYPSY swirls around and walks to the HAWKER.)

GIVE US A ROOM AND CLOSE THE DOOR.

LEAVE US FOR A WHILE.

(SHE looks back at JAMES.)

YOUR BOY WON'T BE A BOY NO MORE,

YOUNG BUT NOT A CHILD.

(The GYPSY flings off her cape and the HAWKER catches it. SHE struts back to CENTER.)

I'M THEY GYPSY – THE ACID QUEEN!

PAY BEFORE WE START.

(SHE crosses back to the HAWKER and caresses his face.)

I'M THE GYPSY – I'M GUARANTEED

TO TEAR HIS SOUL APART.

(SHE circles back to CENTER.)

GATHER YOUR WITS AND HOLD ON FAST;

YOUR MIND MUST LEARN TO ROAM.

JUST AS THE GYPSY QUEEN MUST DO,

(SHE goes to JAMES and pushes him away from TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY, shoving him towards the HAWKER.)

YOU'RE GONNA HIT THE ROAD.

(SHE finds her way back to CENTERSTAGE and struts DOWNSTAGE.)

WHEN WORK IS DONE, YOU'LL LOOK AT HIM;

HE'LL NEVER BE MORE ALIVE.

(SHE walks seductively back to CENTER.)

MY BLOOD WILL RUN THOUGH HIS SKIN.

WATCH HIS BODY WRITHE!

(SHE runs back DOWNSTAGE, arms up over her head. The GYPSY then turns to face UPSTAGE.)

I'M THE GYPSY – THE ACID QUEEN!

(SHE looks to TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY as she points at JAMES.)

PAY BEFORE WE START.

(SHE struts over to TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY and pulls him to DOWNSTAGE CENTER, where SHE turns him front.)

I'M THE GYPSY – I'M GUARANTEED

TO TEAR HIS SOUL APART.

(The GYPSY performs an erotic dance all around TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY. JAMES crosses UPSTAGE and ends up back at his beginning position DOWNSTAGE LEFT. The GYPSY turns TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY UPSTAGE, then raises his arms and lowers them again. SHE ends by turning him back DOWNSTAGE walking to the right of TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY and twirls.)

IF YOUR CHILD AIN'T ALL HE SHOULD BE NOW,

THIS GIRL WILL PUT HIM RIGHT.

(The GYPSY stops twirling and flicks her hands at TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY and HE raises his arms over his head. HE holds the position, seeming to respond to her magic. JAMES is startled by this and immensely encouraged. HE takes a step towards his son. The GYPSY walks over to TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY and brings his arms down before running her fingers seductively over his neck.)

I'LL SHOW HIM WHAT HE COULD BE NOW;

JUST GIVE ME ONE NIGHT.

(SHE goes over to JAMES, grabs his shoulders, and shakes him roughly.)

I'M THE GYPSY – THE ACID QUEEN!

PAY BEFORE WE START.

(Finally, JAMES opens his billfold and counts out fifty pounds. SHE savagely rips it out of his hands and struts back to TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY with it, the money in her hand held up high over her head. When she reaches him, the GYPSY sticks the money into her top.)

I'M THE GYPSY – I'M GUARANTEED

TO BREAK YOUR LITTLE HEART.

(The GYPSY leads TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY toward the opening in the metal fence. JAMES watches in agony. SHE is just about to pull TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY into her lair when JAMES, changing his mind, rushes to pull the boy away from her. HE grabs TEN-YEAR-OLD HARRY'S arm and pulls him off UPSTAGE RIGHT quickly.

The GYPSY saunters down and begins to count the money she's pulled out of her dress. SHE'S joined by the HAWKER and HARMONICA PLAYER. The HAWKER takes the money from the GYPSY. SHE turns away in despair. HE gives her a fully loaded syringe. She wanders into the background and crouches. She pumps up her arm, injects the needle, and shoots. The HAWKER and HARMONICA PLAYER go off separately.)

END OF SCENE ELEVEN

Yikes! That was a little intense. Don't worry. That'll be the end of the drugs and sexual assaults. Though I don't think we wanna really know what's coming up for Harry next.

GreenTea: I'm glad you're enjoying it. And here's the update. Thanks for the tip about That Rat Worth Kneeling. I'll definitely take a look at it and recommend it to my guardian and her new fiance. And as per grammer and spelling, my dad's a teacher and one of his jobs is summer school high school English. So I always try to use proper grammer and spelling, even on AIM.

Coming up next, ACT ONE FINALE! Okay, usually in a musical this is the show stopper and it's no different in rock operas. So get ready and see if you can recognize the song. I may even give a little bonus quiz.