A Play by Chuck
| CHARACTERS: |
Hannibal the Lion, Male, age 17, Angel the Lion, (Hannibal’s Twin Brother)
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| SETTING: |
7:30 pm on a summer night
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| TIME: |
Africa; South of the Sahara in the jungle. It’s a very hot tropical night in the summer. The jungle is filled with big trees, branches, prey and rivers
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| AT RISE: |
Hannibal is in his mother’s hut planning his attack as his twin Brother Angel enters the hut
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Angel
(Looking at Hannibal concerned) Wassup witchu twin?
Hannibal
(Looking Happy to see Angel) I’m just deep in thought. (Hannibal says it as if he’s plotting)
Thinking about life
Angel
What about life?
Hannibal
(Pause) Man! I’m tired of us being at the bottom of the food chain. We don’t get no respect around
this camp. It’s like we don’t even exist
Angel
Sometimes you gota take things step by step. One thing about life is you can’t rush things
Hannibal
If we don’t start making moves now, we gone Remain at the bottom.
Angel
(Looks anxious) What do you mean “we make moves?” What kind of moves?
Hannibal
I’m tryna take over the Jungle YO!
(Angel drops his face and shakes his head)
Angel
I knew dis was coming! I just know you was up to something
Hannibal
I don’t know bout chu, but I’m not feelin dis lil small run down hut. Mom’s sick and the family is starting to split. And we can barely even keep food in the hut. It’s bout time we step up and get royal
Angel
You must been round them hyenas again thinking stupidity like dat. You know; don’t nobody just
get royal over night! What’s wrong witchu dude?
Hannibal
I’m trying to be King “b”! I’m tired of being under somebody else’s control. It’s my destiny to be on
top. I want the power and respect…For US!
Angel
For us? Man, I’m a grown lion. I don’t need you thinking for me. I handle things on my own.
Hannibal
I’m finna handle things on my own too. 2morow morning, I’m gone step up and get the power and
respect I deserve
Angel
Was 2morow? (ASIDE) The only thing 2omorow is that the king & his family is coming through (Pause) O, I get it…you tryna be a big cat
Hannibal
Yeah, you got it right. I’m gone take out the king and his family. Even if it means shedding blood
Angel
You must be crazy if you think I’m gone let you put this family in danger. You know what happens when you plot on the king? (Hannibal & Angel) DEATH!
Hannibal
Dat’s why I need you, to help me carry out this attack. (Sweet talking) See I’ve been working on
this plan with them hyenas. They’re not loyal and they’re not blood. So its not going to work with me
by myself and without a real mastermind. You have god’s gift with real skillful planning ever since
we were young. Do you remember when we were out hunting for prey? How you came up with dat plan 2 get dat zebra right into are trap?
Angel
(Angry) See, dats what’s wrong witchu. You don’t care about no one but yourself. Do you think about
the danger you going to put the family into? We could be killed for even thinking about doing something so stupid. If mom duke would hear you talking like this, she would have a nervous breakdown. And what kind of example would you be setting for our little brother cannibal? Something
like that would destroy everything I worked for
Hannibal
Let me ask you something? If you can come through for me, how would something like dis get us killed? Long as we come through with a good plan that we can execute, we gone be koo
Angel
Look, things have been going good in life for me the last past few weeks. I finally got into the
Lion Academy. Now I can learn how to be a pro at life. I’m tryna be a better lion
Hannibal
Don’t chu see? With us on top of the kingdom, we won’t need to want for anything. Aren’t you tired
of this run down hut? We need something better, bigger and with more space. This is not for us
being at the bottom! There’s a lot more out there for us. If you help me with this, we could be on
top over night.
Angel
See bra, dats the difference between me and you. I work hard for everything I got in life. You on the
other paw, ever since we was young, took from others. When you gone wake up in see that you
just can’t take stuff from everybody?
Hannibal
It’s like this; what I got in mind gone put both of us on. This is not just one of them stupid moves
we used to do when we were cubs. With this move, are cubs, cubs, cubs gone be set. You can even run
that Lion school you got into. So if you in, your in. If not, the least you could do is help me plan
out the attack
Angel
Ever since we were young yo, I always helped you cuz you my twin. Not because I wanted 2 but
because I didn’t have it in me 2 turn my back on you. This time, I just can’t help you. There’s
too much on the line; my family, career and my dignity as a lion… Most important; I don’t want to
see you get hurt. You my twin, we came into this world wit each other. Please don’t put me into
this situation. Even though I always say “I will die for you” doesn’t mean I wanna go out like dis.
Hannibal
I’m confident that with me & you on the team with them young hyenas that we can pull dis off. You’ve always been down with me through thick and thin. You the only Lion I could count on in life
2 be there with me. You the realest lion I’ve ever known. To be your twin brother is my pleasure.
The things you stand for can’t be measured. I love you so much bra that words couldn’t even explain. wanna see you do yo thang, but this is the way I look at things. The way you going about things is too slow. So wassup, I’m on the clock. It’s now or never. What’s it gonna be Angel?
Angel
Man, we’ve been through so much in our 17 years of life. I never thought we would have to step on
someone else’s toes to reach our goals…I’m sorry bra but I can’t role
Hannibal
I thought you would have done anything for me. I see you got your limits. I can’t even be mad at
chu. We still family
Hannibal walks out of the hut to meet the hyenas.
The next morning Hannibal and the hyenas are in the bushes next to the travel path of the Royal family. As the royal family approaches, Hannibal sees Angel creeping through the other end of the bushes
Hannibal
You ready to do this?
TO BE CONTINUED!
