The Arabian Nights by Nora Louise Syran
This Play is the copyright of the Author and must NOT be Performed without the Author's PRIOR consent
Everyone is on stage. The Sultan upstage center. Oriental music plays as the play opens.
5 GIRLS: Once upon a time in Persia, there lived a Sultan.
GIRL A: I thought the stories were from India?
GIRL B: I thought they were from China?
GIRL C: I thought they were Egyptian?
GIRL D: I thought they were Arabian?
5 GIRLS: They are. The Thousand and One Nights. The Arabian Nights. Stories of fate, justice, adventure and love brought together during the Islamic Golden Age. Tonight we will tell only a handful of the tales told by Shéhérazade to the Sultan Shahryar thereby saving her life...for as the story begins...
The 5 girls sit scattered downstage. The two sisters stand center stage.
DINARAZADE: This is foolish of you, Shéhérazade. If your plan fails, King Shahryar will banish you like he has done the women before you. He is a broken man. His first wife hurt him so. So now he is full of hate. Full of fear.
SHEHERAZADE: My plan will work. With my stories, I will save myself, and save King Shahryar and the kingdom from his terrible curse.
Shéhérazade is carried by the donkey and the bull to meet the Sultan. Women stand waving, cheering, crying...
SULTAN: Enjoy your meal tonight for tomorrow you will be banished like all the rest.
Dinarazade bursts out crying. When allowed to stay, she can stand behind the Sultan, fanning him.
SHEHERAZADE: This is my sister, Dinarazade. She cries as she will be sad to no longer hear my stories.
DINARAZADE: Please, may I stay with my sister tonight so I might hear one more of her stories?
SULTAN: You may. Stories, you say? I wish to hear one of them...
SHEHERAZADE: Very well, my lord. Once upon a time, there lived a Merchant who was traveling to Basra.
5 GIRLS: Basra, Baghdad, Cairo
Turkey, North Africa, Greece
The stories came from every corner of the world.
And enchanted listeners for hundreds of years.
Enchanted them just as Shéhérazade enchanted the Sultan...
A Merchant enters, leading a Donkey
MERCHANT 1: Oh, it's so hot. I think I'll sit here by this date palm and rest and eat.
DONKEY: It's about time; my back is killing me.
The merchant sits center stage eating, and flicking imaginary date stones behind him.
SHEHERAZADE: Out of the thin air appeared a Genie.
GENIE: How dare you, Merchant!
MERCHANT 1: Uh, uh....
GENIE: I'm going to finish you off just like you finished off my brother!
MERCHANT 1: Uh...uh...excuse me? Who have I "finished" off?!
GENIE: Have you not been sitting on this very spot under this date palm?
MERCHANT 1: Uh...yes.
GENIE: Have you not been eating the exocarp of drupes and tossing the endocarp aside?
MERCHANT 1: Huh?
Clarifying for the Sultan
SHEHERAZADE: Had he not been eating dates and flicking the stones behind him?
MERCHANT 1: Uh...yes.
GENIE: Well, in flicking those stones behind you, one of them struck my brother in the eye and killed him...which is what I'm going to do to you!
Laughs devilishly....freezes.
DINARAZADE: Shéhérazade. Forgive my interrupting, but the sun is set to rise.
SHEHERAZADE: So there my story must end for tonight unless King Shahryar allows me to stay on to continue telling it tomorrow night?
SULTAN: Yes, you must continue the story. I must know how it ends...
5 GIRLS: And so the first night of 1001 nights began. And each night Sheherezade began a tale only to end it just before the sun rose the next day. Spellbound, the King allowed her to continue her tales....
The Genie laughs devilishly....the scene unfreezes and continues.
MERCHANT 1: Oh, no please....if I tell you three tales that amuse or enlighten you, will you spare my life?
GENIE: What sort of tales could a mere Merchant tell to amuse or enlighten a Genie?
[End of Extract]
This adaptation includes:
THE DONKEY AND THE BULL
THE PRINCE AND THE GIANT
THE TALE OF THE SEARCH FOR THE CAMEL THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE
and all-cast chants for lots of stomping feet and fun
The play is intended to be an ensemble piece: actors are onstage for the entire performance. Actors are to react to each story-within-the-story taking place center stage. Levels are recommended—three upstage areas/platforms or low tables and a cube or neutral chair center stage. Brightly colored pillows and carpets layered across the playing space and a large feather (or straw) fan upstage will help create depth. The 5 girls sit/lie downstage but stand to introduce each new story