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Well, at last the play is over - actually it's not over, but you won't have to sit through any more of it.
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Drawing completed - 19 SEP 2006
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Page 17 The tré auditorium box seat My Lord, please sit down. You are so angry, you may become ill. Badger I am only angry because everyone says I am, when I am not! Audience Oh, no you're not! Badger Oh, yes I am! Repeat ad nauseam The children laughed some more. Ignatius smiled. Supervision of the Portrayals was one of the few undisputed responsibilities of his office. Everyone of age was required to spend some time doing the parts they could and Ignatius saw to it that they did them properly. Not only was it the law, it was a moral responsibility - the very fabric of society was woven with the lessons embedded in the Portrayals presented to the children. Not doing one's share of Portrayal Duty (known commonly as 'PD') was seen in the same light as stealing from charity or torturing defenceless animals. And Portrayals were not just in Otterstow, but throughout The Kingdom and all lands throughout all of the Allegorical world. Although the content differed slightly from place to place, the themes were very much the same. There were different characters with different lines, but the messages were the same - messages of forgiveness, love, perseverance and numerous other virtues. The exact meaning of these messages, however, was frequently a matter of great debate, and not just among the schoolchildren. The citizens of Otterstow were quite willing to perform onstage for their PD, even though they knew they were appalling actors, reasoning that, after all, children are not very harsh critics. Those few that weren't capable of acting would maintain The tré, work backstage or do something similar to help out. Regardless, everyone was involved. Only the physically infirm or profoundly mentally disabled were excused. Even Ignatius, in addition to his supervisory role, was required to perform his share of Portrayal Duty as scheduled, something his constituency took careful note of. |
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All material copyright Grim, 2008. No unauthorized use. Survivors will be prosecuted.