Music and a jubilant singing of choirs: Gloria in Excelsis Deo. On the half-curtain sequences of exploding volcanoes, atomic structures, planets, galaxies etc. are seen projected. When the half-curtain is raised, a dark, flat, featureless area is discovered. Shapeless, recumbent figures are scattered over it, wrapped in some grey material. Slowly the semi-circular cyclorama builds up a deep blue radiance. The figures start moving, very slowly at first, standing up one by one, seen in silhouette, then, as the spotlights pick them out, they shed their grey colouring and reveal their colourful attire. Leotards are worn. (See note opposite.) Some of the figures form a throne with their bodies, and the Lord, having shed His grey covering, promptly occupies it and puts a halo on His own head. He wears a gold leotard with a white cape. Other figures on their knees are grouped around His throne. The four Archangels stand beside the throne, having shed their grey covering, but still wrapped in their dark capes. They do not reveal their colours, blue, red and green respectively, until it is their turn to pay homage before the Lord. Lucifer’s colour is a rich yellow. All characters wear masks.
THE CHOIR OF ANGELS
[singing]
Sing to the Lord: Hosanna in the highest!
Praise Him on earth and in the firmament!
His single word engendered our beginning,
and in His merest glance awaits the end.
He is the sum of wisdom, might and beauty:
we are but humble shadows in His sight.
Exalt the Lord for His amazing favour,
for sharing out His all-pervading light!
The everlasting Principle incarnate,
the wonder of creation is complete:
let all who draw a breath of life in Heaven
pay God their tribute at His holy feet!
THE LORD
The vast construction’s come to life, indeed.
His labours done, the Architect relaxes.
For aeons shall the giant wheel revolve
before a spoke may falter round its axis.
Arise, you guardian spirits of the stars,
bestir yourselves, begin your ceaseless flight,
and as you thunder past before my throne,
display your pageantry for my delight!
Guardian spirits of the stars, deriving before them spheres, representing constellations, comets and nebulae of different size and colour, move across the stage in front of the throne, dancing to the accompaniment of music. The Choir of Angels chant their verses in time with the music, while the shadow of a gigantic wheel projected over the whole area revolves slowly.
THE CHOIR OF ANGELS
[singing]
Come, you haughty ball of fire,
flaunt your heavenly conflagration:
you’re a mere unwitting servant
of a minor constellation.
See that twinkling, feeble lantern
shining there, a tiny planet:
it’s a world of light to countless
creatures which depend upon it.
Double stars whom their endeavour
now attracts and now repulses,
while their strife, the wondrous power,
pre-appoints their mutual courses.
Rolling with his claps of thunder
there’s a frightful apparition
destined to dispense to millions
tranquil minds and high religion.
Unassuming this approaches,
star of love by designation:
providential hands preserve it
to be mankind’s consolation.
There new worlds await their coming,
here’s the grave for worlds to perish:
this gives pride a sharp reminder,
that brings fainthearts hope to relish.
Now the comet shows disorder,
awe-inspiring shape to look at,
yet the Lord’s will into orbit
bends it though its course is crooked.
Come, you gracious, youthful spirit,
with your globe forever changing,
on whose cloak of light and darkness
white and blue are alternating.
Blessing of the Heavens upon you!
Keep your destined course undaunted:
in your small world great ideas
will be locked in deadly combat.
Fair with foul, and tears with laughter,
winter, spring will take their chances,
as the Lord His wrath and favour,
light and dark, in turn advances.
[The guardian spirits of the stars vanish.]
THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL
You measured the immeasurable
and bodied forth the element
in which dimensions manifested
submitting to your prime command.
Hail, Supreme Intellect!
[Prostrates himself before the throne.]
THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
You’ve altered the unalterable,
duration, transience combined,
so temporal within the timeless,
the specimen conforms to kind.
Hail, Supreme Power’s
[Prostrates himself before the throne.]
THE ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL
You’ve granted a share of your wisdom
to creatures of the universe
and raised awareness in the best one
to propagate your happiness.
Hail, Supreme Goodness!
[Prostrates himself before the throne.]
THE LORD
And you, Lucifer, standing there aloof,
can you not find a word of praise to offer?
Perhaps you don’t approve of my creation.
LUCIFER
Approve of what? The various elements
displaying their inherent properties? -
A circumstance you couldn’t have seen evolving
until the fact was plainly manifest,
and there was nothing you could do about it.
Meanwhile this matter, kneaded into globes,
unfolds, attracts, repulses, whirls around,
till in some beast a conscious thought is kindled…
Then all fulfilled and all its heat expended,
indifferent, the neutral dust remains.
One day, man may himself acquire the knack
and plagiarize this crude experiment,
if you allow him in your cosmic workshop,
indulgently you leave him room to blunder,
concoct and scheme and think himself a god -
until the poor apprentice spoils the broth!
Then will he rouse you to belated anger.
Yet could you blame a feckless amateur?
And as for this creation - what’s the purpose?
To your own glory you composed a song
and placed the record on a botched machine,
and now you’re never done with this delight,
though old the tune - the lyrics much the same.
Does this become your age, integrity,
this comedy, which might amuse a child,
to see his clay creation mime the maker,
no likeness, but a crude caricature
that flits between free will and destiny,
lacking the overall intelligence?
THE LORD
To pay homage is your part, not to judge me.
LUCIFER
That would be out of keeping with my nature.
[pointing at the angels]
Your paltry hosts will give you all the praise
that is appropriate for them to give you
who gave them life, as light begets its shadow,
for I have lived through all eternity.
THE LORD
Conceit! Was it not matter that begot you?
Where was your sphere? Where were your powers before?
LUCIFER
These questions I could well have asked of you.
THE LORD
Through limitless aeons did I design
and bear within me this that I’ve created.
LUCIFER
In your design couldn’t you discern the gaps,
the obstacles to every form of being,
those which in turn compelled you to create?
For that resistance was I - Lucifer,
the genius forever - of Negation.
You won the round, that was my destiny,
eternally to fight a losing battle
and rise again still spoiling for a fight.
Where you have matter, I have scope to strive!
Where there is life, death needs must counter it,
elation must succumb to disenchantment,
as light to darkness also, hope to doubt…
I stand where you do, being everywhere:
knowing you thus - am I to pay you homage?
THE LORD
What’s this? Rebellious spirit! Out of here!
I could destroy you, but I will desist:
I’ll let you toil amidst the dust, detested,
an outcast of the spirit world, an alien,
condemned to suffer utter loneliness
with this persistent thought to brood upon:
however much you shake your earthly fetters,
futile the war you wage against the Lord.
LUCIFER
I will not be so lightly set aside
like some utensil that has served your purpose…
Jointly we have created: I demand
my proper share.
THE LORD
Let it be as you wish.
There is the earth; you see the groves of Eden;
I give you two trees standing in the middle:
may they be cursed - and then belong to you.
LUCIFER
Niggardly dole, indeed, a Lordly gesture!
Still, that terrestial foothold will suffice:
there let Negation stand to see the day
when your creation shall be blown away.
[Exit.]
THE CHOIR OF ANGELS
Out of this Heavenly Court, accurs’d, abhorr’d!
The Lord’s pronounced His judgement. Praise the Lord!