By John McNeil
A powerful drama that considers what probably would have happened if the Anunciation by the angel Gabriel to Mary - that she was to bear the baby Jesus - had been made in 1999.
Note on performance: There are two versions of this the script. The first has been written as a narration, to which the various characters mime their parts. Only brief stage directions are given, to allow actors to interpret the parts their own way. Version 2 presents the same scenario but with actors' lines includes. Although the setting used here is Nazareth in Israel, the story could be more pointed by using your own locality, adapting the situations to suit.
Luke 1: 26-38
Narrator
Gabriel
Mary
Elizabeth
Joseph
Mary's Mother
Psychiatrist (male or female)
Doctor (male or female)
Orderly (male or female)
State Official (male or female)
Narrator: The story is one of the most familiar in the world. Each year, in almost every country on earth, we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. And we tell again and again how the angel Gabriel came to a young woman by the name of Mary, in a small town in the north of Israel called Nazareth, to tell her that she would be the mother of the world's Saviour.
That was two thousand years ago. But what would have happened if the angel had not made his amazing announcement until the year 1999?
(Enter Mary, going about her daily business)
In a town called Nazareth, in the north of Israel, there lived a young woman by the name of Mary. She was engaged to be married to a carpenter by the name of Joseph, who also lived in the same town.
(Enter Gabriel)
One day, God sent the angel Gabriel to visit Mary. "Hail, O favoured one," he said to her. "The Lord is with you! God has put you above all other women."
When Mary saw the angel, and heard what he said, she was greatly confused, and wondered what such a greeting could mean.
But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be called the son of the Most High God, and he will sit on the same throne as King David, and of his reign there will be no end."
Mary said to the angel, "How can this happen, since I am a virgin and have had sex with no man, not even Joseph, my fiance?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, so the baby will be called the Son of God. And listen! Your cousin Elizabeth has also become pregnant in her old age, and will have a son. She is already six months on the way."
So Mary bowed, and said, "I am God's servant. Let what you say happen, if that is his will."
When the angel departed, Mary packed her bags and hurried off to see Elizabeth. When they met, the two women at first were overjoyed at each other's news, and Mary exclaimed: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour. His mercy is on those who fear him, down through the ages. He has shown how strong he is, by scattering the proud and arrogant. He has torn down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the down-trodden. He has given good things to the hungry, and sent the rich away empty-handed."
And Elizabeth said, "Hush, my dear. Be careful how you talk, because there are spies all round us, and the king would not like to hear such things said about him. But tell me - Joseph, is he proud that he is going to be a father? I did not realise you had already married."
And Mary said, "We are not yet married. And he is not the father." At this, Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, and she replied somewhat stiffly, "Then I think you had better get married very quickly, and don't bother with the pill on your wedding night. If you can get him into bed before then, so much the better. You might have joined women's lib, but I assure you that his family are very conservative, and won't be happy about a baby that arrives six months after the wedding."
(Exit Elizabeth. Enter Joseph)
When Mary returned to Nazareth, she told Joseph about the angel's visit, and how she was pregnant. Joseph hit the roof at the news. "How could you betray me like this," he shouted. "All the time we've been engaged I've been patient and not tried to get you into bed, thinking you were a nice girl. So how do you repay me? you trot off to the big city to see your cousin, and sleep with the first fancy fellow who comes along."
"That's not true!" Mary cried. "I've not slept with anyone - God has made me pregnant. I am carrying his child."
"Explain that to your mother," Joseph said coldly. "And you can give me back the engagement ring." Weeping, Mary took the ring from her finger, and as Joseph left, he said sarcastically, "I'll be fascinated to see whose face it really is on this "God-child" of yours!"
(Enter Mary's mother)
When Mary's mother heard the news, she too ranted and raved. "How could you bring disgrace on our family like this!" she cried. "And your father an elder in the synagogue/church. How will I ever face Joseph's mother at the Bridge Club. She always said Joseph was marrying beneath him, and now she'll be utterly unbearable. Oh the shame! What made you do this to us all?"
And Mary repeated that she had been visited by the angel Gabriel, and God had made her pregnant. At that, the mother threw up her hands in despair and marched Mary off to see a Psychiatrist.
(Exit Mary and Mother. Enter Psychiatrist. Re-enter Mary and Mother.)
"Hmmmm!" said the Psychiatrist. "A most interesting case. An angel visited you, you say. Hallucinations can seem very real. Have you been taking drugs? No? You surprise me - most girls in your class have, so the newspapers say. Now you can trust me. Who is the real father of this child with whom you are pregnant? God, you say. Oh dear, a most complex case. Delusions of grandeur. Suppression of reality, possibly schizophrenia, manic-depression ... or bi-polar disorder as we call it now. Let me ask you about your father. Did he ever sexually abuse you as a child? When you conceived this child, did you practice safe sex. Can you be sure the father did not have AIDS? Hmmmmm!?"
And the Psychiatrist committed Mary to an asylum.
(Exit Mother and Psychiatrist. Mary sinks down, now enclosed in a straight jacket.)
In the asylum, Mary repeated over and over to herself the words of the angel. And through her tears, she whispered the words she had spoken at the time of meeting Elizabeth. She did not realise, that the window into her room was of one-way glass, and behind this, faceless men were watching and recording.
(Enter doctor, syringe in hand)
Before long, a doctor entered. At the sight of his hypodermic, Mary backed into a corner. "Do not be afraid," said the doctor. "I bring you tidings of great joy. Medical science has developed a new wonder drug that will restore your mind to its rightful state." And he plunged the needle into her arm.
(Mary begins to stagger. An Orderly enters, catches her and carries/leads her out.)
"Take her to the termination room," the doctor told the Orderly. "I have signed papers authorising her abortion."
(Exit doctor. Enter a dishevelled Mary, towel around her waist. She is weeping bitterly.)
"My baby, my baby," Mary cried over and over.
(Enter State Official) As she wept, she did not see the State Official enter. "Mary, daughter of Heli," said the official. "I have a warrant for your arrest. You are charged with treason. The charge is that you have plotted against the king and the state, uttering the words, and I quote, 'Through me, God will tear down the mighty from his throne and lift up the down-trodden.' Your co-conspirators have already been arrested. You will be tried tomorrow. If found guilty, you will be shot at dawn. There is no right of appeal. Come with me."
(All exit)
...................................................................................
Narrator: The story is one of the most familiar in the world. Each year, in almost every country on earth, we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. And we tell again and again how the angel Gabriel came to a young woman by the name of Mary, in a small town in the north of Israel called Nazareth, to tell her that she would be the mother of the world's Saviour.
That was two thousand years ago. But what would have happened if the angel had not made his amazing announcement until the year 1999?
(Enter Mary, going about her daily business)
In a town called Nazareth, in the north of Israel, there lived a young woman by the name of Mary. She was engaged to be married to a carpenter by the name of Joseph, who also lived in the same town.
(Enter Gabriel)
One day, God sent the angel Gabriel to visit Mary.
Gabriel: Hail, O favoured one. The Lord is with you! God has put you above all other women.
(Mary is greatly confused, and wonders what such a greeting could mean.)
Gabriel: Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be called the son of the Most High God, and he will sit on the same throne as King David, and of his reign there will be no end.
Mary: How can this happen, since I am a virgin and have had sex with no man, not even Joseph, my fiance?
Gabriel: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, so the baby will be called the Son of God. And listen! Your cousin Elizabeth has also become pregnant in her old age, and will have a son. She is already six months on the way."
Mary: (bows) I am God's servant. Let what you say happen, if that is his will.
Narrator: When the angel departed, Mary packed her bags and hurried off to see Elizabeth.
(Mary, still in shock, mumbling to herself, dazedly packs a bag. She picks it up, and turns around as Elizabeth enters. The two women are overjoyed to meet each other. )
Mary: Elizabeth, you must hear my news!
Elizabeth: And you must hear mine.
Mary: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour. His mercy is on those who fear him, down through the ages. He has shown how strong he is, by scattering the proud and arrogant. He has torn down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the down-trodden. He has given good things to the hungry, and sent the rich away empty-handed.
Elizabeth: Hush, my dear. Be careful how you talk, because there are spies all round us, and the king would not like to hear such things said about him. But tell me - Joseph, is he proud that he is going to be a father? I did not realise you had already married.
Mary: We are not yet married. And he is not the father.
Elizabeth: (eyes narrow, somewhat stiffly) Then I think you had better marry very quickly, and don't bother with the pill on your wedding night. If you can get him into bed before then, so much the better. You might have joined women's lib, but I assure you that his family are very conservative, and won't be happy about a baby that arrives six months after the wedding.
(Exit Elizabeth. Enter Joseph)
Narrator: When Mary returned to Nazareth, she told Joseph about the angel's visit, and how she was pregnant.
Joseph: (shouts) How could you betray me like this. All the time we've been engaged I've been patient and not tried to get you into bed, thinking you were a nice girl. So how do you repay me? You trot off to the big city to see your cousin, and sleep with the first fancy fellow who comes along.
Mary: That's not true! I've not slept with anyone - God has made me pregnant. I am carrying his child.
Joseph: (coldly) Explain that to your mother. And you can give me back the engagement ring.
Mary: (weeping, takes the ring from her finger)
Joseph: (sarcastically) I'll be fascinated to see whose face it really is on this "God-child" of yours! (Leaves)
(Enter Mary's mother)
Narrator: When Mary's mother heard the news, she too ranted and raved.
Mother: How could you bring disgrace on our family like this! And your father an elder in the synagogue/church. How will I ever face Joseph's mother at the Bridge Club. She always said Joseph was marrying beneath him, and now she'll be utterly unbearable. Oh the shame! What made you do this to us all?
Mary: No mother, it's not what you think. I was visited by an angel of the Lord. My baby is the Son of God.
Mother: The Son of God!! At such a story I should rejoice!? No, I have a better idea. I'm taking you for professional help.
(Exit Mary and Mother. Enter Psychiatrist. Re-enter Mary and Mother.)
Psychiatrist: Hmmmm! A most interesting case. An angel visited you, you say. Hallucinations can seem very real. Have you been taking drugs? No? You surprise me - most girls in your class have, so the newspapers say. Now you can trust me. Who is the real father of this child with whom you are pregnant? God, you say. Oh dear, a most complex case. Delusions of grandeur. Suppression of reality, possibly schizophrenia, manic-depression ... or bi-polar disorder as we call it now. Let me ask you about your father. Did he ever sexually abuse you as a child? When you conceived this child, did you practice safe sex. Can you be sure the father did not have AIDS? Hmmmmm!? (Enter two aides) Commit her to the asylum.
(Exit Mother and Psychiatrist. The aides dress Mary in a straight jacket, then leave. She sinks down.)
Narrator: In the asylum, Mary repeated over and over to herself the words of the angel. And through her tears, she whispered the words she had spoken at the time of meeting Elizabeth. She did not realise, that the window into her room was of one-way glass, and behind this, faceless men were watching and recording.
(Enter doctor, syringe in hand. At the sight, Mary backs into a corner.)
Doctor: Do not be afraid, I bring you tidings of great joy. Medical science has developed a new wonder drug that will restore your mind to its rightful state.
(He plunges the needle into her arm. Mary begins to stagger. An Orderly enters, catches her and carries/leads her out.)
Doctor: Take her to the termination room. I have signed papers authorising her abortion.
(Exit doctor. Enter a dishevelled Mary, towel around her waist. She is weeping bitterly.)
Mary: (over and over) My baby, my baby!
(Enter State Official)
State Official: Mary, daughter of Heli, I have a warrant for your arrest. You are charged with treason. The charge is that you have plotted against the king and the state, uttering the words, and I quote, 'Through me, God will tear down the mighty from his throne and lift up the down-trodden.' Your co-conspirators have already been arrested. You will be tried tomorrow. If found guilty, you will be shot at dawn. There is no right of appeal. Come with me.
(All exit)
....................................................................................
© John McNeil 1998
All rights reserved
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged.
In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed.
He may be contacted at: soul.communication@outlook.com
Or at: 36B Stourbridge St, Christchurch 8024, New Zealand.