Summary: A sketch about the meeting of two working men during the time of Jesus.
Style: Dramatic, with light touches. Duration: 5min
Actors: 2M
Scripture: based on Mark 5:1-20
Note: The Herdsman, [H], needs to only follow and respond to the Pig herder [P,] who is relating a tale.
Script
P: (Meets H and greets him) Hello, It’s some time since I‘ve seen you.
H: sees him and backs away.
H: Stop, please don't come any nearer.
P: (surprised) What’s the matter?
H: It's a bit awkward.
P: What is it? Why are you acting like this?
H: It's a bit awkward to explain.
P: I'm your friend, tell me, what’s wrong.
H: It's rather personal, I don't really like to mention it.
P: MENTION WHAT?
H: OK, I’ll explain - you are a pig herder, and, as you know, you normally smell something horrible. You really PONG!
P: Thank you very much!!!
H: I guess you can't help it - working with pigs all day.
P: Well I got news for you. I no longer work with those pigs.
H: Are you unemployed?
P: In a manner of speaking, yes.
H: In manner of speaking? What happened - you looked after 1000 pigs.
P: Well I don't anymore - there are no pigs.
H: No pigs! 1000 pigs don't just disappear!
P: Well these pigs did!
H: How?
P: They disappeared into the sea.
H: Disappeared into the sea? How?
P: Well, there is a story to tell - it's about Jesus.
H: The new prophet from Galilee?
P: Yes, he's an awesome man.
H: Have you met him?
P: Not personally, no, but I heard Him speak and I was there when he worked a miracle.
H: A miracle - that sounds exciting - what happened?
P: Well, we were all looking after the sheep as normal when we noticed a great crowd approaching us and we wondered what was happening. It turns out that Jesus had just delivered a madman from many evil spirits.
H: That madman who used to live amongst the tombs?
P: Yes – that’s him.
H: Wow! I have heard of him. He was in a terrible state. No one could chain him because he broke his chains and he was always cutting himself and ranting and raving and running through the tombs. Jesus must be pretty special to cure that man.
P: Yes, He is…
H: But you still haven’t told me the full story about the pigs!
P: When Jesus met the mad man, He asks the unclean spirits, how many were there? They said, there were many and were called Legion.
H: The poor man. No wonder he was in torment living like that, but what about the pigs?
P: The devils ask Jesus not to send them away. They asked to be sent to the nearby herd of pigs and when Jesus sent them, the pigs immediately ran down the cliff into the sea and were drowned. That's why I have no pigs to look after.
H: Now I understand. This Jesus must be somebody very special.
P: He is, but not everyone appreciated Him. Some people got scared, probably due to the appearance of demons, and asked Jesus to go away, but I was not one of them. Now that I have more time on my hands, I follow Him and listen to his teachings. It’s wonderful, He is bringing people back to God and that includes me.
H: I need to hear this man, too. Perhaps we can go together as you no longer smell!
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© Copyright Roger Bulpitt 2021, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
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: