Summary: Two women discuss Mary Magdalene and the events of the first Easter.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 10min
Scripture:Mark 16:9-11, John 20:14-18 and parallels
Actors: 2F
Characters
Joanna
Susannah
Script
SCENE 1. The Sabbath. Joanna and Susannah are sitting talking.
J: I wonder what that Magdalene girl’ll do now?
S: Poor Mary, she adored him!
J: Adored most of the fellows round here at one time or another, didn’t she?
S: Not after she met Jesus; not after what he did for her.
J: She seemed to be doing alright for herself – know what I mean, nudge nudge, wink wink!
S: But half the time she didn’t know what she was doing – she was away with the fairies.
J: Fairies! Who’re you kidding? She had the seven devils of hell on her back!
S: Till Jesus came along and got rid of them. God knows how. But he totally changed her.
J: Mmm. So they say. Like they say he healed a blind man, and cleansed a leper.
S: And cured that cripple from Bethsaida.
J: Well I never saw any miracles. Did you?
S: Oh yes! I was at the great picnic – I was one of the thousands. And Jo, I’ll tell you, bread never tasted so good!
J: Don’t be such a plonker! Bread’s just bread, isn’t it?
(Pause)
S: They do say he raised a little girl from the dead…
J: Yeah. But she was a Gentile’s daughter, you can’t take that as gospel.
S: Poor Mary. Hung on his every word; followed him everywhere after he cured her.
J: I know. Proper little groupie, wasn’t she?
S: Say what you like, she’s got courage. Staying there yesterday, through… all that.
J: All what? Oh, the crucifixions? Well, when you’ve seen one…
S: I couldn’t bear to watch one. Vile Roman death, I think it’s wicked.
J: A good deterrent though. Just shows, crime doesn’t pay.
S: But Jesus wasn’t a criminal!
J: Well they must’ve got something on him, mustn’t they? Must’ve had a reason.
S: My Ben reckons the Pharisees and that lot had something to do with it.
J: Wouldn’t be surprised. They just can’t cope with the thought of being wrong – or losing their status.
S: What Jesus said about God was … well, it made him real, somehow. I loved hearing him.
J: He told some great stories, I’ll grant you that.
S: And the crowds loved him, too. Did you go last Sunday?
J: Oh yes, a great Passover knees-up! Not sure why the donkey was invited though.
S: All the ‘Hosannas;’ and the palm branches – oh, it was wonderful, you could even forget the Romans for once.
J: All a bit OTT if you ask me. Crowd hysteria. Who did that Jesus bloke think he was? Colin Firth* [*Insert current celebrity] or the Son of God or something?
(Pause)
S: I heard that one of his best mates shopped him. One of the disciples.
J: Huh! What kind of a mate was that then, stabbing him in the back? ‘Et tu Brute!’
S: Most of them made themselves scarce; not surprising when you think about it.
J: Bottled out, did they? Saved their own skins, mates or not.
S: Well you can’t blame them. Jesus was given a scourging, you know.
J: Roman savages! Anyone in his right mind’d run to escape that.
S: And the mob was ready for a lynching, baying for blood.
J: Can’t trust anyone, can you? One week it’s ‘Hosanna,’ next it’s ‘Crucify him.’
S: Mary stuck by him though. Right to the end.
J: [Sarcastically] Followed him to the brink of the grave, I dare say.
S: She did! Watched them seal it with a stone. I wonder what she’ll do now, poor girl?
J: Probably go balmy again!
SCENE 2 The next day.
S: Look’s like you were right, Jo; Mary’s well and truly lost it this time!
J: [Quieter; with suppressed excitement] Have you seen her then?
S: No, but it’s all over the town; she reckons she’s seen her precious Jesus.
J: Jesus, who was crucified?
S: That’s right. She’s saying she talked to him – in the garden, where they buried him not three days ago.
J: What do they say happened?
S: Well, at the crack of dawn she went to embalm the body – probably to have a good cry as well, I shouldn’t wonder.
J: And?
S: Goodness knows how she thought she’d get at him, what with the stone and all; but as it turned out it wasn’t a problem.
J: How come?
S: Well the grave was already open, you see. The stone had been moved.
J: But who could have done that?
S: Don’t ask me! Anyway, Mary went and fetched a couple of Jesus’ disciples, Peter and John I think. And they came to have a look – and can you believe it? The body was gone!
J: Where? Where had it gone?
S: Well, you tell me! They ran off to get the others, and that’s when Mary flipped.
J: Flipped?
S: Yes, like I said. Lost it. Mad as a hatter – and no Jesus to come and rescue her this time.
J: What happened, exactly? Do you know?
S: Oh, well, she says she saw Jesus, and had a chat with him!
J: And so you think she’s mad?
S: Well it stands to reason, doesn’t it? Jesus is dead, she can’t’ve seen him. She must be hallucinating – and talking to herself. First signs!
J: Maybe…
S: [Realizing Jo isn’t her usual self] Oh, come on, Jo. You’re in a funny mood today. What happened to ‘Nudge nudge, wink wink’, and ‘Bread’s just bread,’ and ‘Anyone’d think he was the Son of God?’
J: But suppose he was, Sue…
S: What? Son of God? He can’t’ve been! Don’t tell me you’ve flipped as well!
J: It’d explain all those miracles and things.
S: Well, I s’pose it would, but…
J: And if he was the Son of God…
S: Yes; what?
J: It would mean everything he said was true.
S: Yes…
J: And of course the grave’d have to be empty.
S: Would it?
J: It would change everything. Everything, for ever.
S: Hang on a minute, what are you trying to tell me?
J: [Bursting with excitement now] Susannah, I’ve seen Mary! She told me about it herself. She really did speak to Jesus this morning – I’m certain of it!
S: You mean, you believe this story?
J: Yes. [To congregation:] Don’t you?
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(c) Copyright Sandy Conway, all rights reserved.
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