?ITOHAN ?
♨♨♨The Beauty Goddess ♨♨♨
?Jessica Duru ?
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⚛OPENING STAGE ⚛
The stage opens and white light illuminates it, as music plays in the background. A woman clad in a red blouse, with an old wrapper tied around her waist walks slowly towards the front; a sad expression seated upon her face as she sits on the mat placed for her by the side. She is Urbi, a middle-aged woman with a tribal mark on her face. She surveys the audience for some minutes and bows her head, lifting her hand in the air.
Narrator: It all began eighteen years ago when a little girl was born (Look up at the crowd) One who was a blessing to the land, and was mostly admired by all. Only her birth begot hatred in a certain man, who was no one else but her father. This is the story of the beauty goddess - ITOHAN!
☪MOVEMENT ONE ☪
Stage opens as the cry of a woman echoes loudly in the background. Another woman is seen chanting some words at her bedside, while the other who is the midwife shouts from the edge of the bed where her legs stood wide. The cry of a baby is heard and a joyful song is raised, as a man in a royal apparel rushes in.
Midwife: (Looks up at him) Your Highness, it's a girl.
Abagba N'Ojie: A girl?! (Huffs and makes to carry the child) She mustn't live to see another day.
Midwife: But Your Highness...
Abagba N'Ojie: (Cuts in) She is cursed, don't you see? She doesn't deserve to live! (Thunders)
Midwife: (Winces) But she's just a child. Your own flesh and blood. You can't have her killed, not when the Oje has been without a child.
Abagba N'Ojie: I do not care (Grits)
Omolara: (Enters and looks at the child) May the gods be praised. She has being delivered.
Abagba N'Ojie: Guards! Guards!!
Omolara: Brother, what are you...?
King Abagba: (Cuts in) I must not let her live. She is a bad omen! A curse to our land! (Looks at the child)
Omolara: You want to kill her? (Stammers) To kill an innocent child that has done nothing? (Stands akimbo)
Abagba N'Ojie: I do not want your opinion here, sister. Guards!!
Guard 1: Your highness (kneels before him).
Abagba N'Ojie: (Orders) Ready my men! Ready the horses! Send words to the Great Osaka. This child must not live!!!
~Curtain~