............................................"The Reluctant Demon"............................................

Based on: 'The Reluctant Familiar' By: Nicholas Stuart Gray

Characters:

Wise Demon: A wise demon also in control of sound effects. Female or male

Thom: A mischievous demon who is called up. Female (dialogue change male)

The Sorcerer: A very powerful enchanter. Male or female

Alexia: His demonic apprentice. Female or male (Alex)

John: His love-struck apprentice. Male

Princess Raia: A Persian princess. Female

The Afreet: A bigger demon Male or female (preferably male)

Karly: A human girl who deceives Thom. (Double role with Alexia/Alex becoming Karl)

The Setting: The play takes place in the demon world, Persia (stage left) and the sorcerer's room (stage right). Persia needs a balcony or a place for the princess to stand above the others. The Sorcerer's side needs a big chair center left and two stools, one on either side and one near enough to the chair to be in striking distance.

Act one: Scene 1

(Thom and the Wise Demon start out siting on the Wise demons perch, looking like the same creature and watching the audience with crazy eyes.)

Wise Demon

(Hits the gong.) Act one to begin.

Thom

(Jumps down making a loud sound. After a moment of silence) To begin with I am a demon.

(Thom is wild unkept with a harsh voice, hair in her face and a hunch in her back. She wears a dark black cloak over her human garb. Other demons float behind her in the demon world.)

And not just your everyday ordinary demon. But a very powerful, malevolent, cold hearted demon. . .

(lightening her tone) Okay so I'm a pretty ordinary demon. I like to stir up a little trouble here and there. . . Level a few buildings. . .destroy a few lives, nothing phenomenal. . . for a demon. What can I say I'm not a nice person. Why I remember one time. . .

(Groan from other characters. Thom turn on them) What! You don't want to hear the story? If you don't want to hear the story that's just fine... Get out...Go. Go. This is My time. Shoo.

(They leave. The demon doubling as the sorcerer swings around and becomes the sorcerer who goes about chanting and speaking the spell on his side of the stage. Alexia and John come and watch. Not noticing Thom speaks to the audience)

Well alright then, I guess your gonna stay. Once - and who cares how long ago?- I was out enjoying my afternoon, not bothering anyone...or at least no one anybody truly cared about... then the worst imaginable thing that could happen to a demon happened to me. An unbelievable and horrible fate. A dreadful and lingering torment that makes my upper eyes twitch to this very day every time I think about it.

(She is gradually getting darker and darker then suddenly says happily) but let me start over... It had been a lovely day. A hurricane gust was blowing and the sky was dark with rain. The kind of day that no decent demon would be kept indoors. A day just made for making...mischief. I was having a fine time minding my own business trying to sink a ship. Just playing with the sailors really. But just as their ship started to loll about in a most interesting way...

(Sorcerer, Thom and Wise Demon all make a loud sudden sound) BAM! It hit me!

(Thom recoils from the light but it follow her fearful and disgusted movements.)

The sorcerer's ring was around me, seizing all three of my hearts and trapping me in it's light... It squeezed and shrunk and... oh...it was just awful. The worst possible thing that could happen to a demon happened to me...I had been 'called up'.

Sorcerer

Come into the ring, my reluctant demon. Do not resist my power.

Thom

(no longer narrating) You're power! Please..! I've seen stronger magic in humans!

Sorcerer

(with indignant pride) I am a human.

Thom

(sarcastically) Oh, I'm impressed!

(Narrating as she is drawn towards center stage by some unseen power. She struggles.) Well...I went reasonably enough...(To the sorcerer) You'll never take me alive, Human!(Narrating) And what was I to do? (grunts and strains still resisting) I mean...ugh...after all it's unpleasant to be forced to do someone's bidding...to be transported someplace...ugh! You...don't...(as if defy) want to go...and to become(whining) a familiar! (Thom is now center right) Let me go, human! You...can't...win! (As she sinks panting to the floor still trying to crawl away.)

Sorcerer

Don't be foolish, demon. You are completely powerless.

Thom

(Her struggle suddenly stops as she faces the audience with realization.) The worst part is, he's got a point.

(Irritated but defeated stands crossing her arms.)All Right. So you've got me, clever. Now...What do you want!

Alexia

Just you...Dear demon.

Thom

Hey, I'm not your dear demon and I will never will be if I can help it. (calming with realization. She peers into the shadows.) Wait a minute... Do you have two heads or something?

Sorcerer

I most certainly do not. Come into the ring now!

John

It can't refuse you, right, Master...I mean it can't hurt us...right?

Thom

Well...there goes another one. What do you know?

Sorcerer

Just two meddling apprentice. Now come in!

Thom

(The last bit of defiance) No!

( Thomsuddenly jerks backward as if she's been pulled. There is a girlie shriek...from John.)

Alexia

Gee, John. Are you scared or what?

(She is a tomboyish girl with a mean streak. When she sees Thom She screams with delight) Whoa! It's so cool! Can I touch it?

Sorcerer and Thom

(in unison calm/ angered) No.

John

(moans behind the chair) Ohhh...it's so ugly! Master, make it change it's shape.

Thom

What kind of place is this?

(To Alexia) Are you the Sorcerer?

Alexia

What's all those eyes for?

Thom

Apparently not.

Sorcerer

(An older man who is not flashy but is wise and important.) I am the one who called you here, and I. . .

Thom

Not you? You're an oddity! Nothing like a Sorcerer. You don't even have those dress things they always wear.

Sorcerer

A robe. And it's hardly necessary...

John

(scared) What if it gets out of the ring?

Alexia

(hopefully) Will it rip our heads off?

Sorcerer

Now, calm down. He can't get out...As for you demon...

Thom

I can't believe this... Called up by an oddity! I mean, I don't study Sorcerers too closely, as a rule their not good company for any self-respecting demon, but I have seen Merlin, who was fairly impressive, and Caligistro who was interesting and Nostradamus, who was a dead bore, but you...you don't even look like a Sorcerer. . .

Sorcerer

Now see here, demon...

Alexia

(To Thom) Ohhh...you're getting him angry.

John

Don't get too close, Alexia! It might bite.

Alexia

At least I'm not hiding behind a chair.

(John stands defiantly, an ugly lad with glasses and messed up hair. He is cautious and trembling.)

(Thom growls loudly at the two of them and sends them ducking behind the chair. She laughs.)

Thom

Some apprentices, you've got here, Sorcerer.

Sorcerer

They were decent enough to aid in your capture.

Alexia

(jumping from behind the chair) Ohhh...He got you.

Thom

(Losing her temper) Shut up you little wench or I'll...

Alexia

You'll what?

(There is general chaos as Alexia taunts the demon. Thom tries to claw at her held only by 'ring'. John jumps up and tries to calmAlexia and make theSorcerer change the demon's shape. All talking and clamoring at once...Ad lib.)

Sorcerer

(After stewing for a long moment, louder than all the others) Silence!

(Everyone, including Thom, quiets suddenly) That's better. You, demon, shall behave yourself; you are well aware of the consequences if you do not.

(Thom shudders in fear and shrinks down) Alexia, don't encourage it.

(Alexia could care less) A demon is not a play thing! And John...

(Sorcerer is exasperated) Get out from behind that chair.

John

(standing and moving from behind the chair) Yes, sir.

Sorcerer

Now then...Tell us your name, Demon.

Thom

(thinks a moment) Beelzebub.

(The Sorcerer looks incredulous.)

Alexia

Wow! You're Beelzebub!

Thom

(With mischievous pride) Well, I've been called that...among other things.

Sorcerer

We shall call you, Thom.

Thom

(disinterestedly) Hum.

John

(With a bow) Good evening, Thom.

Thom

Is it?

John

Um...I thought so. Yes.

Alexia

I'm happy with it so far. And I don't see that you have so much to complain about...

Thom

So far!

Sorcerer

Let me introduce myself. I am Alan.

Thom

Oh wonderful...Hold the phone... Alan? Await... not The Alan? The most powerful sorcerer in the East?

Sorcerer

(disguising pride, not well) And no other.

Thom

Wow. . .I guess that compensates for the lack of normality.

(mockingly) Well, then Alan, how do you do?

Sorcerer

( Irately) Very well thank you.

(Gestures) These are my apprentices Alexia and John.

(Alexia curtseys. John nods nervously. Thom regards them unimpressed.) Of course, you're wondering why I brought you here.

Thom

Oh no. The thought never crossed my mind. I thought I was brought here for pleasantries

Sorcerer

It's for no business of mine. Alexia has a strange fascination with some sort of book. . .

Alexia

(interrupting) I wanna read "The Secret Arts Of Demons". But only a demon can bring it to me.

Thom

(scoffing) Oh yeah?

Sorcerer

(rolls her eyes at Alexia's request then gestures to John) John, here, needs some assistance in a somewhat delicate matter, which I don't have the patience to attend to. My purpose in bringing you here was partly, of course, to show these two I could do it...

Alexia

And partly for fun.

Thom

Fun! This doesn't amuse me! To be dragged here- no word of warning, no 'by your leave and favor'-

(warming to indignance) There I was having my own joke...

Alexia

(interrupting)I wanna learn how to do that too.

Thom

(dejectedly) It's in the book.

John

I think it was an unnecessary piece of cheap savagery.

Thom

Yeah? Well, I liked it. What's a demon supposed to do on her day off? Knit Afghans?
(Alexia laughs. The Sorcerer looks at her sternly. She falls silent coughing to clear her throat and looking away.)

Sorcerer

That will be enough of that. Now...about your shape.
(The Sorcerer comes closer to Thom studying her. Thom shrinks away.)

Alexia

Don't be frightened, Thom. We won't eat you.

Thom

How could you?

(She laughs scornfully then stops looking to the audience) Why couldn't they? After all they'd captured me. And that was more than old Merlin ever did.

(Scared to the humans) I'd taste funny.

Alexia

Nonsense. With a little seasoning. How do you know what you'd taste like anyway?

Thom

(says to audience) She might have a point. (Licks her arm then shrugs)

Sorcerer

Change your shape, Thom. It's bizarre.

Thom

I'll have you know people in my line of business think I'm rather handsome.

John

We aren't exactly in your line of business.

Thom

(Gestures to Alexia) I have serious doubts about her!

Sorcerer

Turn yourself in a human, Thom. And a reasonably good looking one. Then I shall let you out of the ring.

Thom

(Surprised) Really!

John

(Scared) You can't do that, Master...won't it...

Sorcerer

No, John. She won't escape.

John

I'm not worried about it escaping.

Thom

(mocks him) Hey, scaredy-cat get behind the chair again. I'm gonna turn and it'll scare you.

(Raia and the Afreet as demons come forth as Thom changes.)

Thom

(Narrates during the action) I was as human as a demon could rightly get (Back crack) and it was uncomfortable and lowering to my self respect. (Slapping away another demon) Get away my back is as straight as it's getting...(narrating) I found the result was repulsive as anything beautiful in human eyes must seem in inhuman eyes.

(She refuses to let go of her cloak) No! That's mine...My cloak!

(The other Demon joins and they steal the cloak. Thom whines) I like being a toad much more, but even that had been against my better judgment.

(They put the collar around her neck) I had really enjoyed being a cat...until I met up with some real ones. Cats are far to good at being demons.