DANCE OF THE MAYFLIES
(adapted from Karel and Josef Capek’s “From the Life of Insects”)

SYNOPSIS:

A homeless man (Bum) ponders the deficiencies of human society as he hikes through the woods. He encounters a butterfly collector, and after a brief exchange that only confirms his disdain for his own species, he settles down for a nap.
He awakens to find himself in the carefree world of butterflies. There are plenty of drinks on the table, and the butterflies gather around to engage in playful chatter. He soon notices that these esoteric creatures’ interests revolve solely around sexual intrigues, peppered with insults, rivalry and jealousy. He realizes that this isn’t a society he would enjoy being a part of, so he continues his journey.

The bum observes a pair of dungbeetles looking for a hiding place for their treasure pile. He is impressed by their industriousness. Then he encounters a parasitic wasp (Peewee) who is hustling to get food for his little larva. A pair of newlywed crickets enter and start building a new home in an abandoned hole. While these creatures prove to be more productive and motivated than the butterflies, they all must eat to survive, and it turns out that some of them serve as food for the others. The bum is unsettled by the spate of killings he witnesses and decides to move on.

On his way to town, the bum finds himself in an ant colony. As expected, the ants are very efficient and busy: building, pushing, hauling. From his conversation with the Dictator and Engineer the bum discovers that this particular colony (AntLantis) is about to go to war. Contrary to its claims of having been attacked first, AntLantis initiates the war to gain new territory and to defeat a competing colony of ants (AntAsia). When AntAsia wins the war and the bum sees that its denizens are also motivated by a lust for power and territory, he steps on their dictator and leaves.

The bum falls asleep in the forest. Upon awakening, he hears desperate voices from his recent encounters. A mayfly (CHRYSALIS), who has been promising to bring great news to the world upon her birth, is finally ready to deliver on her promise. She is joined by three other mayflies and a backstage chorus. Light and the joy of life emerge from the mayflies’ dance and songs. The bum excitedly joins them in their dance as he feels he has finally found the kind of company he has been looking for. Unfortunately, the mayflies finish their dance and die without revealing their message of hope. The bum is devastated. He tries to bring them back to life, but his attempts exhaust him and he collapses. While he struggles with Death, two snails pass by, commenting on his struggle and sharing their own philosophy of life.

This is the end of the original play; however, I include an optional epilogue in which the bum is discovered the following morning by two fishermen and is given an opportunity to start a new life among his own kind.

CHARACTERS (requires a total of nine actors in multiple roles):

BUM, BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR, CHRYSALIS. BUTTERFLIES (VANESSA, FRITILEE, SKIPPER, VICEROY, BILLY BOB), PREDATORS (MR. DUNGBEETLE, MRS. DUNGBEETLE, MAW CRICKET, PAW CRICKET, PEEWEE, LARVA MAE, SOLDIER BUG), ANTS (BLIND ANT, ANT CHORUS, DICTATOR, ENGINEER, MESSENGER ANT, REPORTER ANT, YELLOW DICTATOR), MAYFLIES, SNAILS (SLIMY, SLICK), FISHERMAN 1 & 2, WOMAN CAMPER.

SAMPLE DIALOGUE:

DICTATOR
We’re the Masters of the World.

ENGINEER
Hail Ant-Lantis!

DICTATOR
The greatest ant nation!

ENGINEER
World power!

DICTATOR
The biggest democracy!

BUM
Democracy? How does it work?

DICTATOR
Everyone must obey!

ENGINEER
Everybody must work. Willingly! Enthusiastically!

DICTATOR
Only It is supreme.

BUM
What’s ‘It?’

DICTATOR
The State. The Nation. The Colony.

BUM
Do you have congressmen?

DICTATOR
We’ve got the Community.

BUM
And who speaks for you?

ENGINEER
Ha! He doesn’t know anything.

DICTATOR
The one who gives the orders. The community communicates strictly through laws and orders.

BUM
But what are the laws based on?

ENGINEER
Community interests.

BUM
I like that. Everything for the Community.

DICTATOR
For its glory.

ENGINEER
To protect it from enemies.

BUM
What enemies?

DICTATOR
All of them.

ENGINEER
We’re surrounded by ant-agonists.

DICTATOR
We crushed the Black Ants.

ENGINEER
Eradicated the Reds.

DICTATOR
And conquered the Grays. Only the yellow ones are left. We must liquidate them.

ENGINEER
Destroy them all.

BUM
Why?

DICTATOR
In the interests of the Community.

ENGINEER
The Community’s highest interests.

DICTATOR
Family values—

ENGINEER
Business---

DICTATOR
Religion---

ENGINEER
Territory--.

DICTATOR
Morals---

ENGINEER
Markets--

DICTATOR
AntLand security.