TASK 2 – STAGE PERFORMANCE
DRAMA SCRIPT “THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH”
A Chinese Folklore (Asian Folklore)
Characters Narrator Ma Liang The rich man The old man Ma Liang’s family (Father and mother) Villagers in the field (3 persons) The rich man’s men (3 persons)
Props Paintbrush, tea set, mat, stick, hoe, artificial teeth, cup, picture of cattle (big size), picture of a river (big size), drawing papers, picture of a sea (big size), picture of a golden mountain (big size) and replica of a boat.
Scene 1
NARRATOR: Once upon a time in China, there was a poor young man called Ma Liang. MA LIANG: Hi…I’m Ma Liang. Nice to meet you. [Facing the audience and waving his hand]. NARRATOR: Yes, just as I said. He lived in an old wooden house with… MA LIANG: Hi…I’m Ma Liang. I’m poor but I’m handsome. [Facing the audience and waving his hand]. NARRATOR: Enough! He lived in an old wooden house with his mother and father in the village. He earned his living by tending the cattle of a rich man. [Ma Liang sits and has tea with his family. Then he walks out to tend the cattle]. NARRATOR: Despite of his poorness, Ma Liang liked drawing and he would draw pictures everywhere. [Ma Liang is taking a nap and snoring while tending the cow]. NARRATOR: Ehem! I said Ma Liang liked drawing and he would draw pictures everywhere. [Ma Liang quickly wakes up and draws on the sand using a stick].
Scene 2
NARRATOR: One night, while he was sleeping soundly on the mat, he had a dream. [Ma Liang sleeps and dreams. The old man approaches and kneels beside him]. OLD MAN: Ma Liang my child. You are such a kind and good man. Therefore my child, I will give you this magic paintbrush. Everything that you draw will come to life. Use it wisely my child. Use it to help poor people. [The old man puts the paintbrush next to Ma Liang and disappears. Ma Liang wakes up and panting]. MA LIANG: I thought it was just a dream [holding the paintbrush] . Let me try this brush. [Ma Liang draws a cup on floor and it becomes real. Ma Liang looks in amazement]. MA LIANG: Mom…dad…wake up! Look at what I’ve got! [Father and mother wake up and yawn]. MA LIANG: Look! Somebody gave me this brush and guess what it can do? FATHER: Aiyaa…you wake us up just for that? It’s only a brush. [Ma Liang draws another cup and it becomes real. Mother and father look in amazement]. MOTHER: It’s about time. I really need a new set of teeth. [Takes out her worn artificial teeth and shows it to the audiences]. [ The old man enters and says… ] OLD MAN: Use it wisely… (Echoing) [The old man disappears].
Scene 3
NARRATOR: The next day, he saw that people had no water to use in the fields, he drew a river and the river came to life. [Ma Liang takes a walk and whistling happily. He sees 3 villagers working in the fields]. MA LIANG: It’s a good day isn’t it? But why are you guys look so sad? VILLAGER 1: Can’t you see? Our crops are dying! [Starts to cry loudly]. MA LIANG: What happen to your plants? Why are they withering? VILLAGER 2: Oh…we ran out of water supply and the river is too far . We are too old to carry the water. MA LIANG: Don’t you worry. I will help you [taking out the brush]. MA LIANG: Ta daaaa…. [The villagers look puzzled and scratch their hair. Ma Liang draws a river]. MA LIANG: There…a river for you. You’ll never run out of water again. VILLAGER 1: Thank you young man. Thank you. You save our crops. Our lives depend on these fields. VILLAGER 3: We don’t know how to repay you. May good f ortune always be with you. NARRATOR: From that day on, he used the paintbrush whenever people needed help. Then, many people knew about him and the magic paint brush.
Scene 4
NARRATOR: But a few days later, the rich man whom Ma Liang worked for heard that the magic brush could turn everything to life. He was a bad man and so he had an idea to steal the paintbrush. [The rich man has a conversation with his three men]. RICH MAN: So…that poor Ma Liang has the magic brush and it can turns anything to life. MAN 1: Yes master. You should take it from him. RICH MAN: I will…I will. MAN 1: You will be much richer if the brush is yours. RICH MAN: That’s right! I can draw lots of gold and money and anything I want. Hmm…now go to his house and arrest him! [Laughing loudly]. MEN: Ay ay, master. [All three men salute the rich man]. [The men go to Ma Liang’s house and arrest him. Ma Liang tries to resist but fails].
Scene 5
NARRATOR: The rich man was really happy to get the magic paintbrush. He drew lots of pictures with it but… RICH MAN: Mmm…what should I draw first? Ahaa! How about a new iPhone 5S. I always want that. Hehehe. [The rich man draws but nothing happens. He gets very angry and throws all his drawings on the floor. He calls his men]. NARRATOR: The rich man did not give up and drew more pictures but nothing happened. [The rich gets very angry and throws all his drawings on the floor. He calls his men]. RICH MAN: Go to the prison and bring him to me. Now! Now! Now! [Shouting like a mad man]. MEN: Yes, master. [The men take Ma Liang to the rich man]. RICH MAN: Hey boy! Why it doesn’t come to life? [Holding one of his paintings]. [Ma Liang jiggles his shoulders and hands]. RICH MAN: Alright…alright. If you draw some pictures for me and turn them to life, I will set you free. NARRATOR: Ma Liang knew that the rich man was a bad man in the village. Of course he did not want to help him. He had an idea. MA LIANG: I can help you but you should obey your words. No cheating okay. RICH MAN: Aiyaa, I will…I will. Now, draw me a golden mountain. I want to go there and take all the gold. [Ma Liang draws a sea instead of a mountain. The rich man gets angry]. RICH MAN: Oi! Why did you draw a sea? I don’t want this. I want a golden mountain. Draw it quickly.
[Ma Liang giggles and then draws a golden mountain which is far away from the sea. The rich man jumps and claps happily]. RICH MAN: Draw a boat. Make it a big boat. I want to go there. I want my gold. MA LIANG: Very well. What colour do you prefer? Red, blue, pink? [Ma Liang smiles and draws a big boat. The rich man and his men jump into the boat and rows towards the mountain]. NARRATOR: When the boat sailed to the middle of the sea… [The rich man and his men shout loudly and happily]. NARRATOR: Shhhh! When the boat sailed to the middle of the sea, Ma Liang drew a large wave and it destroyed the boat. The rich man and his men were drowned into the sea. [Ma Liang draws a big wave. The boat and its passengers are drowned into the sea. Ma Liang jumps happily]. NARRATOR: After that, the young man lived happily with his family. He kept on helping the people in need until the end of his life. The magic paintbrush was known by everyone until this day. So friends, that was what a happy ending to kind person who like to help other people in need and unhappy ending to wicked and greedy man. The end and thank you for watching.
THE END
