LIANG ZHU 16 Freedom

[As they exit, the scene fades to blackout and the sound of the wedding procession fills the air once again – the reedhorn, the gong, the cymbals heralding the forthcoming happy event. As the light slowly comes back on, we see the procession in silhouette… downstage left, we see the grave mound of Liang Shanbo with the inscription of his name on a tablet in front of it. The palanquin enters and there is a sudden loud clap of thunder. A strong gust of wind blows the banners of the procession helter skelter. This increases in intensity, even as thunder and lightning shake the earth. The palanquin bearers are unable to move forward. Yingtai emerges from the palanquin and sees the grave mound. There is a sudden lull in the wind and the storm and she steps out. She moves forward towards the mound and the storm resumes but she is unaffected. In fact, she is gliding gently as if walking on air, and as she does this, she removes her wedding dress and her headdress. These are blown away. The gift bearers try to grab at her but they are unable to because of the powerful wind that drives them back. She reaches the mound and sees the tablet with Liang Shanbo’s name. She hugs the grave and cries.

Yingtai:
Three autumns: each one lovelier than the last. Under the moon, we set brush to paper, composed poems to windsong and zither, raised cups together as friends and brothers.
Too soon the years have flown… we’ve filled our hearts with laughter, forgetting that this day will come… now duty has come calling, and return you must…
Too deep our affection has grown… and now parting brings us sorrow, wishing there should be no tomorrow. [she falls on the ground, grief stricken.]
[All of a sudden, there is calmness, and none of the procession party can be seen. The light changes to serene greenish blue. The monk Master Suan enters, stands in a pool of light and watches Yingtai.]

Master Suan:
Death is an illusion… only love is real… for love is eternal. When it finally breaks through the thousand knots as a butterfly, is not the silkworm’s death-like sleep in the cocoon an illusion?

[Yingtai looks up as she hears this and looks at the monk. He nods. Just then, a butterfly appears upstage, flying around gracefully. The light on Yingtai flickers and she seems to hear something. Her expression tells us that she is listening to an inner voice for her face changes from anguish to tears of joy. She stands up, facing the mound.]

Yingtai:
Liang Shanbo Zhu Yingtai – together forever!

[There is a loud clap of thunder, the skies grow dark all of a sudden, and the grave mound splits open. The monk stands there with his eyes closed and his hands in prayer position. Zhu Yingtai jumps into the grave and it closes on her instantaneously! And the wind dies down, the sky slowly becomes brighter, as the procession party rush forward to the grave mound, looking for traces of Yingtai, and digging the ground in amazement and anguish.
Music fills the air, as the sky becomes more and more beautiful. The monk comes out of his prayer pose and turns around upstage. Two butterflies emerge – they are Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. They fly together, dancing to the music of their love for each other. They circle the whole place with joy and the monk exits, with a smile on his face. The music soars and so do the butterflies. The mortals watch in amazement. And the butterflies are free to fly…]


THE END