Act I Scene 1

ACT ONE

Scene 1

(As the curtain goes up, Freddie is working at a computer while gazing out his window up at the sky.)

FREDDIE

Agent Freddie Bayliss reporting to space command. The subjects of my experiment have not been responding well to the stimulus provided. I am recommending increased dosages. Perhaps some sort of contingency plan is in order...

(The stage revolves around to reveal a two level set. The first level -- called "Here" - consists of a living room, a kitchen, and Tessa and Freddie’s bedrooms. There is a car in the driveway. The second level -- called "There" -- is partly concealed. On each level is a chorus. The playing area in front of the apron represents the classroom, the playground, etc. The second level is the bridge and quarters of the starship Anterres. A lift travels between the two levels.)

"THERE" CHORUS

FREDDIE THE DREAMER IS OUT ON A LIMB

DOING WHAT NOBODY DARES

EVEN WHEN HE HAS A WORLD TO SAVE

IS THAT ANY WAY FOR A CHILD TO BEHAVE?

"THERE" CHORUS

SEEMINGLY NOBODY CARES

FOR THE PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS REFUSE HIM

SOME PEOPLE EVEN ABUSE HIM

CHILDREN WILL CHATTER "HE’S MAD AS A HATTER"

AND BATTER HIM EVEN MORE

BUT NO-ONE WILL EVER BELIEVE HIM

NOTHING CAN EVER DECEIVE HIM

PEOPLE WITH FEET THAT ARE GLUED TO THE STREET

WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FLY...

EVEN TO TRY...

(Enter RAYMOND, dressed in a police uniform, and his sixteen year old daughter Tessa, who is getting ready for school.)

RAYMOND

Freddie! Breakfast!

TESSA

You’d like Mark, Dad. He walks upright, and he hardly ever drags his hands on the ground.

RAYMOND

Tessa, please…

TESSA

You never want to meet any of my boy-friends.

RAYMOND

Tessa -- my hands’re full. Your brother is all I can -- Freddie! D’ya hear me?

FREDDIE

Of course, the samples that I did my tests on could prove faulty, and finding suitable replacements would be a major undertaking...

RAYMOND

Can we talk about this later? FREDDIE!

(Raymond goes into Freddie’s room and grabs him, hauling him into the kitchen.)

FREDDIE

I’ll continue this dispatch later. Freddie out.

TESSA

You’re always putting me off. How come Freddie gets your attention? Maybe if I went around talking to my imaginary friends...

RAYMOND

That’s enough o’ that!

TESSA

But of course, my friends might as well be imaginary... Look, spaceman -- you better not have been playing with my computer again or I’ll blast you with my ray gun. Anyway, Dad, he wants to take me skiing, and I wondered if we could borrow the car...?

RAYMOND

Why doesn’t he drive you?

TESSA

Because he doesn’t have a car.

(Freddie is oblivious to their conversation. He is playing with his porridge, making like the spoon is a space ship. Raymond grabs it away from him, holds him down, and begins spoon feeding him, trying to keep the porridge off of his policeman’s uniform. Freddie doesn’t react.)

RAYMOND

Then why doesn’t he get one?

TESSA

Because he doesn’t have any money. Now will you let me -- ?

RAYMOND

Whaddya know about this guy? Doesn’t he work?

TESSA

What do you mean, what do I know? I’ve been trying to get you to meet him for two weeks now, but all you can think of is Captain Kirk here.

RAYMOND

We’ll see.

(Tessa gets up to leave. She looks fox a moment at Freddie, and pats his shoulder.)

TESSA

Maybe another planet wouldn’t be a bad idea.

(As they head out the door, RAYMOND reaches for the mail. TESSA tries to stop him.)

I’ll get it!

RAYMOND

Naw, s’arright

(RAYMOND flips through the mail. TESSA tries to grab it out of his hands.)

Hydro -- Gas -- Police pension -

(He stops on one, and his eyes begin to well up with tears TESSA. grabs the letter and opens it.)

TESSA

"Dear Mrs. Baylis; you have now accumulated a total of 2490 Club Zed points. Just ten more and you will be able to buy that hair drier you’ve always wanted." Jeez.

RAYMOND

‘Imagine that. Just ten more points.

TESSA

I thought I’d written to everybody. Sorry, Dad. I’ll get them stop them at the Post Office.

RAYMOND

I’ll just have to get used to it.

TESSA

You sure you’re ready to go back to work?

RAYMOND

‘Course. An’ you’re right. I don’t pay enough attention to ya. There just’ ain’t enough of me to look after both o’ ya.

(RAYMOND, FREDDIE and TESSA step outside the house into a car, which moves to centre stage. Freddie plays with buttons on the dash-board, pretending that it’s a shuttle-craft.)

"HERE" CHORUS

FREDDIE THE DREAMER IS OUT ON A LIMB

MEETING THE MAN-IN-THE-MOON

SAYING WHAT NO OTHER BOY WILL SAY

NEVER TO LAUGH OR RUN AND PLAY

LOSING HIS MOTHER TOO SOON

NOW THERE’S NO-ONE TO UNDERSTAND HIM

NO-ONE CAN REPRIMAND HIM

EVEN THE DEVIL IS NOT ON HIS LEVEL

"THERE" CHORUS

HE’S DREAMING HE’S NEXT TO GOD

"HERE" CHORUS

KNOWING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO CHOOSE HIM

MAYBE WE’RE GOING TO LOSE HIM

"THERE" CHORUS

THE FEELING IS SUCH

THAT HE’S SEEING TOO MUCH

AND HE CHOOSES TO LOOK AWAY

"HERE" CHORUS

AND WHAT’S THERE TO SAY FOR

HOW HE WILL PAY FOR

"HERE" & "THERE" CHORUSES

THE GAME HE WILL PLAY FOR TODAY!