Freedom!

Play 3

Scene 1:

Outside

ORANG UTAN 2:
   So, what do we do now? It's mighty cold out here! (hugs himself.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   I have heard that the humans like to ride on the backs of long-necked, maned beasts. We should find some. We can carry food that way, and we'll arrive at our destination easier and faster. On top of that, those beasts can move quite a bit fastewr than the humans, should they try to put us behind bars again.

ORANG UTAN 2:
   All right. But what about warmth? We will die of hypothermia out here. Maybe the party pooper was right... We should stay.

ORANG UTAN 5:
   (Frantically) No! No! Remember, anything that is worth gettting is not easily got.

ORANG UTAN 2:
    Yeah well... How do we know that your good old free days are worth getting?

ORANG UTAN 4:
   Because it's not easily got, you goose. Come on now, we gotta get goin before the sun rises. We have to find food and blankets, get some of those long-necked, maned beasts, and get on the truck of elephants before it leaves.

ORANG UTAN 5:
   There are these little short animals with thick coats. I have heard humans love them for blankets. Come on. Let's search.

(Orangutans 2-5 walk along. They are walking on the zoo sidewalk which makes a big circle, and they pass various animals and buildings on the way.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   All right, see these three buildings? We need to split up. One inside each building to see what's there, and I'll stay here to keep watch for humans.

(Orang utan 2 enters a small white building, orang utan 3 enters what looks like a big red barn, and orang utan 4 enters another small white building.)

ORANG UTAN 2:
   Oh wow, what is that!? (He is inside a small room looking into a large bowl of water, aka the toilet.) (Pulls a handle and watches the water whirl around drain down and then refill.) Whoa weee wow!

Orangutan 3:
   (Walks down a row of stalls and stops at each one to say this:) Excuse me, do you speak orang utan? (The buffalo just stamp their feet and keep on chewing cuds.) Oh okay... My my, you guys are big beasts!

ORANG UTAN 4:
   (He is staring at shelves of some weird furry creatures, aka furbies. Suddenly one opens its eyes and says "Hey who are you? I'm Grumpy, and I think you're sooo weird and ugly. Me no like. Hahahahaha, just joking!" Orang utan 4 jumps then laughs at himself.) Yeah right, umm, I mean, I'm Moon Watcher. Umm, I'm looking for some food and blankets and some long-necked, maned beasts so we can make our way out of here back to the good old free days. (Furby: "Rrreeealllllyyy?") Yes sir, uh, Grumpy. Do you know much about where I can find what I need? (Furby: speaks in Furbish and all the creatures on the shelves open their eyes, cock ears, and start speaking among themselves in Furbish.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   (Pacing) I wonder what's taking them so long? We haven't time to play...

ORANG UTAN 2:
   (pulls a handle again and watches the toilet flush.) Weeee yahoo! I wonder where that goes? To freedom???

ORANG UTAN 3:
   (Reaches end of row of stalls and opens a door into another room. The room is filled with huge tubs covered with heavy hinged lids. Orang utan walks up to one and lifts the lid. Inside is grain.) Aaahhh, feed. I'm sure this is what animals eat... (Finds some gunny sacks and starts to fill them.)

ORANG UTAN 4:
   (Furbies finish their huddle and Grumpy speaks again: "Well, as for the long-necked, maned animals, you have two choices. Either what humans call horses, or zebras. Humans like to ride on horses, but the zebras are much smaller, prettier, and faster. The horses like to see if they can buck you off before they'll work for you. But I believe the zebras will be much more willing, for they are from Africa and would like the freedom too. They're near your cage in a big red barn on the other side of your building. They have black and white stripes, and they speak Norse like the horses.") Okay cool... And what about the way out? (Furbies huddle, then Grumpy says: "There's a big green truck at the gate. It is loaded with African elephants, and it will get you there.") Truck? What's that? ("Oh, its a big box sitting on four round things, and it roars all the time.") Oh okay, thank you. (Orangutan 4 turns around and walks back out of gift shop to join Orangutan 5. Begins to tell him what the furbies have told him. As they are speaking, Orangutan 3 comes out with 4 sacks of grain.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   (Grumbling:) We're still one short, and now we're even shorter on time. Hey, Timber, would you go in there and see what Speaking Rain is up to?

ORANG UTAN 3:
   Sure. (Walks into building and finds Orang utan 2 playing with the sink.) Hey, we're short on time. Come on, hurry.

ORANG UTAN 2:
   Look, I found all the water we could possibly want, but I haven't anything to put it in!

ORANG UTAN 3:
   (Watches orang utan 2 turn a knob and water runs out into the bowl and drains down.) Oh, you're right... Hmmmm?

ORANG UTAN 2:
   I wonder where that water is going? To the good old days???! 

ORANG UTAN 3:
   Silly goose, it's not that easy. You won't fit down there. Come on, let's tell the ancient one about the water. (takes orang utan 2 by the arm and walks him out. They tell Orang utan 5 about the water.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   (Grumbling:) Oh great, now we need water bottles too... Well, let's find the zebras and the blankets first. I'm about to freeze.

ORANG UTAN 2:
   It was wonderfully warm in there, you know?

ORANG UTAN 5:
   (Covers ears and starts walking in the opposite direction. Others follow him past the Primate house and to another big red barn.) All right, who knows Norse?

(Orang utan 4 does a little jig, orang utan 5 points into the barn and orang utan 4 goes in.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   Come on, we haven't time. So the rest of you keep busy. I'll keep watch here, you guys go on and see what else you can find. And you (Points at orang utan 3) keep watch and make sure that she (points at orang utan 2) doesn't get off track again, hear?

(Orang utan 2 and 3 walk off and orang utan 5 starts pacing again.)

ORANG UTAN 4:
   (Looks down a row of stalls) Wow, they are striking creatures. (Calls out for all zebras to hear:) Hello hello? (To himself:) OOPS, I forgot--Norse, Norse... Okay okay. (Speaks in another language, the zebras respond with whinnies and grunts. Soon quite a few are butting heads on the stall door and trying to kick it down. Orang utan 4 says something else, they calm down, then he goes up to 6 stalls and lifts the latch. Zebras follow him out of the barn and they join orang utan 5.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   All right, all right! Nicely done. Now, let's get on!

(Orangutan 4 and 5 tie the sacks of grain onto one zebra and then mount a zebra each and the little herd trot to catch up with the others.)

ORANG UTAN 2:
   (Leans on a railing looking in on a lion. The lion is lazily twitching its tail.) Excuse me, Your Royal Highness? (Lion grunts in response.) Would you be so kind as to tell me how a body is to keep warm in such cold weather as this? (The little herd of zebras with orang utans 4 and 5 trot up. The lion suddenly perks up and strikes a pose, crouching as if to spring.) "You roar, run, and eat a good hot meal! That's how! Nothing like warm meat in the belly to keep a body warm." (The zebras paw the ground and twitch nervously.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   (Urgently:) Speaking Rain, mount your beast. NOW!

ORANG UTAN 2:
   (Hustles to obey, murmuring under his breath:) Good hot meat to keep a body warm, eh? So right, so right... (Zebras trot off together.)

ORANG UTAN 5:
   Where is Timber?

ORANG UTAN 2:
   Oh, he's just keeping busy like you said, Little Tree. Keep going.