furnace skit

Furnace
Scene One opens with Jacob and Job running away from Cossacks they have torn clothes and are dirty
Jacob: “What will I do now we just escaped, from captivity?”
Job: “We are merely runaway slaves, we have lost almost everything”
Jacob: “My wife is dead and my son has been taken away, I have nowhere to go”
Job: “My wife still alive we can try to get to my house for refuge”
Jacob: “God willing we will find salvation there”
Job: “Before I was taken away, we had a prosperous house with many servants we can recover there”
Jacob: “It's good to warm my bones beside the fire”
Job: “Let us make way to the woods, our journey will begin there, come quickly”
Jacob and Job stumble off stage into the forest.

Scene Two Jacob and Job are wandering in the Garden of Eden they see Eve and Adam under the tree of knowledge
Job: “Hello good people have you any food?”
Jacob: “We have been traveling many miles and are hungry”
Adam: “There is only the tree of knowledge, but its fruit is forbidden”
Job: “Why is it forbidden?”
Eve: “God has demanded so”
Jacob: “Does not want us to prosper? We should eat of it.”
Job: “We should obey God’s word be has provided us with so much to disobedient would be heresy”
Adam: “Job is right to say so”
Eve: “The serpent told me that we would be equal with God if we ate of it”
Jacob: “If that is true eating the fruit would make us stronger and we would no longer suffer.
Job: “Everything God has created so far has been great, is this not one of his creation also”
Adam: “This is right to assume perhaps we should eat of it”
Eve picks up the pomegranate: “Thanks be to the Lord” and takes a bite, passes it to Adam who eats it.
Adam: “I feel different now” looks at Jacob and Job “I know everything from Alpha to Omega”
Eve looks up wide eyed: “Ma ma lou jo”
Jacob turns to Job “These two now seem changed, perhaps we should go by a way in which there is NO ecstasy” they leave

Scene Three:  Jacob and Job are now entering the grounds to the Castle of Nebuchadnezzar.  Nebuchadnezzar is near a desk with several cups of full of seed on it
Job: “Look there is that Queen Nebuchadnezzar”
Jacob: “I believe so should we tell her about our state”
Job: “Yes, she will be shed mercy on us”
Jacob approaching Nebuchadnezzar: “Your Majesty my name is Jacob and this is Job, we come a long way seeking refuge can you help us”
Nebuchadnezzar: “I am Nebuchadnezzar Queen of this Land I have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image”
Jacob turns to Job: “No matter what one does one stumbles into sin”
Job turns to the Queen: “Your majesty how can we sing a song in a strange land?
Nebuchadnezzar: “If thou does not worship thy God, put in a fiery furnace”
Job: “God will protect us deliver us from you fire”
Jacob: “I do not understand God’s ways any more I do not love him. I can’t. Not in this lifetime”
Job: “Have faith go into the fire with me”
Jacob: “This fire will decide the sacrifice that we denied.”
Jon and Jacob are pushed into the fire and are badly burnt
Job: “Why does got let us suffer so”
Jacob: “ I have not stopped suffering since I was first taken as a slave”
Nebuchadnezzar: “God  is justified and his word will be heard, and you will be cut up and you  will be turned into a dung hill”
Jacob: “We are not to be faeces we are already flesh and fur” swings his arm and knocks over on of the cups of seed
Job: “Nice one Onan”
Nebuchadnezzar: “Blasphemy”
Jacob: “ Let us run and get away now” The two run off stage

Scene Four: (Kaitlin)

Jacob and Job collapse on the side of the road from hunger.
Jacob:  We will starve to death if no one helps us!
Job:  Maybe someone will have mercy.  Hey, here comes someone!  Help!
Priest:  Look at those losers.  I think I’d better take the long way around.
Levite:  Oh they look like they could use some help, but I’m late for a meeting.  Someone else will stop.  
Waclaw the Samaritan:  Look at those poor fellows.  I have to help my brothers who are in need.  Hey good fellows.  Come eat some bread and an apple.  You are not strong enough to continue traveling.  Please sleep in my hut for the night.  
Job:  Why are you being so kind to us, sir?
Waclaw:  I have bread, so I give it to you.  If I didn’t have any, I’d go begging.  God owns everything, but the rich receive it all.
Jacob:  Surely this man follow the law of the Lord which says, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
(Jacob and Job go to sleep)
Waclaw:  Good morning my friends.  Here’s some food for the road.  Safe travels.

Scene five: Jacob accompanies Job home and then the shit hits the fan for Job. (Jon)

God on stage left stands. He is approached by a sulking Samuel Beckett
GOD: Ah Samuel, whence comest thou?
Samuel (gloomily): Oh I come and go along this putrid earth.
GOD: Putrid? Why have a look around, there is nothing but beauty here. Take Job here- what a fine specimen. Blessed since the day he was born.
SAMUEL:  Birth was the death of him.
GOD: But see how he looks upon the earth, he has the eyes of Mitus, everything he sees turns to gold.
SAMUEL:  Everything he sees turns to gold? That’s because he has gold as far as he can see.  I bet you if you took away his house, his children, his cattle, goats and camels he’d have nothing left to be happy about. He’d curse you and this bitch of an earth.
GOD: well…perhaps your right, I mean if you had all your money, possessions,  and your home taken from you and then had your entire family murdered that might…no you know what? I’m feeling pretty lucky- your on.
Jacob and Job make it to the clearing where his home once stood- everything is decimated.
JACOB: :Yeah…you got a real nice place here Job.
JOB: no, no you don’t understand. My mansion, my live stock, my my children….my wife?
JACOB: ( pointing )No she’s still here.
JOB: Oh curse the day on which I was born!
JACOB:  Now see here, don’t be too rash. let’s just wait..I’m sure things will get better.
JOB: Oh perhaps your right. Let’s just wait for God’s direction.  The lord giveth and the lord taketh away.  I’m sure he’ll be here to guide us.
Seeing this GOD and SAMUEL exchange a quick glace.
SAMUEL: Double or nothing?
GOD: Game on.
Enter Samuel from stage left.
SAMUEL:  what are you two sorry pieces of shite doing?
JACOB AND JOB (TOGETHER): Where waiting for God-
SAMUEL(interrupting) : OH?
JACOB AND JOB (TOGETHER): No, where waiting for God-
SAMEUL (interrupts) OH?
JOB:  where waiting for direction from God.
SAMUEL (DISAPOINTED): Oh.. I see.
JACOB: Can you help us?
SAMUEL: well first let me help you two up.
JACOB: oh thank you for your hand sir.
JOB: Strong grip there, my hands sort of burning.
JACOB: mine too… more tingly than hot.
JOB (holding his hand in pain) Don’t you have any piece of advice, some words of wisdom?
SAMUEL: Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
JACOB:  whoa, I’m really boiling here.
JOB: Please just tell us what we can do. How can I retrieve all my possessions? How can I get my family back?  How can I stop these burning boils? How do I fix this miserable world?
SAMUEL: I’m sorry. You’re on earth, I’m afraid there’s no cure for that.


Scene six: (Guys) advise Job. (Emily)
Job: (Crying out) God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but he has broken me: He has taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark!
Nietzsche: God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.
Job: Oh that I knew where I might find him! Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him.
Nietzsche: Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market place, and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!"
Job: No, I haven’t.
Vladimir(from Waiting for Godot): He should be here. We’ve been waiting all day.
Wife: Curse God and die!
Nietzsche: God is a thought that makes crooked all things that are straight.
Job: I have heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all. Shall vain words have an end? Where shall wisdom be found?
Vladimir: Shhhhh!!! Listen! (everybody freezes: In walks T.S. Eliot)
Wife: Is that him?
Eliot: Hi, I’m T.S. Eliot.
(Everyone groans in disappointment)
Eliot: (by way of apology) A play should give you something to think about! When I see a play and I understand it the first time, then I know it can’t be much good.
Nietzsche: Shut it, poet.
Eliot: Time present and time past are both perhaps present in time future, and time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present, then all time is un-redeemable.
All: Huh?!
Nietzsche: Job, you are going the way to yourself. And your way leads past yourself and your seven devils. You will be a heretic to yourself and a witch and soothsayer and fool and doubter and unholy one and a villain. You must wish to consume yourself in your own flame: how could you wish to become new unless you had first become ashes!
Job: Now my soul is poured out upon me: the days of affliction have taken hold. He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
Vladimir: But where IS He? (Enter boy/messenger) Speak!
Boy: God told me to tell you he won’t come this evening, but surely tomorrow.
VLADIMIR: You work for Him?
BOY: Yes Sir.
VLADIMIR: What do you do?
BOY: I mind the goats, Sir.
VLADIMIR: Is he good to you?
BOY: Yes Sir.
VLADIMIR: He doesn't beat you?
BOY: No Sir, not me.
VLADIMIR: Whom does he beat?
BOY: He beats my brother, Sir.
VLADIMIR: And why doesn't he beat you?
BOY: I don't know, Sir.
Job: I have to get out of here. I can’t take this anymore. (Jacob and Job depart)



Scene Seven:
Job and Jacob are wondering through a meadow
Job: Jacob we have had a long journey and experienced much but I feel our trial is coming to an end
Jacob: I too have that sense, who is this that now approaches?
Blake: Hello, good sirs, I am William Blake
Job: I am Job and this is Jacob Why have you come here?
Blake: I came because I sensed you men have anxiety about your struggles it this true?
Jacob: Yes but what advise can you offer?
Blake: As I have written; without contraries is no progression
Job: You see our recent trials as contraries?
Blake: Yes, you see without your struggles and pains there is no progression
Jacob: Why must we struggle at all?
Blake: It is like a sword being crafted in a furnace, it must be burned and melted for it to take shape.
Job: We must suffer so that we can live
Blake: Yes it is much like a Sexson class
Jacob: Yes I have heard of that man, it was prophesied that him and his iPad will take over the world.
Blake: I must leave you now, for it is time that the two of you must  have an epiphany
Job: How? One cannot be told to have an epiphany it is impossible.
Blake: Just another contrary, good day sirs. (leaves)
Jacob: What is to happen now?
Job pointing to the ceiling : Look a whirlwind of fire.
God enters: I am the all powerful Lord Almighty and it was your destinies that brought you here
Jacob: But what of our free will Lord, do we not have that?
God: That you do, but you missed the meaning, your suffering was not it vain
Job: What was it then, we have lost it all, in a fiery downfall.
God: Fire not only destroys, it has a creative power as well, for now that your suffering has ended, your peacefulness is more profound.
Jacob: Now all we can do it gain it back, Job.
Job: I see what you mean, we are not unlike the swords Blake spoke of in the furnace.
God: Blake is a wise man, and he speaks the truth do you both understand why all this has happened?
Jacob: Yes I do
Job: I as well, I will blog about it later
God: The only hope or else despair, Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre- to be redeemed from fire by fire