In January, the company Loud Voices Silent Streets issued a call-out for short monologues (less than 6 minutes) based on the theme of Illusion.
My piece originated from a consideration of themes in the ultimate play about illusion, The Tempest. I found the witch, Sycorax fascinating as she is a powerful presence in the play even though she does not appear in it. She is a foil for Prospero’s deceptions. I imagined her ancestors living on this island (Britain) in the distant future when the people in power, who failed to act with regard to the climate emergency have left, abandoning all those without the means to leave to their fate. The narrator in my piece implores us, her ancestors, to wake up from the illusion that our lifestyles are sustainable. She is the warning voice of our conscience trying desperately to get us to act before it’s too late.
I was also inspired by Robin Kimmerer’s writing on the indigenous worldview of reciprocity with the earth which has been lost in our consumerist society. The narrator of my piece calls for us to drop the veils of illusion that separate us from the natural world and make us forget that we are just one part of the web of life.
The piece is performed by Nayiri Tara.
Here is the YouTube link – https://youtu.be/rGOI3aqYk6
Sarah J Featherstone 