Father Nandru and the Wolves

Julian Garner

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781783191154
• eBook ISBN: 9781783196142
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

A lost village, star-crossed lovers, mysterious wolves and the extraordinary story of a community trying to save what is most precious to them, before it is too late. Five hundred years ago, founding fathers built a log church in a small village deep in the heart of Transylvania, where the villagers still worship. Despite the priest's fondness for tuica (a local plum brandy) and a tendency to side with the Tsigani in local disputes, life remained pretty much unchanged. But when Eveline, the lop-faced daughter of a leading family, elopes with Vadim, the crippled son of the Roma dancing clan, Father Nandru has twenty four hours to pull the situation back from the brink. At the last moment, mysterious wolves emerge from the forest with surprising advice before Father Nandru has a catastrophic vision of the village's demise. Now the little community must put aside their differences once and for all and pull together if anything is to survive into the future.

Act One

The GYPSY BAND play the audience into the auditorium.

NANDRU is putting the finishing touches to a model of an ancient wooden church.

A giant puppet GREY WOLF enters, snarling and snapping its great jaws.

NANDRU tapes the blades of a pair of scissors.

The WOLF, its jaws clamped shut by some invisible force, backs off.

NANDRU

30^th November – Saint Andrew’s Day.

Some folk, who should know better, say

That on this night, in forests deep,

The wolves a dark appointment keep

And in the shadows there debate

The coming year’s Campaign of Hate.

WOLF-SHADOWS appear, howling.

Quick! Tie up the jaws, at home,

Of every snapping tool you own!

Strap them tight with tape or cord

And offer a prayer up to Our Lord

That through the coming year we’ll keep

Safe the lives of lambs and sheep.

He tapes together scissors, pliers and tongs from his table and locks them in the drawer.

The WOLF-SHADOWS fade from view.

NANDRU takes a bottle from inside the model church and drinks to calm his nerves.

He brings out a pair of puppets.

NANDRU

Meet Vadim, “The Knowing One”.

And this is Eveline; her name means “Light”.

I’m Nandru: “Ardent for Peace”.

Oh, yes, that’s me, alright!

Vadim and Eveline were my parishioners.

Vadim was a gypsy, Eveline was not.

On a forest path…

VADIM

You’re following me!

NANDRU

And she replied…

EVELINE

So what?

(Pause.)

I saw you dancing…

VADIM

When?

EVELINE

Last night! You made a fire.

VADIM

I did?

EVELINE

It wouldn’t catch. You danced the flames. I saw it all from where

I hid.

VADIM

“I danced the flames”: that sounds mysterious!

EVELINE

How dare you laugh at me! I’m serious!

VADIM

And where was this?

EVELINE

You know!

VADIM

I don’t!

EVELINE

Don’t lie to me!

VADIM

Okay, I won’t.

I cannot dance, and that’s the truth.

As a child I fell down from the roof,

I was just a little lad,

And ever since my foot’s been bad.

I hobble. Look, I limp. I’m lame!

To dance would be a fine thing;

As you see, I can barely walk.

Sorry, I don’t have time to talk.

EVELINE

But you bewitched me with your steps!

VADIM

Bewitched?

EVELINE

I can’t think of a better word.

You danced the flames!

VADIM

Don’t be absurd!

EVELINE

Or was it you they danced, perhaps?

VADIM

Now, that I would have liked to see!

EVELINE

I was there! Don’t laugh at me!

You rose up in the air

And like an angel hovered there

It seemed, for many hours.

As if gravity had lost its powers!

And as you danced, all the anguish and distress

That blights this world, its terrible unhappiness,

Was swept away, irresistibly!

VADIM

“Irresistible”? Ah, yes, that sounds like me!

EVELINE

It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw!

And afterwards I felt so refreshed, so clean, so raw…

I wanted to come forward then,

And declare myself, immediately,

But, with all your people standing round,

I was too shy, you see.

Accept me, now, if you are kind,

Or use me however you feel inclined.

My old life is over. I can live no longer there.

If you don’t want me…

VADIM

Hey, relax! Don’t lose your hair!

I wish I didn’t, but I’ve a confession:

Mushroom picking is my profession.

Berries and mushrooms from the wood.

I’d b...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two