Icarus+5

The Fall of Insolence

media type="file" key="Icarus5.mp3" The Radio Program

 SCENE 1 [OUTSIDE THE PALACE] __ 1. MUSIC: MEDIEVAL. __ 2. NARRATOR: In the dark of the night the clever inventor Daedalus met with King Minos’ daughter Ariadne, and told her how she could save brave Theseus; her lover, from the Minotaur, a horrible creature that was half man and half bull. Theseus and a group of other young Athenians were going to be locked in the labyrinth under King Minos’s palace, where they would be devoured by the beast. 3. DAEDALUS: (HURRIED WHISPER) Now listen, young Ariadne do you see this glowing, soft, ball that I hold in my hand? This is a magic ball of yarn. It will help Theseus through the mind boggling labyrinth! First lead handsome Theseus in the maze at midnight when the horrid Minotaur is asleep! Then, tie this enchanted yarn around a tall marble post in the labyrinth! Where ever he goes, the string will travel behind. This way he can always find his way back. 4. ARIADNE: (ALSO WHISPERING) May the gods praise you for your wisdom and kindness Daedalus! 5. DAEDALUS: Now, take heed Ariadne, it is coming close to midnight and if your father King Minos sees or hears me telling you how to let your lover through the labyrinth, my head will be his! 6. ARIADNE: Daedalus he is not my… 7. DAEDALUS: Hurry! I hear someone coming! Time does not wait for conversations! Now go! 8. ARIADNE: Thank you Daedalus! 9. DAEDALUS: Ariadne, tell Theseus… 10. ARIADNE: (INTERUPTING) Quick, someone is coming! Daedalus, hide in that big, dark green bush behind you! __ 11. SOUND: RUSTLING LEAVES. __ 12. THESEUS: My dear Ariadne, What is that radiating ball you possess in your delicate pale hand? (Pause) Never mind we must hurry ‘tis almost dawn! 13. ARIADNE: Theseus I need to tell you my… 14. DAEDALUS: (ANNOYED) COUGH, COUGH 15. ARIADNE: I mean Daedalus’ plans! 16. NARRATOR: Theseus went on to defeat the Minotaur, but King Minos knew that only Daedalus could have helped him and was not very understanding about it. SCENE 2 [INSIDE THE PALACE] 1. GUARDS: Your Highness, this golden string was found in the labyrinth. Does it mean anything to you? 2. MINOS: Only Daedalus would have been able to think of a plan like this. Bring him, and his son, the meddlesome Icarus, to me. 3. GUARDS: Yes sir. __ 4. SOUND: HURRIED FOOTSTEPS. __ 5. MINOS: (TO HIMSELF), Daedalus shall pay. 6. ICARUS: (WHINEY) Put me down, put me down! 7. DAEDALUS: Hush son. Do not struggle against those twice your size. You called for me sire? 8. MINOS: Daedalus, you fool, you have helped Theseus, one of the worst enemies of Crete. 9. DAEDALUS: I’m sorry, your highness. 10. KING MINOS: Now is not the time for apologies, Daedalus. You are the best inventor on Crete, but you are now one of our worst enemies. You of all people should have expected that your act would not go unaccounted for. You have offended the people of my kingdom, and you shall pay. Guard, take these two to the tower of the west wing. 11. GUARDS: Yes sir!  SCENE 3 [INSIDE THE TOWER] 1. NARRATOR: Time past as Icarus and Daedalus stayed in their prison. Daedalus soon became worried about his son’s health. 2. DAEDALUS: (NERVOUS) Son, we have to get you out of here. You are looking paler by the day. 3. ICARUS: (WORRIED) But Dad! Minos controls all the sea around Crete. We will never escape. 4. DAEDALUS: Yes we can! I will work on making an invention that will fly us away from here 5. ICARUS: (DOUBTFUL) Fly? That idea is preposterous! 6. DAEDALUS: No it is not! I can see it right now! 7. ICARUS: (GIVING IN) Ok, but if your idea doesn’t work we are not flying! 8. NARRATOR: Daedalus was asleep one night when a brilliant escape plan came to him. 9. DAEDALUS: I’ve got it! Icarus, my son, wake up. 10. ICARUS: (GROGGY) What is it dad? 11. DAEDALUS: I know how we are going to fly. I will construct wings for us. We will use wood from the walls to make the frames and I will melt down these beeswax candles to make an adhesive. But where am I going to get feathers from? 12. ICARUS: I’ve got you covered dad! __ 13. SOUND: BIRD TWEETING. ROCK HITTING BIRD. TWEETING STOPS. __ 14. DAEDALUS: Good thinking Icarus, but we’re going to need more feathers. I’ll get started on the frames, and you wait for more birds. With any luck we’ll have these wings ready on Wednesday. That gives us four days to finish. 15. NARRATOR: Daedalus worked day and night to complete the wings. 16. ICARUS: Hey, Dad, are they almost done? 17. DAEDALUS: Yes. But son, make sure not to fly too high or the wax on the wings will melt. 18. ICARUS: (NOT PAYING ATTENTION) What? Oh, yeah, sure dad. 19. NARRATOR: Now Icarus and Daedalus were ready to fly. SCENE 4 [IN THE SKY] 1. NARRATOR: As much as Daedalus tried to reason with Icarus about flying too high, nothing seemed to work. Icarus was just too overjoyed about the milk-white wispy clouds around him that seemed to be framed perfectly in a tangerine orange sunset. 2. DAEDALUS: Listen Icarus! 3. ICARUS: Father I can’t hear you through the flapping of my giant feathery wings and the strong whistling of the refreshing and salty wind! 4. DAEDALUS: Son I cannot lose you. You must come down! 5. ICARUS: Look father I am as free as can be! The world is my oyster. Not even the soldiers of King Minos can get us way up here. 6. DAEDALUS: Son, I am not way up there. You are, now come down! 7. ICARUS: Father you are the one who got us in this situation and yet you are furious at ME! I can not see what __I__ did wrong. __You__ had to help Theseus and get us locked in that tower without freedom. And I am the one to be blamed. 8. DAEDALUS: Icarus I should chastise you for you inconceivable ignorance. 9. ICARUS: (MOCKING) Then why don’t you come and catch me Father. 10. DAEDALUS: Icarus if you don’t come down, you will soon regret your choice. 11. ICARUS: I still can not hear you especially now that I’ve gotten higher! 12. DAEDALUS: (GETTING ANGRY) ICARUS! I am the philosopher! I know more than you ever will. And I will help whoever I want because I have affection for others and intellect! Two qualities you don’t and will never own! For you are so selfish and naïve that if you were to fall and plunge into the sea I would care as much as any other philosopher who would care about a nuisance like you! 13. ICARUS: Then so be it! I will fly even higher so I can no longer hear your degrading insults. 14. DAEDALUS: (VOICE SOFTENS) Son, I didn’t mean it like that. Of course I love and cherish you but if you fly any higher your life would end and I could not bear that! 15. NARRATOR: And what happened next was the most shocking of all. SCENE 5 [IN THE SKY] 1. ICARUS: I feel as free as a bird. Flying is so much fun, and I wish to fly higher! 2. DAEDALUS: What is he doing? Oh no, he is disobeying my forewarning, what should I do? 3. ICARUS: (WORRIED) Wow, it’s getting kind of hot up here; it feels like I’m melting. 4. DAEDALUS: Icarus, get down here this instant, the beeswax on your wings will melt! 5. NARRATOR: The foolish Icarus was soaring in the air carelessly toward the sun. He did not know of the tragic event that would end his life soon. 6. DAEDALUS: There is no way of getting him down now. Oh, if only he had listened to my warning. 7. ICARUS: Look at me father, I am a bird! This is so fun, I…. AAAAH!!!

SCENE SIX [IN THE SKY] __ 1. SOUND: SPLASH. __ 2. DAEDALUS: (YELLING) IIICCCAAARRRUUSSSS 3. NARRATOR: But try as he might, there was nothing Daedalus could do for his son. Icarus was dead. 4. DAEDALUS: (MOURNFULLY) My son has died. The foolish boy didn’t heed my warnings and this is what he gets. (TEARS) No! I cannot remember the bad times as it seemed like nothing compared to all the good times that we have shared. I wish for you eternal peace my son. You were never a bad son. Foolish at times, but a good son all the same. I must continue on my journey, as that is what my arms tell me, though my heart says to stay. You will be missed Icarus. (MORE CRYING). By Zeus, I must pull myself together. I will continue on in your name, Icarus. 5. NARRATOR: Daedalus flew on, mourning his son with every flap of his wings. SCENE 7 [SICICILY] 1. NARRATOR: After flying in anguish for a day, Daedalus reached the island of Sicily. __ 2. SOUND: WAVES CRASHING ON A SHORE. __ 3. DAEDALUS: Ah, land. My arms hurt from this flapping, but king Minos might have a warrant for my arrest, and I don’t want to cause the inhabitants any trouble. __ 4. SOUND: WOOD ON WINGS CRACKING. __ 5. DAEDALUS: I guess a night won’t hurt, for my wings can flap no more. 6. KING: As I was saying, I think we need more polishing in the temple of Poseidon. 7. GUARDS: Good thinking your highness. __ 8. SOUND: PERSON LANDING. __ 9. KING: What in the name of Zeus? 10. DAEDALUS: I am Daedalus, an inventor. I hail from Crete. I’ve had a long journey, and was hoping for a place to stay.



11. KING: You poor sir. Stay as long as you care to. 12. NARRATOR: Later that night….. 13. KING: You look like a man who has experienced much. What has brought you to my island? 14. DAEDALUS: It all started when King Minos’ daughter Ariadne… __ 15. MUSIC: MUSIC GETS LOUDER AS DAEDALUS’ VOICE FADES OUT. __ 16. NARRATOR: Daedalus spent the rest of his life on Sicily. He invented many things for the king and the people of the island, but that is a story for another time.