In continuation of my last post, I offer this modest dramatic piece.
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Scene. Winston Churchill’s office circa 1939-1941.
Curtain rises to reveal WINSTON CHURCHILL seated at his desk, puffing on a cigar with a beatific, meditative expression.
An AIDE enters.
AIDE: Mr. Prime Minister, the Germans are invading Poland!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes.
AIDE reenters.
AIDE: Mr. Prime Minister, the Germans are on the march against Norway and Denmark!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes.
AIDE reenters.
AIDE: Mr. Prime Minster, the Nazis have taken Paris!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes. Distant EXPLOSIONS are heard.
AIDE reenters, out of breath.
AIDE: Mr. Prime Minister, the Luftwaffe are bombing our factories!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes. AIR RAID SIRENS are heard.
AIDE reenters, his arm in a sling.
AIDE: The damned Krauts have blockaded us! They’re launching air raids on our population centers!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes. AMBULANCES are heard.
AIDE reenters, limping and covered in soot.
AIDE: Bloody bastards have bombed Coventry!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes. FLAMES appear in the office windows. SCREAMS, SHOUTS, and SCATTERED GUNFIRE are heard.
AIDE reenters, his uniform in tatters.
AIDE: Hitler’s forces are invading by air and sea! They’re everywhere! We’re doomed!
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
AIDE exits. CHURCHILL continues smoking. Some time passes. The sounds die away, replaced by an ominous SILENCE. Then faintly the MUSIC of "Deutschland Uber Alles" is heard.
AIDE reenters, badly bloodied and bruised.
AIDE: Someone to see you, Mr. Prime Minister. I’m afraid he has no appointment.
ADOLF HITLER enters with three of his OFFICERS.
HITLER: Churchill, I am pleased to take possession of your office and your country. My men will now take you outside to be shot.
CHURCHILL (shrugs): Is that so?
Two of the OFFICERS lead CHURCHILL off-stage. A GUNSHOT is heard.
HITLER seats himself triumphantly at the desk. The remaining OFFICER salutes him.
OFFICER: Reports from the field confirm that all of England has fallen, my Fuhrer. You are the master of Europe. Soon you will be the master of the world!
HITLER picks up Churchill’s cigar and stubs it out.
HITLER: That is so!
MUSIC grows louder as the curtain falls.