Song & Dance of a 3-Time Cancer Survivor
歌舞慶重生第十二段《花團錦簇後奏曲》
這是劇終謝幕時，通常劇中人都喜氣洋洋在台上接受花束，女主至此經過三次大症而痊癒，對很多事情都很看得開了，在她病時，契女對她很好，她作《祝你年年生日快樂》鋼琴曲給契女做生日禮物，在她生日契女請她看花展，怎知自己好了，契女却得到大症，還不肯接受治療，相信祈禱會痊癒，與契女理論不如兼接受治療和禱告，契女因此不肯再見她。想念契女，所以這段的演出，音樂以《祝你年年生日快樂》為素材，形象亦多用花卉。
Act 12
POSTLUDE BOUQUETS
At the end of performances bouquets are usual...
(Music and projection/animation of little balloons each with the name/image of a flower in alphabetical order.)
Heroine’s opening speech:
Many cancer survivors look just like ordinary people. When I opened the door to those who came to see me after my long battle, I often saw a mixture of fear and surprise on their faces – perhaps they were expecting to see a bald, pale, thin and weak creature, crawling instead of walking, and were surprised to see me upright, with rosy cheeks and hair on my head. And hell! I had put on weight as well – Ah! Can’t even lose weight as some reward after all this! Being a survivor, I now appreciate many things that I used to take for granted.
As a birthday present from my goddaughter Sue, I went to the Chelsea Flower Show for the very first time – had I not survived cancer, I would not have been able to see all those beautiful flowers. I saw how people of all ages enjoyed the beauty of such an abundance of colours and perfumes, and I feel the images of flowers may be apt as a visual grand finale. Had I not survived, I would not have been able to enjoy the companionship of Sue who was kind to me during my long battle with cancer, and is like the daughter I never had…
Heroine’s Song:
After my battles, when I opened my door
what my visitors expected was skin and bones
but what they got was:
rosy cheeks,
a full head of hair,
and hell, not skin and bone
but an even fuller figure –
groan!
Chorus:
How women hate putting on weight!
(Ha ha ha ha ha!)
Heroine:
How can people say they have no regrets in their life?
I have loads.
Often I wish I could push time back,
and with hindsight,
relive critical moments in my life.
I have many regrets,
and especially about men:
The man that’s my father that I will never know…
Chorus/male lead: (with ambivalent smile)
Maybe just as well –
eh… eh think about Oedipus…
Heroine:
The man I want so much to love and be with but will never have…
Chorus/male lead:
Maybe just as well – eh,
eh think about it –
reality can be disappointing.
Heroine:
The son I can never have –
childbearing is denied to me.
Chorus/male lead:
Well, you have the gift to create.
Heroine:
I have known men as very close friends,
but once they are married, that’s the end.
All because I am a woman…
It can be hard to be a woman on her own.
Chorus/male lead:
Maybe just as well, – eh,
eh think about it –
solitude is good for a creative artist.
Heroine’s final speech:
Looking back,
I was so very unhappy for much of my life,
yet after surviving cancer,
I have become a happier person...
even though from what I have told you about my life,
I really should not feel happy.
I now look at life differently...
lots of things don't seem to matter anymore.
I remember those cancer survivors I came across
when I was first in hospital;
I couldn’t understand why they should want to live at all.
I cry for others easily but I seldom cry for myself.
Yet now tears well up in my eyes –
not because of sadness,
but I feel moved by sharing all this with all of you,
and thank you,
for watching my humble show.
And thank you,
to all those who took part.
ALL:
Thank you,
and we hope you have enjoyed it!
Carpe Diem! (Latin for ‘seize the day!’)
My ticket turned out to be the ‘round trip’!
Bye bye Beachy Head!
Switzerland can wait!
I HAVE Survived – Gloria Gaynor, eat your heart out!
Tablets tabs, the tabs, the jabs, the tests, the jests, are all behind me now!
I treat myself to a new sign above my bed back home –
“LOTS BY MOUTH”!
No more tattoos!
My piano awaits, has been waiting silently…patiently for me –
Never lost faith!
An Unexpected CODA:
While I was working on this "Survivor" project, my goddaughter Sue was diagnosed with cancer. She refused treatment and opted for praying for God’s miracle. I tried to reason with her when her cancer consultant said she should be admitted for an operation ASAP, and for that, she has refused to see me ever since. I feel alone without her. Perhaps there’s no happy ever after in life? ... That's Life!!
To see this act in its entirety with production ideas and performance materials etc., see my creative PhD thesis pp. 388-396, Chapter Five 5.12 Act Twelve.
Related music score:
MANY HAPPY RETURNS《祝你年年生日快樂》
Related music video (click video thumbnail)
MANY HAPPY RETURNS WITH CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 相關視頻《祝你年年生日快樂和看切爾西花展》(點擊縮圖)
