The Boy Who Could Fly

Characters

daedalus (a famous inventor from Athens, exiled to the Greek island of Crete)

narrator

icarus (son of Daedalus)

assorted children

friend 1

friend 2

assorted birds

assorted sheep

fisher

farmer

helios (the god of the sun, a non-speaking role)

 

Scene One

daedalus is hard at work, bending over a pile of feathers spread out on the floor.

narrator
(stepping forward from the side of the stage) Behold, Daedalus, the famous inventor, imprisoned in a tower on the Greek island of Crete! See how hard he is working on a strange new invention. What can it be? But shhh—his dear son, Icarus, approaches! (Steps back.)

daedalus
(shaking his head and looking around impatiently) Icarus? Where are you? Icarus? Where is that boy? (louder) Icarus! Where are you? ICARUS?

icarus
(running in with an armful of feathers, followed by assorted children, including friend 1 and friend 2, also carrying feathers) Here I am, Dad!

friend 1
Here we are, Mr Daedalus!

friend 2
And we’ve got lots of feathers for you!

(They toss the feathers in the air to show him.)

daedalus
At last! Where on earth have you been? (Irritated by the falling feathers.) Oh for heaven’s sake, what are all these children doing here!

icarus
Sorry, Dad, I lost track of the time. It was so much fun, picking up all these feathers. Look at them—aren’t they fantastic?

(He throws more feathers into the air, letting them fall like snow.)

friend 1
What are the feathers for, Mr Daedalus?

friend 2
Yes, will you show us what you’re making?

daedalus
(angrily blowing feathers from his face) Icarus! Stop this at once! This is not a game! And you two (to the friends), mind your own business!

icarus
(penitent) Sorry, Dad.

daedalus
Get rid of all these children! (Fiercely to assorted children) Out of here! All of you! At once!

friend 1
(crestfallen) Gee, Mr Daedalus, we just wanted to help.

friend 2
We thought you’d be pleased.

friend 1
You’re such a wonderful inventor.

friend 2
The greatest inventor in the world!

daedalus
(a little guilty) Yes, yes, all right, I’m very pleased, thank you, marvellous. Yes. But I need some peace and quiet now to think. Out! Out!

(All the children turn sadly to leave, waving to icarus, who waves back, shrugging apologetically.)

icarus
Sorry, Dad, honestly. And it’s true what they said. You are a wonderful inventor.

daedalus
Mmm, yes, well—

icarus
That labyrinth you made for King Minos was amazing!

daedalus
(coughing) It was, in fact, remarkable, I must agree. The maze I constructed for that ungrateful king had so many twists and turns, even I didn’t know how to get out of it for a while.

icarus
You should have been rewarded for that. The King should have made you the richest man on the whole island of Crete!

daedalus
Ha! Instead, here I am, punished, locked up in this tower. And you know why? He doesn’t want me to invent anything for anyone but him. (Sighing) Alas, it’s always the way with—ahem—great genius.

icarus
They appreciated you more back in Athens, didn’t they, Dad?

daedalus
(looking dolefully out the window) Ah, Athens! Sweet Athens! City of my birth! My life! My hope! You’re right, Icarus, dear son. They loved me there. (Pause) For a while, anyway.

icarus
Yeah, such a pity we had to leave Athens. (Frowning) Um, why did we have to leave Athens, Dad?

daedalus
(shiftily) Oh, no reason. Just a little misunderstanding. Petty jealousies. One of those unfortunate things that happen …

icarus
(helpfully) ... when you’re a genius?

daedalus
Precisely.

icarus
I wish we could go back to Athens. Don’t you, Dad?

daedalus
(lowering his voice) Actually, dear boy, I’ve got a plan …

icarus
(excited) You’re inventing something? To get us out of here?

daedalus
Shhhh! Calm yourself, Icarus. I’ll explain. Now, you know every day I’ve been sending you out to find feathers …

icarus
Yes?

daedalus
And to get wax from the beehives …

icarus
Yes?

daedalus
(exasperated) Well, didn’t you ever wonder why?

icarus
(puzzled) Um, not really. You’re always sending me out for strange things.

daedalus
(shaking his head) Incredible. My own son. Ah well, anyway—look down here. (He gestures to the floor.) See how I’ve laid the feathers in a curve, from the smallest to the largest?

icarus
(peering down and reaching out) Yes.

daedalus
And see how I’ve used beeswax—don’t touch! You’ll ruin it!

icarus
(taking his hand back) Sorry, Dad.

daedalus
See how I’ve put the beeswax along the feathers, so they all stick together?

icarus
Yes.

daedalus
So?

icarus
So? What is it?

daedalus
Wings!

icarus
(staring) Wings?

daedalus
(dragging icarus over to the window) Look out there, Icarus! Every day I sit in this tower, watching the seagulls floating out over the water. Suddenly the idea came to me—of course! That’s going to be you and me, my boy!

icarus
We’re going to, um, fly back to Athens?

daedalus
Exactly! King Minos rules over the land and the sea. Using those ways we will never escape. But even a king cannot rule over the sky!

icarus
Gee, Dad. Are you sure? I mean, don’t you think if the gods meant us to fly they would have given us wings already?

daedalus
Oh for heaven’s sake, Icarus, nothing would ever be invented if we took that attitude! With these wings I’ve made, all we need to do is strap them on, leap out of the tower and start flapping. We’ll be home before you know it!

icarus
(wondering, digesting the idea) I’m going to fly …

daedalus
Those feathers you brought now are just what I needed to finish the job.

icarus
(jumping up and down) I’m going to fly! Oh, I can’t wait to tell all my friends! (He starts heading out the door.)

daedalus
(sternly) Icarus! Wait! Calm down! You must tell no-one! This must be our secret alone. This is our only chance of escape. If the king should happen to hear of it, we’re lost.

icarus
All right, Dad. Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I was just so excited—imagine, being able to fly!

daedalus
Yes, yes, all right, now quietly, Icarus. Off to bed with you. You need to have a good night’s sleep. If all goes well—

icarus
(running about in circles, flapping his arms, whispering) I’m going to fly! I’m going to fly!

daedalus
(smiling, despite himself) We leave tomorrow at dawn! Now off to bed, I’ve got work to do.

(daedalus pushes icarus offstage to bed.)

Scene Two

narrator
(stepping forward) It is early next morning. Daedalus worked tirelessly all night on his invention, and has fallen asleep next to the wings. (Steps back.)

icarus
(running in) Dad, wake up! (Shaking his father.) It’s sunrise!

daedalus
(yawning and stretching) Mmm. So it is.

icarus
Oh, Dad, I’m so excited! Did you finish the wings? I could hardly sleep, thinking about it. I’m going to be the world’s first flying boy!

daedalus
(standing, serious) Listen, Icarus, this isn’t a game, you know.

icarus
I know, I know.

(He grabs at the wings but daedalus holds them back.)

daedalus
Uh-uh. First, there are two very important things I need to tell you about flying.

icarus
Hmm?

daedalus
Are you listening to me? Number one, you mustn’t fly too low over the waves.

icarus
Why not?

daedalus
Because the water might splash upwards. If the feathers get wet, they’ll be too heavy and your wings will pull you down.

icarus
OK, OK. I’ll keep up high. I’ll go really high, higher than all the birds! I’ll—

daedalus
Hang on Icarus! That’s the second thing.

icarus
What?

daedalus
You mustn’t go too high, or you’ll get too close to the sun.

icarus
What’s wrong with that?

daedalus
The heat from the sun will melt the wax, your feathers will come apart and you’ll fall into the sea and drown.

icarus
(sulkily) Don’t go too high. Don’t go too low. Is there anything I am allowed to do?

daedalus
Now, now, it’s for your own good. Come over here, and I’ll strap the wings on.

(daedalus fastens the wings onto icarus’s arms. icarus flaps his wings up and down in wonder, moving about the stage as if he is flying, away from his father, then back again. daedalus watches while he straps on his own wings.)

icarus
(coming over) Father, you’re trembling.

daedalus
Am I, dear boy? I suppose I am.

icarus
And you’re crying.

daedalus
Nonsense.

icarus
You are. There are tears on your cheeks.

daedalus
Perhaps it’s just seeing you, dear Icarus, with these wings. I’m so proud and so—

icarus
So what, Dad?

daedalus
So afraid, Icarus. You will do as I say, won’t you? When we’re out there, flying, you’ll stay close by me, on the middle path?

icarus
Oh, Dad, do stop fussing. I know: not too high, not too low, just keep it in the middle. Please can we leave now? (He goes to the window, desperate to get going.)

daedalus
Wait, let me see how the wind is rising. (He leans out the window.) Ah! Excellent. Are you ready, Icarus? Yes? Let’s go!

(Holding hands, they leap together out of the window and into the air.)

Scene Three

narrator
(stepping forward) See the children, playing below the tower. Here comes their friend, Icarus! (Steps back.)

(Enter daedalus and icarus, flying. All the children stop playing and stare upwards, pointing and gasping in amazement.)

friend 1
Look up there! I can’t believe it!

friend 2
It’s Mr Daedalus! And he’s … he’s flying!

friend 1
And look who’s right behind him!

friend 2
Icarus! It’s Icarus, and he’s flying too!

friend 1
Look at the wings! So that’s what the feathers were for!

friend 2
How beautiful they look! Just like great big human birds!

icarus
Goodbye, my friends! Goooooood-b-y-y-y-y-y-e!

(Exit icarus and daedalus, flying out of sight.)

Scene Four

(Enter icarus and daedalus, flying. They are much higher now, right up amongst the clouds. assorted birds swoop around them.)

assorted birds         
Caw! Caw! (And other birdy noises.)

icarus
Oh, this is wonderful! I’m flying! It’s incredible! I can’t believe it, out here in the sky, just like a bird. (He turns in a circle.) Hey, Dad! Look at me! I can do a somersault!

daedalus
Icarus, for heaven’s sake, be careful!

(Annoyed, icarus flies away from his father.)

icarus
This is the most wonderful feeling in the world. The air goes on forever. There’s nothing stopping me doing what I want, nothing at all! (He flies further.) Dad’s far away now. Look at him. He’s so slow, poor old Dad. But I can fly fast and far and high! Look at the sea below, so blue, so wide!

(Enter the fisher with a fishing rod, the shepherd with assorted sheep and the farmer with a plough. As icarus flies by, they point and exclaim in astonishment.)

assorted sheep
Baa! Baa! Baa!

icarus
(laughing) Look at those poor people standing down there on the islands! They can’t believe what they’re seeing! A real flying boy!

(He flies far away. daedalus and all the others, including the birds, have left the stage. icarus is alone. Enter helios in bright, shining armour.)

icarus
I can’t believe how high I’m flying. But what’s that glare? (Shielding his eyes) I can hardly see! Could it be—could it be Helios, the god of the sun? It is, I’m sure it is! I’ve never seen a real god before! I must fly a bit closer! (Moving in) I know Dad said not to fly so high, but I’m sure it’ll be all right. (helios spreads out his arms. icarus stumbles.) Help! I feel something sliding! (Panicking) My wings, they’re coming apart! (His wings begin to come off.) The wax is melting! (He flaps helplessly as the wings fall.) Help! Someone help me!

(Enter daedalus, flying and panting.)

daedalus
Icarus, my boy! Icarus! Where are you? Icarus?

icarus
Dad! Dad! Please, help me!

(icarus screams and falls, vanishing from the stage. Exit helios.)

daedalus
Icarus! Where are you? ICARUS? (He reaches the place where icarus disappeared.) I heard Icarus calling me. Where is he? I’ll stop for a moment, on the beach of this island. (He stops flying. Then, falling to his knees, he picks up some white feathers from the floor.) What’s this on the surface of the water? Feathers! (Breaking down) Oh, Icarus! Drowned in the sea. Is this all that is left of you?

(Enter the fisher, the shepherd, assorted sheep and the farmer.)

fisher
Was that your child we saw up there in the sky?

daedalus
(head in his hands) That was my son, my dearest Icarus.

shepherd
How beautiful he looked! Soaring up there on those great white wings! We thought he was a god!

assorted sheep        
Baa! Baa!

farmer
A god, falling from the sky.

daedalus
(looking up, mournfully) Friends, what is the name of this island, where I lost my dearest boy?

fisher
It has no name, sir.

daedalus
(with dignity, to everyone) Then let it be recorded, that I, Daedalus, a foolish father, once had a most wonderful son. And now—and now—(He breaks down in tears.)

narrator
(stepping forward) And now, instead, the world has an island. Named in memory of a boy who could really fly. The Island of Icarus.

all           The Island of Icarus!

The End