The Vampiress, the Huntress, and the Dreamer
Imaginary play,
of an imaginary tale,
on an imaginary stage,
with an imaginary score,
performed by imaginary artists.You can bring your own playlist, or make up the music in your head.
A musical, with contrasting opera and heavy metal parts.
There are distinct passages, but some parts are played together.
Think Deep Purple’s “Concerto" [DP].
Ensemble - strings, woodwinds, brass, harp.
Rock band - 80’s style heavy metal. Drums, bass guitar, electric guitar. Think something like Battle Beast [BB].
Supplementary material: Puccini [GP], Strauss [JS], Nightwish [NW], Kamelot [KL], Ayreon [AY], Dream Theater [DT], Tenacious D [TD].Three characters:
The Vampiress: operatic soprano. A vampire princess. Beautiful, gentle. Pale skin, wears heavy makeup. Ornamental clothes. Tight corset, with a wide, V-shaped opening between the breasts, where her heart is. Sad face - no grin, no sob, just sadness. Wields powerful magic, yet unwilling to harm: her spells are of defence and healing.
The Huntress: powerful, melodic, metal voice. Tough, unyielding, temperamental. Clothed for combat and survival in nature. Behind that however, she is investigative, wise, and full of care. Equipped with a bow, a short sword, and a small, silver knife.
The Dreamer: a voice, hidden in shadow - never displayed on stage.
Intro
(Harp. Dreamy melody; occasionally an odd, dissonant note.)
The Dreamer speaks:
“I hold onto the strands of that dream, before the sun can rise and sever them.”
(Music pauses.)
“…Who are they? Who am I?”
Act 1: The Conflict
(Orchestra cues in. Low, ominous, slow, but soft.)
(19th century.)
Short video clip played on a screen using a projector;
black and white, mute, low frame rate, flicker, like very early film.
Moonless night, clear sky full of stars.
A tall, 19th-century style castle on a hilltop - a difficult climb.
The Huntress, wearing a cloak, ascends the hill.
Climbs the wall, and sneaks into the castle.
(Lights fade in, cold white; they highlight the paleness of the Vampiress’ skin.)
The Huntress sneaks into the Vampiress’ bedroom.
(Orchestra: forte.)
Finds the Vampiress emerging from her coffin.
(The band takes over, kicks in with a powerful riff.)
(Heavy metal song.)
The Huntress drops the cloak, calls out the foul creature - tonight, she will avenge innocent lives.
(Orchestra, gently. Aria.)
The Vampiress pleads, with a calm face. Even though she is fat, short, ugly, sleeps in a coffin, and wields the dark magic, she is no monster - she would never let anyone be harmed.
(Heavy metal riff.)
The Huntress roars: she came here with one goal, and will kill or be killed.
The Vampiress responds: if the Huntress is not brought to reason, it is she who will be harming the innocent.
(The orchestra and the band now play together. Symphonic metal: fast, melodic, rhythmic, energetic. Guitar solo intertwined with a violin solo. Full might.)
The two fight an even duel, with neither gaining an upper hand.
The Huntress keeps relentlessly attacking - first sending arrows,
then closing the distance as she draws the sword.
The Vampiress’ face is stoic - she uses her magic to deflect the arrows,
and stop the sword cuts mid-air, but she can barely keep up with the blows.
She finally disarms the Huntress by sending the sword into the air.
The sword cuts the Huntress as it lands, and she falls hurt, on her knees.
She is defeated.
(The music abruptly cuts; long pause, with only a single, long, faint note.)
(The orchestra plays a gentle melody. Aria: a plea.)
The Vampiress begs the Huntress to leave, as she does not wish her any more harm.
(Orchestra hit, guitar riff.)
The Huntress suddenly draws a silver knife, and lunges to stab the Vampiress in the heart.
The Vampiress grabs her by the wrist at the last moment:
the knife tip cuts in, but does not reach the heart.
There is only a single drop of blood.
(The aria continues. Gentle melody slowly becomes heavier, more dramatic.)
The Vampiress claims her heart is pure.
She takes the knife, and makes precise, deep cuts on her chest, where the stab wound is.
The Huntress drops on the floor, shocked.
(The orchestra now holds a single, quiet note. Slowly adds a second, dissonant.)
She pulls her skin and flesh apart, revealing her beating heart.
(A guitar quietly plays a complex and rapid solo over the note.)
She kneels down, and uses her magic to heal the Huntress’ wound.
(Silence.)
(Lights slowly turn warmer.)
(The band cues in with a rock ballad - acoustic guitar.)
(The Huntress’ voice is clean and melodic.)
The Huntress sees the heart, and relents.
She admits, whether the heart was pure or not:
it was her own prejudice that caused harm.
The Vampiress extends her hand, in a gesture to help the Huntress stand up.
(Music turns a little harder.)
The Huntress stands up and notes,
the Vampiress’ magic is immensely powerful.
Yet, her own wound is not healing.
(The music turns softer again, the orchestra joins in. Aria.)
The Vampiress kneels, her head down.
She sings, only someone truly loved can be healed with this magic.
She points out the Huntress must have such a person in her life.
The Huntress responds, the only true love is love for oneself.
If the Vampiress doesn’t know it, she will only know self-hate.
The Vampiress looks up.
The Huntress extends her hand in an identical gesture.
(Lights fade out. Curtain falls.)
Act 2: The Friendship
(Warm lights.)
(There is more fluid interplay between the orchestra and the band.)
(Some phrases are sung; some are spoken, free-form dialogue.)
(Orchestra: soft, frivolous music. Think Fledermaus [JS].)
Some time has passed. The bedroom is slightly rearranged.
The Vampiress’ makeup is gone, revealing normal, warm skin tone.
The wound in her chest is still wide open.
She is picking up objects around her room, moving them around, throwing something backstage.
The look on her face is much more relaxed.
The Huntress enters, drops her backpack on the floor, nods and smiles.
The Vampiress curtsies.
The two roam the bedroom, gesturing and discussing something.
(Band joins in, still playful, think Tenacious D [TD].)
The Huntress points out:
the tight clothes are uncomfortable,
the coffin is made of hard wood,
and the makeup - contained chemicals that hurt the skin.
(Band fully takes over.)
The Huntress reveals the contents of her backpack:
comfortable hemp clothes,
goose feather pillows,
and a herbal ointment for the skin.
(Orchestra takes over again. Soft, frivolous melody.)
The Vampiress hides behind a curtain, throws over the pieces of her old clothing.
She emerges in a comfy-looking, casual-yet-elegant dress, that still reminisces of her old style.
The new costume still exposes her wound.
She smiles, for the first time.
At the same time, the Huntress keeps adding more pillows to the coffin, they now almost overflow.
The Huntress picks up, and inquires about the discarded corset - how come the knife did not cut the laces?
The Vampiress makes a face and shrugs, “magic vampire armour”.
(Music turns hopeful: slow guitar solo, major scale.)
The Vampiress takes the ointment, and applies a little on her face.
She accidentally touches her wound, with the ointment still on her hands.
The wound immediately closes, and the skin where it once was, now reveals a tattoo of a flower.
The two admire it together.
(The music turns slow and sad. Flute solo.)
The Huntress notes that vampires do not have blood, yet she saw a drop earlier.
The Vampiress makes a confession:
that was the last of her own human blood that remained in her.
The Huntress comforts her: she is now more human than in a long time.
(Music: release, on a major note.)
The two lay together in the coffin, and begin falling asleep.
(Light slowly fades.)
(Reprise from act 1.)
(Light fades in, cold and dim.)
(Melody from the opening Dreamer scene, with harp and the full orchestra.)
(The dissonant note becomes more and more prominent.)
As she’s falling asleep, the Vampiress is shook with sudden pain, painting a grimace on her face.
She whispers to herself, as she realizes the ointment contained lethal poison.
(The band takes over with a slow, low, ominous riff. Low string, whammy bar down. 30 BPM.)
The Vampiress slowly reveals the silver knife.
From the top of her lungs, she screams revenge.
She mortally wounds the surprised Huntress.
(Drums cut, as the guitars hold a note that slowly fades into the orchestra.)
(Music: gentle and sad, slowly becoming more agitated.)
(Clean, melodic voice.)
The Huntress, in pain, softly cries.
She remembers one ingredient, though it is harmless to humans.
She has only now realized, that it will react differently on vampires.
That last droplet of the Vampiress’ human blood could have saved her.
(Music: ominous.)
The Vampiress, now aware of the Huntress’ innocence,
realizes the poison has seeped in too deep.
She can no longer use her power to heal the Huntress’ wound.
(Music: slowly calms down.)
As they fade, they hold each others’ hands, looking in the eyes.
They say in unison: “I forgive you”.
Their faces turn from shock and sadness, to calm smiles.
(Lights turn warm, before all fades to darkness.)
(Music fades. Curtain falls.)
The Dreamer’s voice: “The Vampiress, the Huntress, - they are the Dreamer.”
Bonus: interview
Q: How old are the characters?
Author: I came up with all of this crap in one day. So, one day old.
Q: Can you reveal more about the setting?
Author: The year is 1884, or so.
Huntress: The telephones were a novelty, otherwise I would’ve called for backup.
Author: (Laughs) She would. There is also definitely more magic than what
was shown on stage, so perhaps a magic phone?
Huntress: Just to be clear, my character does not fear or hate magic, but she is
principled. I would not stop myself from using it, but only if I knew it to bring no harm.
Author: It is not a common belief though, and it’s difficult to go against it.
Q: So what is the Huntress’ motivation? Does she have a firm case?
Author: Unfortunately…
Huntress: No, not really. She’s so impulsive.
It was more of a tip than a hire or contract, and she definitely lacked evidence.
Q: Why all female characters?
Author: The story would not be the same without the boob window.
Huntress: I wanted to steal that corset after the play.
Dreamer: I haven’t decided my gender.
Q: Are the characters romantically involved?
Author: My mother thinks so.
Huntress: The Dreamer is not my type.
Q: That is a wide range of musical inspirations. Favourite singer, band?
Dreamer: Dream Theater. [DT]
Huntress: Myself, of course.
Q: Huntress, you seem a bit more self-centred than your character?
Huntress: Do not mistake self-love and ego. We have both. She knows her worth, and off-screen, is known to brag about her exploits.
Q: A couple more questions for Author. I understand the short form is deliberate - any interesting ideas you couldn’t fit?
Author: I wanted a life-sized elephant floof in the coffin.
Huntress: It’s the real elephant in the room.
Q: The Huntress’ vocal style is clearly inspired by Noora Louhimo [BB] and Floor Jansen [NW]. Who did you imagine for the Vampiress?
Author: She is still discovering herself. I will let her decide.
Q: On that matter, Vampiress, you’ve remained quiet. Anything you would like to share?
Vampiress: (Giggles) Not my girlfriend, of course.
Huntress: You, who? (Puzzled)
Vampiress: Well, this play leaves a lot of things up to your imagination.
My and Huntress’ characters are dying by the end, but they are not confirmed
dead-dead as the curtain falls. She’s the smartest person I know, I’m sure she
could come up with something wild, like a blood transfusion, or whatever.
Huntress: See, she’s just feeding my ego.
Vampiress: And I’ve really enjoyed playing my character. She initially looks
apathetic, but truly, she’s compassionate. Later on, there’s this little role swap…
She goes through such a wide range of emotions, desperation, joy, surprise, anger…
That last brief part, regret, grief, consolation, it was difficult to convincingly act
those out so rapidly, to make the audience convinced. I am a vampire, not an actress!
Huntress: But you’ve nailed it.
Vampiress: With a knife. The entire play, the ending.
“Remember Forever”? [AY] I love what Author did here.
Author: It was not intentional, it just turned out like that.
Huntress: Too humble.
Vampiress: And huge respect for the musicians.
Playing like that, was unheard.
Q: Last words?
Dreamer: Open your eyes, Nicolas. [DT]