The Book of Joy

The Book of

Joy Written by

Andrea Bandoni Davide Dulcetti Joana Meroz Illustrated by

Rafael Ramos

The Book of Joy

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Preconceptions Fear and anxiety inside the taxi on the way there.

Student 1: “Student 2 what are you wearing under your coat?

Take out all of your jewelry. Leave here all of your money.

Don’t take your mobile phone.”

At the same time, Student 3 is thinking of all that they heard before about that place, and imagines something dark, dirty, and dangerous...

They start singing: “Dark, dirty and dangerous! Dark, dirty and dangerous! Dark, dirty and dangerous!”

Pianississimo

Dark, dir - ty and dan - ge - rous! Dark, dir - ty and dan - ge - rous!

Dark, dir - ty and dan - ge - rous!

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In The Living Room A woman enters. And another. And another. And another. Who are they? Why are they here? What do they want?

They enter and sit. They start sewing together with the students. It becomes so cozy we think we are participating in a 5 o’clock tea.

The women start singing: “A tree, a dog and a husband! A tree, a dog and a husband! A tree, a dog and a husband!”

Allegretto

A tree, a dog and a hus - band! A tree, a dog and a hus - band! A tree, a dog and a hus - band!

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Madame Joy She enters as if she was the Lady of the house. It is as if a spot light shines upon her. She commands all of the attention. She is the focus of everything.

The students tremble in her presence, she is not at all like what they had heard about. She speaks French, Arabic, and Russian fluently. She is the one who controls the conversation.

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The Banquet Begins Madame Joy: “I cannot work while I’m starving to death, in an empty stomach”.

Out of nowehere, thirteen Nannies appear out of thin air singing: “Soup, tosti and coffee! Soup, tosti and coffee! Soup, tosti, and coffee!”

Nanny #1: “Tomato soup!”

Joy: “I don’t like that.”

Nanny #2: “Chicken soup!”

Joy: “I don’t like that.”

Nanny #3: “Meat soup!”

Joy: “I like that.” “And I want a tosti.”

One Nanny whispers to the other: “But don’t forget: she does not like ham! It must be without any ham!”

The Nannys bring the food: “Soup, tosti and coffee! Soup, tosti and coffee! Soup, tosti, and coffee!”

Cantabile

Sou - up, tosti, and cof - fee!

Sou - up, tosti, and cof - fee!

Sou - up, tosti, and cof - fee!

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Joy’s Choice

Madame Joy points at Student 1 and says: “I like that!” “I like a man sewing!” And all of a sudden, a dialogue and a connection are established between Madame Joy and the students.

The 3 students bring their homeworks on a silver tray.

Student 2: “I brought you postcards to write on.”

Madame Joy: “I don’t like that.” “When I’m clean I write books and read philosophy, social sciences, and literature.”

Student 3: “I brought you pixels to make pictures with.”

Madame Joy: “I like that.” “I like colours! I like improvisation!” “But I need to be alone, and there are too many people here.”

Student 1:”I brought you cloth to make a laundry bag.”

Madame Joy: “I don’t like that.”

By the sound of these words, all the Nannies fall on the ground in utter despair.

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Student 1 (in worried haste): “But Madame Joy, you can stamp words and express yourself!”

Madame Joy: “I like that!” “Freedom! Creativity!

Improvisation!” “Bring it to me now!”

Big collectieve relief, order and peace return to all.

All start singing: “Freedom! Creativity! Improvisation!

Freedom! Creativity! Improvisation! Freedom! Creativity!

Improvisation!”

Madame Joy does not move except for the slight smile on the corners of her big mouth.

The 3 students bring stamps, ink, and a laundry bag, each on a shiny silver tray.

Madame Joy casts an infuriated look upon the students, and shouts: “You just brought me black ink?!?”

“I

d o n’t

l i k e

t h a t!”

Nannnies: “Oooh!” By the sound of these words, all the Nannies fall on the ground in utter despair, again.

Con fuoco

Free - dom! Creativity! Improvisation! Free - dom! Creativity! Improvisation! Free - dom! Creativity! Improvisation!

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Restoring Madame Joy’s Good Mood Student 3: “Look Madame Joy, but we have a colourful activity!”

Madame Joy: “I like that!”

Students 2 and 3 bring postcards and pixels in shiny silver trays.

Madame Joy: “This is too conventional for me.”

She takes the postcards and pixels and throws them on the table. Magically, the pixels combine perfectly with the colour scheme of the cards.

Madame Joy: “You ask me to draw a straight line - why? I like curved lines, my life is like this, like many curved lines.”

Big collectieve relief, order and peace return to all.

Students sing: “Freedom! Creativity! Improvisation!

Freedom! Creativity! Improvisation! Freedom! Creativity!

Con fuoco

Improvisation!”

Free - dom! Creativity! Improvisation! Free - dom! Creativity! Improvisation! Free - dom! Creativity! Improvisation!

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The Clock Strikes Eight Madame Joy: “It’s all over now.”

The Nannies panic: “Oooh!”

Madame Joy: “I will take my coffee and go.”

The thirteen Nannies bring the coffee singing: “Soup, tosti, and coffee! Soup, tosti, and coffee! Soup, tosti, and coffee!”

Madame Joy drinks her coffee, unexplicably swinging her cup on her pinky.

Madame Joy: “Ooops. I made a mess. Someone has to come clean it up.”

The thirteen Nannies jump to come clean up with a batalion of cleaning implements, singing: “Scrubbing! Washing! Cleaning!

Scrubbing! Washing! Cleaning! Scrubbing! Washing! Cleaning!”

Brillante

Scrub-bing! Wash-ing! Clean-ing! Scrub-bing! Wash-ing! Clean-ing! Scrub-bing! Wash-ing! Clean-ing!”

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Joy’s Final Words After everything has been cleaned up, the Nannies turn to the students and say: “Let us show you how to sew what Madame Joy really likes.”

Madame Joy, about to leave, hears this and turns around: “You wanna see creativity? I’ll show you creativity.” She shows her left breast. “THIS is improvisation, THIS is real creativity.

THIS is FREEDOM.”

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The End

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