I arrived a week prior to the Glitter Ball of 2005 and therefore did not have the oppurtunity to go last year, but this year when the tickets went of sale on the 10th of September (yes a full two months before the event) I was there to book two tables. The difference between the Glitter Ball and all the other charity balls in Dhaka is that at this ball each table must have a theme and some tables may choose to perform. The performances are usually based around peoples' experiences of Bangladesh and a chance to throw a little humour into some of the difficult situations which we experience here.
One evening while enjoying a fabulous meal at Chris and Luke's house, we were introduced to the wonderful adaptation of the ABBA song 'The Winner takes it all' with lyrics about the political situation in Bangladesh. The performance that Chris and Luke gave us that night brought tears of laughter to all present and agreement that this was a wonderful idea for the ball. The stage was set and arrangements were made for people to gather to discuss roles and other logidtical aspects of the show. It all seemed wonderful and exciting and we met several times building up the excitiment everytime.
Then one day things changed - people began to question how comfortable they felt with the words of the song due to the political situation and its changing nature. A series of email conversations trying to make them see reason and the whole point behind the Glitter Ball failed and we were left high and dry 10 days before the ball. Sadness and frustration followed particularly as all acknowledged the beauty of the song and felt deep sadness at the worlds lack of exposure to it. I have decided to change that and give you the words to the Bangaldeshi version of 'The Winner takes it all' written by Chris and Luke. Enjoy and please pay close attention to the stage directions as you imagine the performance.
The Winner Takes It All
A Bangladesh/ABBA parody
Lyrics Stage Blocking
[Piano Solo]
Hasina:
I don’t wanna talk
About the things we’ve gone through.
Zia’s hurting me.
That’s our history.
I’ve made all my bribes,
And that’s what she’s done, too.
Nothing more to say.
Dialogue don’t pay.
The winner takes it all.
The loser calls hartal.
If it’s not victory,
What’s my destiny
Chorus (protestors lead):
So let’s block the streets,
Take hold of the country,
Throwing sticks and stones,
Breaking people’s bones.
Can we win the vote
If Ershad’s with Zia.
A boycott could take place.
It’s all just to save face.
Caretakers come and go.
Those guys can’t run the show.
The situation’s dire
Caught in the RAB’s crossfire.
Chorus (RAB leads):
The winner takes it all.
The loser calls hartal.
Its simple and its plain;
Elections are a pain.
Chorus (All):
And yet you wonder why
We strike and cause such violence.
But there’s no other way;
We’re all caught in the fray.
The country’s in the dark.
The price of daal is rising.
Corruption is a’rife.
We need a better life.
The voters will decide.
The likes of us abide.
Unless they rig the polls,
As we will all suppose.
The fight is on again
The BNP’s ahead.
Awami must not fall.
The winner takes it all.
Hasina:
I don’t want to talk
‘Cause it makes me feel sad.
So you now understand
A seige is my command.
I’ll apologize
The day Hell freezes over.
So now it’s up to you.
I hope there’s not a coup.
(But you see…)
Chorus:
The winner takes it all…
The loser calls hartal…
The winner takes it all…
Enjoy the Glitter Ball!
[Intro: Hasina wanders to stage area from back of the house. She looks despondent and pensive, occasionally gazing up towards the sky. She walks in tempo with the music and stops center stage with her back to the audience. She slowly turns her head to glance over her shoulder; her body follows. She sings.
If possible, there will be a screen at the back of the stage and a PowerPoint display of the lyrics-karaoke style throughout the song.]
Verse 1: Looking rejected and hurt.
Verse 2: Increasingly dramatic hand gestures like an orator--clenched fists, pleading hands, pointing towards the sky.
Verse 3: Protestors enter from stage right. Human barricades position themselves to block the aisles. Protestors throw foam rocks & candy at the audience.
Verse 4: RAB enters from stage left. RAB begins to “herd” protestors back, eventually forming a human chain with backs to the audience (“RAB” in gold glitter is on the backs of their costumes.). “Caught in the…” One RAB turns, wielding a water gun (or streamer gun) and douses audience.
RAB turns in unison and links up to form a chorus line. They do a line kick, rejoicing that they’ve put a stop to the disruption.
Verse 5: Protestors bust through chorus line and move downstage.
Verse 6: “The country’s…” is cue for Kat to take center stage and show off her blackout costume. “The price of daal…” is cue for daal vendor with sacks to shout out “aat Taka! dosh Taka!”
Verse 7: “The voters will decide” is cue for all protestors to defrock and reveal glamourous 70’s costumes underneath lungis & saris. RAB do same, revealing, “FAB RAB” on front of shirts. RAB makes formation of backup signers and sway in rhythm behind the microphones in “do-wap” fashion.
Verse 8: Protestors form circle stage right and rotate with oars as spokes. RAB do same with guns stage left. They finish by forming an arch with oars and guns, similar to a military sword salute, and Hasina walks under 14-person arch downstage.
Verse 9: Arch unravels in domino effect quietly as Hasina sings her second solo. Chorus moves quietly to the wings to give her full stage.
This time, Hasina sings directly to audience (instead of pensive soliloquy style).
Chorus runs on stage dancing on “coup”. E A “little girl” (poster child figure) comes between a RAB and a protestor and breaks up a potential fight center stage. She asks the RAB to turn over his gun. The protestor extends her oar…but the girl refuses and rips off her orna, attaching it to the tip of the rifle and begins performing a streamer dance such as in an Olympic tumbling act. Two buff RAB then form a chair with their arms and hoist Hasina on high. The whole company then makes a procession down the center aisle and exists the house, dancing and signing, getting the audience to join along the way. Music fades out.
No comments:
Post a Comment