Ego: Theatre Plays, #5

By Pasquale Palmieri

Ludicrous court case of a man who takes his EGO to court in order to obtain a permanent restraining order. The characters on stage are the man himself, his lawyer, the EGO's lawyer, a courtroom clerk, an old judge, three witnesses and a five-person jury formed by volunteers from the audience who will determine the final verdict… 5th theatre play of a series of 15 in the collection

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pasquale Palmieri
• Release date: Feb 6, 2025
• ISBN: 9798230966609

Pasquale Palmieri

Pasquale M. Palmieri Roman by birth and a citizen of the world after having lived in Europe, Canada, USA and now Australia, Pasquale Maria Palmieri (Pasquale M Palmieri) is an idealistic gypsy by definition and a researcher by devotion. He is passionate about human relationships, which are an endless source of information and inspiration for his writings. Pasquale has written several theatre plays, novels, a non-fiction about relationships and is the winner of a literary prize open to English language writers. You can find Pasquale on his website http://www.nofearjustdoit.com/

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Table of Contents

Ego (Theatre Plays, #5)

The Jury

The courtroom clerk | Counsellor Penny Bunn

Mr. Justin Case

Counsellor Bill Terry

Mr. Jack Tumbler

Miss Erica Deboschét

Doctor Gabby Prattle

Justice Willy-Ham Butterworth

ACT 1

Also By Pasquale Palmieri

About the Author

EGO

Contemporary theatre play in two acts

by

Pasquale M Palmieri

5/15

DISCLAIMER:

this play contains excerpts from other Pasquale’s writings 

and is written in International English (Quantum English ®)

Warning: not recommended for under age viewers

Characters in order of appearance:

The Jury

(5 or 7 volunterrs from the audience)

The courtroom clerk

Counsellor Penny Bunn

The applicant’s counsellor

Mr. Justin Case

The applicant

Counsellor Bill Terry

The Ego’s (the respondent) counsellor, doubling as the Ego­

Mr. Jack Tumbler

The applicant’s best friend and witness for the applicant

Miss Erica Deboschét

The applicant’s lover and witness for the respondent

Doctor Gabby Prattle

The court-appointed psychiatric expert

Justice Willy-Ham Butterworth

The presiding judge, very old, with occasional limited vision and hearing impediments

SET (Current Year)

An imaginary courtroom in the town of Pukkasbourgh, somewhere on our globalised planet.

Centre stage, the Judge’s bench.

Beside it, to its right the courtroom clerk’s chair,

to its left the witness stand.

Stage left, the applicant and respondent counsellors’ tables with their clients.

Stage right, the chairs of the jury

Reading Instructions to Actors/Director

Italic text for Stage Directions

Underscore__ for a sudden interruption

Ellipsis ... for a short thinking pause

Underline for making a statement/announcement

Bold for louder tone of voice

Copyright © 2023 Pasquale M Palmieri

www.nofearjustdoit.com

ACT 1

Curtain.

Court clerk, applicant, counsellors      and jury are in their seats.

The clerk stands

Clerk  All riiiise...

All stand. The judge enters and sits      at the bench.

Judge  Please be seated...

The judge is wearing a red wig with  curly hair. The clerk notices. Slowly   approaches the bench, whispers   something to the judge’s ear. The   judge stands

Clerk  All riiiise...

The judge leaves the court

Clerk  Be seated...

The judge returns, wearing the       proper white wig

Clerk  All riiiise...

The judge sits

Judge  Please be seated...

Clerk This court is now in session, Honourable Justice Willy-Ham Butterworth presiding in the matter of Mr Justin Case versus his Ego

The clerk approaches the bench,  hands a folder to the judge and   returns to   his seat.

The judge pushes his glasses up,  brings the papers closer to his nose,   puts them in order, squints over his   glasses and looks toward the jury.   He takes a handful of walnuts from   his pocket and rests them beside   the gavel block

Judge Members of the jury, I wish to remind you that at the end of the hearing, it’s your duty to decide the facts in the case, and reach a majority verdict in accordance with your conscience. So help you God... The court may now proceed. Counsellors please present your case to the court

The judge places one walnut on the  gavel block, strikes it, collects its   content and starts munching. Both   counsellors stand

Bunn  Counsellor Penny Bunn representing the applicant Mr Justin Case, Your Honour, filing for a restraining order against his Ego

Terry Counsellor Bill Terry representing the respondent, the seduced and abandoned Ego, Your Honour

Judge Counsellor Terry, at prima facie it seems as none other than you is being present at your desk... Are you expecting the respondent to join us any time soon or do you have a valid explanation for the court?

Terry Yes, Your Honour. It’s all in the writ presented to this court. Following the situation arisen after the forced removal of my client the Ego from his habitual place of residence, I’ve been appointed temporary custodian of the respondent

Judge I’m aware of it, I’ve read the writ... Sooo... Where is this evanescent Mr Ego? Is he taking a toilet break?

Terry Well, no, he can’t go on his own, you see... The Ego doesn’t have a body as such. In fact he needs a human body for his livelihood and raison d'être... Your Honour, I can assure the court that Mr Case’s Ego is here, beside me. He will speak through me when addressed. I’ve been given full lawful authority, as stated in the Evidence Act, section 11

Judge That’s a bizarre line of action, is the applicant in agreement?

Bunn Yes, we are aware of these unusual proceedings, Your Honour

Judge So be it, this court allows the procedure as presented in the writ... The counsellor for the applicant may proceed with the opening statement

Bunn Thank you, Your Honour... My client is applying for a permanent restraining order against his Ego... He is seeking perpetual protection from his Ego’s disturbing behaviour including abuses, continued intimidation and humiliation, stalking, activities contrary to my client’s interest, and the consequential damages­­ due to his broken marriage and loss of his children’s love__

Terry Objection! I move to strike that from the record, Your Honour. That long list is