A political–biblical play
Characters
Narrator – Calm, piercing, never emotional
Gichuka Waithera – A man returned with a burden
Elders of Lari – Guardians of memory, tired of hope
Sanballat – Mockery in human form
Tobiah – Comfort disguised as wisdom
Chorus of Villagers – Many voices, one fear
The Ruins – Silent presence on stage
Hope – Speaks briefly, rarely welcomed
ACT I – A Voice from Far Away
(A dim stage. Murram soil with stones scattered. A map of Lari hangs torn.)
Narrator: Every land has its systems. Some are broken by war. Others by neglect. And some—by agreement.
(Gichuka Waithera enters, holding a letter.)
Narrator: Gichuka Waithera was abroad. Far from the dust and mud of Lari. Far from its shame. Until news crossed borders faster than peace.
Characters
Narrator – Calm, piercing, never emotional
Gichuka Waithera – A man returned with a burden
Elders of Lari – Guardians of memory, tired of hope
Sanballat – Mockery in human form
Tobiah – Comfort disguised as wisdom
Chorus of Villagers – Many voices, one fear
The Ruins – Silent presence on stage
Hope – Speaks briefly, rarely welcomed
ACT I – A Voice from Far Away
(A dim stage. Murram soil with stones scattered. A map of Lari hangs torn.)
Narrator: Every land has its systems. Some are broken by war. Others by neglect. And some—by agreement.
(Gichuka Waithera enters, holding a letter.)
Narrator: Gichuka Waithera was abroad. Far from the dust and mud of Lari. Far from its shame. Until news crossed borders faster than peace.
Gichuka (reading softly): “The roads are scars. The schools are ghosts. The youth wait. The elders are tired.”
(He lowers the letter.)
Gichuka: If Lari is broken, then distance is no excuse.
(Lights dim.)
ACT II – The Return
(Morning. Lari Villagers whisper as Gichuka walks along broken roads.)
Chorus of Villagers (uneasy): Is that him? Why has he come back? Did he fail abroad?
Elder 1: We learned to live with this dust and mud.
Elder 2: Broken roads protect us from disappointment.
Gichuka: I did not come to rule you. I came to rebuild what humiliation destroyed.
(A long silence.)
Narrator: The hardest land to rebuild is not soil— it is resignation.
ACT III – The Mockers Arrive
(Laughter from the shadows. Sanballat and Tobiah step forward.)
Sanballat (laughing loudly): Rebuild Lari? With what? Dreams?
Tobiah (smiling gently): Let Lari remain broken. At least no one expects much from us.
Sanballat: Go back where you came from! Lari has no room for vision.
Chorus of Villagers (conflicted): He speaks boldly…But mockery feels safer than hope.
Narrator: Mockery is cheap. Hope demands labor.
ACT IV – The Comfort of Ruined Systems
(Lari ruined systems seem to loom closer.)
Tobiah: Look around, Gichuka. We survived like this. Why change now?
Gichuka: Survival is not dignity. And comfort is not peace.
Sanballat: If you build, people will expect more. If you build, we will lose control.
(Sanballat turns to the voters.)
Sanballat: Let him fail alone.
(Some voters step back.)
ACT V – One Mind
(Gichuka kneels, touching the murram soil scattered on road.)
Gichuka: I have one mind. Not wealth. Not applause. But the welfare of Lari people.
(Hope steps briefly into light.)
Hope: Begin.
(The villagers hesitate.)
Narrator: History is changed not by crowds— but by those who refuse to leave.
ACT VI – Resistance Without Swords
(Sanballat and Tobiah whisper.)
Sanballat: We will laugh louder.
Tobiah: We will delay him.
Narrator: Opposition rarely carries weapons. It carries doubt.
(Some villagers begin feeling humiliated by Lari situation.)
Chorus of Villagers (slowly): If we rebuild… we may be seen.
ACT VII – The Change of Lari
(Soft rhythmic movement. The presence of Gichuka Waithera start to be felt in villages. No celebration.)
Narrator: The Lari situation will change not because everyone agrees. It will start changing because some will refuse to stay ashamed.
(Sanballat exits angrily.)
Sanballat: This land will regret hope!
Final Act – A Question for Larians
(Lari remain broken.)
Narrator: Every generation chooses: broken state they understand or futures they must defend.
(Gichuka stands facing the audience.)
Gichuka: Lari can be rebuilt. But only if its people stop protecting its brokenness.
(Blackout.)
Curtain.
(He lowers the letter.)
Gichuka: If Lari is broken, then distance is no excuse.
(Lights dim.)
ACT II – The Return
(Morning. Lari Villagers whisper as Gichuka walks along broken roads.)
Chorus of Villagers (uneasy): Is that him? Why has he come back? Did he fail abroad?
Elder 1: We learned to live with this dust and mud.
Elder 2: Broken roads protect us from disappointment.
Gichuka: I did not come to rule you. I came to rebuild what humiliation destroyed.
(A long silence.)
Narrator: The hardest land to rebuild is not soil— it is resignation.
ACT III – The Mockers Arrive
(Laughter from the shadows. Sanballat and Tobiah step forward.)
Sanballat (laughing loudly): Rebuild Lari? With what? Dreams?
Tobiah (smiling gently): Let Lari remain broken. At least no one expects much from us.
Sanballat: Go back where you came from! Lari has no room for vision.
Chorus of Villagers (conflicted): He speaks boldly…But mockery feels safer than hope.
Narrator: Mockery is cheap. Hope demands labor.
ACT IV – The Comfort of Ruined Systems
(Lari ruined systems seem to loom closer.)
Tobiah: Look around, Gichuka. We survived like this. Why change now?
Gichuka: Survival is not dignity. And comfort is not peace.
Sanballat: If you build, people will expect more. If you build, we will lose control.
(Sanballat turns to the voters.)
Sanballat: Let him fail alone.
(Some voters step back.)
ACT V – One Mind
(Gichuka kneels, touching the murram soil scattered on road.)
Gichuka: I have one mind. Not wealth. Not applause. But the welfare of Lari people.
(Hope steps briefly into light.)
Hope: Begin.
(The villagers hesitate.)
Narrator: History is changed not by crowds— but by those who refuse to leave.
ACT VI – Resistance Without Swords
(Sanballat and Tobiah whisper.)
Sanballat: We will laugh louder.
Tobiah: We will delay him.
Narrator: Opposition rarely carries weapons. It carries doubt.
(Some villagers begin feeling humiliated by Lari situation.)
Chorus of Villagers (slowly): If we rebuild… we may be seen.
ACT VII – The Change of Lari
(Soft rhythmic movement. The presence of Gichuka Waithera start to be felt in villages. No celebration.)
Narrator: The Lari situation will change not because everyone agrees. It will start changing because some will refuse to stay ashamed.
(Sanballat exits angrily.)
Sanballat: This land will regret hope!
Final Act – A Question for Larians
(Lari remain broken.)
Narrator: Every generation chooses: broken state they understand or futures they must defend.
(Gichuka stands facing the audience.)
Gichuka: Lari can be rebuilt. But only if its people stop protecting its brokenness.
(Blackout.)
Curtain.
