Summary: Peter is trying to catch another fish with a coin in its mouth, but this time with wrong motives.
Style: Light-hearted. Duration: 7min
Scripture: Matthew 17 vs 24 – 27
Actors: 2M
Characters
PETER: Disciple with fishing rod. He is wearing a coat.
BEN: Friend of Peter and follower of Jesus. Sarcastic at every opportunity. has chocolate coins in his pocket.
(Setting: Peter is sitting on a chair with a rod and line, the line extends off stage where someone hooks on a “fish” unseen by the audience [FISH ON LINE]. Peter is waiting for a bite. There is a plate on the ground.)
Script
BEN: [Enters] Hello Peter. I was wondering where you were. What are you doing?
PETER: Hi Ben. What does it look like I’m doing? Doh!
BEN: Well obviously I can see that you are fishing, but why the rod? Surely you want to be out on the lake fishing from a boat in the normal way? With a big net?
PETER: I wanted to do it this way for a change.
BEN: You won’t catch many.
PETER: I’ll have you know I have caught ten already.
BEN: [Ben looks around for them] Really? Ten?
PETER: I threw them back. [FISH ON LINE he stands and as if being pulled rushes around edge of stage with fish in tow. He pulls rod] I’ve got another bite! [he reels in and removes the fish from the hook examining inside its mouth]
BEN: Why are you looking inside its mouth? Anything in there?
PETER: ‘Fraid not. Pity, I’ll try for another [he puts fish on a plate and casts the line]
BEN: [Incredulous] You mean you were expecting to find something inside? Sand? Pebbles?
PETER: Shut up and leave me alone
BEN: Oh now I want to see this, I’m fascinated!
PETER: [shouts] Go away, Ben!
BEN: Shh! You’ll frighten the fish away. You carry on. Don’t mind me.
PETER: [stands and speaks aggressively into Ben’s face] I’d rather fish in private.
BEN: [holds hands up in surrender] Pretend I’m not here then.
PETER: [FISH ON LINE. Excited,Peter forgets Ben is there and talks to himself as he circles stage with fish pulling] Right, let’s see if I’m lucky this time. [he takes the fish off the hook and examines inside its mouth visually, then his finger] No. [puts fish on a plate. He looks tired and fed up]
BEN: Pete, how long have you been at this …rod fishing?
PETER: Since sunrise.
BEN: And you have caught 10?
PETER: 12 .
BEN: Why don’t you take a break?
PETER: I might miss the “lucky fish”
BEN: Lucky fish? Oh, now! You’ve had too much sun my boy. [He takes the rod off Peter and puts it on the ground, Peter feels Ben’s forehead] Let’s go for a walk shall we?
PETER: But… [he anxiously indicates the rod]
BEN: It’ll still be there when you get back. Come with me. Now, let’s have a little chat. [They walk slowly round the stage Ben’s arm round Peter] So Pete, what is all this about a lucky fish?
PETER: I just want a bit of extra money.
BEN: Right? How much can you get for a “lucky fish” then? [Ben indicates to the audience with his finger rotating to the side of his forehead, that Peter is crazy]
PETER: Hey! I saw that. I’m not mad. It’s just that…er…
BEN: Go on.
PETER: When I was with Jesus yesterday, I caught a fish right here on this beach. It had a coin in its mouth!
BEN: Really? How many fish did you have to catch yesterday?
PETER: Just one. Jesus said “Drop a line in and the first fish you catch will have a coin in its mouth” and it did. It was amazing.
BEN: That’s impressive. How big was the fish? [Peter indicates with his hands] How much was the coin?
PETER: Four drachmas.
BEN: But why? Jesus doesn’t normally bother with money.
PETER: It was for our temple tax.
BEN That’s two drachma.
PETER For both of us. Two times two equals four. Doh!
BEN: Oh, I get it! So now you’re trying to catch another fish…
PETER: …with a coin in its mouth – that’s the lucky fish. Can I go back to fishing now please?
BEN: Is that really the best use of your time? [Peter shrugs and excited picks up the rod again and casts the line] What are the chances of it happening again?
PETER: I don’t know. One in a hundred?
BEN: So you could end up doing this all day, all week, all year. Peter, it’s a complete waste of time. Bit like the lottery really isn’t it?
PETER: But it’s fun! I get a buzz every time I get a bite. It makes me happy.
BEN: Think about why Jesus did the … coin… fish… money thing in the first place.
PETER: For our taxes.
BEN: So now you don’t need money for tax. What would you do if you found a coin?
PETER: Get a new coat?
BEN: Do you really need one?
PETER: No, but it’s so old-fashioned.
BEN: Does that matter? [Peter thinks and shakes his head] So what else would you buy?
PETER: A second donkey?
BEN: Can’t you manage with one?
PETER: Yes, but what if she gets sick? Or I could save up to go to Egypt on holiday.
BEN: Save up? How many lucky fish would that take? What would Jesus say if he knew you were doing this?
PETER: He’d say, “haven’t you got anything better to do with your time?”
BEN: Right. Yesterday, you needed tax money and Jesus provided it via a…. fish. You needed it. He provided it.
PETER: Yes, I suppose so. But I’ve got a whole list of things that I want.
BEN: And a list of things you need. God will provide all the things you need, but….
PETER: …not necessarily everything I want? So you think I should give up searching for the lucky fish then? [Ben nods.] Okay.
BEN: Good. Now, let’s take those fish you caught and cook them for supper.
PETER: All right. [he pulls the rod to leave but it resists. Someone off stage pulls line then lets it go. Peter falls in the water and flails around.] Aargh!
BEN: [Pulls him out of the water] Are you all right?
PETER: No I am not. I’m all wet!
BEN: [They leave the rod. Ben picks up the plate of fish] Lets get a fire going and dry you out. [They walk away, Ben stops and turns Peter to face him and gives him the plate of fish] Open your mouth.
PETER: What?
BEN: Open your mouth Peter opens his mouth and Ben examines inside visually]
PETER: [with mouth open] What are you doing?
BEN: Can’t you guess? I’ve just fished you out of the lake so I thought [he looks at the audience eyebrows raised waiting for them to realise what he’s doing] …. Let’s have a look now [he puts his fingers in Peter’s mouth and by sleight of hand pulls out a chocolate coin] Look at that!
PETER: Wow! How did you do that?
BEN: Clever eh? [he gets a bag of coins out of his pocket and offers Peter one.] Chocolate coin?
PETER: Don’t mind if I do! Chocolate is one of the things on my list you know.
BEN: Which one? The things you want or the things you need?
PETER: Both of course [They laugh and exit]
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© Copyright Pam Norman 2011, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
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