CYMBAL BANGING MONKEY TOY

WEAPONS EXPENDITURE WORLDWIDE SINCE JANUARY 2013

  WELCOME-TO-THE-THEATRE-OF-WOE-THE-PERFORMANCE-IS-ABOUT-TO-BEGIN-AND-FOR-YOUR-PLEASURE-AND-ENJOYMENT-WE-WOULD-ASK-YOU-TO-SWITCH-OFF-YOUR-PHONES-AND-YOUR-MINDS-IN-ADDITION-RECORDING-AND-PHOTOGRAPHY-IS-NOT-PERMITTED-WARNS-A-METALIC-VOICE-AND-WE-DULY-OBEY-

ANTICIPATING-CORRECTLY-THAT-THE-OVERTURE-WILL-BEGIN-SOFTLY-AND-SILENTLY-AS-A-LULLABY-AND-THEN-RISE-BY-STAGES-TO-A-CRESCENDO-OF-CYMBAL-CLASHES-AND-THEN-A-FALLING-INTO-A-DRIFTING-AND-HYPNOTIC-LANDSCAPE-WITH-A-

GENTLE-DRUMBEAT-BEYOND-A-FAR-HORIZON-AND-FINALLY-THE-SILENCE-OF-THE-FORLORN-SONG-(SOLO-FLUTE)-OF-AN-UNSEEN-BIRD-ON-A-BLACK-TREE-WHERE-THE-MAN-OF-THE-WORLD-SLEEPS-IN-HIS-CAGE-OF-NETTLES-WITH-HIS-EVER-OBEDIENT-WIFE-(STRINGS)

DREAMING-THAT-THEY-HAVE-TAKEN-THEIR-SEATS-AND-ARE-WAITING-FOR-THE-CURTAIN-TO-RISE-OR-RATHER-IT-WAS-WE-WHO-PRESENTLY-LIVE-IN-THE-WORLD-AND-ALL-OUR-FUTURE-GENERATIONS-WHO-WILL-NO-LONGER-BE-OUR-FUTURE-

GENERATIONS-WHO-WERE-WAITING-FOR-THE-PREMIER-OF-ARMAGEDDON-UNPLUGGED-OR-WORLD-WAR-THREE-THE-FINAL-CLASH-AS-THE-PERFORMANCE-WILL-DOUBTLESS-BE-DUBBED-BY-SOME-FUTURE-HISTORIAN-RAKING-THROUGH-THE-DEBRIS-SINCE-ONE-HAS-TO-BEGIN-(CLASHING-OF-CYMBALS)-

SOMEWHERE-OR-OTHER-I-SHALL-SAY-THAT-WE-WERE-WONDERING-AND-WAITING-TO-LEARN-WHERE-AND-WHEN-THE-OPENING-SCENE-WOULD-BE-PLAYED-AND-IF-SOME-SUITABLE-STIRRING-WAGNERIAN-MUSIC-WOULD-BE-PLAYED-OR-MAYBE-(BANGING-OF-KETTLEDRUMS)

SOMETHING-MORE-SOLEMN-WOULD-BE-SUITABLE-AND-(TRUMPET-SOLO)-WONDERING-TOO-WHAT-THE-CRITICS-WILL-SAY-AND-MEANWHILE-LOOKING-AHEAD-TO-THE-DEATH-OF-THE-HERO-AND-HOW-LONG-IT-(THAT-IS-TO-SAY-THE-PERFORMANCE)-WILL-LAST-AND-IF-THE-SCENERY-WILL-BE-

TO-OUR-TASTE-THAT-IS-TO-SAY-THE-CLARET-FLOODLIGHTS-AND-THE-KETCHUP-AND-TO-THE-CLINKING-OF-OUR-FLUTES-OF-SPARKLING-WHITE-OVER-THE-USUAL-DRONE-OF-SMALL-TALK-DURING-THE-SECOND-INTERMISSION-IF-THERE-(BUZZER)-

SHOULD-BE-A-SECOND-INTERMISSION-WHICH-IS-GROWING-HIGHLY-UNLIKELY-DUE-TO-THE-NEAR-CERTAINTY-(SECOND-BUZZER)-OF-THE-CURTAIN-FAILING-TO-CLOSE-AFTER-THE-FIRST-ACT-FOR-TECHNICAL-REASONS-(TO-COIN-A-PHRAS€)-BEYOND-THE-CONTROL-OF-THE-THEATER-

DIRECTOR-AND-HIS-NORMALLY-COMPETENT-TECHNICAL-STAFF-WHO-ARE-NOWHERE-TO-BE-SEEN-EVEN-AS-WE-SPEAK-ABOVE-THE-ROAR-OF-THEIR-SILENCE-AND-THE-WAILING-AND-GNASHING-OF-TEETH-($HOCK-AND-AWE)-FROM-THE-MONKEY-OUTSIDE-THE-WINDOW-(MECHANICAL-TOY)