Act 1

SCENE 1 - THE 'ZION BAND' REHEARSAL ROOM

The 'Zion Band' practices and Trevor dreams of Africa.

The Zion Band members are arguing because Trevor, the lead singer, refuses to sing the “Freedom City” song. Neville, the guitarist, sings it instead.

01 Freedom City.mp3

SONG: 'Freedom City'

SCENE 2 - IN THE STREET

Sandra's brother, Hartley, encounters trouble ...

Hartley, aged 12 is knocking a football around with two school friends, when a couple of older white youths come along and take the ball and throw it into the canal.

Trevor and Neville leave the rehearsal room arguing about the song, the band and society. They walk along the canal road and Trevor sees Hartley and his friends trying to retrieve their football out of the water. Suddenly, Hartley falls in, amid screams and shouts. Trevor jumps in and saves him and the ball. Hartley tells Trevor what happened, which only further compounds Trevor’s disgust with this society. Hartley and friends leave with Neville.

African dream sequence.

Trevor walks along watching the shoppers, noting examples of selfishness and greed. He rebels against these signs of capitalism and suddenly has a vision of African dancers, who, as if in a dream, appear in the street. Bystanders watch in amazement as the witch-doctor leads the dancers in a spectacular African Dance. They disappear as quickly as they appeared. This experience makes Trevor even more determined to return to Africa, spiritual home for the Rastafarians and the 12 Tribes of Israel, (a primary aim of the movement).

Trevor sings “I’m taking a trip to Africa” to surprised passers-by as he walks along the street to a bus stop. The song ends as he jumps onto a bus.

02 African Opportunity.mp3

SONG: 'African Opportunity'

SCENE 3 - A TRAVEL AGENCY

Trevor takes a practical step to Africa and the lovers meet.

Sandra works here with another assistant (Judith), and she is dealing with a customer over the counter when her friend, Grace arrives to pick her up at closing time. The client leaves and Sandra, Grace and Judith talk about their plans for the evening. Grace objects to Sandra wanting to go out to a disco on the grounds that it is un-Christian. (Sandra’s father is the local pastor and she should uphold her gospel church beliefs).

They argue as Trevor enters the agency and starts looking at the brochures on the racks. Sandra and Grace stop arguing. Trevor starts singing “I’m a Lonely Man”. The women start reacting to him. Sandra interrupts him and asks if she can help. They discuss air fares to Ethiopia, one way only, and she is intrigued by his talk, his Rastafarian attitude. As they chat, she discovers he is a singer with a reggae band and tells him that she sings in a gospel choir. He invites her to come and sing with his band. She says maybe, much to her friend Grace’s horror.

SONG: 'Lonely No Love'

SCENE 4 - AMUSEMENT ARCADE

Babylon dream sequence.

(Flashing starships, and electronic sounds, coins dropping, visions once again of the capitalist society – “Babylon”).

A youth approaches Trevor for money and after a few words, Trevor gives him 10p, which he instantly puts into a game machine. More Space-Invader images flash in close-up. Trevor starts to sing “Babylon Fire”, depicting life in present day Babylonia. The forces of evil are represented by dancers in Egyptian costumes and masks, while the forces of good are earth-coloured dancers, who juxtapose their more primitive dance with the jazz/contemporary style of the neo-Egyptian characters.

03 Babylon the Fire.mp3

SONG: 'Babylon Fire'

SCENE 5 - HOSPITAL CORRIDOR

Sandra's mother, Mrs Johnson, discusses her family.

Sandra’s mother, Mrs. Johnson is a nurse. She has bumped into Mrs. James, the tea-lady. They exchange news about their families. Mrs. Johnson is particularly proud of her daughter’s job at the travel agency.

SCENE 6 - THE 'ZION BAND' REHEARSAL ROOM

Sandra auditions for the 'Zion Band', learns of Rastafari and Ethiopia.

Band members are impatient waiting for this new girl singer Trevor has promised them. He is just about to give up when Sandra arrives. Her audition is successful and she’s invited back. Trevor starts talking to her about Bob Marley and Rastafari etc., and asks to see her home. She says no, her father would disapprove.

SONGS: '(Not A) Flower Shop' and 'Brown Girl In The Ring'

04 Flower Shop.mp3

Song: '(Not A) Flower Shop'