Samson sits in a lonely Philistine jail at the end of his life . . blind, defenceless, alone. He recalls the events of his birth and life which brought him to this place, and he acknowledges that all he has ever been is due not to any personal natural attribute but to an amazing and all powerful God

Set: blank set or sparsely decorated jail cell with a chair

Lighting: If possible use rear lighting so that Samson’s face is hidden from the audience

Sound: wireless mic if available
Sound effect of lightning

Costumes: Samson wears a kind of hood which will as much as possible obscure his face

Sample of script:

lights up, Samson is sitting with head bowed, looks up, looks around

Who is it?

Jailer?

No, can’t be jailers. . .
Not enough boasting . . not enough smell . . . . for Philistine jailers.

Philistine jailers indeed!

Philistine cutthroats hired as jailers and given licence to practice their sadistic inclinations by tormenting and abusing defenceless prisoners in this rat-infested hell hole!
Oh yes, I know Philistine jailers all too well!

No, it can’t be the jailers, the jailers delivered my daily ration of pig swill an hour ago.

looks around

Who are you?
Speak up!
Have the decency to announce yourself to a blind man!

screams

Speak up!

pauses, looks around

Oh I see!
Visitors!
Tourists! . . . Voyeurs!
Here to see the Philistine freak show!

takes on the voice and tone of a carnival announcer

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!
Step right up, see the star attraction . . .
See the Israelite strong man!

pauses, thinks

Make that . . . the Israelite ex-strong man!

loud again

Watch closely as the Philistines put the blind cripple on display, the latest example of Philistine chest beating!

looks upward

Almighty Yahweh . . .
Save me!
Here I stand, a wasted man with no personal significance from my wasted life.

holds out his cupped hand

I had it all . . right here, . . . in the palm of my hand . . .
A very ordinary man . . made super-natural by an extraordinary God.
All I had . . all I ever had . . . I owed to a magnanimous God.
And all the amazing miracles which God provided in my life . . I spoiled and squandered.

pauses, thinks

Miracles . . .Beginning with the miracle of my birth.
My mother was barren, unable to conceive . .
And then an angel of God appeared to my mother with amazing news.
The angel foretold of my birth, and explained the guidelines which were expected from me and my parents.
My mother was to consume no alcoholic beverage . .
And my hair was never to be cut.
Instructions simple enough, and not difficult.
And my parents carried out their instructions completely . . joyfully . . .
While I on the other hand . . .

shakes head, thinks

My youthful stubbornness blinded me to the warnings in God’s message.
The warnings were plain . . and demanded compliance.
But God’s message was more of what God would do through me . .
The angel told that I was to begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the despised Philistines.
A noble purpose for my life. . .
A purpose for which God predestined . .
A purpose that I sensed from the time of my youth in my home town of Mahaneh Dan, . . for I truly did feel the stirrings of the spirit of God . . .
Yet a purpose to which I gave less than my best efforts.

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