The Trial: Chrono Trigger 1.7

musical theater, satirical show tune, cabaret

+ Show full styles

[verse 1: patter-led accusation with witnesses stepping in and out]
[CHANCELLOR:]
He strolled through the fair with that innocent grin,
And somehow, by supper, the trouble begins?
"A bump at the square"? ... "A shove in the lane"? ...
How curious! ... [Pause] ... Mischief keeps trailing his name.

[COMPANY:]
(Trailing his name!)

[CHANCELLOR:]
He reached for a purse: was it noble intent?
He lusted for a pendant: how quickly it went.
He ate like a glutton when a lady was there;
Then played the poor pilgrim once watched by the square.

[COMPANY:]
(Watched by the square!)

[interlude: comic and cruel | GANG VOCALS from COMPANY]
[COMPANY:] (I saw him rush first and leave her behind!)
[COMPANY:] (He grabbed what was shining!)
[COMPANY:] (He barged through the crowd with a very hard shoulder!)
[COMPANY:] (She tripped!)
[COMPANY:] (He ate!)
[COMPANY:] (He stared!)

[Pre-Chorus:]
[CHANCELLOR:]
You see how the facts grow sturdier and bolder?
And each tiny choice, when properly dressed,
Becomes an intention the court can attest!!

[chorus: big, vicious, highly stageable public spectacle |  anthemic mockery with stomps, claps, and hard ensemble call-and-response]
[CHANCELLOR + COMPANY:]
Look how a nudge becomes: (criminal sway,)
Look how a pause becomes: (plotting the way.)
Pawlish the charge till it gleams in the light,
Call it the law and the room says: (Quite right!)

[CHANCELLOR :]
Point at the boy in the middle and smile,
Measure his worth by a fraction of a mile.
If he won’t answer, we’ll answer in his stead.
Point by point, we’ll sew the crown’s blame to his head!!

[verse 3: the state reveals itself under the silk | lower, more venomous, with crisp consonants and tighter phrasing]
[CHANCELLOR:]
What is a trial but a national art?
A graceful di-section. A practiced dark art.
You bring me a farm boy. I'll show you a threat!!
The court loves a lesson it won't forget.
[SFX:] *SPARKLE*

[CHANCELLOR:]
He helped a young lady? ... How brazen, how sly.
Such gallant behavior can always imply
A hunger for rank, for status, for place...
His ambition looks humble on his young face.

[COMPANY:]
(Such an innocent face!)

[CHANCELLOR:]
The kingdom requires a villain on cue.
The kingdom prefers one too simple to sue.
And there stands our answer, so still, so composed...
A body on display while our verdict is posed.

[breakdown: percussion drops to footsteps, finger snaps,  clapping and dry piano strikes | GANG VOCALS COMPANY]
[COMPANY:] (He pushed!)
[COMPANY:] (He took!)
[COMPANY:] (He ate!)
[COMPANY:] (He looked!)
[COMPANY:] (He meant!)
[COMPANY:] (He knew!)
[COMPANY:] (He planned!)

[bridge: musically isolates while the court closes in]
[CHANCELLOR:]
"Did he speak"? ... No, how convenient.
"Did he plead"? ... No, how serene.
Silence is a lovely costume;
When one has something mean.

[COMPANY:]
(Something mean!)

[CHANCELLOR:]
I've no need for proof; when mood will do.
I've no need for fact; when fear is new.
I've no need for balance, scale, or sum...
Once public appetite has come.

[solo CHANCELLOR chorus: bigger, harsher reprise with the state fully exposed, gleeful and merciless, with higher stakes]
[CHANCELLOR:]
Look how a fair day curdles by noon,
Look how the court can all but hum the tune.
Turn every kindness, trim every seam,
'Till guilt wears daylight and virtue can’t scream.

[CHANCELLOR:]
Bow to the bench with your hat in your hand,
This is how order is made in the land.
If power decides what the people have seen,
Then guilt is whatever the crown says it means.

[coda outro: cold cadence, verdict hanging in the air]
[CHANCELLOR:]
So let the record show... not what occurred... 
But what was useful. Line by line, word by word.
Justice, my friends, is a beautiful state!
Especially when it arrives pree arranged.

[COMPANY:]
(Guilty!)

[CHANCELLOR:]
[Spoken Word]"Case. ... [Pause] ... Closed."
[End]

4182/7500

[Start] [intro: brisk gavel hits, low brass jabs, the room arranged like a pageant | CHANCELLOR is dry, amused, publicly gracious] [CHANCELLOR:] Good people of Guardia; what luck, what grace. A lesson in justice, given with a smiling face. Bring in the boy. Let everyone see. A crown stays clean when it can blame one flea. [verse 1: patter-led accusation with witnesses stepping in and out] [CHANCELLOR:] He strolled through the fair with that innocent grin, And somehow, by supper, the trouble begins? "A bump at the square"? ... "A shove in the lane"? ... How curious! ... [Pause] ... Mischief keeps trailing his name. [COMPANY:] (Trailing his name!) [CHANCELLOR:] He reached for a purse: was it noble intent? He lusted for a pendant: how quickly it went. He ate like a glutton when a lady was there; Then played the poor pilgrim once watched by the square. [COMPANY:] (Watched by the square!) [interlude: comic and cruel | GANG VOCALS from COMPANY] [COMPANY:] (I saw him rush first and leave her behind!) [COMPANY:] (He grabbed what was shining!) [COMPANY:] (He barged through the crowd with a very hard shoulder!) [COMPANY:] (She tripped!) [COMPANY:] (He ate!) [COMPANY:] (He stared!) [Pre-Chorus:] [CHANCELLOR:] You see how the facts grow sturdier and bolder? And each tiny choice, when properly dressed, Becomes an intention the court can attest!! [chorus: big, vicious, highly stageable public spectacle | anthemic mockery with stomps, claps, and hard ensemble call-and-response] [CHANCELLOR + COMPANY:] Look how a nudge becomes: (criminal sway,) Look how a pause becomes: (plotting the way.) Pawlish the charge till it gleams in the light, Call it the law and the room says: (Quite right!) [CHANCELLOR :] Point at the boy in the middle and smile, Measure his worth by a fraction of a mile. If he won’t answer, we’ll answer in his stead. Point by point, we’ll sew the crown’s blame to his head!! [verse 3: the state reveals itself under the silk | lower, more venomous, with crisp consonants and tighter phrasing] [CHANCELLOR:] What is a trial but a national art? A graceful di-section. A practiced dark art. You bring me a farm boy. I'll show you a threat!! The court loves a lesson it won't forget. [SFX:] *SPARKLE* [CHANCELLOR:] He helped a young lady? ... How brazen, how sly. Such gallant behavior can always imply A hunger for rank, for status, for place... His ambition looks humble on his young face. [COMPANY:] (Such an innocent face!) [CHANCELLOR:] The kingdom requires a villain on cue. The kingdom prefers one too simple to sue. And there stands our answer, so still, so composed... A body on display while our verdict is posed. [breakdown: percussion drops to footsteps, finger snaps, clapping and dry piano strikes | GANG VOCALS COMPANY] [COMPANY:] (He pushed!) [COMPANY:] (He took!) [COMPANY:] (He ate!) [COMPANY:] (He looked!) [COMPANY:] (He meant!) [COMPANY:] (He knew!) [COMPANY:] (He planned!) [bridge: musically isolates while the court closes in] [CHANCELLOR:] "Did he speak"? ... No, how convenient. "Did he plead"? ... No, how serene. Silence is a lovely costume; When one has something mean. [COMPANY:] (Something mean!) [CHANCELLOR:] I've no need for proof; when mood will do. I've no need for fact; when fear is new. I've no need for balance, scale, or sum... Once public appetite has come. [solo CHANCELLOR chorus: bigger, harsher reprise with the state fully exposed, gleeful and merciless, with higher stakes] [CHANCELLOR:] Look how a fair day curdles by noon, Look how the court can all but hum the tune. Turn every kindness, trim every seam, 'Till guilt wears daylight and virtue can’t scream. [CHANCELLOR:] Bow to the bench with your hat in your hand, This is how order is made in the land. If power decides what the people have seen, Then guilt is whatever the crown says it means. [coda outro: cold cadence, verdict hanging in the air] [CHANCELLOR:] So let the record show... not what occurred... But what was useful. Line by line, word by word. Justice, my friends, is a beautiful state! Especially when it arrives pree arranged. [COMPANY:] (Guilty!) [CHANCELLOR:] [Spoken Word]"Case. ... [Pause] ... Closed." [End]

0/500