Act III, scene 1

The Bard's onstage with a guitar.

Bard (croons):

You’ll laugh, but it seems like The New Chairman's not in order, either. He's hasn't even made a public appearance yet, and still, informed sources say, already the doctors are fighting for his life. They say he has a palpitating heart and an iron-hard constipation. Whether that's true or not, it will never be proven, but the nasty rumors spread, sometimes the most absurd rumors, crazy, nightmarish rumors, like he's already, this early in his life, showing his successful leadership and fulfilling some of his own brilliant ideas. Like about socialist justice and the liberal ideal, and so forth and so on. I’m always afraid when they start getting these brilliant ideas. Because when they start getting these ideas, that's when the troubles start. I just want to bury my head in the sand and wait until this whole show-trial's over and done with, already.

(Sings.)

Larissa appears with a radio, making terrible hisses and whistles.

Larissa: Have you heard what's happening over there? In the West, I mean.

Bard: Have I heard what's happening where? As far as I’m concerned, nothing's happening anywhere.

Larissa: What do you mean, nothing's happening? How can you say that nothing's happening? You just have to listen to what they’re saying….

She sets the radio on the floor, and the stifled noises change into the clear voice of the radio announcer.