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had.
    CHULAK: I’m the only assistant you’ve ever had.
    LILA and CHULAK start mixing powders and loading their cart as the other Firework-Makers start to arrive on stage and set up their displays.
5 - THE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL
    It’s the second day of the New Year Festival. HERR PUFFENFLASCH stands by a huge model of a prawn. COLONEL SAM SPARKINGTON is helping to push a huge rocket with the stars and stripes painted on the side. Workers dash by with boxes of fireworks. LILA looks round, awed.
    LILA: They look good...
    CHULAK looks into LILA’s cart.
    CHULAK: Ours is good too. The displays so far haven’t been anything special.
    LILA: No, but Dr Puffenflasch and Sam Sparkington are next. They’re the best.
    CHULAK: You’re doing something new.
    LILA: ( Cheered .) Yes. You’re right. It will be different. Look at that prawn. Why’s he got a prawn?
    CHULAK: Don’t you know? The King loves prawns.
    LILA: Does he?
    CHULAK: Prawn cocktail’s his favourite. He loves it.
    LILA: I’ve never heard that.
    CHULAK: Mind you. It is nice.
    The HUNGRY PIRATE’s passing, carrying a box of Roman Candles.
    HUNGRY PIRATE: I’ll say. What I wouldn’t do for a prawn cocktail. Or indeed any of the classic starters.
    CHULAK: ( To HUNGRY PIRATE .) What are you doing here?
    CHANG struggles by with a Catherine Wheel.
    CHANG: We’re all here.
    RAMBASHI appears with a rocket.
    RAMBASHI: Chulak, my boy!
    CHULAK: I thought you were singers.
    RAMBASHI: Entertainers! It’s all part of my plan.
    HUNGRY PIRATE: Does the plan include food?
    RAMBASHI: In time, in time.
    CHULAK: This plan? Did it come to you in a flash?
    RAMBASHI: ( Reeling with astonishment .) How did you know that? It’s a million rupee idea.
    ( Confidential .)
    We’re pretending to be temporary peripatetic workers but when everyone least expects it, we’re going to burst into song. The King will be so impressed he’ll almost certainly make us the Special and Particular Royal Entertainers. Especially when he hears our new song. It’s about a special country far across the sea where Kings don’t have to work so hard. It’s a beautiful and mythical land, called a Republic.
    CHULAK: I don’t think you should sing that one, Uncle. The King’s a bit unpredictable. He might put you in prison.
    RAMBASHI: Don’t worry my boy. I know what I’m doing.
    HUNGRY PIRATE: Do you get fed in prison?
    RAMBASHI hurries away.
    CHULAK: They’ll get in trouble if they do that.
    LILA: We’re all in trouble. Look at these displays.
    A trumpet announces the KING’s arrival.
    CHULAK: The King!
    The KING arrives with his SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD dragging LALCHAND in chains. LILA wants to go to LALCHAND. CHULAK grabs her.
    CHULAK: No, Lila.
    LILA: What have they done to him?
    LALCHAND is thrown to the floor behind the KING. LILA gasps.
    KING: We are ready for the final three displays. There is a prize of a gold cup and a thousand gold coins! The audience’s applause will decide the winner.
    The SPECIAL AND PARTICULAR BODYGUARD unveils a huge clapometer.
    KING: Doctor Puffenflasch of Germany? Your display please?
    DR. PUFFENFLASCH: Your excellency. It is my great pleasure to introduce my display entitled Bombardenorgelmitsparkenpumpe!
    Dr. Puffenflasch pulls out a lighter that looks like a gun and starts his display. The finale involves the giant prawn blowing in two to reveal a prawn cocktail in a glass. This fizzes brilliantly. The King is clearly very impressed.
    Dr. Puffenflasch takes his bow. The audience claps up to 9.0 on the clapometer.
    LILA: That’s a very high score.
    CHULAK: I didn’t think they’d like it that much.
    KING: Colonel Sam Sparkington out of Alabama!
    COLONEL SPARKINGTON: Your excellency. Prepare to be amazed, by the Southern Lights display!
    COLONEL SAM SPARKINGTON strolls over to his rocket. He takes a match from his mouth, strikes it on his heel and