Dance of the Dead
Profiles Continued
Supervisor – Number 22
Female
Height….5 feet 4 inches {approx}
Weight….110 lbs {approx}
Hair……..black {Japanese style bun}
Age……..late twenties {approx}
Nationality… English speaking
Village attire, an olive green polo neck jersey, black slacks and deck shoes.
Wear’s the fancy dress costume of “Cleopatra”, for Carnival.
Here then is the first female supervisor, but still attired in the usual costume/uniform, except for the double breasted blazer.
She is one to stick to the rules, telling Number 240 abruptly, ‘that’s no way to report!’, when the observer telephones Number 2 direct.
Then later, when asked by the observer ‘if she should watch number 34 instead’, she takes great delight in telling Number 240 that he’s dead and that it’s none of our business. This indicates that this supervisor knows her place and probably doesn’t care anyway.
Again an interim supervisor, filling in probably again as the shift roster requires.
And then again when the observer says that she got to know him {Number 34} quite well, the supervisor takes more delight in telling the observer that “he” didn’t know her!
Observer –Number 240
Female
Height….5 feet 4 inches {approx}
Weight….115 lbs {approx}
Hair……..dark blonde
Age……..late twenties {approx}
Nationality… Unknown it is possible that she was born in the village, English speaking
Village attire, a dark green jersey, light brown slacks, flat shoes, a white peeked cap and brown cape.
And for Carnival, the fancy dress costume of “Little Bo-peep”, and being an observer, always knows where to find her sheep!
Reputed to be one of ‘their’ best observers, but yet twice she manages to lose number 6 when scanning ‘6 private’ and the entire village, she looked everywhere and still she could not fine him!
But as an observer she cannot get involved with “life” in the village. She said that she got to know Number 34 quite well, but then she clearly didn’t know that 34 had a radio! And of course ‘he’ didn’t know ‘her’ did he? All the same, she was sad at being told of number 34’s death.
Any relationship with this young lady can only be one sided, she will know all about “you”, but you will never get to know “her”.
“Observers of life should never get involved”
And then the question of trust, comes to mind. Any breach of the “Rules” would be reported.
This citizen has been fully indoctrinated in the ways of the village, it is not beyond the realms of possibly that Number 240 was born in the village. That way indoctrination would begin at a very early age.
She is outwardly cold and unfeeling, caring little or nothing for her fellow citizen. But she knows that she has a “duty” to everyone.
Accusing Number 6 of having no values, and that he wants to spoil things. Telling him that he is a wicked man, and won’t be helped. She sees him as being confused, but not there are treatments for people like him, she tells Number 6 quite coldly.
Perhaps in time, Number 240 would make an excellent Number 2, carry on like she is and promotion will soon follow!
Those values of course being different from hers, and the thing she does not want spoiling, is of course the village itself!
And as this is the second occasion upon where the possibility of a citizen being born in the village, then it goes without saying that there must possibly be a Nursery somewhere in the village.
When questioned by Number 6, the words of a village ‘edicts’ roll off her tongue with remarkable ease and without thinking;
“Question’s are a burden to others, answer’s a prison for oneself”.
“Of the people, by the people, for the people.”
Also number 240 has a very close relationship with Number 2, in the way that she is let off lightly when reporting to Number 2 that she has lost number 6, not once but on two separate occasions, and in the way 240 feels that she can report direct to number
She is also a most loyal citizen, seeing that it is improper to listen to a radio.
As Prosecutor at the trial of the Prisoner, she accuses Number 6 of making a positive effort against the community and maliciously breaking “The Rules”, by acquiring a radio. Certainly she is no innocent, trying to persuade the court to pass the severest possible sentence.
But then as the sentence of death is passed by the judges, her feelings do finally get the better of her. She rises to her feet and cries out against the sentence, ‘No, stop it!’
Obviously Number 240 sees the sentence as too severe! It is possible that she has secretly cultivated feelings forNnumber 6.
In the end Number 240 is no longer Number 6’s observer, to use Number 2’s adage one last time, “observers of life should never get involved”. There was the danger that she was becoming too closely involved with her subject, Number 6.
Perhaps if Number 240 let go a little, she just might one day, start to act like a human being. But then that would mean having to fight years of village indoctrination, something which I feel she is not up to doing.
The Maid – Number 54
Female
Height….5 feet 6 inches {approx}
Weight…120lbs {approx}
Hair……..black put up in a bun, later in a pony tail.
Age……..mid twenties {approx}
Nationality… English speaking
Village attire, a fancy dress costume, a Baroque dress, with Ostrich feathers in her hair, is her costume for Carnival. Only later to change into the usual maid’s uniform of, black dress with lace apron, white sailors cap and flat shoes and her hair now in a pony tail.
As she has been given something special for tonight’s ball, the fancy dress costume of Queen Elizabeth 1st, with curly ginger hair wig.
Both the Baroque gown and Queen Elizabeth costume suites the maid, as she enjoys wearing elaborate and glamorous dresses.
As the maid says, ‘a woman is always impatient to wear a new dress’. Hence the fact that she is not wearing her maids outfit at the beginning.
She is young, quite flirtatious and most attractive. She tells Number 6 that ‘they will get along’. Indeed she seems the type of girl who would get on with everybody!
She like many before her, seems well suited to life here in the village.
But when she sees number 6 giving the black village cat an ashtray of cream, we soon see the harsher, stricter side to her nature.
“You’re not allowed animals, it’s a rule” she tells Number 6 unsmiling.
It was perhaps this disciplined side of Number 54’s nature which saw her appointed as a second of the three judges, for the trial of the prisoner. But even then she was the only judge to state that The Prisoner has his rights, when the Prisoner wanted the court to call a character witness. So perhaps there is still an element of humanity left in this woman.
The Maid – Number 21
Female
Height….5 feet 3 inches {approx}
Weight…125 lbs {approx}
Hair……. Light brown
Age……. Sixties {approx}
Nationality… English speaking
Village attire, a black dress, white apron, white sailors hat and flat shoes.
We have seen one of number 6’s personal maids, and now it appears that we see another! And she being a former waitress at the Café in ‘Arrival.’
She seems best suited for retirement into the old people’s home, but no doubt likes to keep active, seeing retirement as the end of things.
She makes Number 6 his nightly cup of hot chocolate, something to help him sleep!
She also gives a strange form of village salute, very casual.
Medic - Number 21
Male
Height….5 feet 10 inches {approx}
Weight….150 lbs {approx}
Hair……..black
Age…….mid fifties {approx}
Nationality…Unknown
Village attire, a white coat, grey polo neck jersey, grey trousers and white shoes.
Brown tortoise shell rimmed spectacles.
Thin of stature.
Number 39
Female
Height….5 feet 2 inches {approx}
Weight….160 lbs {approx}
Hair…….silver grey
Age…….60 {approx}
Nationality…Unknown
Build short and stout.
Village attire, a white coat, grey polo neck jersey, and a skirt underneath, with white shoes, and wear’s glasses, possibly long sighted.
Such medics are as responsible for their actions as much as the doctor is. We have seen that the patients are cared for at the hospital, but also that interrogations are carried out there. And now much worse is confirmed, experiments are being carried out upon certain citizens in order to gain the knowledge in their heads. And when they go too far, people like Dutton end up a brainwashed imbecile. We have seen evidence of this previously, with members of the town council.
The Nurse - Number 37
Female
Height….5 feet 6 inches {approx}
Weight….125 lbs {approx}
Hair……..blonde
Age……..mid twenties {approx}
Nationality…Unknown
Village attire, a white dress uniform and white cap of a nurse.
Unlike the medics, the nurse is in attendance to take care of Dutton. Constantly she takes the pulse of her patient, watching her watch pinned to her white uniform.
Roland Walter Dutton – Number 42
Male
Height….5 feet 11 inches {approx}
Weight…160 lbs {approx}
Hair……..light brown
Age……..forties {approx}
Nationality….. English
Occupation…. Minor Civil Servant
Salary……….. £100 per month {approx}
Village attire, an olive green and black stripped jersey, with fawn trousers and deck shoes.
Dutton had been in the village for a couple of months.
He knows Number 6, a once friend and colleague. Working perhaps for the same department, but not having access to the important, vital stuff. Unfortunately he is not to be believed by the good doctor-Number 40, and so he has been released into the village for 72 hours, so that he can reconsider in the peaceful atmosphere of the village. After which he will be returned to the hospital. After all, he is expendable and it will give the doctor a chance to experiment.
How much of that time had elapsed before he met with Number 6, months in all probability. He asks Number 6 how London
He is something of a cynic, believing that places never change, only people.
Did the doctor get to finish his work on Dutton before the 72 hours were up?
He is not a strong person as Number 6, he cannot fight them any longer, he has told them everything, there is nothing left to tell them and so has become resigned to his fate.
The village authorities believe Dutton knows more than he is telling them, he has told them all he knows because he had no connection to the vital stuff.
A “Termination “order has been taken out on Dutton, but not by number 2 or the three judges of the court, that can only leave number 1.
In any case Roland Walter Dutton proves to be no sort of character witness at all. The treatment/experiment on him has taken its toll and which has left him brainwashed, an inanely starring imbecile. Roland Walter Dutton has ‘ceased’ to exist!
The Doctor –- Number 30
Female
Height….5 feet 2 inches {approx]
Weight…112 lbs {approx}
Hair……. medium brown
Age……..mid forties {approx}
Nationality…. English speaking
Village attire, the white coat, grey polo neck jersey, skirt and white shoes. The uniform of a doctor, but a doctor brandishing a termination order!
She cannot be familiar with a counterpart of hers, Number 116. His/her white coat being worn by Number 6, he is neither recognised nor his identity called into question by number 30.
This doctor, though slight of stature, a little aged, is as guilty as the doctor-Number 40, for carrying out inhumane experiments.
Who exactly gave her that “Termination” order? It was for Number 2 and she must see it immediately! So where did she get it?
We have seen this woman once before, when she was a member of the ‘Awards Committee’ for the ‘Arts & Crafts Exhibition.
The Town Crier – Number ?
Male
Height….5 feet 7 inches {approx}
Weight….170 lbs {approx}
Hair……..dark brown
Age……..early sixties {approx}
Nationality… English speaking
Village attire, the costume of a “Town Crier”, Tricorne hat, scarlet tunic with black sleeves and detachable Jabot.
Later he wear’s the fancy dress costume of Emperor Nero.
Every town once had its town crier and the village is no different. He reads out a proclamation to the citizens from the balcony of the Gloriette.
‘A proclamation. All citizens take notice that Carnival is decreed for tonight. Turn back the clock, there will be music, dancing, happiness, all at the Carnival, by order!’
So it seems that even the citizens have to be ordered to attend Carnival. And there will be music, dancing and happiness whether the citizens want it or not!
The Postman -– Number ?
Male
Height….5 feet 8 inches {approx}
Weight….220 lbs {approx}
Hair……..white
Age……..early sixties {approx}
Nationality…. English speaking
Village attire, a “Royal Mail” postman’s hat, grey jersey and grey flannel trousers and deck shoes.
So the village also has a “local postal service”. The postman wears the peeked cap of a Royal Mail postman, but why? Perhaps this is some form of village eccentricity, permitted to only the more elderly members of the community.
He even wheels about the village, a penny farthing bicycle, however it seems unlikely that the postman actually rides it.
Again this is an elderly man and as the maid, perhaps more suited to life in the old people’s home, but maybe not wanting to give up.
The Butler
Is seen in but three scenes, looking down from a high promontory. Then again the central Piazza. Both during Carnival parade. And at the Ball during the court scene when he offers one of the three judges at the Prisoner’s trial the black cloth!
Three Young Ladies for Carnival
These three blonde, young, attractive ladies seem different somehow, because of the clothes and hats they are wearing. And in that they do not appear to fit in with the Village scene.
Next time Checkmate
Be seeing you
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