The Love of Three Oranges zy LEANDRO. Well, I've carried out the King’s orders. He decreed that there would be a banquet, a masked ball, and entertainments this very night and I have made it so. The people are preparing comical costumes to make the prince laugh but I will ensure that our cos- tumes remind him only of death and depress him more. (FATA MORGANA, hunched over and dressed as an old hag, enters and tries to walk past him.) Just a sec grandma. Where do you think you are going? The party hasn’t even started yet. FATA MORGANA. (Smacks him and stands her full height.) Fool. Dont you recognize me? It is I, (She throws her hood back to reveal her face. She isa very powerful, sexy woman.) Fata Morgana (Chord.) and I'm here to help you. As long as I am present in this room, the prince will never laugh. And if he does not laugh, he does not live! And if he does not live, he dies! (A pause as she realizes that was rather lame.) Grovel! LEANDRO. (Getting on his knees and kissing her hand:) My Queen, my benefactor, my most holy rolling stone! I did not recognize you in your costume, but I am thankful for your supernatural help. FATA MORGANA. That's more like it. Smeraldina, my loyal hench- woman! Help me with this hood thing. (SMERALDINA enters and helps her back into her old lady cos- tume. MORGANA resumes her bent position LEANDRO is still groveling with fear.) What the hell are you waiting for, simpleton? Open the doors and let the party begin. (FATA MORGANA retreats to the back of the room as the guests file in. CLARICE enters with Leandro's mask. Both she and LE- ANDRO are dressed in scary costumes to remind the prince of death. Everyone else in the room is wearing silly or comical masks with the exception of TRUFFALDINO, KING, and TARTA- GLIA. Fanfare. Flourish. KING, TRUFFALDINO, and TARTA- GLIA process in, the father and son in full playing card regalia. TARTAGLIA looks perfectly miserable and tries several times to escape but TRUFFALDINO is right behind him, jabbing his jester's stick into his back like a spear. Some guests stop TRUF- FALDINO for his autograph and TARTAGLIA escapes but runs into PANTALONE on his way out who brings him right back in. The KING sits on his throne but PANTALONE and TRUF- FALDINO have fo tie TARTAGLIA to his and gag him to get him to stay. As they are tying up TARTAGLIA, BRIGHELLA enters wearing his usual costume and the mask from “Scream.”