The Fiery Furnace

by Jane And Mark Lewis
Potted JAM
Copyright © 2008 Jane And Mark Lewis. http://www.pottedjam.org Email: sketches@pottedjam.org

Contents

Background

This sketch is obviously based on Daniel 3 - the story of the Fiery Furnace.  It was broken into sections so that it could be interspersed between other elements within a service if needed.

Rating

Characters

  • Kirsty Squawk - a BBC News Channel anchor
  • Stick Robinson - political correspondent

Staging

The setting for the sketch is a 24 hour rolling news channel - based on the real BBC but obviously using the name Babylonian Broadcasting Corporation.  The stage needs a desk and chair and it helps if Stick is holding a microphone or clipboard to indicate he is "on location".  We used Powerpoint slides to project suitable images onto a background screen as per a news channel.

Script

The Fiery Furnace – Part 1

Kirsty Squawk:  “Gold always believe in your soul you have the power to know you’re indestructible” more on that story later.
Here are the Headlines. The economy is still struggling to recover from the downturn in land prices. There are fears for the elderly and poor as as Babylonian Gas announces price rise of 35% today taking the cost of lamp oil to an all time high.
But we are just getting breaking news of a major new initiative designed to help people understand what it means to be Babylonian. Our great king Nebuchadnezzar has spent the 2.6bn shekels earmarked for ID cards on a new statue of himself unveiled today. We’re going over to our political correspondent now Stick Robinson.  Stick what is the new statue?
Stick:     
Hello Kirsty – this is incredible the new statue is IMMENSE.  I don’t know if you can see behind me – you can probably just manage to see a bit of the feet.  This statue is 90 feet high and 9 feet wide and cast in gold.  It is an amazing sight.  This surely is Nebuchadnezzar defining what it means to be Babylonian with a simple test. The king had decreed that everytime the national anthem is played everyone must bow down and worship the statue. It is seen by some as a massive curb on religious freedom and will not lead to cultural unity.
Kirsty:     
It would seem that the statue matches the king’s ego Stick- will people actually bow down and worship? There is more to being Babylonian than this surely. In today’s multi-cultural empire with so many gods can the king really unite everyone in this way.
Stick:     
I think the answer to that is yes Kirsty.  The king has decreed that anyone NOT bowing down to worship his statue will be thrown alive into a fiery furnace!  So I think we can safely say that everyone will be doing as they’re told.
Kirsty:    
Hot Stuff there Stick, I can see that not being burned alive would be enough to motivate everyone to bow down. Thank you Stick – we’ll return to this story later.

Fiery Furnace Part 2

Kirsty:  “You broke my will, oh what a thrill, Goodness gracious great balls of fire” more on that story in a moment. Welcome back to BBC News 24.  We reported earlier on the new government decree that everyone must bow down and worship the kings new 90 foot golden statue. We’re returning to our political correspondent Stick Robinson for the latest developments – Stick, apparently there have been some arrests?
Stick:    
Hello again Kirsty that is exactly right.  We are getting reports that 3 men have been arrested for disobeying the kings new decree.
Kirsty:    
Why on earth would these people disobey the king and not bow down to worship the statue?
Stick:    
The shocking thing is that the 3 men are cabinet ministers we believe they are Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Kirsty:   
I can’t believe that, they are the among most respected and favoured members of the King’s household. Won’t this be seen as complete disloyalty and a challenge to the king’s leadership. Why would they do that?
Stick:   
The answer Kirsty lies in these men’s past. We have discovered that these men were originally called Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and are in fact Jews – from a rather small insignificant country called Judah that we conquered some years ago. Although their country is tiny they claim to have a big God. In fact they believe their God is the only God – the creator of everything.  This means that they refuse to bow down to any other gods.  Obviously despite their high rank the kings statue and decree has set them on a collision course with the establishment.  Sources in the palace say King Nebuchadnezzar was in a purple rage and has ordered the 3 men to be thrown into the fiery furnace that is being prepared as we speak. Our sources indicate the furnace is being heated seven times hotter than normal.  These men have maybe hours to live.
Kirsty:    
Thank you Stick – more on that story later.

Fiery Furnace Part 3

Kirsty:      “Wheels on fire rolling down the road, please notify my next of kin”. And the latest breaking news is that the high ranking officials Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego have indeed been thrown into the fiery furnace for disobeying the king’s decree and refusing to worship the new golden statue.  For the latest developments we are going back to our political correspondent Stick Robinson. Stick?
Stick:     
Hello again Kirsty.  I have just incredible news. During their trial before the king the 3 cabinet ministers apparently claimed that their God could even save them from a fiery death in the furnace – but even if he did not they would never bow down to the kings statue or any other god. As we reported earlier the king flew into a rage and ordered the men burned to death. A little over an hour ago the kings instructions were carried out and the men were thrown into the fiery furnace.  Eyewitnesses claim that the flames were so hot that the executioners themselves have been killed by the heat.
Kirsty:    
So the men were killed instantly?
Stick:     
No Kirsty this is our exclusive breaking news.  The men survived. In fact eyewitnesses claim that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were seen walking around in the centre of the furnace - - unharmed and accompanied by an angelic figure.  This is a miracle.  The men have just walked out of the furnace utterly unharmed.  I tried to get an interview with one of them but they were rushed away with the kings entourage. However, I got very close – and they didn’t even smell of smoke.  Not even their turbans were scorched – not an eyebrow singed.  People are already calling this the Grate Escape!
This is the most amazing, unprecedented thing I have ever witnessed – surely this event will be talked about for hundreds of years to come! Perhaps their God is a great big God after all!
Kirsty:   
This is indeed unprecedented. It certainly seems that on this occasion Nebuchadnezzar’s strategy for unquestioning loyalty from his subjects has backfired as it were. We await a statement from the palace on these events. We’ll bring you more news as we get it.


 

Copyright © 2008 Jane And Mark Lewis. http://www.pottedjam.org Email: sketches@pottedjam.org

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