THE PLOT

SYNOPSIS/LIST of SCENES/CAST and CHARACTERS/CHRONOLOGY

Scene 1

In his Nightmare of Doom and Foreboding, the SON of a Colombian DRUG LORD dreams he is SIMON BOLIVAR, (South America's Liberator and most celebrated hero), on his death-bed attended by his eccentric ( for the time ) progressive, liberal and egalitarian, free-thinking teacher during adolescence, RODRIGUEZ (who spent a deal of his life persecuted by conservative Spanish authorities) - and that his FATHER is a CONQUISTADOR, intent on destroying him.

Scene 3

The SON, having been wounded, under Intensive Care imagines living the life of his hero SIMON BOLIVAR, from age Seventeen, in Spain at the Madrid Court. The year is 1800. Through introduction by a FRIEND he meets his future wife: MARIA TERESA, a nineteen year old girl from a notable family. They are betrothed. RODRIGUEZ is not impressed!

Scene 4

In 1802 they marry, and settle in Venezuela - but within six months Maria dies in Caracas of Yellow Fever. SIMON is nineteen.

Scene 2

FATHER, ruthless, practical - almost endearing, has a problem relationship with his idealistic teenage SON - who has a problem relationship with REALITY - aspiring to the ideals of SIMON BOLIVAR ( born 1783 - died 1830 : 47 years old ). FATHER tries to put SON on course, in a tango discussion - interrupted by the Authorities making a heavily armed raid on the Hacienda.

Scene 5

1803 Dockside, Venezuela, SIMON is leaving again for Europe; bidding farewell is GENERAL MIRANDA, who encourages SIMON to consider the possibilities of rebellion presented to Spain's Colonies by Napoleon's forays, and other political turmoil, in Europe. RODRIGUEZ observes an attitude problem

Scene 6

1804 SIMON is in Paris at the time of Napoleon's coronation. He and his TUTOR, RODRIGUEZ are both fascinated and appalled by the procedings. SIMON is twenty-one.

RODRIGUEZ is not satisfied that his pupil has absorbed a cohesive philosophy, and so takes him on a several-month walk - from Paris through France and Italy, to Rome.

ACT ONE

Scene 7

1805 on Monte Sacro - The Aventine Hill, SIMON vows to rout the Spanish from the colonies. He is twenty-two

Scene 8

The years 1810 - 1812 : frustrations, calamitous military involvements, natural disasters and betrayal culminate in SIMON engineering the capture and confinement of MIRANDA by the Spanish - and SIMON's first EXILE. RODRIGUEZ is dismayed.

Scene 9

Curacao 1812: SIMON is twenty-nine; having taken comfort in the arms of an OLDER WOMAN, he snaps out of his gloom with a new strategy.

Scene 10

1813 - War is Good! After many campaigns, he reaches Caracas. But the triumph is short-lived: The ruthless, brutal Llaneros have given their support to the Royalists; torture, murder, agonising privation and horror afflict the people in a way that at one time only afflicted the natives !

Although SIMON reaches Bogota in December of 1814 ( he is thirty-one ), in 1815 his resumed effort to re-enter Caracas is a failure. Meanwhile, he has committed retaliatory brutality, another compromise of his ideals

Scene 11

The Llaneros celebrate

Scene 12

1815 - exile in Jamaica; he is inspired by a persistent dream

Scene 13

1815 in Haiti - President Petion, with covert funding from the British, agrees to assist SIMON to mount a comeback campaign. As the Napoleonic Wars are over, there are plenty of available mercenaries and equipment. SIMON feels great affinity with these cool Haitian dudes!