Missing

"Missing"

Based on this verse in Matthew 28:4: "The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men"

Cast: 3 guards

If technically possible, start sketch with a flash of light or stage pyrotechnic explosion, and/or sound effect of explosion, earthquake, etc.

Scene: A garden; the guards are lying on the ground, 2 of them perfectly still, and one (Guard 1) shaking slightly.

Guard 1 (slowly gets to his feet, still shaking and looking around in fear; walks over to Guard 2 and shakes him) Wake up, wake up.

Guard 2 (jumps to his feet, bolt awake, thinks the angel is still there) I'll be good, I promise I'll be good...(breaks off when he realises that the angel has gone, and turns to Guard 1) Did you see it, I mean him, I mean that, that BEING...?

Guard 1 I'm not sure, I think we must have imagined it.

Guard 2 (looking behind Guard 1) Well, we didn't imagine THAT (pointing) - look, the stone's been rolled away.

Guard 1 Oh no - you know what that could mean - someone's stolen the body!

Guard 2 We'd better check - I'll wait here while you pop inside.

Guard 1 No way - you go inside!

Guard 2 Not me!

Guard 1 Well one of us has got to do it...unless (they both turn and look at Guard 3, who is still lying on the ground, then look at each other, give each other a grin and a thumbs up sign, and walk over to Guard 3)

Guard 1 (bending over Guard 3) Oh Theo, wakey wakey...

Guard 3 (starts sucking his thumb) Oh mummy, please can I have another 10 minutes in bed...

Guard 2 (Tiptoes up, leans over and shouts in his ear) NO!

Guard 3 (jumps up) Whoa, what, where, who, when, why, how.....Oh it's you two. I was having the weirdest dream - there was an earthquake, and an angel, and a rolling stone, and...oh! (breaks off as he realises, looking around, that it wasn't a dream)

Guard 2 Now Theo, we were just wondering if you'd be kind enough to pop over here (they start to guide him towards the tomb - which is offstage)

Guard 1 Just have a quick peek inside, and we'll be right behind you.

Guard 3 Hang on, wait a minute, I mean...aargh! (they push him offstage)

Guard 2 Now I'm sure the body will still be there - that angel chap was only here for a moment, and I didn't see him go inside, and besides he'd have needed some help to carry the body away...

Guard 1 Yeah, I mean it's not as if he could have got up and walked away, is it?

Guard 2 Now that WOULD be unusual...!

They both laugh, as Guard 3 walks back on. They're still laughing, then they catch sight of the expression on Guard 3's face and stop laughing immediately.

Guard 3 (points back inside the tomb and finally stammers) It's EMPTY

All freeze.

USED BY PERMISSION

The script may be used freely (ie. printed, copied and acted out in church services or other free events) with no permission required, or royalties due. However, it remains Copyright © 2000, Mike Burn and may not be published or sold without prior permission of the author at http://www.familyworship.org.uk