The Era of the Book

A play set in the future. A Historian in the twenty-fifth century, in the Museum of Ancient History, turns on a 'historiscope' to show 'the strangest thing a book ever did': it saved the Earth from a Martian invasion in 2040.

The Era of the Book. The twentieth century was called 'the Era of the Book': there were 'books about everything, from ant eaters to Zulus'. 'Books taught people how to, and when to, and where to, and why to.'

Think-Tank. On Mars, the Great and Mighty Think-Tank, 'Ruler of Mars and her two moons', has a huge, egg-shaped head. He makes his apprentice Noodle repeat his whole long title. He asks his mirror: 'Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?' And he wants to invade 'that primitive ball of mud called Earth' before lunch.

The crew. His space crew, Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota and Sergeant Oop, have landed on Earth in a strange 'square place' full of 'peculiar items': the Centerville Public Library.

Pride before a fall. Notice how sure of himself Think-Tank is, and how humble Noodle is. Watch which one turns out to be right.