When the audience returns to Sandefur Theatre for Act II, the set up has been changed. The dividing line of suitcases has vanished. Now the audience can choose to sit on either side of the large space on the risers. Actors who are not in the action, sit on chairs within the space and are visible to the audience.
A Woman calls for a phone booth. One is wheeled in and placed on stage. She proceeds to make a call to her girl friend.
First Man enters and sees the phone. He wants to make a call.. but has to wait a long time.
When the line goes dead, so does the Woman and the phone is finally free.
First Man dials his number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 -- but has difficulties connecting. Meanwhile, soldiers appear in the grid and the sounds of war echo all around..
First Man reaches the Ambassador who warns him of the fighting taking place.
The phone booth is removed and the tourists reappear along with their guide. They leave walking backwards and waving handkerchiefs.
The Tourist Guide transforms into an officer, ordering First Man about the stage. He is surrounded by The Officer, a Soldier with a Gun and a Young Woman wearing a riding habit.
First Man tries to escape by putting on a disguise -- a mask with a large nose and funny mustache. It doesn't fool anyone.
An operator announces that the Ambassador is ready to see First Man. The Young Woman decides that First Man needs to have his makeup refreshed before he sees the Ambassador.
An Old Tramp enters the space looking for cigarette butts. He finds a number of them that had fallen out of First Man's pockets when he looked for change to use the pay phone.
First Man arrives at the Ambassador's ofice and finds him enjoying the company of his secretary. They look rather like the Doctor and Nurse who passed by while he was on the phone.
The Secretary puts First Man in a wheelchair and the Ambassador works out a plan of action to provide some documents to First Man. They take a passport photo by putting on their glasses (masks) and blinking their eyes. They give First Man worthless documents and send him to another office for authorization. First Man says he will checkin at a hotel over night.
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First Man enters what he thinks is his hotel room only to find that it is a hospital with four beds (made out of luggage) with four very old people occupying the beds.
One old woman has a tree growing inside her. They all complain that they were once tourists and have been locked inside this room.
The Doctor and Nurse arrive. They assure First Man they will find a bed for him, and do so by giving the Old Woman with tress growing inside her a shot that kills her.
First Man escapes with difficulty -- the three remaining old people beat him with theri crutches.
The scene dissollves into a court room.
First Man is on trial, accused of buying vegetables then not eating them. His suit cases are examined by officers of the court. They are filled with cement mixed with beets and potatoes.
Above: The Young Woman as Deputy of the Court.
Left: First Man pleads his case to the Judge while the jury watch.
The scenes grow more surreal. Three joggers give First Man garbled directions. A giant chicken (not pictured, alas) runs across the stage as a woman chases it with a knife. A Roman Emperor appears at a restaurant and gives an existential monologue and sings a song, accompanying himsellf on an Italian Harp.
First Man arrives at an inn, where the bartender insists he needs to see a certificate of mental health before serving him. So he moves on to another bar (left)
where three patrons pay not attention to him. The Waitress looks somehow familiar to him, and offers to serve him some hot food.
Before she can return, the scene dissolves and a Blonde woman (below) welcomes him to her party. She is wearing very little and is very provacative in her approach.
The Blonde Woman's husband (Left) offers to take care of First Man's bags while his wife "entertains" him.
Below: The Blonde dances with First Man.
After pursuit by a cop, First Man finds himself at a masked ball, as the entire company dances with his bags.
The music stops suddenly -- the party freezes. First Man is able to remove his bags from the hands of the frozen characters.
He runs off. Black out.
First Man is delivered to another time and space by the Boatman. He meets his wife, now dressed in tattered clothing and half naked, her upper torso resembling a Picasso nude with multiple breasts on front, back and elbows.
She has been waiting for him. He complains that she is dirty and smells bad. Is she dead? Is he? Ionesco leaves it up to the viewer to decide.
She runs away from First Man and he is left alone to wonder once more, "Why does everybody leave me?"
Wheelchair Ballet : Another Jazz Casualty, by Third Plane
The final scene is a dance of wheelchairs, people with bags, police officers, First Man and his luggage.
The dance might be a metaphor for individual existence. Each character moves with the music in a unique way. Some people are in control, others are burdened by baggage.
