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ACT 2 When the second act begins, Indru is behind bars Making the most of his office is Pyjama. He has put an anonymous letter on the idol's shrine informing him that Indru is a condemned man. The father of a condemned man may not be rajah and, when Punka is condemned Pyjama must be favourite for the post of new rajah. Indru is not friendless, however, for he has become the innocent latest object of Chinna Loofah's penchant for affinities and she, practical lady, brings a crowbar to release him from jail. The freed Indru hides as the populace fill the square to proclaim a miracle. Bumbo, the idol who has sat on his shelf in the temple for two thousand years, has stepped down from his place and is heading this way. Bumbo is carried on - he is after his diamond eye and the villain who stole it. He complains about the neglect of his worship and vents his temper on Punka who is summarily deposed from his rajahdom and replaced by the eager and oily Pyjama. The bad temper is dispelled, however, when he spots Chinna and, since she succumbs promptly to a violent attack of affinity, they very soon find themselves discussing marriage. His change of heart is not total enough, however, to reprieve Punka. This injustice is too much for the erstwhile rajah. Conquering his consanguinity, he gets Bumbo to include his whole family - 374 professed relations in all - in the proposed execution by Crocodile with the particular inclusion of Pyjama and, by special dispensation, with the express exception of Chinna Loofah. Hollee Beebee arrives back from a personally triumphant European tour searching for her Indru. Baboo Currie proposes to both the young lovers and to the condemned Punka that they all escape back to Europe where they can earn a fortune as a novelty dance act under his management. Pyjama laughingly exempts himself from the family execution with the revelation that he isn't and never was a relation of Punka's - he merely claimed to be in order to get promotion. Where Punka has failed, however, Beebee and her girlfriends succeed. They divert Pyjama with one of the popular numbers from their repertoire so that he is late for the executions and the wrath of Bumbo is aroused against the new rajah. But Pyjama is in worse trouble. Punka can announce the dreadful truth: Pyjama is the thief who stole the idol's eye. As the miscreant is dragged away to his fate, Bumbo sees twinkling a diamond left for Hollee Beebee at a European stage door by an admirer. But it is Bumbo's lost eye. It takes only the length of the finale for Punka to be restored to his former position, Indru and Beebee to fall into each other's arms, and the idol's eye to be restored to its rightful place as he climbs back on to his shelf with Chinna turned to wood alongside him, a bride - anybody's bride-at last. CHARACTERS • Punka, the Rajah of Chutneypore • Indru, his son • Pyjama, the Grand Vizier • Chinna Loofah, Suttee, Cheetah, Punka's poor relations • Baboo Currie, proprietor of a Nautch troupe • Hollee Beebee, Banyan, Kalee, Tiffin, Nautch girls • Bumbo, an Idol • Chorus of villagers, etc MUSICAL NUMBERS 1. Beneath the Sky of Blue - Opening Chorus - Pariahs 2. Bow Not, Good People - Indru 3. The Sun Was Setting - Indru

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