NARRATOR: So Nandi agreed to keep her baby hidden and for months she rested in the shadows of Mkhulu's shack.

NANDI unravels the red tablecloth and uses it now as a shawl, worn over her shoulders, to conceal the child she cradles in her arms.

NARRATOR: Until she could not bear it any longer, could not bear to keep little Nomvula a secret, when all she wanted was to show her off to the rest of the world.

NANDI emerges, a little tentatively, from the shadows and begins to journey into Tin Town.

NARRATOR: That is how the first miracle happened. While she was taking a walk into the centre of town, the people she passed stopped what they were doing, stirred out of their silent spell by an unmistakable rhythm … [The PERCUSSIONIST sounds his heartbeat drum three times] … each person moving towards the stranger and her bundle and placing an inquisitive ear to the child's heart …

The NARRATOR mimes a curious stranger craning an ear towards the child's noisy breast. The PERCUSSIONIST sounds the heart beat (three times), to which the stranger reacts with a mixture of horror and delight.

The NARRATOR, demonstrating the reaction of the townsfolk, holds a tentative hand to her heart. As it makes contact she finds her hands jumping in time to the percussive beat (three times).

We see the NARRATOR in quick succession leaping among four townsfolk performing the same action.

During this sequence each heartbeat is scored differently. Some are light and tinny, others deep and booming. The percussionist employs a different African drum or percussive sound for each character, so when played together they form a beautiful and chaotic cacophony.

Lights fade as an ominous military drum sounds from offstage. Where joy is etched into the face of the last participant in this game, it quickly turns to an expression of outright terror.