Very embarrassing too if anyone happened to read it.
However, I have now started a new blog. Hopefully it will not turn out as the travesty my old blog was. Here I plan to post my writings for everyone to see. Plays, lamentations, deconstructions, and other things similar. Like my english journal, this blog is ongoing. In a first blog, I can see no better introduction than to post my play - 'Words of Wisdom'. Which Nathan has very flatteringly taken his blog name from. The play was performed on Year 10 Drama Night 2007. Kudos to those who came and watched. Here is the script now for all to enjoy.
WORDS OF WISDOM
RYAN O’DONNELL
CAST OF CHARACTERS
PLAYER I
PLAYER II
PLAYER III
PLAYER IV
PLAYER V
All players are dressed in nothing more than black trousers, black t-shirts, and black shoes.
Players can choose to wear some kind of black hat.
SCENE I
Dark stage. Fade in spotlight on centre stage. There is a solitary player sitting in a chair with a guitar. He is playing a melody. He stops playing and looks blankly into the audience. Silence. He begins to speak.
PLAYER I: When one door closes, another one opens. When one life ends, another begins. Forever going. Forever going. [Pause.] Forever going. [Pause.] It never ends. [Pause.] It never ends. [Pause.] It never ends!
[He stands up. He looks around. He walks to the far stage left, peers into the wings, walks over to stage right, and repeats. He screams into the wings] Why must you taunt me!? It never ends! [He stops screaming and returns to centre stage. He looks blankly into the audience] Why? Why you may ask? But why ask? Why? [He jumps, startled. He runs over to stage right. And peers into the wings. PLAYER II walks out from the other side of the stage and looks at PLAYER I intrigued. PLAYER II begins to speak. When he begins to speak, PLAYER I jumps in surprise that there is someone behind him.]
PLAYER II: …May one inquire as to what you are doing?
PLAYER I: For goodness sakes…you scared the bejesus out of me.
[PLAYER II looks around as if trying to find something.]
PLAYER II: …Where?
PLAYER I: [Irritated] Spare me… [He continues to peer into the wings.]
[Silence.]
PLAYER II: …May one inquire as to what you are doing?
PLAYER I: I’m looking.
PLAYER II: For?
PLAYER I: For answers.
PLAYER II: That makes two of us.
[PLAYER I walks away as if trying to avoid PLAYER II]
PLAYER II: What? What did I do?
PLAYER I: What did anyone do?
[PLAYER II looks puzzled.]
PLAYER II: I did nothing!
PLAYER I: PRECISELY.
[PLAYER I storms off stage. PLAYER II continues to remain puzzled. PLAYER II looks out into the wing where PLAYER I exited. He walks over to the chair in the middle of the stage. He looks around the stage, puzzled, picks up the chair, looks back bewildered in the direction of PLAYER I’s exit. Pause. He looks out into the audience. Pause. He runs after PLAYER I and exits. Blackout.]
SCENE II
Dark stage. Fade in. Stage is clear. PLAYER III walks in from stage left, carrying a briefcase. He walks across the stage, and half way seems to hit an invisible barrier. He tries to walk through it again but fails. Puzzled, he tries to walk back the way he came, but is faced with another invisible barrier. He tries walking to his left, he hits another barrier. The same with his right. He is trapped within an invisible box. He puts his hands up against the side.
PLAYER III: What is this?! Help! Help! I’m trapped! I can’t get out! Help! SOMEBODY HELP ME! [As his frustration grows, be begins to give up. He begins to sob. He sits down within his imaginary box. He pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and wipes his face.] [Sadly] No way out…no way out. I’m trapped. No way out. [He buries his head in his hands.]
[There is a long silence. PLAYER IV begins to walk on stage from the opposite side of the stage as PLAYER III entered. He is also carrying a briefcase. He walks up to PLAYER III and begins to speak]
PLAYER IV: …May one inquire as to what you are doing?
PLAYER III: Nothing. Isn’t it obvious.
PLAYER IV: But why?
PLAYER III: I appear to be trapped.
PLAYER IV: Trapped? Trapped! What utter nonsense. One is only trapped if they believe themselves to be trapped.
PLAYER III: No use. No use fighting it. No way out. [He buries his head in his hands]
[PLAYER IV continues to look at PLAYER III. Pause.]
PLAYER IV: You bore me. I’m going.
[He tries to walk forward, but is faced with an invisible wall. A repeat of what happened to PLAYER III. PLAYER IV finds himself stuck within an invisible box.]
PLAYER IV: What is this?! Help! Help! I’m trapped! I can’t get out! Help! SOMEBODY HELP ME! [As his frustration grows, be begins to give up. He begins to sob. He sits down within his imaginary box. He pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and wipes his face.] [Sadly] No way out…no way out. I’m trapped. No way out. [He buries his head in his hands.]
[PLAYER V walks on stage from either wing. He walks infront of PLAYER III & IV. He observes PLAYER III & IV, puzzled.]
PLAYER V: You two appear to be trapped.
PLAYER III: No use.
PLAYER IV: No use.
PLAYER III: No use fighting it.
PLAYER IV: No use fighting it.
PLAYER III: No way out.
PLAYER IV: No way out.
[Silence.]
PLAYER III: It doesn’t make sense!
PLAYER IV: No sense at all!
[PLAYER V turns at looks at the audience]
PLAYER V: THIS doesn’t make sense!
PLAYER III: NONE AT ALL.
PLAYER IV: NONE AT ALL.
PLAYER V: NONE AT ALL!
[Silence. PLAYER III & IV have returned to have their head in their hands.]
PLAYER V: Well?
PLAYER VI: Nothing to be done.
PLAYER III: Nothing to be done.
PLAYER V: Nothing to be done?
PLAYER IV: Wait!
PLAYER V: Wait?
[PLAYER III opens his briefcase while the other two players look on, curious. They try and peer into the briefcase. PLAYER III pulls out a lightbulb. He sits there, holding up the bulb.]
PLAYER III: I have an idea.
PLAYER V: An idea!
PLAYER IV: Silence imbecile! He has an idea!
[PLAYER V recoils, embarrassed and put down. PLAYER III still continues to hold the bulb up, staring blankly, in silence.]
PLAYER IV: …Well?
PLAYER V: Silence imbecile! He has an idea!
[Silence.]
PLAYER III: I quit. [He opens up his suitcase, places the globe inside it, closes it, stands up, and exits the stage. He has left his briefcase.]
PLAYER IV: [Coldly & tonelessly] Trapped. Trapped. What utter nonsense. One is only trapped if they believe themselves to be trapped. [He looks at PLAYER V and then looks at himself. He stands up and leaves the stage. He has also left his briefcase.]
[PLAYER V looks to both sides of the stage where the other PLAYERS have exited. He looks down at the suitcases. He picks them up, one after the other. He tries to leave, but cannot. He is trapped. He looks out into the audience, as if he is about to cry.
PLAYER V: Freedom! [Blackout]
SCENE III
Dark stage. PLAYERS I, III, IV & V are lying on the ground. PLAYER II is seated in the audience.
PLAYER I: [Sits up.]…What time is it?
PLAYER II: It’s eleven forty-seven.
PLAYER I: Thank you kind sir!
PLAYER V: [Sits up.] You’re paying for that wall.
PLAYER IV: [Sits up.] What wall?
PLAYER III: [Sits up.] [Looks out into the audience.] That one.
PLAYER V: Yes, that one. And the smart one over there [Points at PLAYER I] just had to break it.
PLAYER I: Me?!
PLAYER V: Yes you!
PLAYER III: I’m sure he meant well.
PLAYER IV: Silence!
[Silence. A pause.]
PLAYER I: This is stupid. I’m going home. [He gets up to leave.]
PLAYER V: What is people’s fascination with home?
PLAYER IV: Yes, I’ve always wondered that too.
PLAYER V: People always seem to be in a hurry to get home.
PLAYER III: But why? What is the constant need to be somewhere where you spend the majority of your time?
PLAYER II: Eleven forty-nine.
PLAYER III: Silence!
PLAYER IV: Of course it is nice to have a bed to sleep in.
PLAYER V: And food.
PLAYER IV: And carpet.
PLAYER III: And books.
PLAYER V: Oh yes, books, can’t forget about books.
PLAYER IV: But why does everyone always make a hurry to get home?
[Silence. A long pause.]
PLAYER I: Home is over-rated. [He sits down. Pause.]
[The other players look at him, stand up, and begin to leave.]
PLAYER I: Wait, where are you going?
PLAYER II: Home. [He gets up out of his seat and leaves the auditorium. The other players proceed to leave. PLAYER I is left alone on stage. Pause. Blackout.]
SCENE IV
Dark stage. Light fades in to reveal PLAYER IV sitting on the floor.
PLAYER IV: [Pause.] I’m so confused!
[PLAYER V enters stage left and sits down next to PLAYER IV]
PLAYER V: What does it all mean?
[PLAYER III enters stage left and sits down next to PLAYER V]
PLAYER III: I too am also perplexed as to what it’s all about.
[The three players sit as if pondering something. PLAYER I enters from stage right. He walks over to stage left and peers into the wings. He walks back to stage right and peers into the wings.]
PLAYER IV: …May one inquire as to what you are doing?
PLAYER I: I’m looking.
PLAYER V: For?
PLAYER I: For answers.
PLAYER III: That makes two of us.
[PLAYER I walks over and examines the three players sitting on the ground. He exits stage left. Blackout.]
SCENE V
Dark stage. Light fades in. PLAYER I enters from stage right, PLAYER II enters from stage left. They are both eating apples. They walk to centre stage, look at each other, and continue to eat their apples. Pause.
PLAYER I: Man, being human sucks.
PLAYER II: Yeah, I reckon.
[They stand there and continue to eat their apples. Blackout. Curtain.]
