IF WALLS CAN TALK
CPIP – Centrul pentru Promovarea Învăţării Permanente
Romania
Date: February 2021
Participants:
Voice actors
Alexandru Marin – Prison officer
Mihai Galbeanu – Father Zaharia
Adrian Draghia – Social worker
Ologu Liviu – Liviu
Ion Florin – Valentin
Popa Traian – Stefan
Technical direction
Eugen Neamtu
Artistic direction/Staging/Music
Claudiu Zaharia
- A short background song starts
- The song continues for a couple of seconds
- Direct start
- Loud shouts and banging on the door
If walls could talk
All 3: Officer, officer, officer
Officer: Oh, what happened now. I’ve only been back for 5 minutes
– Jingling keys and the supervisor’s footsteps can be heard
Officer: Where are you knocking from??
All 3: Room 10, boss. Can you come over for a bit?
– The lock and the heavy door can be heard opening
Officer: What happened, gentlemen?
Liviu: Officer, we’re on the door. Myself, Stefan and Valentin. We’d like to talk to mr. Adrian, the social worker.
Officer: I’ll go and ask him if he is available and will let you know.
All 3: Thank you, officer!
– The door closes, the lock can be heard
– Footsteps can be heard in the social worker’s office
Officer: Adrian, I have 3 boys in room 10 looking to speak to you, what do you say – can they come in now?
Adrian: Sure, bring them over. They need to wear masks and visors when they leave the room, though. Thanks!
Officer: Ok, gonna bring them now.
– Footsteps and jingling keys can be heard on the corridor
– The heavy door can be heard opening
Officer: Liviu, Valentin and Stefan – I talked to the social worker and he can see you now. Please put your masks and visors on before leaving the room.
All 3: Of course, boss!
Officer: Right, let’s go!
– Door can be heard closing
– A pulled-up zipper can be heard
Liviu: Urgh, I should put my titfer on cause my ear is kinda bugging me!
Stefan: Valentin, I told you not to go see mr. Adrian in slippers
Valentin: Washed the kicks last night and they ain’t dry yet, what am I supposed to do
Officer: I brought the boys, Adrian.
Adrian: Send them in one at a time, the others can wait on the chairs outside.
– A knock can be heard on the door
Liviu: May I, sir?
Adrian: Sure, please stand next to the door.
– Liviu’s chair can be heard – he pulls it and sits down
Adrian: What’s up, Liviu? What happened?
Liviu: Sir, been really needing to talk to you today, I’m in a pretty crappy situation. You know we talked about my dad, he was in the hospital with Covid, couldn’t breathe well, had to be intubated?
Adrian: Yes, you mentioned this the other day. How is your dad? Any progress?
Liviu: That’s what I’d like to talk about. Spoke to mum earlier, they phoned her from the hospital that he died, his body was too weak and couldn’t handle the treatment anymore. Can’t believe it, feels unreal. Can’t even eat since I’ve heard. I’m shocked. My heart breaks that I couldn’t be there for his last breath. I feel helpless. Don’t know who to talk to, I’d like to pray for him, light a candle, maybe even go to the funeral. What should I do first?
Adrian: I am sorry to hear this, God bless him and may he rest in peace! I am sure he was a great father and offered you a beautiful education! I will speak with the unit priest so you can go pray and light a candle.
Liviu: Thank you, sir. Hope I can overcome this hurdle.
Adrian: You’re most welcome, Liviu. We are here to guide and advise you, no matter what. I will start a support group over the next couple of days, maybe I can add you to it if you agree?
Liviu: Course, I don’t want to stay in the room! I’d rather take part in different activities and programmes.
…………
Valentin: Sir!
Adrian: Hi Valentin, welcome. How are you?
Valentin: I’m ok, I’m well, sir. Thank God I’m healthy, with the virus and everything I see on TV…
Adrian: You’re right, Valentin. All visits have been suspended over this period due to the pandemic, to reduce the risk of infection within the prison. There are strict guidelines on the matter, which have to be followed by all prisoners, as well as by all of us, unit staff. You can reach out to your family members online, though.
Adrian: I’ll send you a template for the online communication request later this afternoon. So don’t worry, you can see them and speak to them weekly. I’ll also start a support group and add you to it, if you agree, so we can discuss this further.
Valentin: That’s great! Can’t wait to submit the request to see my family and for the support group to start. Thanks, sir! Have a nice day!
Adrian: Glad I could help!
………….
Adrian: Come on, next! What’s up, Stefan? You look a little down.
Stefan: Sir, I’m a little disappointed with my girl. Real talk, I don’t even know how to say this, I’m embarrassed.
Adrian: Why, what happened?
Stefan: Last time she was here, Fane’s son brought her from town with his car and they’ve been together since. If Fane didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t even know. She didn’t say anything, stopped writing to me, stopped answering the phone. She wants to move to Italy with him, to work. I’m scared he’ll pimp her out.
Adrian: Who is looking after your children?
Stefan: Oh, I forgot to tell you. She went to my folks one night and left them there. What mother does this? Even a dog loves its pups and doesn’t leave them. I don’t know what to do. I miss the kids, miss holding them. I miss my folks, but they’re old and can’t visit. What would you advise me?
Adrian: I would recommend you remain calm, speak to your parents and kids. See their faces during the online communication. Not long until you’ll be released, Stefan. You’ll be home with your kids and parents in May. They need you; you are their support, and you need to be there for them when they need you most.
Stefan: That’s right! You’re right, can’t wait to be released and see them.
Adrian: I would like to talk more about this in the support group I am starting over the next couple of days. What do you say, are you in?
Stefan: Of course! Thank you for having the patience to listen to me!
Stefan: Bye!
Adrian: Take care, Stefan. We’ll catch up in the support group.
………….
Adrian: Hello, gentlemen. Glad to see you take part in our support group.
All 3: Hello
Adrian: Please grab a chair, let’s sit and talk.
Adrian: Father Zaharia is joining us today. He’s going to be a couple of minutes late as he is in service right now.
Adrian: We can begin by quickly introducing ourselves: I am Adrian, your social worker.
Liviu: I’m Liviu.
Valentin: I’m Valentin.
Stefan: I’m Stefan.
Adrian: I’m glad you wanted to participate in this support group. I know your personal worries and we will try and overcome them together. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and the restrictions placed in order to reduce the risk of infection, we need to respect the guidelines. However, you can stay in touch with your loved ones through online communication services. But remember, we need to keep washing our hands, wear masks when you leave the room and maintain at least 2m distance from each other.
– The door can be heard opening
All 3: Hello, Father!
Priest: God bless you, sons. Service has just finished.
Adrian: Welcome, Father!
Priest: I am delighted to be part of this group. I’ve met some of you in church the other day, we prayed and lit candles for those no longer among us.
Liviu: Thank you, Father. I feel much better after visiting God’s house and lighting a candle for my father. Thanks to you, I know understand that nothing of this world is ours – not our parents, not our children, our house or car, not even our body. Everything is left by God for us to have throughout our lives, some as a lesson, others as a blessing. But we come naked to this Earth, and naked we’ll leave it. Thank you, Father, for all your advice.
Priest: I hope it helps you, Liviu! I kept your father in my prayers today, asked God for his peace and eternal rest.
Liviu: God bless him, he was a good man!
Valentin: I’m sorry you lost your father, Liviu. I now realise I’m making a huge mistake when getting mad at my dad, I sometimes even shout at him. Life’s too short; I need to get rid of this habit. We need to rid our souls of meaningless troubles. Right before coming to the group, I saw my folks online. My friends were there too, even my cat Lis, he got so big.
Adrian: So you managed to talk to your parents after our meeting, Valentin?
Valentin: Yes, sir. It was really easy, you explained everything in so much detail, even my folks managed to make the appointment at first try.
Adrian: I’m happy to hear this, Valentin!
Stefan: Can’t wait to see my family. I have the chat scheduled for 3.
Adrian: Glad this is sorted for you too; I am eager to hear your impressions after.
Stefan: I can’t wait, happy this is an option, to keep us and our families safe.
Liviu: Yes, we need to cherish our health and the health of those around us; to stay safe from the virus that took my dad away. My understanding is I can’t attend the funeral, all activities outside the unit have been suspended because of the virus. I am happy to have Father Zaharia here however, who can keep my dad in his prayers, it’s a comforting relief. I’ll visit his grave and light a candle, after my release.
– Background music
You have listened to “If walls could talk” – a regular day in the life of a prison social worker.
QUARANTINE RUTINE
United Socities of Balkans (USB)
Date: June – July 2020
Participants: Emiliani Cocos, Maelle Julou, Olga Katsilidou, Dimitris Papadakis, Eleni Petroulaki
Brief introduction: During Covid 19 pandemic, in Greece there was a quarantine situation which effected people in a variety of ways. Some of them got very creative and some of them felt super stressed and isolated. In this podplay we would like to show the situation in a humorous and entertaining way.
Short description of what it is the pod play about: We are going to follow a short part of virus’ stay in Greece, while he is moving from person to person and at the same time we are going to see through the keyhole the different lives and reactions connected to the pandemic. This podplay is going to be funny because we wanted to present this topic from a different perspective, not the usual serious one that made everyone anxious
Virus monologue Good morning everyone. My name is SARS Covid 19 but you can call me Corona Virus. I am a real king. According to Forbes magazine I am the most important person of the year and also the biggest influencer. I was born in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. I am less than 1 year old but everyone in the world knows me and talks about me. According to some people I am a serial killer but I am just a simple flue. My life is short but i have travelled a lot, from China to Italy, and from America to Spain and now i decided to visit Greece, to see the situation here and book my summer holidays. My first stop was at Thessaloniki and then I decided to move to Athens, at the capital of the country. Today I will stay with the family of Luiza and we will see what is going to happen. Follow me.
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Family Luiza: (coughing) Oh my god Yianni our son is crazy I hate this child. I can’t stay with him anymore. I will throw him out of the window. He is all day out with his friends and he can’t understand that we will all die. These are maybe the last days for us all together and he cannot even spend a whole day with his family. Tomorrow who knows, we may have died. And you, all day in front of the TV watching the news and making me freaking out more than how i can handle. Stop it!! (Tv on the background) Yiannis: Today Tsiodras, our lovely health prime minister, said that we have 80 more patients and 7 new deaths. I trust him a lot because he is a doctor, he has 7 kids and he is going to church every Sunday. He is the only one saying to us the truth. We should talk to Aris. The situation is so serious. He should stay in, if not I will lock him in his room. Luiza: He is sending all the time SMS for supermarket and he is going for coffee at the park. Today I have used 2 bottles of chlorine to clean after him. In the morning when I called my sister she told me that her hairdresser that is pregnant is sick from corona. We can’t trust anyone anymore. Yiannis: Let’s God help us with this crazy situation. The church is closed and we cannot go to pray and Easter is coming. This situation makes me feel so strange. Luiza: Come on Yiannis, church is a source of infection. So many people going without any control. I would never let you go there. Yiannis: Devil is inside you right now. Shame on you. I will spray you with holy water to help you open your heart again and be protected. Luiza: I prefer you to spray me with Chanel no5 or with antiseptic and alcohol. Holy water is not that helpful nowadays my love. RING THE BELL OF THE DOOR(Aris came home) Aris: Mum it’s me (yelling). I forgot my keys. Open the door. Luiza: Finally you found the way back home. Aris: Come on mum open the door. Luiza: You should first have a shower before entering the house. I left you the towel and the antiseptic gel at the garden. You can use the watering hose. Aris: Is this a joke? Are you crazy? Open the door!! Luiza: No Way, you are full of germs. I will not let you in. You are not going to make us die. Your father is 60 years old. He belongs to the risk group. Go have a shower and I will let you enter. Aris: Ohhh myyyy. This family is crazy. They think that I am a flower and I am going to have a shower with the watering hose. They always overreact. And now I am stuck here with them. I wish I would have stayed the whole quarantine at university dorm with my friends having fun and drinking all day long. Sound of TV news Yiannis: Be quiet! Something happened! We should learn the news. TV reporter: Good afternoon everyone. It is your daily update for the covid situation in our country. According to the health prime minister the situation is going worst and we should all be carefull. 20 more people died in our country and 99 more infected. The use of mask is mandatory and we advise you to use antiseptic gel during every social contact. We are fighting all together this invisible enemy and we trust everyone to act according to the suggested protective measures. Luiza: Oh my god. We will all die!! And I am about to run out of antiseptic!! I will run to the pharmacy to buy as much as possible. I am afraid going out all the time. The door is closing and we can hear the sounds of the street. |
Pharmacy Luiza : entering the pharmacy (talking with anxiousness, without seeing the other clients) : Hello I would like 5 packages of masks, gloves, antisept……(cut) (virus contamination) old: Ma’am, we are already two clients inside the pharmacy, stay outside! You cannot read the sign? Are you blind? Virus: Enough with this family. They are really afraid of me and I think I am in danger with all these litres of antiseptic. Now that she came to the pharmacy is an opportunity for me to find another place to live. I want someone more else. Let me see….This grandma seems cute Luiza: Alright, alright I’ll wait out! old: Pooo…people have no respect for the rules.. It is a matter of life and death! young: you are talking to me? old: No no to the crazy woman who just entered before. I am old, and you people don’t understand, you don’t fear that a sneeze will kill you every time you walk out of the house! young: I couldn’t agree more. But they are so many information on tv and on internet about the virus that we don’t know what is right, what is wrong, what is true, what is fake.. old: Oh come on, it is not so complicated…the first rule is: don’t go out if it is not ABSOLUTELY necessary! What are you doing here anyway? young: Don’t be aggressive… I came to ask information to the pharmacist. (walk to the counter to ask) Excuse me! Maybe you can answer my questions… I have been doing everything to fight the virus: I paint my nails keeping gloves on, I brush my teeth with antiseptic, I sleep with garlic in my ass, and I am carrying a virgin Mary in my pocket… what can I do more? old: Oh Christ… New generation don’t know how to survive. When I was young we lived the war and we all knew how to survive. Nowadays without this evil machines you can’t think of anything by yourselves Marika: Good morning sweetheart. I passed to buy the things that i told you yesterday very quickly because i have to go back home to work. Everything ok? How are things going today? old: HEYYYY WHERE ARE YOU GOING? Can’t you see that there is a line here? What is going on today? No one can respect the rules in this country? Pharmacist: I am sorry miss Popi, Marika is my best friend and she already ordered me some things yesterday, I will serve her very quickly don’t worry. There is everything in this bag my love, vitamins, toothpaste and the shampoo. How is Tasos? Is he feeling depressed all day home without working? Marika: The opposite I can say. He is extremely happy and i cant handle it. I am going home. I will wait for you to call me. Kisses to your daughters!!! Virus: Her boyfriend seems more interesting than the cute granny. I will go with her! |
Couple’s House Marika : Tasos? I am home! Tasos : (saying something to her in approximate russian) Marika : I passed in the pharmacy to take some vitamins. Working so many hours from home is killing me. Tasos : (saying something in russian) Marika : Why are you talking like this? You never listen Tasos : I started Russian today. Marika : (Sigh)..Just choose a language Tasos, yesterday it was Chinese, the day before Arabic… All these combined with your other classes it starts to be A LOT. Tasos: What do you mean ? I only subscribed to knitting classes, zumba, watercolor, yoga, chess, acrobatics for beginners, origami, gift wrapping, photography, Tai Shi and candle making. Marika : Yes you also started writing a theater play, a sport program to lose 20 kilos and gardening. I mean the balcony is a jungle we can’t even go there! Tasos : Marika, it is soooo much fun this quarantine, we can do and learn so many things..I am started to understand the real taste of life, the joy of simply things. (make a bigger monologue) I think I will not go back to work when this is over. Marika: Ah! And I am supposed to be the only one bringing money to the hou..(he cuts her) Tasos : Shhhhh….relax, my love. Listen I created a playlist with sounds of waterfall from himalaya, isn’t it nice? Marika : (She stops the sounds, annoyed) I have a Skype meeting with very important clients now. … (sound of skype) Marika : Hello can you hear me ? Perfect, we have a lot of things to discuss so let’s start. (hears zumba music in the background) …(with a really kind voice) You would be kind to excuse me one second? Tasoooos!! The musiiiiiiiiiic!!! Tasos : (no response) Marika : TAAAASOSSS Tasos: Oh but it is so much fuuun! Marika: Do something quiet please, go walk the dog or something.. Tasos : Alright, I already took him out 14th times today to have a reason to walk around, but ok. (Talk to the dog) Come of Diamond Queen, com’here to leave mom alone with her ..(imitating her voice) VEEERY important clients. (Sound of door, the street) Tasos : We don’t need her, right Diamond Queen? Dog : Diamond Queen is EXHAUSTED. You humans are just using me to go out legally! Somebody HELP ME, this is animal cruelty. Tasos : Oh yeeees I know you are happy e? Dog : HELP meeee…..(crying) Tasos : Oh let’s enter the supermarket because I need ingredients to make my banana bread… (enters) Hello, is it alright if I let my dog in the entrance (SNEEZE) ? Virus : Ah! Where did I fly? Oh, I wasn’t going to chose this woman working at the supermarket but ok, if destiny took me here it might be for a reason. I will stay with her for a bit. |
Supermarket sound of super market Agapi : Yes no problem sir, but put a mask please you just sneezed on my face! Michalis: (from far) Agapi, we have clients I cannot be the only one cashier open… Agapi : Yes yes I am here.. (breathes heavily).. Michalis, why everybody has corona vacations and we are stuck hereeeee… Michalis : They are not on vacations Agapi, they are stuck home, depressed, eating ice cream in pyjama. And some of them lost their jobs! I don’t get why you are complaining really. We were always looked down in society, victims of the worst cruelties, even interns from McDonald’s were thinking they were better than us. FINALLY we are ESSENTIAL WORKERS! We are society heroes! On the dangerous front line of the war against a deadly invisible enemyyyy! I never felt more cool in my life, actually. Agapi : Who was last night on their balconies clapping for (exagerate 🙂 Michalis the hero? Nobody! (to a client) Hum 14 euros and 30 cents sir… what?…no we don’t give plastic bags, who do you think we are, turtle killers?? (to Michalis) Anyway.. I would give anything to be eating ice cream in pyjama right now.. I least I would be able to relate to quarantine memes on twitter, you know? (pause) And it is not only this, my husband is so afraid that I will pass him the virus that he is keeping two meter safe distance even INSIDE the house!! He is screaming STOOP with fear in its eyes when i am approaching him, and he didn’t touch me for two months! Michalis : You know Agapi, sometimes heroes have to make sacrifices for the greater good.. Agapi : How much time (hearing bye in the background) Bye Bye!! How much time I have to tell you that we are not heroes, we are still doing the same thing as before : we put toilet paper on shelves, the only thing different is that now we can DIE from this! (pause) What about you..how your boyfriend is treating you when you are back home? Michalis : He is so proud of me of course. He even put a red carpet in the entrances to celebrate my return everyday,so cute right ?, and the best thing is that I am the first role of his documentary ‘Supermarket superheroes’. Plus, he doesn’t mind touching me.. quite the contrary. Agapi: Well..lucky you. (pause) The only thing that I like with this job is watching people and make fun of them. Haha, like look at this woman she has ski gloves and 3 masks on hahah. Michalis: And this girl, she looks so happy with her quinoa and biological carrots..I am sure yesterday she made the resolution to eat more healthy during quarantine but i bet tomorrow she will be back to nachos..haha …..or the grandmas there! Pulling each other’s hair to take the last package of toilet paper hahah Agapi : I hope the short one wins. (with a laughing quiet voice because he is closer) Or this guy here, you see, he is literally measuring with a RULER the distance between him and the person behind (we can hear in the background : Back off!) hahh what the fuck ahhahhah(the laugh becomes a hard cough) |
Lonely person’s House Virus: After my stay to the supermarket I think it is better to relax a bit and have a rest, oh here is Mr Prokopis, the lonely man living isolated in his apartment at the end of the street. Let’s jump into his ear. SOUND Uhhhhh the situation here is super disgusting. Casher: Oh, good morning mr Prokopi. How are you? I told you to call us for delivery and not coming here 7 times per day. It’s very dangerous. Mr Prokopis: I know my boy but being lonely for so long is very hard. My house is like a prison. I wanted to buy some flowers for my balcony. I spend the whole day there clapping for the doctors and the nurses. You know my granddaughter is working in a hospital and i am clapping mainly for her. Her name is Roza, she is 28 years old and she is very beautiful. AND youuuu You are very young and handsome. I really like you. I can arrange a date for you two little lovebirds. Casher: Come on mr Prokopis, I have told you many times that I am still 20 years old and I am not interested to find a partner. Go home and we will talk about it another time. Stay safe please. mr Prokopis: Yes yes my boy you are right, I am going home. I will call you for the supermarket stuff . Have a nice day!
Sounds of the street. Unlock door, sound or keys.
Mr Prokopis: Ohhhhh I forgot to buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk. I could go now but I am too tired to climb the stairs again. I will go back later. I can go for a while at the balcony. There is always someone outside. I am thinking to put my TV there so I can talk to the neighbors and watch the news. This situation is so hard. I wish I was living in the same city with my son. But no, in Italy everyone is dying. I would have been already dead. Dead people are less lonely than me. This is not a life. When I was young I was at the countryside all day long and now I am here going from the kitchen to sofa and back to bed. What a life!!
Virus: The atmosphere at the house of mr Prokopis was so heavy and depressed so I decided to do something more energetic and happy. I organized a party with all my new friends (MUSIC): cholesterol, diabetes, caries, blood pressure, cancer, asthma, osteoporosis and obesity. Sound of someone dying Sound of church bells |
CHISPAS ENCADENADAS
(CHAINED SPARKS)
Taller d’Art, Cultura i Creació (TACC)
Date: June 2020
Participants: David Mota and Paula Hernández (youth workers), Antonio Serrano, Eloy Rubio, Lidia López, Nahir Carballo and Xavier Garcia (youth).
Brief introduction of the podplay: “Chispas encadenadas” (‘Chained sparks’) was the result of a combined action (the first part done at the youth center “El Casal”, in Polinyà, and the second part done by video call due to the confinement), in which young people aged 17-18 y.o. had the chance to do some theatrical expression exercises, listen to other podcasts to be able to do a brainstorming for gathering ideas to create their own podplay, and contributing with ideas for the story in the shared document during the stage of finishing the script. The recording phase was done back at the youth center divided in two small groups to be able to maintain safety distances in phase 3 of deconfinement).
(music intro… presentation of the podplay…) (Ambient sound: it is heard a quiet morning in the city until entering a bar with a fight atmosphere, some glasses breaking… Bar rock music) Jacinto – Get me a beer I’ve been on a fucking day. Barman Foskito – What’s up pig… shit day, hee?… Well look around, here’s paradise… Explain what happened to you? Jacinto – Well, I’ve been fired. Barman – Really? But why? Jacinto – Because I had a problem with one of the above. Barman – But with your boss? And what did you do to him? Jacinto – Nothing dude, I stole money he had saved to go see my kids this month and he caught me, so I had to deliver a blow to him. Barman – And now you can’t see your children? Jacinto – No. I would have to look for money somewhere but since they have kicked me out of work I don’t even have to eat. Barman – Well and what will you do with your life? Jacinto – Live it the best I can. Barman – Shit… well, that looks bad… Jacinto – Of course I remember. Like the day I ran over that guy with the bike with the fire angels because he didn’t pay me what was mine. Barman – Man, this happened to you for something… You should go to your shed to rest a bit and rethink your life, you know… Jacinto – What I should do is drinking until I drown in alcohol… Barman – No no noooo, put yourself together… this is a new beginning for you… Jacinto – Don’t talk to me about those bastards… They expelled me because they are shit… Barman – they expelled you because you almost killed the public, for going pretty drunk to the acrobatics show, on the bridge of the Dark Mountain… Jacinto – Yes Yes… all fearful men… put me one more Foskito, it goes by the old days… Barman – C’mon man, it’s ok… you’ve already had enough. Moreover, we close, this bar is beginning to fall apart… c’mon Jacinto come back to the shed and rest… Jacinto – baaaaah go now, Foskito, you are also a fearful man… Then, I leave from your club… until we smell (sound, picking up a key, chair dragging and steps) Jacinto – (leaving the bar mumbling…) You believe that clown. That I drank a lot he says. Not that it was my father. (when he raises his head he got scared) … aaahhh and this? !!! (key falling sound) Jacinto – (stupefied sees that Eustáquio’s ghost dog is peeing on his motorcycle) Eustáquio – Fabulous Scruffy, beautiful dog… very good, unburden yourself, expel your plasma on that polluted and dangerous surface, very well you are an amazingly intelligent canine specimen ahaha as your owner ahahah Jacinto – (explodes with fury…) HMMM BUT WHAT DOES YOUR DIRTY DOG Piss ON MY MOTORCYCLE!!! Eustáquio – He has done it because the order to do it has come out of my mouth, and he always obeys me. Jacinto – And why don’t you put your orders where I know? Eustáquio – Because I am superior to you and I can do what I want, when and where I want. Jacinto – That you are superior to my piece of ball with legs? I’m going to mark the tire of my motorcycle on your neck. Eustáquio – AHAHAH Don’t think that a filthy being like you can talk to me like that, to me that everyone respects me for how incredible I am and the majesties that I have come to do, you can’t talk to me like that and pretend that I don’t do anything to you. Take out something technological to attack Jacinto… Jacinto (defends himself with a bottle, and disarms him) Ehhh and now what big head? what are you doing without a weapon… Eustáquio – Well… Scruffy… rip the arterial vein from the neck of that deserter of Nature (sound of dog attacking, Jacinto screaming, Eustaquio inciting the attack) Jacinto – AAAAH damn animal AAAAH GET OUT OF HERE BUG… Eustáquio – that… that… my beautiful canidine, punish that villain…
ZOELIA ENTERS… (She jumps on top of the dog wildly pulling it away from Jacinto…) (Zoelia’s attack scream sound followed by the sound of a cat fighting and a dog barking until she leaves crying…) Eustáquio – (He gets annoyed and says something in which he proposes revenge. And he runs away, calling the dog…) You have violently mistreated my dear canine… it will not take long quantum time until you pay for it… I swear you will feel the cruelty of my revenge… Jacinto – (Sound, deep breath) –Hey… and why do you defend me??? If I don’t know you at all… Zoelia – KYAAAAH (FIGHT SCREAM) GO FROM HERE VILLAIN, GO-OUT!!! I don’t want to see you again!!! (Tired, intense breathing…) Because this is my obligation… I am Zoelia. Avenger by necessity, I defend the rights of everything and any being! Years ago I was of the highest class, and fought against it to end its atrocities… However I failed and I was imprisoned in this feline body! But my fight is not over, I keep looking for the shape of my true being… But I need real magic to change this… Jacinto – I see myself in your story, me too… I will help you with your search. I know someone who will help us and may get what we need…
End of 1st scene |
(Market sound with many people) Albertico is already heard negotiating with several people at the same time, always carrying his own… Albertico – NEGOTIATING… It is heard how Jacinto approaches him explaining to Zoelia how he met Albertico (even though they are not close friends, he is very good at his work) When Albertico sees Jacinto he already throws a party to see him…) Albertico – Maaaan look look … If it is not the great biker Jacinto!!! Jacinto – ahah what happened Albertico, how are you since last time??? well I don’t care so much, the truth… look I bring you someone to make a good agreement… I introduce you Zoelia. Albertico – (He is fascinated by Zoelia’s appearance and looks at her very closely…) hmmm that’s interesting, I had heard of something like that but I had never seen it… Zoelia – (She sets it aside and very crudely tells him to get to the point…) Get away from me… I didn’t come here to be looked at like in a ZOO… Let’s go straight to what we have come for… Albertico – ooooow such strong feline eihm, miaaauf! (Sound of angry cat, knife and hands against table, things falling…) (scared frightened multitude) Zoelia – (angry) Look know-it-all, or you cut the jokes or I cut your hands. What do you prefer, yellowish bug??? Albertico – aaaah for “god of barter” don’t cut me off… I live from them… please… mercy… Jacinto – calm down, calm down… we’ve started off on the wrong foot… Zoelia, please, leave it, and tell him what we are looking for… (Sound of half angry cat… sheath knife and drop hands) (sound of bracelets) Albertico – aaaai you are crazy… I feared for my life… Zoelia – Shut up and listen to me… I need 4 items. 1… Rudolf’s mucus 2… Scales of the Loch Ness Monster 3… A baby’s goody and 4… FAIRY’s MAGIC! (crowd sound is silenced for an instant) Albertico – SSSSSHHHH shut up, don’t talk about it here like that, just… do you want us to be killed? Zoelia – because, what happens??? Albertico – Silence, I will explain you, come with me and let’s talk in my fireplace… (ambient sound fade out, house sound chimney fade in) Albertico – Well, now we can talk calmly… As for the scale… hmmm well I would like to go to Scotland for a long time, Well, yes, very well, it takes me on the way back… And the baby’s goody ahahah it will be easier than taking a candy from a child… However this other…. (speaking softly) the fairy’s magic… is more difficult… impossible I would say… I won’t be able to help you… Zoelia – well then there is no deal… let’s go Jacinto, we are wasting time. Albertico – Wait, wait… don’t leave, calm down, I’m sure I can do something… However, all these barter in exchange for these objects, nobody gives anything away… In other words, it will be very expensive to have everything you ask for… Zoelia – You tell me to see what we do… Albertico – I know your origins, I already saw your eyes in several high-level places… Even if you have the shape of a cat, you could recognize the princess of Darmia anywhere… Jacinto – Are you really a princess ??? Zoelia – Hmm surprising your story… well it may be although you may also be nowhere near… Albertico – Ahahah well well, maybe I could be wrong by your eyes, but that ring doesn’t remove doubts, I know all the jewelry of royalty very well… and this preciousness could not hurt me… Zoelia – Remove the hand, bug… and clean the slime… You love it a lot, don’t you? Albertico – YES, YES, YESSS Zoelia – Well, bring me what I ask for and it will be yours… but still you only… confirmed 3… What about the 4th one??? Jacinto– Yes yes Albertico what about this… why is it so rare and dangerous? Albertico – I am very sorry that I cannot get this item, I will be able to help you by taking you close to the place where you will find it, but it is too dangerous for me personally… Jacinto – But why? Why is it so dangerous? Albertico – Well it’s dangerous only for me… you won’t have to worry about you… This ingredient who can get it for you will be Wendy the Fairy Queen of the enchanted forest… I will take you to the entrance and there you will ask for the Fairy Queen, it is the best I can do… What do you think??? Do we close the deal? Zoelia – Deal. Albertico – Very well. Then, come back at the end of the day and I will have what you need… (ambient sound fade out) We move on to 3 barter scenes starring Albertico, in very alternative settings and with rare characters. First mission. Rudolf mucus Sounds- Albertico – Let the adventure begin… towards the north pole. oooh no storm coming… what an hour I risk this… uuuuh how cold… that there in the distance I see lights… I think we are arriving… YESS there is the great Christmas tree of the North Pole… land in sight… well better said, ice in sight… Santa Claus – OH OH OH OH Albertico – there is the fat man Santa Claus – Alberticoooo good to see you again. Albertico – I say the same… how cold this is, I don’t know how you get used to it… Santa Claus – the truth is that one never gets used to hah let’s go inside… Albertico – uaaa much better here… how warm it is… Santa Claus – Feel at home… Elves bring 2 hot chocolates please… So Albertico what brings you here… Albertico – Well let’s see Mr Noel (Claus), I have something for you, but honestly and for the old days… I need something yours… Santa Claus – Why so much ceremony, Albertico ask me… Albertico – It is going to sound strange but I need mucus from Rudolf. Santa Claus – Rudolf’s mucus??? ahahah of course yes, it would even be good if I took him for a walk… And now out of curiosity, what do you bring me…? Albertico – Well, I bring you the “Ultimate Jeremias 2.0”; this device reads letters, packages gifts, and even sprays them with Christmas scent… Santa Claus – Incredible, it is perfect, it will help me a lot around here. Albertico – I would like to stay longer but I have other barters to do… Santa Claus – You will always be welcome here, I take you with Rudolf and he will take you home. fade out (sounds, toys, elves, fireplace fire, Christmas music) Albertico – Okay, well, thank you very much Santa Claus, a pleasure to see you again. Until next time. Goodbye Papa Noel – Goodbye Albertico OHOHOHOH
2nd. Loch Ness monster’s scale (Rudolf sound landing, arriving in Scotland, bagpipe music, heard taking off clothes and a dip in the water).
Albertico – Right here Rudolf, thank you very much for this trip… as always you have a red nose… eheh blow your nose in this tissue please… (reindeer sound) GRAZZIE MILE Rudolf. Say hi to Santa Claus. Bye Albertico – Well, let’s see… there is the castle… here is the lake… it has to be here… (boots in water) effectively Loch Ness, then I better take my clothes… and inside (Bubbles and weird whale sound and make accord underwater. Little bubbles) GLU GLU GLU… YES YES THIS FOR THIS ,,, THANK YOU VERY MUCH … GLU GLU GLU (Sound of sheets of book going on)
(Playground fade in sound) Albertico – We are going to finish this barter that I don’t see an end… let’s see, let’s see… Hey, you, little boy?? Baby – Guugu Dadaaaa?? Albertico – Yes you! gimme this goody! I exchange it for this elastic band… (elastic band sound) Baby – DAAAAA! Albertico – Why not? Look at the quality of this elastic band! Baby – DAAAA! Albertico – How! Are you crazy??? Well, I exchange it for two… Baby – DADADADADADAA (footsteps woman sound picking up baby) Woman – … Oooh my baby, don’t eat that, throws it… Come here! Baby (crying) –… UUUUEEEE! Albertico – What is found is not stolen… in the end I won… it was like taking a candy from a baby… End of 2nd scene |
(Harp sound, idea that a long time has passed) After Albertico’s successful barters, he meets with Jacinto and Zoelia to complete the deal and take them to Wendy’s enchanted forest to find the final ingredient and close the deal. (sound of walking steps, motorcycle in hand; and nature, and talk in fade in)
Albertico – … well, and that’s how I got what you needed… So take your magic ingredients… there you have it all, the mucus, the scale, and the goody… (bag sound) I hope you have brought mine… we are not doing this path for nothing… Zoelia – Of course, handyman, here I have it, I am fair and true to my word. Albertico – aaahm PERFECT!!! Well, you can give it to me, because we are already arriving … it is there… the doors of the enchanted forest. Zoelia – Hmm yes take it…. hmmm waitaaa and how do I know you’re not cheating on me?
Albertico – sorry but i think this ring is now mine… AHAHAHAHAH Thank you very much… Zoelia a pleasure to do business with you, I hope you will be lucky in your adventure… Goodbye Jacinto, a pleasure to see you again! Wendy – (running and not being able to breathe, heavy steps) – Damn you, you cowardly … I’m so fat, I’m never going to catch him… I curse you … !!! AND YOU…. Who are you, and what do you do with that person tumor? Jacinto – Hi sorry, for entering with a wrong feet… I’m Jacinto, she’s Zoelia We really are not with him, he just came to fulfill his part of the barter… Wendy – Yes, yes, I already know his dirty barter… you don’t see me… how beautiful I was… damn yellowish … And what deceived you this time…? He promised you wealth… to be immortal… or maybe to be the most beautiful Fairy in the whole Kingdom…! (gets excited and tears come out) Jacinto – In truth, he was even fair to us… because he said he would bring us to the enchanted forest to talk to the Fairy Queen, Wendy, could you take us to her? Wendy – I AM WENDY!!! What happens, didn’t you expect so? Jacinto – no no sorry I didn’t want to offend… Wendy – you expected a small and delicate being, floating around freely… (almost cries) Well no… it is not like that… I am condemned to this body of a Brewer with a mustache! Zoelia – But what happened? How did they change you? Wendy – I was… beautiful, I flew all over the forest, I was the queen of fairies… I spreaded magic on all creatures… Until one day that Yellowish “Elf” tricked me. Zoelia – I knew it was not to be trusted…. Wendy – He hypnotized me with his barter tricks and traded my magic wand for a fake one… When I woke up I was in this body of “Unemployed Biker who was abandoned by the family…” Jacinto – in truth you do not look so bad … Wendy – NOOOO, look at these tiny wings… I look like a fly… (sound of a fly) Zoelia – hmmm this sounds familiar… That can only be this… Clear… it’s clear is the wand clear… Jacinto – What’s up Zoelia??? Zoelia – Albertico told me about it, he told us to be careful not to cross the Dark Mountain, which was where his most magical barter of all was stolen… Wendy – How the most magical??? Zoelia – His most magical barter, surely it is Wendy’s wand… he said that he was robbed by a certain Paco Punch! Wendy – Paco Punch? the Boxer Gangster??? Zoelia – He did not reveal much more, he looked nervous … talking about him! Wendy – aaaah Paco … you will pay for it, I’m going for you… Zoelia – Wait, we go with you. Wendy – Why??? It is not your problem… Zoelia – Because I also know what it is to be in a body that is not yours! Wendy – Really??? I can’t believe so… Come here kitty (Wendy cries with emotion, big hug the sound of a scattered cat and cheesy music, wings moving) Zoelia – (uncomfortable but accepts the hug) Hmmm ok, ok, we are already well empathetic… also I need your help… Wendy – Shut up don’t say anything else SISTER! LET’S GO FOR THAT GANGSTER !!! End of 3rd scene |
(Sound footsteps and motorcycle in hand and talk in the background, tell their adventures) / Zoelia – wait… snif snif… Someone is following us… this smell sounds familiar… Wendy – Hmmm if it is the Crest Elf again I cut it !!! (Sound ghost dog barks and breathes. Bushes moving (bushes sound) Eustáquio – … Shhhh, Silence Scruffy, don’t make noise … (Barks again and jumps out of the bush …) Eustáquio – Scruffy nooo, you idiot dog … Jacinto – Look, it’s that big-headed dog… (Magic sound) Zoelia – EEEEI where that pooch went… It disappeared right in front of my eyes… (steps and wings, stir in the bush) Wendy – OOOH surprise… but what do we have here…? (Eustaquio makes little noises …) Eustáquio – AAAAH LET ME PUTREFACT FLY Wendy – and who is this pathetic? Do you know him? Eustáquio – Don’t touch me with your dirty hands!!! Jacinto – Yes… we already know this from before… He is a smug and he tried to shoot me!!! Wendy – AHH YES then you better start talking… what are you doing here?? Eustáquio – Let me go… aaah nooo well you’ll see… AAhhñññ Wendy – AAAAHHH (very sharp scream) damn stubborn, he bit me… Eustáquio – Scrufyyy now! (magical sound of dog appearing barks and takes bag of objects) Zoelia – OOOOH NO the ingredients! The stupid dog took them from me… catch it… (Steps running away) Eustáquio – Come scruffy let’s go quick ahahaha Look, I seem to have fooled your plan by stealing your magic ingredients from you ahaha I told you I would take revenge, ahaha you are losers and I am the biggest mind on this planet, nobody is smarter than I am … MUAHAHAHA EUSTAQUIOOO will be known as the being most …. PUUUUNCH (punch in the head … from Paco Punch…) Eustáquio – ahhhh!!! WHAT A PAIN, but but but, why are you hitting me??? You could have hurt this amazing brain that is worth so much more than anything. Paco – BECAUSE YES… you have to excuse for crashing into my fist, you have stained me red, but well that’s the least because I have a new record of 150 battles without losing thanks to you. Eustáquio – But who are you, being of such stature? Jacinto / Zoelia / Wendy – OOOOOH IS HIM!!! PACO PUNCH!!!! Paco – So it is… the most ruthless gangster of all the mountains of the west. I come to practice my punches with you and since I have defeated one… Give me this, now it is mine… Eustáquio – Noooo that is the fruit of my hard and cold revenge… Paco – Shut up, you are a little warming of my knuckles… Get out of here dumbass… you can’t take a round! Zoelia – I don’t care what you do with it!! but don’t even touch that… Take your dirty gloves out of that bag… Paco – This eihm!!! But what do we have here??? Zoelia – I already warned you do not touch it… Paco – SOOOO you come to my mountain, you enter my arena and you don’t want to give me a gift… (bag sound) BUAAAH how disgusting is this… why do you want this crap??? Wendy – Listen to me brave, you have already stolen too much… give us back the bag, and what you stole from the crest yellow elf!!!! Paco – AHAHAHAH What surprise do you mean this??? Wendy – My wandyyyyy! Give it me back, you won’t know how to control its magic… Paco – Good good good… I think you are asking a lot… You want so many things at the same time… Let’s make it more fun… You want the bag, it’s full of shit… Well go for it… hhmmmyaaa (It is heard as she pulls the boza away) Jacinto / Zoelia / Wendy / Eustáquio – Noooooo Wendy – Jacintooooo quickly, you could catch it by jumping the bridge… I am too fat to fly. Jacinto – I am afraid of heights, and I am not drunk. ……………………… Paco – There goes MUAHAHA… if you want the wand you will have to take it from me AHAHAH Zoelia – Damn thief I’m coming for you. hmmm yaaaa (SOUND bad cat) Paco – aaa yes, well try this… ZAAAAAZ (sound of wand and explosive lightning) (emh ah… lightning explosion…. hmmm ah,,, lightning explosion .. hnnn YAAA) as if Zoelia was dodging from the shots. Fade out of this environment… ————————————– Wendy – Jacintooo GOOOOO you can… YOU ARE AN ANGEL OF FIRE (voice echo) Jacinto – (ENGINE PLUGGED IN, BREATHE DEEP, SILENCE ….. thoughts feedback waiter saying about the past angel, ANOTHER being expelled from los angeles, ANOTHER the public screaming … fade out, continuous motor). Wendy – Let’s go Jacintooooooo THAT THE SLOW MOTION IS OVER… Jacinto –DAMN IT, let’s go… (motorcycle at full stop) ……………………. Jacinto – come on Jacinto you can, they trust you, you just have to reach the fixed speed… come on hmmm almost, almost, almost… oooh no, no, no, I will not arrive,,, a little more, a little more ALREADY… .aaarghhh (SOUND OF MOTOR EXPLODING) Wendy – JACINTOOOO…. ooooh noooo…. but what happened…? Jacintooooo are you ok??? Jacintoooooo…. fade in lightning and explosions. (sound of them fighting) Zoelia – HMMM kyaaaaaa. Paco – damn it! (sound of punch, and wand falls) Zoelia – Now what, nice man, you’re not so magical anymore… Paco – Stupid cat, I don’t need magic to beat you. Look at you you’re a stuffed kitten. I’ll make mincemeat… Zoelia – AAAH YES… hmmm HA… (sound of a fight) Paco – AAAAH let me go, I can’t see, where are you bug, I don’t see anything. Let me go. Zoelia – you’re sure hmm, okkk hmmm kyaaa. (sound of rocks) Paco – HMM I slip … NO NO NOOO, dieeeee (stones breaking) Zoelia – Plush Kitty 1, Giant Boxer 0… ……………. Wendy – Jacintooooo are you ok??? Jacinto – (sound of rocks) OOOOOOH Babyyyyyy… look what I have here… ahahaa Wendy – uaaaau you did it… how well… Paco – (sound falling off the cliff) DIE Jacinto – woooow that was Paco??? Zooooooeliaaaa? Zoeeeeeliaaaaa? Wendy – Come on, let’s go up! (steps running, breath) Jacinto – Zoeliaaaaa??? Zoelia – Jacintooooo you did it, you have recovered the bag! Jacinto – yes… but are you ok? Zoelia – Yes, just a few bruises… you have managed to face your fears and you picked up the bag… Jacinto ahah if I still don’t think I jumped the bridge… Although I lost the bike… but that doesn’t matter now… What matters is that we have succeeded, right??? Zoelia – YESSS, here it is! Wendy – My wand… Zoelia… thank you very much, thank you, thank you, I am eternally pleased… Zoelia – ehehe you’re welcome Wendy… Wendy – Wait … and the Bighead??? Jacinto – Well, I don’t know, I don’t see him since the punch that the Mexican gave him. Wendy – Well, if it appears, it transformed him into a mouse… Jacinto – I don’t think he’s around here, he would have already fled… Wendy – Now that I have my wand again, I don’t want to be in this body for a second more … Sin salabin… Cuerpus Restorums … (wand magic sound)
! WENDY WILL HAVE A HIGH-PITCHED VOICE and constant wing sound Zoelia – Wooooooow Wendy you are beautiful, so pretty. Wendy – HIHIHIHI HEEEEY BEING ME AGAIN… And I can fly again…. WIIIIIII (sound of fairy flying) Jacinto – Look at her as she shines ahaha now she is happy… Wendy – Yes, but there are still things to do, let’s go back to my forest, I will help you with the magic potion … let’s go wiiiiiiiii End of 4th scene |
Enchanted forest atmosphere. (fairy tail forest / / fairy sound effect)
Wendy – Hello my love Wendy is back! Fairies – WIIIII Wendy, Wendy, Wendy … wiiiii Wendy – Look I am again a FAIRY as before WIIIIII. aaah by the way we have guests… and let’s cook, prepare the fire please… Fairies – yes Wendy … wiiii Wendy – you are beautiful, my flying girls! Sit where you want, feel at home! Let’s prepare this potion! …………. Jacinto / Zoelia – Thanks! (enchanted forest sound) Jacinto – How do you feel Zoelia? Zoelia – Nervous… but wishing to ultrapass this feline phase… I’m sick of spitting hairballs… Jacinto – Calm down, we are here to support you no matter what happens… Wendy knows what she does, soon you will be the way you were… Zoelia – Jacinto thank you very much for helping me with this whole adventure… I couldn’t have done it without you… Also you have lost your motorcycle that you are going to do without it… I can help you get a new one… Jacinto – Don’t worry about that… the important thing is that we were able to gather everything necessary to help you, and we are all here together… Thank you for teaching me to believe in me again! (sound Purr cat) (sound boil water and fire / magic effect / fairy wings / steps ) Wendy – Well, come beautiful, come together here to the bonfire that we are going to prepare the magic soup. Jacinto – Hmmm that smells good. What is it??? Wendy – Boiling water… you can see that you don’t cook much, don’t… Jacinto – Nooo I’m more of eating ehehe Wendy – Zoelia pass me the ingredients. Zoelia – Take it. Wendy – Calm down, don’t be nervous, nothing hurts… (sound blup soup) Let’s do it… Rudolf’s mucus… Scale of the Ness monster… and a baby goody… and a touch of magic…. CUERPUS RESTORUM!… There it is… now let it cool down a bit, after drinking it is just waiting a little while! (soup sound serving) Zoelia – …ok… (Zoelia blowing and stirring, and swallowing the soup) let’s do it… (sound swallowing)… Wendy – now relax and let the magic do its thing… (magic sound) Zoelia – Is it working…? … Wendy – Relax Zoelia, don’t be impatient… Jacinto – Look, it seems to be working… Zoelia – If you’re sure? Wendy – well yes yes… look at your reflection, you are Human again… Fairies – WOOOOOOOOOW! Jacinto – WOOOW Zoelia you are beautiful… Zoelia – I can’t believe it… (laughs of extreme happiness) yes yes yes! Thanks to you… I am very pleased to have crossed paths with you… you have helped me to be me again… Jacinto – ahah I’m happy for you Zoelia… really… but well it seems to be done, everything ended well .. Now I have to go back to my shed to reflect on my life… I also have to look for a job and sign the divorce papers anyway… take the thieves of this life that is falling apart… Zoelia – Jacinto wait… You are not alone… we are with you… Wendy – Of course Jacinto, you don’t have to come back if you don’t want… not even you Zoelia… The enchanted forest is too big for me to protect myself, we are also a team, it would be a pleasure to be able to share this paradise with you… what do you tell me? Zoelia – Yess, yess, thousand times yesss. Wendy – And you Jacinto? Jacinto – well… I cannot deny that with you I found again trust in me, and a decent purpose… Zoelia – YES say yes Jacinto – ahaha Well if we stay together as a team! Wendy , Zoelia & Fairies – GOOOOD!!! Wendy – perfect … well, come, I show you the edges of the forest … Did you know that this is where it started… (fade out) ———– mysterious music They are in a technological cave. (Sound of technological hospital machines) Paco – (wakes up very lost and confused) what happened? Eustáquio – calm, calm, don’t fear, they threw you on the cliff, but I saved you… Paco – But but but… why??? if I left you KO? Eustáquio – because together we are stronger. With your strength and my intelligence we will make the perfect set, we can do what we want like making a mafia and control the entire underworld, we will be the kings of the world, our names will be transmitted from generation to generation like those who came to rule the world from the tenebrous and darkest alleys, and best of all, we will start with the harshest revenge of all against those who have tried to kill you. I explain our plan… (fade out in vocês, final music enters)
End |
SAVE YOUR SOUL, SAVE YOURSELF
No place productions (NPP)
Written, devised and performed by residents at Phoenix futures, Wirral
Intro
We’re No Place Productions, a theatre company who engages with disadvantaged people in custody and the community across the UK. The play you’re about to hear was written performed and recorded, by residents in Phoenix Futures rehab facility in the Wirral, UK as part of our European wide project SCRIPT. SCRIPT is an Erasmus+ funded project which will develop tools to enable young people with potentially fewer opportunities to write perform and record their own pod plays as well as track the skills they learned along the way For more information about this project please visit the website scripteu.com or for information about this or any other of no place productions work visit our website noplaceproductions.co.uk Alternatively you can follow us on Twitter @noplacepro or Instagram at NoPlaceProductions, thank you.
Scene 1
Stacey: Here he is!!! Oh my god Stu I’m so proud of you!!
Stu: Thanks Our kid.
Stacey: I just cant believe that was my little brother up there, you were totally amazing!
Stu: Yeah it was a really good crowd tonight. Me and the lads are absolutely made up with the reaction we got.
Stacey: so you should be. you’ve all worked so hard to get where you are!
Stu: I know it feels like things are finally starting to pay off for us now at last.
Stacey: So whats the plan now then superstar? Out on the town with the lads?
Stu: No not tonight, the lads have gone out for a piss up but I thought me and you would just go for something to eat if you fancy it?
Stacey: Don’t be daft you go out with the lads and have a bit of fun you deserve it after a performance like that.
Stu: no honestly I’d rather just have a chilled one with you and we can catch up and that cant we?
Stacey: yeah that would be lovely, but only if you want to!
Stu: of course I do, We’ll go to that Chinese gaff we always used to go to if you want?!
Stacey: ahhhhh yeah I love it there, we havnt been there for ages!….Is your lass Sarah coming?
Stu: erm, no she cant make it! She was meant to be here for the gig as well but she text me saying something had come up last minute.
Stacey: Oh really?…what a shame I was really looking forward to finally meeting her tonight.
Stu: I know I’ve been dying for you to meet her as well.
Awkward Silence
Stacey: Oh well its not the end of the world is it. Theres always the next time isn’t there.
Stu: yeah I suppose
Stacey: right!! Come on then, lets go for that Chinese I’m dying for a spring roll.
Scene 2
Phonecall
Stu: You let me down again Sarah.
Sarah: Yeah I know I did babe, there was nothing I could do about it.
Stu: I was stood on stage just looking for you the whole time.
Sarah: Stuart, Ive told you, I completely forgot it was Becky’s birthday weekend. The girls had planned it for weeks, I couldn’t just not go.
Stu: But you can just not turn up to my gig, it feels like you put everyone ahead of me lately Sarah.
Sarah: Are we really going to get into an argument about this again? Ive told you what happened can we just forget about it now?
Stu: No, Im not arguing babe. Its just our Stacey came to watch the gig and she wanted to meet you afterwards. I just looked a bit stupid in front of my sister when you were nowhere to be seen. You know Ive been dying to introduce you to her for ages.
Sarah: yeah well I can just meet her next time cant I?
Stu: you can if you turn up yeah!!!
Stacey: Excuse me? Listen Stu, Ive told you it couldn’t be helped. We’re not joined at the hip you know, I’m allowed to see my mates.
Stu: I know you are babe, sorry I was just a bit gutted that’s all. You can just meet her next time cant you?
Scene 3
Paul S: Fucking hell did you see the tits on that bird at the front?!
Dave: see them? I nearly started playing them instead of the drums, jesus!!
George: She’s always down the front at our gigs that one.
Paul S: Fuck me! You could see her at the back with tits like that!!
Stu: Does anyone know her name? Shes been to quite a few gigs lately her, didn’t realise we had any groupies lads!!
Dave: I just call her big tits!
Stu: course you do.
George: Bristol Cities I call her…not to boat race like. But the name just seemed to click, you get me?
Paul: Actually her names Clare.
Stunned silence from the lads
Stu: You seedy bastard, how do you know what her name is.
Paul: I asked her of course.
Dave: You dark horse. Tell you what I never seen that coming from you lad.
George: I never thought he had it in him the old dog.
Paul S: So come on then Romeo. How did this happen?
Paul: You were all having a drink and I was loading up the van…
Stu: Oh I lad!! is that what they call it now days?!
Paul:…and she just came up to me and said she really enjoyed the gig and that shes been to see us a few times. We got chatting and before you know it shes asking me for my number.
Dave: Fuck offfff! She asked you?! Yeah right.
Paul: Yeah she asked me! So Ive been messaging her for a couple of weeks. We’ve got our third date next week.
George: Third!! Fuck me you kept the first two under cover, you’re very sneaky.
Paul S: Ay! Third date?! You know what that means don’t you?!
Paul: I think it’s a bit late for that to be honest lads!
Stu: Check Paul out, you dirty dog, hes already sealed the deal boys!
Paul: well can I say, she played right into my hands.
Dave: So where was your bird at the last gig Stu?
George: yeah this isn’t the first time she’s not turned up, does she hate our music or something?
Stu: Are you all fucking keeping tabs on my bird are you? it was her mates birthday weekend and she completely forgot. They had it planned weeks in advance. Nothing I could do.
Paul S: Oh yeah alright and we just do our gigs last minute do we?
Dave: Are you sure she was out with her mates like?
Stu: What do you mean lad?
Dave: I dunno mate, sounds a bit suspicious like.
Stu: no she wouldn’t do that to me.
George: If you say so bruv.
Stu: Oh fuck off George don’t be like that brother.
George: Look I just want what’s best for you bruv, and I wont lie, I don’t think this lady is?!
Paul: He’s right you know Stu.
Stu: Look Lads, honesty. She’s sound. Just let it go. She’ll be there at the next gig an we can all have a drink together.
Dave: Sound yeah, what ever lad.
Beat
Dave: anyway Stu, will your sister be at our next gig?
Stu: Maybe, Why you asking?
Paul S: Oh fucking hell don’t let him near her Stu.
Dave: fuck off you what’s wrong with me you tool.
George: Nothing a couple of penicillin aint gonna clear up ay Dave my old son.
Dave: look that happened once and it cleared up right!!
Paul S: Thats what we get for doing a gig in Birkenhead isn’t it!
Scene 4
Stu: lager top please mate. Nice one.
Marcus: Don’t I know you pal?
Stu: I dunno mate do you?
Marcus: yeah I do you live on my estate don’t you? Stuart is it?
Stu: Oh I yeah I know. Marcus? how are you mate? Ok?
Marcus: yeah I’m good tar lad. How are you? Still off at Uni being a scientist or something?
Stu: haha, close, psychology but yeah, still up there mate.
Marcus: ah nice one lad, you still fucking about trying to get on top of the pops then or what?
Stu: I’m still in the band like if that’s what you asking.
Marcus: You wana knock that on the head lad, you start making some real money mate.
Stu: Its going really well actually you know, we’ve been gigging quite a lot. We’ve just done one before in the other room did you not hear us?
Marcus: No I was outside talking to a few birds.
Stu: Oh Right!
Marcus: saying that, I’m off back to a party with those birds if you fancy it?
Stu: Are you yeah?
Marcus: Damn right lad, show them that you’ve got a pocket full of sniff and they’re well up for it mate. Come with me if you want.
Stu: no I cant mate honestly, I’ve got a bird anyway I don’t think she’d be too happy about me going back to a house party with a load of girls and Charlie.
Marcus: listen lad what she doesn’t know wont hurt her mate. Besides that I’m not gonna say fuck all to anyone.
Stu: No I wouldn’t do that to her, thanks for the offer though mate. I hope you have a nice night.
Marcus: Ok lad Your lost, anytime you fancy it though you know where I’m at. See you around kid.
Voicemail.
Sarah: Hiya Stuart, Listen babe, You know I care about you and I’ve absolutely loved our time together and the way you do stuff for me. But Ive got to be honest with you and ask is this really what I want and are you what I want? And if I’m totally honest babe the answer is no. I just don’t think that its working out. I know its gonna be hard but you’ll get over this eventually. I think you’re probably gonna need some time to sort yourself out, its probably best we don’t talk for a while. I hope you’re alright though, take care mate.
Scene 5
Stu: I just don’t understand Stace, She’s just dropped me clean out again.
Stacey: I know she has Stu, Im so sorry hun, I know how much you liked her.
Stu: I just don’t know if its something I did?
Stacey: Stuart, you cant go on thinking like that. If she doesn’t want to be with you, she doesn’t want to be with you. And to be quite frank its her loss not yours.
Stu: what do you mean by that?
Stacey: well she never even bothered her arse to meet me? She had plenty of opportunities and she just didn’t turn up.
Stu: why are you being like this sis? I fucking knew you didn’t like her!
Stacey: I didn’t know her not to like her Stuart. And from what I’ve heard from George she wasn’t exactly the model girlfriend.
Stu: Why are you all against her and what the fuck has that go to do with George. George is meant to be my best mate and he didn’t like her either.
Stacey: Look Stu, we didn’t not like her. We just want whats best for you mate honestly. Im sorry, I can see this is hurting you.
Stu: No I’m sorry, I’m just cut up about it. Its really hurting me.
Stacey: I know it is mate, Ill tell you what why don’t you stay here tonight with me and Alfie, and Ill do us our tea alright?
Stu: yeah that would be nice sis, Thank you.
Scene 6
Terry: do you want another drink babe?
Sarah: Yeah go on, Ill have a white wine and lemonade please.
Terry: sound. Ill go and get them in.
Stu: Sarah?
Sarah: Oh Stu, Hiya how are you?
Stu: erm yeah, I’m alright I suppose.
Sarah: that’s good.
Stu: Im obviously not as good as you though am I?
Sarah: what do you mean by that ay?
Stu: what do I mean, we broke up a week ago and you’re already out with some new fucking lad.
Sarah: And what?! I’m doing nothing wrong I’m a single girl.
Stu: we’ve literally just broke up and you’re not even arsed. You’re out all over some new fella already. Fucking hell did you ever give a shit about us?
Sarah: Stu, we’re not together. As far as I’m concerned I can what I want when I want with who ever!
Terry: look if this is gonna be a problem Sarah I can just go…
Sarah: No Terry, don’t you go. I think Stuart he leave.
Stu: I should leave? you think I should leave? This is my fucking bar!! You know the band plays here every week so why the fuck would you come here and start flaunting it in my face Sarah? You’re bang out of order.
Sarah: listen you, you’re just a bitter bastard, because I didn’t wana be with you anymore. Far as I’m concerned you’re just being a knob head. Come on Terry, lets just back to yours babe…
Music
Marcus: Fucking hell lad are you alright? Ive just that happen then. She’s one nasty bitch her like.
Stu: I cant fucking believe that, we broke up a week ago and shes in here falling all over some new fella already. What a fucking dick head I must be.
Marcus: You know what fuck her lad you don’t need her in your life, Why don’t you come and have a drink with me?
Stu: I don’t know mate I think I should probably just get off and go and get my head down. My head is wrecked, I’m not really thinking straight right now.
Marcus: No, that’s the last thing you want to do lad. Sitting on your own in the house just thinking about her, out, with some other fella doing god fuck knows what.
Stu: I suppose…
Marcus: you know what you need lad, a good time. Get some booze and sniff in you, We’ll go out, have a laugh and chat some birds up. Itll sort you right out lad. You know what they say pal, best way to get over someone is to get under someone else!! And she’s probably under that other lad right now.
Stu: yeah you’re right. I fucking deserve it. I haven’t had a good bevy for a long time. I’m always sitting around like a dick head waiting for her.
Marcus: That’s my boy, good lad!! And you know what, I might have a little something else in my pocket to get the night really going.
Stu:I dunno bout that Marcus.
Marcus: oh come on Stu lad, your birds just dumped you, shes out mate, with some other lad in your fucking bar. Come on it’s the least you deserve.
Stu: you know what, you’re right.
Marcus: tell you what, take this and go to the mens, I’ll go the bar and get us a drink. Whats your poison?
Stu: Lager top please mate.
Marcus: A larger top, fuck me what are you like Fucking 60? Look lad I’m paying, ill get you what ever you want pal.
Stu: oh well in that case get me a double Jack Daniel’s and coke please.
Marcus: that’s better, good lad!!
Music
Stu: Oh I wish shed fucking leave me alone, I’m not answering that.
Music
Stacey: Oh come on Stu please answer your phone.
Music
Stu: got anymore of that gear Marcus? I’m flying brother.
Marcus: Yeah course mate. Here you go lad.
Stu: Nice one, be back now. Just going the bog for a little livener.
Scene 7
Sam: I had to take my little one for a pin yesterday, My god you should have heard the noise she made.
Helen: ahhhh god love her, mine were exactly the same when I took them for theirs. And when you see that bottom lip go and their eyes fill up, makes your heart want to break doesn’t it.
Stacey: you know what my Alfie didn’t make a peep, he was absolutely good as gold the little babe.
Sam: oh I wish our baby was as good as that, she didn’t stop crying for most of the day, I had to bribe her with a Mcdonalds bless her, she wouldn’t stop crying the house down.
Helen: aww god love her.
Sam: stace
Stacey: Yeah
Sam: How’s you Stuart doing at uni hun?
Stacey: ahhhh hes doing dead well you know. Passed all his mock exams this year.
Sam: oh Really? Good lad.
Helen: Is he still playing in the band?
Stacey: Yeah, I went to see them the other week theyre doing really well.
Helen: are they really, ay they’ve been together a good while havnt they.
Stacey: yeah since they were kids.
Sam: So who does he hang around with these days then?
Stacey: Our Stu? Just the lads from the band I suppose. I mean he was seeing some girl for a while but it didn’t work out.
Sam: oh no its just that we seen him with that Marcus the other night and I didn’t think he was the type to hang around with dick heads like him.
Stacey: Stuart? My Stuart? I didn’t even think he knew that Marcus.
Helen: He looked like he knew him really well when we seen them out.
Stacey: what’s that suppose to mean.
Helen: look we didn’t want to worry you, that’s why we weren’t sure if we should say anything…
Stacey: look just tell me now will you because you’re worrying me now.
Helen: well when we seen Stuart out the other night he didn’t look too good if you know what I mean.
Stacey: No I don’t know what you mean.
Helen: well put it this way, he looked a bit off it, and I don’t think it was just the drink that did that to him.
Stacey: not our Stuart, he’s not into anything like that.
Sam: I know that’s what we thought but him and that Marcus were back and forth to the toilet every 10 minutes. Just seemed a little odd you know?
Helen: sorry Stace, we didn’t know how to tell you but we thought you would rather know.
Stacey: no, of course I’d rather know. Thanks girls. I think I might need to have a word with this Marcus myself.
Scene 8
Dave: Where the fuck is he again?!
Paul S: he hasn’t even to text anyone to say he’s going to be late.
Dave: I’m getting sick of this tit.
Paul: This is the fourth time this has happened now, and every time he hasn’t even said sorry.
Paul S: we need to do something about this, we cant carry on like this.
Enter Stuart
Paul: oh here he is, Nice of you to join us.
Stu: I know yeah the taxi took the piss to come.
Dave: its not the only thing taking the fucking piss.
Stu: What dave?
Paul S: he said its not the only thing taking the piss.
George: Where have you been bruv? I havnt heard from you in days.
Stu: I’ve just been out. Is that ok with you?
Dave: Yeah we can tell, you fucking stink of ale!! I be you haven’t even been home yet have you?
Stu: So what am I not allowed to go out no lads?
George: No ones saying that Stu…
Stu: oh really, because it sounds like you’re all having a fucking go at me for having a life.
Paul: Stuart, you’ve been missing for the last 4 rehearsals, no one hears from you for days on end. Whats going on with you lately?
Stu: Paul nothing is going on with me mate. I’m just trying to have a good time for once.
Dave: You’re out every night of the fucking week from what I’ve heard lad
Stu: Oh been talking shit about me now have you Dave?
Paul S: no one needs to talk about you Stu, everyone just knows youre fucking out every night of the week with that prick Marcus.
George: Yeah, you shouldn’t be knocking around with him Stu he’s snakey you get me.
Stu: look he’s my mate, he put his arm around me when no one else would.
Dave: oh he’s your fucking mate now is he. Remember when we used to be your mates?
Stu: oh fuck off Dave.
Paul: Look Stuart, we’ve been talking. And we cant go on with our lead guitarist turning up to rehearsals when ever he feels like.
Stu: so what then Paul? Are you gonna kick me out the band?!
Paul: We didn’t want it to come to this Stuart, but we’ve got no choice.
Stu: What?! You’re actually going to kick me out? Its my fucking band!! There would be no band if it wasn’t for me!!!
Silence
Paul: Right Lads, show of hands, those who want Stu out the band hands up.
Silence
George: Its not about this.
Dave: come on George you’ve got to vote.
Silence
Stu: Really George. Even You. I thought we were best mates.
Beat
Stu: Well you know what, Fuck the lot of you. This bad was nothing before me and it’ll be nothing when I’m gone. Ill go solo. The music will be shite without me anyway.
Scene 9
Stacey: Oi, Are you Marcus?
Marcus: I am love, what can I do for you?!
Stacey: I’m Stacey…Stuarts sister.
Marcus: Oh yeah hes mentioned you a couple of times. Hes a good lad your Stu. Always up for a laugh.
Stacey: how the fuck would you know?
Marcus: know what love?
Stacey: how the fuck would you know what our Stuart is like? You don’t even fucking know him.
Marcus: look do you want to calm down.
Stacey: no I don’t want to fucking calm down. Ive had people telling me that you’ve had my little brother out every night of the week up to fucking all kinds.
Marcus: who’s been telling you this bollocks?
Stacey: never you mind who’s been fucking telling me, I want you to stay away from Stuart.
Marcus: haha really?! fucking grow up.
Stacey: I mean it.
Marcus: you mean it? And what you gonna fucking do if I don’t!!
Stacey: are you threatening me?
Marcus: I’m not doing anything to you love.
Stacey: oh big hard man are you? You gonna come and pay me a visit?
Marcus: It wont be me who pays you a visit love.
Stacey: what do you mean?
Marcus: never mind.
Stacey: Listen, our Stuart is a good lad ok. I don’t want you messing with his head. He’s doing dead well at Uni and he’s got a real chance at a good future. He doesn’t want a knob like you fucking it up for him.
Marcus: Listen here Love, why don’t you just run along, run along before you say something you’ll really regret ok? I’ll see you around.
Stacey: Not if I fucking see you first.
Scene 10
Stacey: Hiya Stu, I wasn’t expecting you today.
Stu: I know I just thought I’d pop round and see you.
Stacey: come on through and Ill put the kettle on.
Stu: A brew sounds good.
Stacey: So how have you been?
Stu: I’ve been alright yeah. What about you?
Stacey: Yeah I’m ok. I took Alfie to the swimming baths yesterday. He loved it.
Stu: Did he yeah?!
Stacey: is everything OK?
Stu: Is everything OK? You tell me?
Stacey: Whats going on Stu?
Stu: I thought you were done with all of that?
Stacey: All of what?
Stu: You fucking know what!
Stacey: Stuart, honestly. I don’t know what the fuck you’re going on about.
Stu: you’ve been to see my mate Marcus havent you?
Stacey: Oh. Is that what you mean?
Stu: Is that what I mean? I cant believe that you’d start all of that shit again again after last time. You nearly lost Alfie.
Stacey: You What??!!
Stu: Are you really stupid enough to get back into taking all of that shit and risk everything?
Stacey: I havent been getting back into anything. I went to see Marcus to tell him to stay the fuck away from you Stu. He’s bad news.
Stu: you’re fucking lying. He told me that you’d say something like that. He said that you’d come up with some bullshit story to cover your tracks.
Stacey: Stuart I never tried to get anything off him. Are you really going to believe him over your own sister?!
Stu: He’s been there for me since Sarah broke up with me. Where the fuck where you?
Stacey: Are you serious?!
Stu: You couldn’t fucking wait to see the back of her.
Stacey: Stuart I don’t know what the fuck he’s been telling you but I havnt been to see him for anything other than to tell him to leave you the fuck alone.
Stu: Look Stacey. I’m not a kid anymore ok. So do me a favour. Stay the fuck out of my business.
Stacey: Really?! Youre going to talk to me like that. Do you really believe that I would start doing all of that again?
Stu: Well you know what they say Stace…A Leopard never changes its spots.
Silence
Stacey: Get out…Get the fuck out of my house and don’t come back.
Stu: don’t worry I’m fucking going!!
Scene 11
Stu: Fucking look at them, They think they’re better than me!!
Music
Dave: Why does he keep fucking looking over the prick?
Paul S: Fuck him, just ignore him Dave.
Music
Marcus: Tell you what Stu, them lot have got a fucking right cheek on them.
Stu: I know. Bet they’re thinking they’re dead fucking funny don’t they?
Music
George: I don’t fucking like this, he’s still our pal at the end of the day. We shouldn’t be dropping him out like this.
Dave: Fuck him the beut.
Paul: come on lets fuck off
Music
Stu: I cant fucking believe I was ever mates with them dickheads.
Marcus: fuck them kid, you don’t need them anymore. You’ve got me now lad.
Music
George: Come on chaps, lets go somewhere else. Its not about this.
Paul: come on lets fuck off.
Music
Marcus: look at them just fucking off. Don’t fucking have it Stu lad.
Stu: You’re right. I’m not fucking having it…Come on I’m going over. George!!
Music
Stu: WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU LOT THINK YOU’RE GOING??!!
Scene 12
Stacey: Stuart, whats up!!!! You look fucking terrible.
Stu: Sis, I’ve fucked up!! Big time.
Music
End
COMPLETE SCREENPLAY SCRIPT – Penitenciarul Timisoara EN
Scene 1
DJ George: I would like some seafood and white wine!
George: Play some music and let s eat!
DJ George: Well, now I am gonna play a super vinyl record with jazz music, this will definitely change the taste of the food.
George: Sounds good but give me something harder to activate me a little. You forgot I am good at cooking, I am creating the taste, man, you understand.
DJ George: Common man, let’s listen to something chill while we are eating, don’t you want to? Listen, I promise that after we eat, we can drink some rum and listen to some of that hipster music of yours. Common, leave it… and let’s better make some phone calls to gather more people!
DJ George: Hei, you forgot it’s just us here, here on this island? And that you don’t have a phone?
George: Yes, man… let’s not forget about the ice!
DJ George: I could still feel my pocket vibrating during those first days, and when I think about that week, when the phone wouldn’t stop ringing, man…
It was Wednesday, and I`ve just arrived from London. I was very tired. Just as I felt asleep my phone rung. It was my manager, who wanted to announce me that I have been booked for three parties on the next day. On Thursday evening I have arrived at Bucharest, I slept for 2 hours, play some music until 6 am, and at 7 am I was at the Airport in order to go fly back to Timisoara. I step out of the plane, open turn on my phone and receive a call from a friend who asks me to play some music at his birthday party, since he was expecting 100 people who are don’t feel like going home. I accept without realizing that I also had contracts to carry out the next evening. I go to my friend’s birthday; I stay there until 7 a.m. in the morning and on Saturday I play music at another party that lasted until Sunday. I will never push myself like this again!
X: This story with my friend’s birthday reminds me of another huge birthday party we have taken over in great style. I was sitting at a terrace with some friends and we were thinking how we could organize a party. We had all the necessary music devices; we only needed a generator. Some people called to tell us that the party is a waste of time, so that we thought we could go and check the party and surprize the celebrated person. We arrived there and started to carry the music devices inside, being helped by the doorman, who was more than glad to give us an extinction cord, as if we shouldn’t have been there. We started to play some music, some people have got shocked, others were very happy the celebrated girl started to cry. After about one hour the parents appeared. They interrupted the electrical power so that we can hear them arguing with us and threatening us with the police.
Scene 2
B: Do you give me a dog to walk it?
A: Yes, it will help you to no longer be such a loner
B: Ok, do you also have a cigarette?
A: Why do you need a cigarette?
B: I want to smoke a cigarette when I am having a walking break.
A: How you wish.
B: Do you know when the bar opens? I would like a beer.
A: What to do with the dog at the bar? Go and have a walk and we will see later.
B: Dude, you want to get rid of me pretty fast! Don’t you? May I keep the dog with me during the night?
A: Sure, you can!
A: Before I had the first dogs, I was a bad man, a bully, someone who wouldn’t listen to anyone and who wasn’t curious about anyone. I was a drug dealer at 12, suffering from a considerable lack of empathy.
This happened until a Belgian Shepard until and a Pitbull, to whom I got attached, appeared in my life. As I got in jail for the first time, I thought a lot about them, I missed them, and it was only than that I have realized that these two have started directly to change my life. I care about someone for the first time in my life.
After my release, a Cane Corso named Virus appeared in my life, we took him away from the furry of his parents, who wanted to kill him. He was my smart boy, very playful, he used to run at night as if he was a horse in my yard. Thus, came Lucy to me, an Amstaff of a friend who went in holiday and couldn’t keep her with other dogs because she used to fight with them. Trying to heal Lucy from her aggressive behaviour, I have realized that I was the one who was healed first. Lucy and Virus taught me I could defend my principles without fight.
One day I was walking on the field and I saw a dog chained to a tree, it was weak and powerless, full of parasites. I named her 44 after the hunger year during the Second World War. After this I have realized that she was very attentive with everybody around her and she knew how to cherish even the wind. Thus, I have also become attentive to what was going on inside myself and to value nature.
Tango was the next who came, an Amstaff from a friend, who abandoned the dog because he wasn’t bad enough with people. At first, he felt abandoned, after which he started to trust people again. He was a big dog and he looked very scary. But when you saw his eyes, you realized he was very mild and loved children very much. The dog couldn’t get away from the children in the park until he got totally wasted by them. He taught me to trust myself and to get attached to certain people because it’s worth loving and being loved.
I have also received as a gift 2 Rottweilers, a boy and a girl. Horus has been smart and loyal since being a puppy. I was very glad to meet his sister, Kiro. She was a brown Rottweiler – one in a few hundred generations. Then Boca appeared, the Amstaff of a friend, who didn’t take care of him. He is looking for advice and thus, I have started to give people some advice, so that they don’t make big mistakes.
Unfortunately for them and for me, I got in jail again and the dogs have been taken to a dog shelter and have been euthanized.
Scene 3
(The Observer comes in)
The Observer: What are you doing here, dudes?
George: We are cooking and trying to get in action. Where are the rest?
The Observer: I have just seen Bogdan asking Alex for a dog to walk it. I didn’t understand what he needed the dog for.
DJ George: It seems like you have also heard them, not only seen them. What a sense of observation!
The Observer: No, I don’t know what I want to do, but I notice things …. a lot of things. This noticing is a work by itself. I have noticed that nobody is the same. For example, two brothers. They are brothers and have different characters, though they have the same mother. One of them is empathic, while the other is not.
I have noticed that certain people are watching the world through other eyes. They are watching me with other eyes. And I notice their hands. It is very important how the hands look like, that the hands are taken care of and clean. So that you have nice and clean gestures.
I have noticed that respect and gains come from small things, very small things. I have especially noticed 3 obese women in a Matiz car. They were crammed there, like some pieces of meat in a small casserole. I started to watch them and laughed. They laughed back to me. One of them, who was sitting in the front, put her hand through the window and it looked like meat was pouring out from a meat mincer. It is so important how the hands look.
(Bogdan comes in)
DJ George: You are walking the all day long, man, this island is small like hell, but you insist to do your walk?
Bogdan: So, and what? What else am I supposed to do?
George: What’s wrong with you? Did you have a bad day?
Bogdan: I don’t know if I am having a bad day today, but I can tell about a day that could for surely be in Top 5 of the worst days. I have arrived at my new job. Everybody said it was going to be easy and that I was going to have a lot of advantages, like working without being watched by a militia man, working side by side with women, getting food and gaining money.
Actually, it wasn`t quite like that. Work seams easy: you have to lift boxes with milk with a weight of about 12 kg from a high-speed conveyer and to fill an EUR pallet with them. It is not hard to lift a box of 12 kg, but it is hard to lift such a box 10000 times in 8 hours. My back is blocked.
The next day I moved to other conveyor belt with yoghurt, about 6 pieces per second, and then we had to place Euro-pallets again. If you stopped for a simple cough or if you took your eyes from the conveyor belt just for one second, it tended to lump instantly and 2 women appeared to help you while they seemed to lecture you that you should work here and move fast.
On the third day a woman thought about making a joke with me or at least this is what I believe, because she knew that all the milk is going to run with pressure from a tap at which she made me hold a container…of course the container flew with me as the jet of milk started to flow.
The women there are 10 times worse than any militia man.
DJ George: Have you seen the one with the sign at the eye?
Bogdan: No
The observer: That one was the worst of all. Satan’s favorite.
(Alex comes in)
A: What are you doing?
George: We were philosophising.
Alex: What date is today?
Bogdan: The 10th of June.
The Observer: You don’t have any calendar, the one you are placing x’s in?
Alex: No.
Bogdan: I am obsessed with putting x’s in the calendar. If I think about how many additions and submissions are on that calendar, I believe I can become a Math teacher.
The Observer: Certain people have some schemes with those calendars. 31+20-10+20
Bogdan: The best is the multiple of 20.
DJ George: Hei, do you remember the one with the tapes? He stood so long in jail that he imagined when he gets out, he would go to the Iosefin Market to buy tapes. He wonders if there are any CD’s and or sticks (George). It was like in that movie, Goodbye Lenin.
George: The worst is to be captive and lose tough with the outer world. Not to be in touch with the outside world.
Alex: What reality? Because, sometimes the outside reality is worse than any form of captivity.
Bogdan: Let it be, because some people don’t manage that total freedom.
George: It is only when you feel compelled by routine how stupid you were to deliberately live in routine when it wasn’t necessary.
The Observer: You think it is going to be different after we leave this place?
DJ George: Otherwise what’s the meaning of all this?
George: I don’t know, man … that things are going to be different?
DJ George: How different?
Bogdan: Better man!
DJ George: Define better.
The Observer: When you are at peace with yourself.
Alex: When you don’t hurt other people’s feelings.
George: But this is temporary.
Bogdan: You are depressing me with your temporary staff, wouldn’t it be better …that the good be constant?
DJ George: And the bad?
George: The bad is also good.
Bogdan: How come?
The Observer: I mean that kind of force, that is balancing and keeps the balance. If you didn’t know what the bad is, you couldn’t appreciate the good.
George: The temporary good. Like the one in pharmacies.
DJ George: You get a pill and get well…temporarily.
And you think this good is a state of comfort or a value?
Alex: A value.
Bogdan: A state of comfort, man.
George: A state of comfort
The Observer: a value.
DJ George: 2 against 2
The Observer: like at the bets.
Bogdan: did you see the manual of mental disorders? It says that bets are games of pathologic chance …
The Observer: So, then are crazy if we bet?
Alex: Stay chill, stupidity is the one that can kill you, nothing else does. Stupidity, war and politics.
George: And pharmacies.
Bogdan: And the women in the dairy factory.
Alex: What did you do with the dog?
Bogdan: He is home, I gave him to eat, he is ok. I am going to walk him once more when I get out of here.
DJ George: I can tell you a way to do good. Let’s play some music, bro, because this kind of fun is like Holy Wednesday.
Alex: Is there a flower in the pot?
DJ George: Yes man. The Observer is testing us, to see if we are attentive. Let’s listen to some music and stay in silence.
(silent moment)
The Observer: Hei, guys, I forgot to tell you about that fat women with the Matiz….
(End)
Podplay produced by Roma youngsters in Greece. The PodPlay is in Greek
since not all participants were fluent in English and it is easier for them to express themselves in their mother tongue.
Follow your dreams
USB
April-June 2019
Participants: Stefanos Karafyllidis, Danai Theodorou, Maria Dimitriou, Giannis Siagkouris, Alkistis Xippa
Brief introduction:
There are many young people that are pressed down from their parents regarding their life choices. In the process of controlling their children’s life they forbid them to follow their own dreams. Escaping becomes sometimes a solution for the young people who feel that they live under pressure.
Short description of what it is the pod play about:
The topic is about a young couple from Sweden, Hanna and Sebastian, that came in Greece in order to escape the pressure within Hanna’s home. Although Hanna wanted to become a dancer she was accepted in a medical university in America by following her parents’ desires. Sebastian is a dancer in the famous dance school.
Podplay produced by Roma youngsters in Greece. The PodPlay is in Greek since not all participants were fluent in English and it is easier for them to express themselves in their mother tongue.
TRANSCRIPTION
Scene 1
Hanna and Sebastian decided to come in the Greek islands for vacation and to escape from the pressure of Hanna’s family as well. They fall in love at school and they shared the same passion for dancing. Sebastian had Greek roots from his father and he also wanted to visit his country. The couple described Greece as a beautiful country, full of friendly locals and also the place where they found freedom. They had the best time of their life in Greece but Hanna never stopped thinking about her parent’s reaction and desires regarding her life.
Scene 2
The most important place during their vacation was Santorini where they had a really great time. One day they saw an old couple sitting hand by hand and they got emotional. Sebastian approached them and asked them how they can be so in love till now. The old man answered him that he fell in love with the way that her wife was approaching the life. She knew what she loved and she was always chasing it. Sebastian from the first time that he saw Hanna he confessed his love and said that he wanted to stay with her forever. Hanna during the narration of the old man she was thinking how much pressured she was from her family. One night in the island she disappeared and Sebastian was searching for here many hours. Eventually he found her crying and tried to calm her. At the same time they had been robbed and they did not have money to go back to Sweden and so they decided to go to Thessaloniki with the less money that they had. When they arrived they started dancing in the street and gain the attention of the locals that were enjoying them and giving them some money. The couple was having so much fun that they did not notice the crowd that was around them. They were both feeling so free and bonded to each other. During that time a famous Greek choreographer saw Hanna and purposed her to join his dancing team. Hanna saw her dreams coming true but she was thinking about her parents who were helping her all these years financially and also her love for Sebastian. Sebastian embraced her choice to stay in Thessaloniki as he only wanted for her to be happy and he left for Sweden. Scene 3 Hanna stayed in Thessaloniki and she took part in many competitions, fulfilling her life dream. Sebastian continued with his dancing school in Sweden but he was never satisfied as he was still thinking of Hanna. One day, Hanna before getting on the stage she had a strange feeling like something was concerning her. She was dancing when she saw two familiar faces in the audience but she thought that it was her imagination. Then she went to the backstage in her room when suddenly someone knocked her door. She opened it and surprisingly she saw her parents that had been before in the crowd for real. Hanna was expecting her parents to be angry but her mother hugged her immediately and she felt relieved. They were talking for many hours about Hanna’s choices and they finally, accepted them. Sebastian had the chance to dance in a competition in Greece where his path led him to her last love Hanna. They met again in the stage and as Sebastian confessed, it was like he was meeting her for the first time again. They got back together through the power of love. Both of them learnt that everyone should follow her or his dreams regardless to what others demand from them. |
“RETURN TICKET” – Pilot 1, IO1. Liverpool, UK – Pod Play Transcript
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS
USB
April-June 2019
Participants: Stefanos Karafyllidis, Danai Theodorou, Maria Dimitriou, Giannis Siagkouris, Alkistis Xippa
Brief introduction:
There are many young people that are pressed down from their parents regarding their life choices. In the process of controlling their children’s life they forbid them to follow their own dreams. Escaping becomes sometimes a solution for the young people who feel that they live under pressure.
Short description of what it is the pod play about:
The topic is about a young couple from Sweden, Hanna and Sebastian, that came in Greece in order to escape the pressure within Hanna’s home. Although Hanna wanted to become a dancer she was accepted in a medical university in America by following her parents’ desires. Sebastian is a dancer in the famous dance school.
Podplay produced by Roma youngsters in Greece. The PodPlay is in Greek since not all participants were fluent in English and it is easier for them to express themselves in their mother tongue.
TRANSCRIPTION
Scene 1
Hanna and Sebastian decided to come in the Greek islands for vacation and to escape from the pressure of Hanna’s family as well. They fall in love at school and they shared the same passion for dancing. Sebastian had Greek roots from his father and he also wanted to visit his country. The couple described Greece as a beautiful country, full of friendly locals and also the place where they found freedom. They had the best time of their life in Greece but Hanna never stopped thinking about her parent’s reaction and desires regarding her life.
Scene 2
The most important place during their vacation was Santorini where they had a really great time. One day they saw an old couple sitting hand by hand and they got emotional. Sebastian approached them and asked them how they can be so in love till now. The old man answered him that he fell in love with the way that her wife was approaching the life. She knew what she loved and she was always chasing it. Sebastian from the first time that he saw Hanna he confessed his love and said that he wanted to stay with her forever. Hanna during the narration of the old man she was thinking how much pressured she was from her family. One night in the island she disappeared and Sebastian was searching for here many hours. Eventually he found her crying and tried to calm her. At the same time they had been robbed and they did not have money to go back to Sweden and so they decided to go to Thessaloniki with the less money that they had. When they arrived they started dancing in the street and gain the attention of the locals that were enjoying them and giving them some money. The couple was having so much fun that they did not notice the crowd that was around them. They were both feeling so free and bonded to each other. During that time a famous Greek choreographer saw Hanna and purposed her to join his dancing team. Hanna saw her dreams coming true but she was thinking about her parents who were helping her all these years financially and also her love for Sebastian. Sebastian embraced her choice to stay in Thessaloniki as he only wanted for her to be happy and he left for Sweden. Scene 3 Hanna stayed in Thessaloniki and she took part in many competitions, fulfilling her life dream. Sebastian continued with his dancing school in Sweden but he was never satisfied as he was still thinking of Hanna. One day, Hanna before getting on the stage she had a strange feeling like something was concerning her. She was dancing when she saw two familiar faces in the audience but she thought that it was her imagination. Then she went to the backstage in her room when suddenly someone knocked her door. She opened it and surprisingly she saw her parents that had been before in the crowd for real. Hanna was expecting her parents to be angry but her mother hugged her immediately and she felt relieved. They were talking for many hours about Hanna’s choices and they finally, accepted them. Sebastian had the chance to dance in a competition in Greece where his path led him to her last love Hanna. They met again in the stage and as Sebastian confessed, it was like he was meeting her for the first time again. They got back together through the power of love. Both of them learnt that everyone should follow her or his dreams regardless to what others demand from them. |
Introduction
We’re No Place Productions a theatre company who engages with disadvantaged people in custody and the community across the UK.
The play you are about to hear is called Return Ticket and was written, performed & recorded by residents in Phoenix Futures Rehab Facility in the Wirral UK in March 2019 as part of our European wide project, SCRIPT.
SCRIPT is an Erasmus plus funded project, which will develop tools to enable young people with potentially fewer opportunities to write, perform & record their own Pod Plays, as well as track the skills they learn along the way.
For more information about this project please visit the website scripteu.com.
Or for information about this or any other of No Place Productions work visit our website noplaceproductions.co.uk alternatively you can follow us on twitter @noplacepro or Instagram @noplaceproductions
Thank you.
————————————————————————–
Pod Play transcription
Music intro
Pete – hurry up you’ll be late.
Sarah- what platform is it?
Pete – let me carry your case.
SCENE 1 – Train Platform.
Music. Merges into Soundscape of Train Station.
Sarah – I’m really gonna miss you
Pete – I know. I’m gonna miss you too.
Sarah – I can’t believe I’ve got to go home so soon. Feels like the weekend has just flown by
Pete – I know, but when you’re finished Uni you’ll be living down here with me won’t yeh
Sarah – Yeah. I can’t wait.
Pete – Ay, the money you’ll be on when you graduate, we’ll be able to get ourselves a nice little house?
Sarah – With a garden?
Pete – Course with a garden. The kids will have to have somewhere to play won’t they…
Sarah – Oh kids now is it? Let’s get a dog first, see how that goes. It’s hard enough looking after you
Pete – Ey you! I’m not doing too bad surviving on me own. I’m even doing me own ironing now…. I’ve only burnt three shirts this week
Sarah – Have you?
Pete – tellin yeh. The other day I had to go to work with a burn mark on my shirt. I had to keep me jumper on all day. I was sweating!
Sarah – What are you like….
Pete – no seriously, I can’t wait till we don’t have to say goodbye every weekend.
Sarah – I can’t believe you bought me that bracelet. You didn’t have to do that.
Pete – I know, but I wanted to. It’ll remind you of me when I’m not there….. So make sure you keep it on. Don’t want you forgetting about me.
Sarah – I’ll keep it on, I promise.
Train whistle
Pete – Right, you better get on and get your seat. You don’t wanna be standing up all the way home.
Sarah – Ok. I’ll ring you as soon as I get in.
Pete – Make sure you do. I won’t be able to sleep if you don’t.
Sarah – I will. I love you.
Pete – You too Sarah.
Station noise up. Train pulling off.
music
SCENE 2 – Kitchen
Sarah & Dad sat at the kitchen table. Mum brings cups of tea in.
Rebecca – Here you go love. A nice cuppa
Sarah – Thanks Mum
Rebecca – So come on then, how did it go?
Sarah – It was amazing Mum. Pete’s doing so well down there.
Arthur – Yeah, I bet he is.
Sarah – No seriously dad. Look he got me this.
Rebecca – Tiffany ay?
Arthur – That must have cost a few bob.
Sarah – Like I say. He’s doing really well. And anyway, it’s not about how much it costs. It’s about what it means.
Rebecca – Ay Arthur, why don’t you ever buy me anything that fancy?
Arthur – I would if I had the money. But I’m still paying of that bloody holiday we had.
Rebecca – Oh you’re so negative.
Sarah – Yeah, lighten up dad.
Arthur – Look all’s I’m sayin is don’t carried away.
Sarah – With what?
Arthur – well… I’m just saying… I just want the best for my little girl, and… your happiness is the most important thing…. And, I dunno…. I’ve just got a gut feeling about him.
Sarah (interrupting) – Oh you’ve always been like this about him.
Arthur – I haven’t!… There’s just something that doesn’t sit right…
Sarah – Like what?
Arthur – I’m only thinking about you love. I don’t want you settling when you could do so much better.
Rebecca – My dad didn’t think much of you when we met, but you turned out alright.
Arthur – There’s a world of difference between me and him, I’ll tell you that for free.
Sarah – Oh dad…
Arthur – Look, I’m just glad your back home where you belong. I’m taking the dog for a walk. (To dog) Come on champ.
Arthur leaves
Rebecca – I’m sorry about your dad love. Yeh know what he’s like.
Sarah – I know. But Pete’s really changed mum. I can’t wait to go back and see him next weekend. I think we’re going to be really happy. He was even talking about the future… talking about kids and stuff
Rebecca – Oh god, don’t tell your dad that, He’ll have bloody kittens! (Laugh) No but seriously, I’m so pleased for you love.
Music up
SCENE 3 – Restaurant
Soundscape. Fancy restaurant. Drink being poured.
Pete – (to waiter) Yeah, that’s lovely that mate, we’ll take the bottle.
Waiter – Excellent choice Sir.
Waiter exit
Sarah – Isn’t this nice.
Pete – Well I thought I’d treat yeh. It’s only what you deserve.
Sarah – Is it ok if I get the lobster?
Pete – You get whatever you want. I’m paying.
Sarah – No, you really don’t have to do that.
Pete – Don’t be daft. I want to. I’m might get the lobster myself! Cheers.
Sarah – Cheers.
Clink of glasses
Sarah – So I’ve been thinking
Phone vibrates. Message
Pete – Oh yeah. About wha?
Sarah – About what you were saying last time I was here. Maybe we should just…
Phone vibrates. Message
Pete – Sorry…. It’s just…… It’s just work
Sarah – I didn’t know you worked on a Saturday?
Pete – No, I don’t. It’s just… cos I’m so high up they need to be able to get a hold of me.
Sarah – Oh really
Pete – Yeah we’ve got a massive contract going through at the minute so I’m just overseeing everything.
Sarah – Sounds exciting.
Pete – It is, but you don’t wanna hear all that jargon. It’ll just baffle yeh.
Sarah – Im doing a law degree, it won’t baffle me.
Pete – No, I don’t mean it like that. I just mean…. Oh look, forget about that. What were you saying before…?
Sarah – Oh yeah, I was….
Phone vibrates. Message
Sarah – look, do you need to call someone and sort something out, or?
Pete – No, No
Sarah – are you sure?
Pete – Yeah, it’s fine. They just…
Phone rings
Sarah – (under breath) oh for fucks sake
Pete – sorry. I’ll just take this. I’ll just be one minute. (on phone) Look I got your messages, but I can’t talk right now. I’ll give you a call later. (ends call).
Sarah – Everything ok?
Pete – Yeah yeah
Sarah – So were not gonna get any more interruptions?
Pete – Look I can’t help it can I. If someone was calling you about uni, I wouldn’t be moaning would I.
Sarah – It just seems like you’re glued to your phone.
Pete – I’ve had 3 texts and a phone call, I’m hardly glued to it.
Waiter enters
Waiter – so are we ready to order?
Pete – Yeah can I have 2 lobsters and do you do chips?
Music up over Pete’s last line.
SCENE 4 – Hairdressers.
Chantelle – Are you both getting your colour done or is it just you Jade?
Jade – Yeh please, but can you give me a few more highlights in the front? What d’yeh reckon Sarah?
Sarah – Oh you would look gorgeous with streaks, wouldn’t she Chantelle?
Chantelle – absolutely fab!
Jade – Anyway you! Haven’t seen you since you got back. (To chantelle) She’s too good for us now…
Sarah – Oh don’t be stupid
Chantelle – yeah, you’ve been dead quiet. You still loved up then?
Jade – Give us all the gossip! Did you have good time?
Sarah – Yeah.
Jade – Yeah? Is That it? I’m going down there next week, I thought you’d have loads of tips for me!
Chantelle – Well what did you get up to?
Sarah – oh you know. We went to some nice restaurants….
Chantelle – Yeah….
Sarah – and then we just chilled out in his
Jade – Oh I see. One of them was it?
Chantelle – A dirty weekend!
Sarah – No, I dunno, he was just a bit busy with work
Jade – what? Even on the weekend?
Sarah – I know, that’s what I thought.
Chantelle – I wouldn’t have that, me.
Sarah – Yeah but it’s his job. What Am I meant to do?
Jade – Mmmm
Chantelle – Has he ever introduced you to any of his mates down there?
Sarah – No not really. He always says he wants to spend our time just me and him
Jade – Mmmm, but can’t book the weekend off work?
Chantelle – He’s always been a bullshitter him
Sarah – No he hasn’t!
Jade – Look, what chantelle means is you can’t be too careful. We don’t want him hurting you again.
Chantelle – we’re just thinking of you
Jade – yeah. Look, why don’t we have a little nose on facebook? Ay?…. I’ll do it on my profile so he’ll never know. We’ll just have a look and see who he’s hanging about with. Make sure theres nothing to worry about.
Sarah – No, I don’t want you to do that
Chantelle – It’ll put your mind to rest. That’s all.
Sarah – No, I know what you’re saying. I just don’t want you too. I trust him, and we’re gonna make it work again.
Jade – Ok. But just so you know, we’re here if you need us.
Sarah – Thanks girls.
Chantelle – Right, lets get your roots sorted.
Jade – What’s wrong with my roots? Cheeky Bitch!
Chantelle – What’s right with them.
Sarahs Phone rings
Sarah – sorry girls just gonna take this outside
Sarah leaves hairdressers to take the call
Pete – Sarah it’s me. I had to phone you.
Sarah – You sure you’re not too busy?
Pete – Don’t be like that. Look, I wanted to apologise for the weekend. I admit, I was distracted.
Sarah – It upset me a little bit if I’m honest.
Pete – That’s the last thing I want. Look everything’s been going great between us. I really don’t want us to fall out.
Sarah – We only had the weekend together, and I felt like your mind was else where.
Pete – My mind is always with you.
Silence……
Sarah sighs
Pete – Look, I tell you what. Why don’t I jump the train up and see you tonight? Ay?……
Sarah – What about work?
Pete – I’ll square it with them. I mean I’ll have to miss a couple of meetings and they won’t be too happy about that, but you’re the most important thing. You’re my priority…. And look, if it means me coming into work at 6am and doing 12 hour days next week to make the time up it’ll be worth it.
Sarah – No, don’t do that. Look, stay there and I’ll book my train to see you next week.
Pete – Are you sure?
Sarah – Yeah look I’m sorry. I know how important work is. I should be more understanding. I know you’re working for us. I love you.
Pete – You too.
Pete ends call with Sarah. Hear him dialing another number. It rings
Cindy – Hiya Babe. Calling me back now are yeh?
Pete – You know I’ve always got time for my favourite girl. Look, d’yeh fancy coming round to ours again tonight Babe?
Music up.
SCENE 5 – Kitchen
Rebecca – (to sarah upstairs) Alright well your tea’s in the oven when you want it.
Arthur – She not coming down again?
Rebecca – No she said she’s not hungry.
Arthur – I’m not half worried about our Sarah yeh know
Rebecca – I know, she’s just not herself
Arthur – Normally she talks to me about anything
Rebecca – I know…….. You any idea what’s going on?
Arthur – I know what I think, but you won’t like it.
Rebecca – Go on…
Arthur – I reckon it’s pete
Rebecca – Oh not this again
Arthur – No listen to me… think about it… she hasn’t been the same since he’s been back on the scene. I thought she got away from him once and for all. She was doing dead well without him, then he shows up again, worms his way back in, and now she’s not even coming out of her room.
Rebecca – So what are we meant to do Arthur. She loves him.
Arthur – I just want her to move on with her life and find a nice fella. And he’s not a nice fella.
Rebecca – I tell you what, I’ll go and speak to her. We’ll watch a film all together on the couch with the big blanket just like the old days. Have some family time. Try and cheer her up. Yeah?
Arthur – Yeah.
Rebecca – Try not to worry so much love. She’s still our little girl. She’ll be alright.
Music up
SCENE 6– Hairdressers
Chantelle – I’ve been meaning to tell you something
Jade – if you’ve ruined my hair I’m gonna kill yeh!
Chantelle – No! nothing like that. It’s serious
Jade – Whats up?
Chantelle – It’s about Pete
Jade – Sarah’s Pete? What about him?
Chantelle – I was thinking what she said in here the other week, and I know she asked us not too, but I couldn’t help it.
Jade – oh What have you done?
Chantelle – I had a look on facebook
Jade – Oh fuckin hell, what have you seen
Chantelle – Have a look at this picture on one of his mates pages
Gives her her phone
Jade – Yeah…
Chantelle – look behind him in the blue top
Jade – Is that pete?
Chantelle – Yeah
Jade – Oh my god, he’s a bit close to that girl isn’t he
Chantelle – That’s what I thought. I tried to have a look at her, but she’s private and I didn’t want to add her
Jade – She’s a proper dog as well. The length of that skirt on her, she looks like a right slag.
Chantelle – So d’yeh reckon we tell Sarah
Jade – No she’d kill us. Especially when she told us not to go looking
Chantelle – Yeah but wouldn’t you wanna know?
Jade – yeah but We can’t. He looks close to her, yeah, but he’s not kissing her or nothing. He could easily worm his way out of that one. You know what he’s like.
Chantelle – I know but,
Jade – (interrupting) no look, it’s none of our business. You heard what she said last time. We’ve got to respect what she wants.
Music Up
SCENE 7 – Pete’s work. Office noise
Greg – God, you haven’t got many sales on the board there have yeh?
Pete – It’s hard to get sales on the board when people keep putting the phone down on yeh. Who wants to buy insurance anyway?
Greg – Speak for yourself, I’m on for a bonus this month me. Anyway, you’re looking a bit tired lad aren’t yeh?
Pete – so would you be if you had 2 women on the go.
Greg – Fuckin hell, are you still at it with that Cindy from accounts?
Pete – Been up all night lad. She’s only 21.
Greg – I couldn’t do that me. Where do you find the time? You got a schedule?
Pete – Well when me bird goes home I know she’s gone then.
Greg – ay Which one d’yeh like better?
Pete – They’re both good in different ways…. That Cindy though. She’s exciting. Sarah, shes…just….. yeh know….
Greg – Is your bird onto it?
Pete – I blag me way out of anything don’t I. I nearly got caught the other day though. Cindy kept textin & calling when I was out with Sarah.
Greg – Fuck off, How did yeh get out of that?
Pete – Blamed it on youse. She lapped it up.
Greg – so Is it just them two or?
Pete – Yeah, but I do have a little dabble when I’m out…. Depends what comes along.
Greg – Fuckin hell, I’d forget who I’d told what to me.
Pete – Nah, I’m too clever I can get out of anything me.
Music Up
SCENE 10 – Bar.
Music down, bar noise up.
Cindy – It’s boss.
Pete – It’s alright innit
Cindy – You only like coming in here cos there’s loads of girls
Pete – You know I’m only after you babe.
Enter Jade
Jade – Pete?…. Pete!
Pete – Oh alright Jade. What are you doing here
Jade – I’m down for a few days with work. Who’s this?
Pete – This is Cindy. A mate from work. We work together. Sarah knows her.
Jade – oh does she now?
Pete – Yeah she does yeah. D’yeh want a drink?
Jade – No I’ve got one. I wanna know more about this Cindy
Pete – I’ve just told yeh
Jade – How old are you Cindy?
Cindy – what’s it to you?
Pete – Why are you asking how old she is?
Jade – it’s a simple question
Pete – Look she’s just a friend ok.
Jade – I’m not sure it is ok Pete. How do you think Sarah would feel about you taking other girls out to bars while she’s stuck at home?
Pete – well it’s not my fault she’s at home
Jade – I tell you what, I’ll call her now ay.
Pete – No you don’t have to. I’ll call her myself later.
Jade – Listen, if you hurt her again
Pete – What are you accusing me of Jade?
Jade – I think it’s very fucking clear what I’m accusing you of.
Pete – I’m sorry about this Cindy.
Cindy – No it’s not your fault.
Pete – I’m so ashamed of the way your acting towards my friends. Making a scene. Sarah would be mortified.
Jade – Would she yeah? We’ll see. Why don’t you two have a nice night.
Music Up
SCENE 8 – Kitchen
Jade – Your mum let me in…… How come you haven’t been answering your phone to me?
Sarah – I’ve been busy with Uni.
Jade – Look, I’ve got something to tell you and you’re not gonna like it…. I’ve been thinking and thinking and I didn’t know whether to tell you or not, but I know if it’s me I’d wanna know…. When I was down there the other day with work, I was in this bar, and I bumped into Pete….
Sarah – Right….
Jade – I’m so sorry, but he was with some other girl. And it was obvious something was going on between them.
Sarah – Right….
Jade – and look I know you told us not too, but me and Chantelle found something on facebook too. It was a picture of him with this same girl. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but after the way he was with you last time….. God Sarah, you can do so much better…
Silence
Sarah – Have you finished?
Jade – Well…. Yeah…
Sarah – You’ve got some nerve you.
Jade – What?
Sarah – Pete told me all about him seeing you in that bar, and how you wouldn’t leave him alone and you were throwing yourself at him
Jade – Sorry what?
Sarah – And how you begged to go home with him, making a show of yourself
Jade – Sarah!
Sarah – and when he finally turned you down you got all nasty.
Jade – I’m not having that
Sarah – He said you’d make some crap up about him with someone else
Jade – he’s lying
Sarah – He’s not lying. you’ve probably wanted him for yourself this whole time haven’t you? You’ve always been jealous of us. Always trying to interfere and medal. Well I’m not having it anymore.
Jade – Sarah you need to listen to me, he’s got into your head.
Sarah – No You need to leave. I mean it, get out. I want nothing to do with you. I don’t need friends like you.
Jade – Do you know what, he’s a lying cheating rat, and he’s laughing at you and the sooner you realise this the better.
Sarah – oh shut up you little slag
Jade – oh I’ll tell you one thing, don’t come crying to us when it blows up in your face.
Sarah – Go on get out.
Jade – yeah I’m going.
Hear Door slam.
Music (time passing, this is filmic as it allows us to jump from one place to another, almost like a montage)
Sarah makes a call…. We hear it ringin
Sarah – come on, answer your phone
Club soundscape. We hear buzzing
Cindy – D’yeh need to answer that
Pete – Nah don’t worry babe, it’s no one. Lets have another drink ay.
Music up.
Sarah calling again
Sarah – Please answer your phone Pete. I really need you.
Music Up.
Toilet in a club. Hear a flush. Hear Pete & Greg sniff a line(cocaine). Phone buzzing.
Pete – I wish she’d just fuck off.
Greg – Come on lad, it’s your round
Music Up
Sarah calling again. She leaves a message.
Sarah – Pete, I’m really missing you. I need to see you. You’re probably fast asleep now but I’ve booked the 1st train down tomorrow morning. It’s just I couldn’t wait until the weekend. See you in the morning. Love you.
Music Up
Bar sound
Pete – Come on then, you coming back to ours
Cindy – yeah course, let me just tell me mates where I’m going.
Music Up.
SCENE 9 – Petes Flat
A flat buzzer rings
Cindy – Pete theres someone at the front door
Pete – What time is it?
Cindy – 25 past 8.
Pete – Fuckin hell, just leave it.
Flat buzzes again
Cindy – Pete? Come on wake up
Pete – You just answer it then
Cindy – hang on. Where’s me clothes?
Pete – throw that t-shirt on.
Cindy – Ok hang on.
Flat buzzes again
Cindy – Comin!
Opens door. It’s Sarah
Cindy – Yeah?
Sarah – who are you?
Cindy – I’m cindy, who are you.
Sarah – I’m Pete’s Girlfriend Sarah.
Cindy – Oh. I think I should go.
Sarah – Yeah I really think you should.
Hear door slam.
Pete – Sarah!… what are you doing here?
Sarah – What the fuck is going on Pete?
Pete – Nothing.
Sarah – Nothing? It’s not even 9 o’clock in the morning and theres a girl answering your front door wearing your fucking t-shirt.
Pete – She’s just a mate
Sarah – Stop it! Stop lying to me Pete.
Pete – I’m not, she’s a mate from work. She stayed over cos she lives miles away and we were out late
Sarah – You’re lying to me again! You must think I’m stupid
Pete – oh You’re being paranoid
Sarah – don’t you dare. I’ve defended you against everyone. I done nothing but be loyal to you. Put you before everyone, and this is how you treat me
Pete – is there any fuckin wonder how I treat you, the way you are? Everyone comes before me, your friends, your family. You let me move down here on me own.
Sarah – What did you want me to do?
Pete – Come with me! If you’d have loved me you’d have come with me!
Sarah – what? And leave everyone behind? You’d like that wouldn’t you. Me on my own. Just the way you like it.
Pete – Oh fuck off.
Sarah – How many times did this happen Pete? More than once? Pete!!! I’m talking to you!!!! Tell me the truth
Pete – Yeah I’ve shagged her yeah. Is that what you wanna hear. I felt lonely and she was there and you fucking weren’t. What did you expect me to do.
Sarah – I don’t know why I expected anything different from you. You haven’t changed. Me dad was right. You’ll never change. And I can do better than you. Years from now, you’ll still be in this shitty flat all on your own, working in a jumped up sales job for next to no money, but Ill be ok. I’ll be settled down, with someone new and I’ll be happy. And I won’t even remember your fucking name.
Smack.(Pete hits Sarah)
Silence.
Pete – Im sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit yeh. Sarah no. Please don’t go. Please. Sarah….
Music up.
THE CHAIN OF INCOMPREHENSION
TACC
July 2019, youth center “El Forat”, Barberà del Vallès (SPAIN)
Participants:
Sandra Borrego, Marta Lorite and Carlos Álvaro (youth workers)
Rubén Capitán, Pau Ponce, Carlos Espejo (adolescents)
Brief introduction:
“The chain of Incomprehension” was the result of a intergenerational action, in which young people aged 18-24 y.o. had the chance to co-lead some theatre exercises and techniques, as well as ice-breakers, with the teenagers that go to El Forat youth center, in Barberà del Vallès, always with the support of the youth workers working there.
During the different sessions, they started a theatre-forum around the incomprehension of the young people at home, and it derived to the topic of the lack of understanding towards LGTBI adolescents in the family, as well as in the environment of friends, the media, etc.
Short description of what it is the pod play about:
The adolescents started to debate about the topic of sexual identities and orientations, and if they thought that there were respect and acceptance to that existing diversity, as well as if their families understood or accept their sexual orientation or, on the opposite side, they faced some obstacles.
After that they discussed about how they thought that they could change the oppression realities, and whether films, literature, serials, YouTube, and cultural stuff in general reflected their daily situation as people, whatever the situation was; they also discussed about which social media reflected more LGTB issues, and whether there were differences between YouTube and the TV.
As a conclusion, the adolescents defined the meaning of oppression as if they were explaining this concept to a person of another planet.
TRANSCRIPTION
Scene 1
Audio Antipatriarca, Ana Tijoux (10/20 seconds)
Hi everybody! We are Sandra Borrego, Marta Lorite and Carlos Alvaro, from El Forat, Socio-educational Service for Teenagers of Barberà del Vallès. The aim of this podcast is to explain how our social theatre workshop has gone and also to reflect on the themes that we have discussed throughout this creation process.
MARTA: Carlos is the person who has taken over this workshop and he’ll gonna contextualize us the process. Carlos, let’s explain us what it was.
CARLOS. Throughout this spring of 2019 we started the SCRIPT project, a theatre project with teenagers and young people that is taking place in Greece, Romania, United Kingdom and also here in Barberà. We are a municipality near Barcelona and we have a lot of art.
SANDRA: Tell us! how has the process gone? And the result?
CARLOS: At the end of the process we had some setback that did not allow us to represent the work that we were developing throughout the sessions, but we have a quite built result and above all, we have had a very fertile process in terms of expression.
SANDRA: So do you think that there is a desire to talk about social issues?
CARLOS: Desire and also need. In addition we also take a whole series of learnings about what has worked better and that we will change in the face of other theatrical processes with teenagers that we will do in the future.
MARTA: Going back to the process. How was it developed?
CARLOS: After a few sessions doing theatrical games, we were open to talk and to dramatize around social problems in which we felt identified.
M: What were the topics that you started to treat?
C: One of the themes that we began to give shape was incomprehension. When you want to express something but you do not feel in confidence to do it in your environment or when you do it but you don’t find the understanding that you need at that moment.
Derived from this more generic theme, the group was taking the conversation to the misunderstanding about sexual diversity, especially in the field of the family.
Once we detected the problem, we saw the need to broaden the view, that is, what obstacles exist between our families and us so that there is no understanding or acceptance of our sexual orientations? Who places these obstacles to diversity? Who do they benefit and whom do they harm? Anyway, what about personnel and what is it social in this conflict?
S: Wow! There is a lot of stuff! How did you do to incorporate all that questions in the play?
C: To visualize that this problem has a structural dimension that goes beyond the specificity of each family, we were working on an introduction. Even so, in a theater-forum the focus is on the question and not so much on the answer. We are not doing propaganda but opening a debate on a problem that we do not know how to solve. If we knew how to solve it, we would not be doing theater but we would be applying those solutions in real life.
S: Wow! There is a lot of stuff! How did you do to incorporate all that questions in the play?
C: To visualize that this problem has a structural dimension that goes beyond the specificity of each family, we were working on an introduction. Even so, in a theatre-forum the focus is on the question and not so much on the answer. We are not doing propaganda but opening a debate on a problem that we do not know how to solve. If we knew how to solve it, we would not be doing theatre but we would be applying those solutions in real life.
S: So could we say that theatre in that sense is a laboratory of reality?
But we did move forward now that we did not want to convey to the public that this happened because the family of the protagonist was bad with her. Or because he was ignorant or any other hasty conclusion. We wanted to transmit transformative potential, not show the crudest part. Not because it does not exist, but because we wanted to take care of the group and the public as well. Many times it is easier to work from the subtle than from the more complex because you get more people.
M: Even so, it’s quite complex …
C: Yes, because the family of the work, despite being oppressive in that context, is a potential ally if the social situation changes or if their attitude towards the problem changes. With this we do not want to justify the oppressor or antagonist. We make the theatre of the oppressed, not the theatre of the oppressor. Even so, it is interesting to frame conflicts when we do theatre, so that the final product is understood and it is useful to the community where it is represented and not left in a fight of good against bad, as in the Disney movies with which we have grown.
We have tried to add nuances and not to put insurmountable antagonists. We do not want to frustrate the public; we want to inconvenience them enough to generate reflection. At the same time, being careful not to despair who is in a similar situation and does not know how to approach it. That is why we are also adding humor. Humor is very powerful for people to approach the topic … But you have to be careful.
S:Due to you weren’t able to show the results, what upcoming actions does the theatre workshop plan to do?
C: For now it’s time to wait for the return of vacation. We are in the phase of looking for more young participants for the project. This year we have only counted constantly with Alberto as a volunteer. He has been a very positive person in the project, but when working with teenagers we see that it takes more people to energize some exercises in a small group.
Once we return from the holidays, we will see how many teenagers want to continue in the group and we will see if with the new group formed feel the work created as their own or want to create a new one based on personal realities. Be that as it may, it is always stimulating!
S,M,C: Perfect, well let’s make way for the next section!
Scene 2
CarlosA. Well, Let’s start that second section! We have with us three members of our drama workshop. Here is Ruben Capitán, Pau Ponce and Carlos Espejo. (Carlos Espejo stood up and has gone to another place in the room…) //Scratch//
Well, first question…. Carlos, come here!….
First question what is sexual diversity? What do we understand about sexual diversity?
Ruben: So there are people that have like a different orientation to…for example, the homosexuals are the people who feel attracted to people of their same sex, and the heterosexuals are the people who like people of the another sex, if we can consider it like that.
CarlosA: And diversity is, …(Pau Ponce: the differences between each one)…well, the big fan of (Carlos Espejo. What heat!) Identities and orientations there are. Well, do you think there are respect and acceptance to that existing diversity?
Pau Ponce: Well, there is it but not enough. We improved but not to the limit. We have way to run. We could improve it more but there people who don’t want. It’s not that we can’t improve it more, is that there are people that don’t want.
CarlosA: And how do you think that we can change that oppression realities?
Carlos Espejo: So I understand that they must do campaigns that show to the people what are actually the sexual diversity. Maybe someone hate an homosexual because directly he felt in love with someone and [the first person] think it’s not ok. I think it’s positive that they do campaigns, adverts, about what it really is.
CarlosA. And what would be the target of those campaigns?
Carlos E. Campaigns from the city hall, maybe, or done by people that homophobes consider that they aren’t normal people, and targeted to homophobes that… Well, a gay is just someone who likes another man, for example [could be the message].
Carlos A. Let’s go with the next question. Do you think that films, literature, serials, YouTube, and in general cultural stuff reflect your daily situation as people, whatever the situation could be?
Ruben Capitan. I don’t think so. Because films reflect a story and in the reality is not the same. For example in a film you can see that only if you go out from the closet they will hit you and they’ll do you whatever they want. Actually, if you go out from the closet maybe there are people that even stand by you.
CarlosA. Can you explain what is going out from the closet for someone that maybe don’t know the meaning?
Ruben: Yes, I can. Is when a person already knows that s/he is homosexual, bisexual or every LGTB stereotype and decide to explain it to their family, some friends.
CarlosA. Well, so you think that in the serials all another audiovisuals…. they talk about it? Do you think they talk about LGTB issues?
Ruben: Nowadays, I think so, but anciently in the 80’s…
CarlosA: What do you mean saying anciently in the 80’s? I have born in the eighties!
Ruben: Sorry, sorry but it’s true!
CarlosA: Ok, ok, it’s ok
Ruben: They didn’t talk about in films. There were no references to LGTB issues. Nowadays it is coming to light in films, serials…all…Lately it is being showed more than in the past.
CarlosA. Apart of LGTB issues, do you think that social media reflect your daily reality? In serials, in YouTube? Can you see easily someone’s video that speaks about something closer to you? In TV? There are differences between YouTube and the TV?
Pau Ponce: I think there are differences between YouTube, YouTube and TV. Because there are some YouTubers that speaks more with the people that follow them. Or they talk about an issue and you feel identified with him. Nevertheless, in TV if they speak about it is because it passed something so very big (Ruben saying: pride parade…) or because there is a day for celebrate something. But they say it one punctual day for seeming good people and then they don’t talk about it since the next time.
CarlosA. You for example can broadcast a YouTube video but you can’t appear in TV whenever you want. Or we can be here broadcasting it but we can’t be in the daily news talking about what we want. So, do you think is important to arise stories about situations we are living people that can’t access to social media?
Carlos E. I think so, because is a way to the people to be informed about that reality and about that stereotype of homosexuality in the minds of so many people. And I think the people who do that [show stories] is doing it well because is informing the other people.
Carlos A. If not it could exist some kind of invisibilization of a situation. If in every screen that evolves us…
Carlos E. There are a lot of people saying being gay is not bad and there are a lot of people saying it is bad and toxic being some of that people.
Carlos A. Who has more social voice about those issues?
Ruben: YouTubers. I could say that YouTubers are more in relation with this. For example…
Now I’m going to put in a topic of a YouTuber if I can if you let me…
Carlos A. Well, let’s go!
Ruben: She is a very, very, Christian YouTuber, I think she is called Quica Nieto or something like that. She made a Questions and Answers video and a question of a follower was about homosexuality attending she is from a very Christian family. She said she don’t like that there are gay, bisexual people because God created the man and the woman because they must be together. That’s what the YouTuber said! So I think… What are you saying?! The people can be like that. If the bible said it doesn’t matter! If you love someone you’ll keep loving him/her and keep being honest with it. It’s not because in a book written 50 million years ago that it’s wrong you must think it’s wrong! NO. No
Pau: I think that TV has more effect than YouTubers. YouTubers in the end is a person giving a personal opinion, as I can do or as can do whoever. That YouTuber [the YouTuber in the last comment of Ruben] maybe is followed by one thousand people or whatever. Instead a TV, a news channel, is seen by a whole country or maybe more than one. In that way it [the message] flows a lot.
Carlos E. What I think is that YouTube isn’t a very ancient thing…CarlosA. As me!….I think the people older than 40 years old won’t take it seriously what a YouTuber is saying because s/he is not used to be in that media, that person of 40/50 years old will trust what TV shows. Instead, a teenager of 15 years old, 13 years old, will trust in what is seeing at YouTube.
Ruben: We may consider that both are right, because the same number of citizens would pay attention to the same. For example, there are YouTubers with 10 million of subscribers and are also countries that have 10 million people, so… it can be equal. Is what I think!
Carlos A. Well, so turning to the issue of create your own stories about situations that you lived in different circumstances of racism, homophobia, social class, bullying or whatever… do you think it’s important to use tools like theatre or another kind of tools, for express that experiences, to make it visible in the community?
Carlos E. It is important that to see the dark side of the whole situation, the hidden side.
Carlos A. There’s a quote that says that the history is written by the winners. What we do is to deny it and say: no, we also have things to say about our history, even we are not in the top of the society. In relation to this, you commented things about the concept of oppression.
Scene 3
How do you can explain to a person of another planet what does an oppression mean?
Summary
Ruben. With homosexuality for example is to say you that you must be heterosexual
Pau. Manipulation to make you to do what other people want and avoid that people the diversity of thinking
Carlos. Cut the wings to someone. To have the power to make someone to do what you want and not what s/he want.
We say goodbye to Ruben…
Scene 4
Valorations of the workshop Positive: Pau: you learn a lot, you learn the diversity of opinions in the group and the diversity of kinds of expression with theatre, with the thing we are doing now or others Carlos E. here there is a lot of freedom to do. In other workshops they say what you have to do and how you have to do. If you don’t do it like they want, you are doing it wrong. Here we have freedom to do. Negative: Pau. Kaos in the beginning. Commitment. Carlos E. To begin making drama maybe the issue is very complex and hard. It would be better to use more humor, even to express a real issue we are living. |