David Halliday – Solo Performance

This is part of my script; I pretty much have it all finished and am happy with it. I just need to do some rehearsal time now and work shop it. I’m only letting out some of the script as I want you to come and see the performance. If you’ve been following my other posts and diary you’ll know my focus is about conversations; though the audience only hears one part of the conversation at a time, one person speaking. You will see the conversations in full in the script – two people talking – this is because I need to learn both sides so I can leave the appropriate pauses and natural reactions. In the actual performance there will only be one character on stage speaking their side of the conversation. So, here it is – let me know your thoughts.  The dialogue is based on real conversation that I’ve either been part of or overheard.

THIS IS THE OPENING

Stage is set up with two rectangles on the floor, each with a chair in that faces towards the other. By each chair is a sign which reads, “Life is full of talk”; although they can’t be seen until the lights come up as the Stage is in darkness and VOICEOVER comes up

V/O:(Pause) Ah! Silence (pause) isn’t it wonderful?

You know in the world today there’s so much talking and communication.

(Humdrum noise of voices talking)

Through social networks we tell each other everything – there is always some noise in our world, some form of exchange.

(Voices get louder)

In life we meet so many people, whether its friends, interviews, colleagues at work, people in the street.

(Voices get louder)

Everyone wants attention

(Pause)

Some even say we do not listen to each other anymore; we’re too preoccupied by what we’re going to say next.

(Voices get louder)

Then there’s the media; 24 hour news always blaring, Television shows, Films and even a trip to the Theatre.

(Noises cut out)

Ah! Silence (pause) isn’t it wonderful?

(Pause) Even the Bible begins with silence,

Genesis 1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said…”

(Pause) and the noises of the World have never stopped since.

V/O out and Lights up on section one

MAN:(upset, heavy breaths as though trying to control himself before

 he begins)

I don’t know what to say…

(laughs sadly) sorry…

It’s not fair… I mean…

(pause and he sighs)

Can’t we…? I just…

I don’t know what to say…

Slow cross fade as lights out on section one while lights come up on section two, the radio is playing. Only the person in bold speaks

HAIRDRESSER: Have you been offered a drink?

 PERSON: Yes thank, I’m fine. 

HAIRDRESSER: Okay, so what are we doing today?

PERSON: Well, just a trim to the front, then shorter at the back and like moving it into the front.

HAIRDRESSER: Right, what about round the ears?

PERSON: Erm… well I hate my ears, so try to keep them covered as the length comes through?

HAIRDRESSER: Yeah, I can do that. Did you want a drink by the way?

PERSON: No, honestly I’m fine.

(A long pause)

So… have you been busy here?

HAIRDRESSER: Not really, like we were busy over Christmas and New Year so in a bit of a lull now – you know?

PERSON: Yeah…

(Pause)

Did you have a good Christmas and New Year?

HAIRDRESSER: Yeah, was really good! Like spent Christmas day with my boyfriend and then boxing went m’ mums. New Year just went out and had a few, you know? (Pause) Did you do anything for New Year…?

PERSON: Yeah, well I have a house in Lincoln, so took some mates there for New Year and we just went round town.

HAIRDRESSER: Oh, why you got a house in Lincoln?

PERSON: Oh I go to Uni there?

HAIRDRESSER: Oh, you’re a student! Bet that’s good…

PERSON: Yeah, it’s alright – do drama so, yeah it’s okay…

(Long pause)

Ha! Weathers a bit bad today ain’t it?

HAIRDRESSER: Yeah, was really foggy when I was driving in and it looks like it’s going absolutely pee it down! Can’t wait for summer me…

– LATER ON IN THE PIECE –

Performer changes into a CHAV appearance. Audio of a bus coming towards Performer who flags it down, bus brakes and the door noise is heard. Performer climbs on. Only bold speech is being spoken

CHAV: What?! I is only 15 – I’m not paying that. (Pause) what you mean I.D? I’m 15 I don’t have none – can’t believe you don’t believe me. (Pause) Fine! I’ll pay, here… urh! 

CHAV makes his way into section two as walking down bus and reaches chair with doll in it, the light fades out in section one.

CHAV:  Er… that’s my seat get out of it. (Throws doll out of chair and sits, looks at audience as other members on the bus)

Yeah, what you all looking at.

(Looks at person next to him)

Hmm!?

POSH: Nothing, I wasn’t looking at anything.

CHAV: Yeah best not bin! What are you gay?

POSH: No, I’m not… gay.

CHAV: Yeah best not be, don’t want some perv by me.

(Pause)

My god this bus driver is such a bell end!

POSH: (pause) Erm… yeah does seem to be talking these turns quickly (laughs)

CHAV: What you on about!? I meant coz he wouldn’t let me on for the under 16 price, charged me full price!

POSH: That’s a shame, are you under 16?

CHAV: NO!

POSH: (long pause) Are you getting off at the next stop?

CHAV: No, why you want to follow me home pedo?

POSH: No, I am though so can you let me out?

CHAV: YEH! (Slightly moves)

POSH: (Rings bell and attempts to climbs over CHAV, once out) Thanks.

There is a lot more happening in this performance and you will see both sides of the conversation at some point but I dont want to give too much away.

Moving on from my previous ideas of interior monologue I began thinking about procastination; something I’m sure we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives – whether making a cup of tea before doing work, suddenly deciding to sort that mess that was your room or inviting the Jehovahs Witness’ that you usually turn away in for tea. I’m sure none of us have gone to the extremes of the last one.

There’s another example above; me talking about procrastination rather than telling you my idea.

This idea stems from the last Work Idea – 24th Feb ’12 where I was discussing walking on stage as though I had nothing prepared and presenting my interior monologue. Instead though I would appear onstage as though I’m sat in my room trying to write my script and a number of other things keep coming up – starting small like fetching a drink and then going into the realms of the surreal; for example I imagine my desk chair is a piano and start to play it while at the same time the audio of a piano comes up. These small segments would end with me showing what I have written on my pad, “Did you enjoy the show?”

Quite a Brechtian and imaginative piece which I’m interested in exploring. Hopefully you can see how my work is developing though so please comment and let me know what you think.

This is an idea I had for my performance – you have to bear with me though as here I’m tracking the develoement of an idea.

The idea began with me walking on to the stage, a microphone set up and nothing prepare; I began my saying “Ladies and Gentlemen….” then nothing. What would follow is a voiceover of my interior monologue and me reacting to it.

Example,

“I’ve do nothing prepared what do I do? da da da da!” (stripping music) I begin to dance, “No, can’t do that!” stands still again.

That was where I began, from that I thought that I could create an inner conscious – sort of like little people running my body. So, in a similar way I would walk on stage and do to set the microhone to the right level and as I lean to raise the mic my head is next to it and you hear voices.  This type of thing has been done before and if you take a look at my research section you can find an example by Britanick comedy group.

Those were the two ideas I was thinking along the lines of; which would need expanding to fill ten minutes.

This was part of an exercise in class; the aim was to aid the flow of our imagination. All we had to do is write a short, abstract, none narrative event and then introduce a person to it. Then, we gave our work to someone else – in this case Jonathan Youl – who had to continue the piece. Finally, once the other person had added to the piece, we had to add in text. Here is what I created; please let me know what you think and the part in italics is what Jonathan contributed. When giving feedback, please consider that this is a piece about atmosphere so let me know what you thought/felt.

UNTITLED

Black out on stage. A single white spotlight from directly above with a sharp edge fades up over a stool which is centre stage. The curtains draw in to frame the stool and a single violin begins to play a slow, sad melody.

After 20 seconds the sharp edge of the spot fades to a soft edge and the music continues.

After another 20 seconds a woman in the audience stands and slowly makes her way to the stage; when she reaches the stool she sits on it. She looks round the audience once and begins to cry. 

The music continues for another 30 seconds and then the curtains close fully.

(JY) The woman’s head appears through the curtain and she looks around as though she knows the audience. She draws back behind the curtain and begins to sing. The curtains reopen and the woman is seen pacing singing the Monty Python song,

“I wonder which way a fish did go…”

She pauses and runs off stage. The clattering of metal is heard and she enters back onto the stage with a salmon.

She stands holding the fish, presenting it to the audience and the curtains close.

A Bible quote is projected onto the curtains – it reads,

“I will make you fishers of men”,

 

We were set the task of extending the autobiographical performance we had created the previous week and told to include a seeming non sequitar. I did create the work, which you can see below,  but it agrieves me to say I miss my chance to perform it – though my own fault. Please enjoy it and let me know what you think; I hope to eventually perform it so I can write about the feedback I received.

TSUNAMI IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

The story I’m about to tell you is called, “Tsunami in Stoke-on-Trent”;

For those that don’t know the dictionary definition of Tsunami is…

 

A large destructive ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or another movement of the Earth’s surface

 

This story is about myself and my friend Daniel Phillips and the first thing you need to understand is that Stoke is completely landlocked; the only water found is the River Trent which run through; hence why it’s cleverly called Stoke-on-Trent.

 

The next is about Dan himself;

 

Male, 22 – recently started his third first year at University and roughly 5 ft 7. Dan and I have been friends since our first Theatre Studies class in college, six years ago, where at the end of our first class when I hadn’t even spoken to him he came over and said “Hey, would you like to be in a film with me?”

 

I had to reply, “What kind of film were you thinking?”

 

 “Not like that! Not like that!” He laughed off in his grrrrr, manly I AM STRAIGHT way. However I had to tease him about that throughout our first year at college.  

 

The next is the sort of humour we share; it can be quite dark and cruel. For example when being shown the beautiful scene from the Elephant Man where he turns to the lady and says; “Would you like to see a picture of my mother?” Dan and I created many other lines such as; “Would you like to see a picture of my mother? She’s also my half sister…” And there were worse. This line “would you like to see a picture of my mother” became a common phrase. For example, (hold up picture of Maggie Thatcher) If we saw a not so attractive girl instead of saying something cruel like fugly, we’d subtly act like her and say the line. It even became a common greeting.

 

Until, after one night where I was meeting Dan to go the cinema and I was walking down the road where the Tsunami occurred. Dan saw me coming towards him when he was stood by a pub, a perfectly square pub with two windows on each side so if you stood on one side you could see diagonally through two windows. What a great chance! Dan thought to use the line and jump out on me. He waited, saw me and jumped onto my back and said “would you like to see a picture of my mother!?” and burst out laughing hitting my back.

 

Unfortunately that laughter soon stopped when he looked at my face and was shocked to see that I had a great big bushy beard and was not me at all but he had jumped on to a stranger. He was lucky not to be hit, the gentleman just as shocked as Dan walked away then turned round and called back “fucking freak”.

 

“Fucking freak” was to replace the old phrase as well as “great big bushy beard” because we did get to the cinema that night and it was to see Hot Fuzz where that line is said. But you see it had rained that fateful night where Dan had attacked a man with pictures of his mother. When he met me further up the road he walked past me as I’d not said hello too shocked by his pale white features. I had to turn and call him back; he saw me and relief swept his face. He started to recount the tale, but as I said it had rained that fateful night and by the road was a rather large puddle, stretching the length of this studio two and covering most the road. Stoke – shithole of England with terrible drains obviously. Dan is still shell shocked and explaining his story and we’re stood on the pavement half way along the length of the puddle when I see a lorry coming towards us doing about 40.

 

It hits the puddles and I see a wave of water rise and thunder onto the pavement, Dan’s looking the other way and doesn’t see what I’m seeing – in slow motion that is – I grab him and shout “ruuuuuuuuuuun!” Him not knowing why I’m dragging him running looks behind and sees the mound of water heading our way. His face turns ashen and he goes “urrrghh” which was his scream in slow motion. But we ran as fast as we could, the water pounding behind us and we can see the end of the puddle. If only we can…. we hurdle the last stretch and are safe. The water dripping from everywhere is settling back but we are safe and dry. And that is the only time there has been a Tsunami in Stoke-on-Trent.

I was given the task of presenting a story from my life and this is what I created; though before you read it I would like you to imagine you are in a nursery, sat on the floor being read to. For those who know the Lincoln University Campus think about the Library bar as it is now because that is where I would like to read the story but obviously for 16 yr olds and upwards not the current occupants. For those who don’t know, the Library was a student bar in 2009/10 but was closed and turned into a nursery. This is why I would like to use it as a performance space for the typical pub story below which should be read as though by a school teacher. I hope you enjoy it and please leave comments.

TSUNAMI IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

The story I’m about to tell you is called, “Tsunami in Stoke-on-Trent”; which involves myself and my very good friend Daniel Phillips. Now, I could be telling you about my Two Ronnie moment after last week’s lesson when I went into my corner shop and asked for four packs of AAA batteries; to which the shop keeper put one set of four on the counter and I said yes those are the type – I need four packs… to which he gestures to the pack, smiles and says four.

 But that tale will have to be for another day as it is much too short so back to the Tsunami in Stoke-on-Trent. The first thing you need to know is that Stoke is completely landlocked; the only water we have is the River Trent running through hence why we cleverly call ourselves Stoke-on-Trent with dashes and everything.

The next is about Dan himself; we’ve been friends since our first Theatre Studies class in college; six years ago. Where at the end of our first class when I hadn’t even spoken to him at all he came over and said “Hey, would you like to be in a film with me?”I had to reply, “What kind of film were you thinking?” He laughed and meant not like that – cause he’s a real straight GRRRR man – but I had to tease him about it for the rest of the year about how he asked me to star in his movies… needless to say no film was ever made but Dan and I are still firm friends.

The next is the sort of humour we share; it can be quite dark and cruel. For example when being shown the beautiful scene from the Elephant Man where he turns to the lady and says; “Would you like to see a picture of my mother?” Dan and I created many other lines such as; “Would you like to see a picture of my mother? She’s also my half sister…” And there were worse. This line “would you like to see a picture of my mother” became a common phrase. If we saw a not so attractive girl instead of saying something cruel like fugly, we’d subtly act like her and say the line. It even became a common greeting.

Until, after one night where I was meeting Dan to go the cinema and I was walking down the road where the Tsunami occurred. Dan saw me coming towards him when he was stood by a pub, a perfectly square pub with two windows so if you stood on one side you could see diagonally through two windows. What a great chance! Dan thought to use the line and jump out on me. He waited, saw me and jumped onto my back and said “would you like to see a picture of my mother!?” and burst out laughing hitting my back. Unfortunately that laughter soon stopped when he looked at my face and was shocked to see that I had a great big bushy beard and was not me at all but he had jumped on to a stranger. He was lucky not to be hit, the gentleman just as shocked as Dan walked away then turned round and called back “fucking freak”.

“Fucking freak” was to replace the old phrase as well as “great big bushy beard” because we did get to the cinema that night and it was to see Hot Fuzz where that line is said. But you see it had rained that fateful night where Dan had attacked a man with pictures of his mother. When he met me further up the road he walked past me as I’d not said hello too shocked by his pale white features. I had to turn and call him back; he saw me and relief swept his face. He started to recount the tale, but as I said it had rained that fateful night and by the road was a rather large puddle, stretching the length of this studio two and covering most the road. Stoke – shithole of England with terrible drains obviously. Dan is still shell shocked and explaining his story and we’re stood on the pavement half way along the length of the puddle when I see a lorry coming towards us doing about 40.

It hits the puddles and I see a wave of water rise and thunder onto the pavement, Dan’s looking the other way and doesn’t see what I’m seeing – in slow motion that is – I grab him and shout “ruuuuuuuuuuun!” Him not knowing why I’m dragging him running looks behind and sees the mound of water heading our way. His face turns ashen and he goes “urrrghh” which was his scream in slow motion. But we ran as fast as we could, the water pounding behind us and we can see the end of the puddle. If only we can…. we hurdle the last stretch and are safe. The water dripping from everywhere is settling back but we are safe and dry. And that is the only time there has been a Tsunami in Stoke-on-Trent.