Spotlight on a bunk bed centre stage. MEL sits on the top bunk swinging her legs languidly. TIG lurks on the bottom bunk. There is the noise of water dripping and the girls look cold, damp and bedraggled.
TIG: What on earth made us do it? I mean, I was on about going to Svalbard for god's sake! What did I think we were going to do? Swank off the plane in our pretty wool coats and elegant hat/scarf combos, snap a few pictures of Polar Bears gambolling in the snow? Find a cosy hostelry and quaff a few tankards or whatever viking types have, then pop on our topshop gloves and head back to the landing strip?
MEL: Well you did pack a fancy strapless number for Venice and it was bloody baltic there...
TIG: We really should check the weather forecast. Well no, we DID check the weather forecast - we just didn't understand what minus seventeen really meant... Or what Expensive meant for that matter.
MEL: At least we brought enough beer to keep us going for a while... But we need food! and caffeine!
TIG: I know! I can't believe they confiscated our herbal teabags at customs - I'd do anything for a pie and a brew!
Lights fade out.
Lights fade in. A busy cafe, people sitting round tables with floral tea sets eating in a civilised manner. MEL and TIG explode through the door. MEL is brandishing what at first looks like a gun, but is in fact a travel hairdryer wrapped in a pashmina. The cord slips out thoughout the scene. TIG wields a bottle of hairspray which she sprays in the eyes of the customers nearest the door. The sprayed customers scream and fall to the ground clutching their faces. This alarms the rest of the customers.
TIG: (Still wielding) Get down on the floor - this is robbery! I mean a robbery.
The customers get on the floor. MEL strides purposefully towards the counter where a woman is cowering. TIG darts from table to table shoving all the bread rolls in her satchel.
MEL: (to woman behind counter) Get me the coffee satchets. Now!
The woman hurries to grab all the sachets out of the dispenser.
MEL: In the handbag!
TIG: Get some sugar too! There's some of that brown cheese over here, should I grab it to go with the rolls? Ooh, and I think there's some packets of seal scratchings...
MEL: (To TIG ) Grab the cheese, no scratchings for me. (To the woman) And the de-caff, sister!
The woman shoves more satchets into MEL's handbag
TIG: Go! Go!
MEL and TIG make for the door. MEL trailing her hairdryer cord and TIG with what appears to be a chocolate croissant stuffed in her mouth. Fade to black.
Saturday, 10 February 2007
Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Activity 1.11 - Bernice
On a new blank page, turn actions into dialogue - dialogue will depend on actions. The more indirect the dialogue, the more intriguing (goody). Name the characters. to make it more interesting.
AMY enters from the left and finds a letter in the centre of the stage. She opens the letter, reads it and tears it into pieces, then exits to the right through a door.
IAN enters through the door and sees a scrap of the letter nearby. He picks it up.
IAN (mumbling): What's this...
IAN casts about the floor until he sees the rest of the letter. He hurries over to the letter and picks up another piece, he tries to fit them together to read them.
IAN: Oh no! Amy!
IAN drops the letter and dashes out of the door. After a beat, IAN returns through the door holding a mobile phone to his ear.
IAN: ...If so we're in real trouble. Yes, she's been here alright, but she can't have got the message. OK, will do.
IAN hangs up and puts the phone in his pocket and marches over to the scraps of letter. He bends down, gathers them up hurriedly and stuffs them in his pockets. He glances around to make sure he's not missed any pieces then leaves again through the door.
AMY reenters hesitantly through the door, then runs to where the letter was. On finding it missing she sinks to her knees with her head in her hands.
AMY: Shit! Shit, Shit, Shit!
IAN returns through the door and walks swiftly over to AMY. He bends down to her and helps her up.
IAN: Come on, it's not too late, hurry.
AMY and IAN hug quickly, then run out of the door.
The light dims. VINCE enters from the left carrying a gun. He begins to walk slowly towards the door. The light dims to black.
AMY enters from the left and finds a letter in the centre of the stage. She opens the letter, reads it and tears it into pieces, then exits to the right through a door.
IAN enters through the door and sees a scrap of the letter nearby. He picks it up.
IAN (mumbling): What's this...
IAN casts about the floor until he sees the rest of the letter. He hurries over to the letter and picks up another piece, he tries to fit them together to read them.
IAN: Oh no! Amy!
IAN drops the letter and dashes out of the door. After a beat, IAN returns through the door holding a mobile phone to his ear.
IAN: ...If so we're in real trouble. Yes, she's been here alright, but she can't have got the message. OK, will do.
IAN hangs up and puts the phone in his pocket and marches over to the scraps of letter. He bends down, gathers them up hurriedly and stuffs them in his pockets. He glances around to make sure he's not missed any pieces then leaves again through the door.
AMY reenters hesitantly through the door, then runs to where the letter was. On finding it missing she sinks to her knees with her head in her hands.
AMY: Shit! Shit, Shit, Shit!
IAN returns through the door and walks swiftly over to AMY. He bends down to her and helps her up.
IAN: Come on, it's not too late, hurry.
AMY and IAN hug quickly, then run out of the door.
The light dims. VINCE enters from the left carrying a gun. He begins to walk slowly towards the door. The light dims to black.
Activity 1.10 - Bernice
Consider the scenes in 1.8. Start developing them into a short scenario (outline). Write the bare essentials, don't describe anything or anyone, state what the situation is and what happens but no speech. Max 3 performers, objects can be used other than the letter but avoid furniture.
Ok - here goes!
1. AMY enters left and finds the letter in the centre of the stage. She opens the letter, reads it and tears it into pieces, then exits to the right, through a door.
2. IAN enters right from the door and sees a scrap of letter. He picks it up, looks at it then casts about until he finds the rest. He hurries to the letter and picks up another piece. He tries to fit them together to read them. Suddenly, he drops the pieces of letter and runs back out of the door.
3. After a beat, IAN reenters through the door. He is holding a mobile phone which he puts in his pocket. He marches purposefully over to the letter and gathers the pieces together. He stuffs them in his pocket, checks around to see if there are any left and leaves through the door.
4. AMY reenters hesitantly, then runs to the place where she initially dropped the letter, on finding it missing she falls onto her knees with her head in her hands.
5. IAN returns through the door and goes straight to AMY. He stoops to help her stand and says something into her ear, they hug. They look around the room then hurry out through the door.
6. The light dims and there is silence. VINCE enters from the left walking slowly towards the door, he is carrying a gun. Before he reached the door the lights dim to black.
Ok - here goes!
1. AMY enters left and finds the letter in the centre of the stage. She opens the letter, reads it and tears it into pieces, then exits to the right, through a door.
2. IAN enters right from the door and sees a scrap of letter. He picks it up, looks at it then casts about until he finds the rest. He hurries to the letter and picks up another piece. He tries to fit them together to read them. Suddenly, he drops the pieces of letter and runs back out of the door.
3. After a beat, IAN reenters through the door. He is holding a mobile phone which he puts in his pocket. He marches purposefully over to the letter and gathers the pieces together. He stuffs them in his pocket, checks around to see if there are any left and leaves through the door.
4. AMY reenters hesitantly, then runs to the place where she initially dropped the letter, on finding it missing she falls onto her knees with her head in her hands.
5. IAN returns through the door and goes straight to AMY. He stoops to help her stand and says something into her ear, they hug. They look around the room then hurry out through the door.
6. The light dims and there is silence. VINCE enters from the left walking slowly towards the door, he is carrying a gun. Before he reached the door the lights dim to black.
Activity 1.8 - Bernice
Follow 1.7 with what might happen next, just a line or two for each section. Use italics only and only spend a few minutes on each.
Consider:
1. Are your scenes a sequence?
2. Does something connect each one?
3. Is your person male or female?
4. What response might they provoke?
(This is going to be awkward - especially as I'm using italics for the questions....)
HE quickly reappears, marches over to the letter and gathers the pieces together. HE stuffs them in his pockets, checks to make sure none are left and leaves again.
SHE reenters hesitantly, then runs to where the letter was. On finding no remains SHE falls to her knees with her head in her hands.
HE reenters and walks over to SHE. HE drops down beside SHE and helps her up from the floor. They both look around and hurry off together.
A third character follows at a distance.
Consideration bits.
My little scenes are intended to be a sequence. At first the link is provided by the letter. Both HE and SHE have direct dealings with it, and that links them together. Then they meet and leave together, clearly establishing a relationship. The mystery third character is following them, this may or may not have something to do with the letter.
The sex of my characters don't really have any bearing on the action, initially I made one HE and one SHE to distinguish them. When I give them names this will be pretty much irrelevant.
I hope the response provoked by the scenes would be intrigue - at least that was what was intended - I'd want the audience to be wondering what was in the letter as I have tried to make it the catalyst for all the movements on stage, including the shadowy third figure who follows HE and SHE off stage.
Consider:
1. Are your scenes a sequence?
2. Does something connect each one?
3. Is your person male or female?
4. What response might they provoke?
(This is going to be awkward - especially as I'm using italics for the questions....)
HE quickly reappears, marches over to the letter and gathers the pieces together. HE stuffs them in his pockets, checks to make sure none are left and leaves again.
SHE reenters hesitantly, then runs to where the letter was. On finding no remains SHE falls to her knees with her head in her hands.
HE reenters and walks over to SHE. HE drops down beside SHE and helps her up from the floor. They both look around and hurry off together.
A third character follows at a distance.
Consideration bits.
My little scenes are intended to be a sequence. At first the link is provided by the letter. Both HE and SHE have direct dealings with it, and that links them together. Then they meet and leave together, clearly establishing a relationship. The mystery third character is following them, this may or may not have something to do with the letter.
The sex of my characters don't really have any bearing on the action, initially I made one HE and one SHE to distinguish them. When I give them names this will be pretty much irrelevant.
I hope the response provoked by the scenes would be intrigue - at least that was what was intended - I'd want the audience to be wondering what was in the letter as I have tried to make it the catalyst for all the movements on stage, including the shadowy third figure who follows HE and SHE off stage.
Activity 1.7 - Bernice
Imagine looking at an empty stage. A character enters & finds a letter. He or she opens the letter, reads it & tears it into little pieces, then leaves. Write dow the physical action of what might happen next.
A character enters and finds a letter. She opens the letter, reads it and tears it into little pieces, then leaves. A second character enters. He finds a fragment of letter, picks it up and looks at it. He sees the other pieces and moves over to them. He picks up another piece and looks at it, trying to fit it together with the first. He suddenly drops the pieces exits at a run.
A character enters and finds a letter. She opens the letter, reads it and tears it into little pieces, then leaves. A second character enters. He finds a fragment of letter, picks it up and looks at it. He sees the other pieces and moves over to them. He picks up another piece and looks at it, trying to fit it together with the first. He suddenly drops the pieces exits at a run.
Started!
Hello any lovely people who are helping us with our homework... Our Play Writing course has now started and we'll be posting activities on here. Any comments will be welcome (well, within reason). I'm going to direct my new course mates to this blog if they have time to comment on the workings-out bits, hence the titles named after the activities. The questions are from the OU 'Start Writing Plays' course, I've put these in italics at the top of my posts.
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