And so here's your double dosage! I spent all of today in school doing drama, which culminated in a performed rehearsal in front of some bewildered 3/4th years. As part of the exam, you have to create a drama from weird stimuli you get from the SQA. We chose a bunch of positive words specifically positioned and we chose to use that as a mural in the background of our 'Personality Clinic' where the drama takes place.
Here is an extract for those who have a vague interest:
SCENE ONE
Lights up on the waiting room at “The City Company Personality Clinic.” There are a couple tables and some chairs DSR, placed on the table is a bowl with some pebbles in it to assist in creating a spa-like atmosphere. Behind this, USR, is a mural with lots of positive words written it, and highlighted in bold are the words: passion, talent, love, joy and luck. USL there is a semi-circular reception desk with JOY (the receptionist) sitting behind it. There is a phone and a plant pot on the desk. Something else spa-like is next to her desk so that can be used for slapstick later.
Joy is a perfectly pleasant person; she has clearly had many treatments in the past but there is something robotic and twisted about her. She has a layer of creepiness below the surface.
DEBBIE and BERT BROWN enter USL. She is coaxing him over to Joy’s desk.
Joy: Hello there lady and gentlemen and welcome to The City Company Personality Clinic. My name is Joy and I will be your persistence today.
Debbie: Great, in that case, can you persuade my husband that it’s a much better idea to spend our honeymoon money on rescuing our already failing marriage than renting a villa in Majorca for 2 weeks?
Joy: I’m sorry Mrs...
Debbie: Brown. Bert and Debbie Brown.
Joy: I’m sorry Mrs Brown, but I think you misunderstood me. I will be your personal assistance during your treatment today.
Joy realises that since she didn’t understand the lingo that:
This is your first time here isn’t it! Oh you’ll get to grips with the lingo in no time hun. What are having treated today? Patience?
Debbie: No! This isn’t for my benefit. Well, it is. (Bert’s attention wanders) Bert! Pay attention! (to Joy) We’re here for to fix our little passion problem. This man here doesn’t tell me he loves me often or emotionally enough. I’m not asking too much am I Bert? To say, I love you once in a while? God, it’s like we’ve been married for 40 years already. Do you having anything to say?
Bert opens his mouth to speak.
Forget it. Now he’s not even talking to me.
Joy: Okay... your funds seem to be in order. I just need Bert to sign here.
Debbie moves and sits on the furthest away chair.
Joy: (in a stage whisper) I feel for you.
***
In case you didn't understand what was going on from that excerpt, a Personality Clinic is where you can go to have negative parts of your personality changed in order to improve your life. However the treatments have can have side-effects and create a twisted version of yourself. The message is about self-acceptance and we draw satirical parallels to the cosmetic surgery industry. I know, truly wanky stuff!
The other plays were about a girl from a strict religious family falling in love with a traveller and 'borrower-like' tiny people being trapped in a house once the owner has died and waiting for the post to pile up so they can make their escape through the letter box!
I have recently become obsessed with a show called 'Community' and I think this article in The Independent really sums up my televisual frustrations:
SONG OF THE DAY: Nuvole Bianche - Ludovico Einaudi
Tara x
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