Play 9


on a stage



On a stage

Actor: So you're saying a movie and a play, that are the same, come out at the same time?

Actor: No, they're not the same... they coordinate. It's collaboration.

Actor: Collaboration?

Actor: Dude, collaboration. Collaboration absolutely has to be the next step.

Actor: Okay, I can dig

Actor: So i'm saying we make a play about something, and a movie about something but they coordinate and propel each other and by understanding one, you can understand the other...

Actor: I gotcha

Actor: And I want there to be all sorts of segments... like OH MAN, you know what we should do is make a variety show!

Actor: Actually, yeah that's a pretty good idea, we could

Actor: Oh fuck

Actor: what

Actor: we're doing this thing

Actor: the variety show?

Actor: Oh god no, this play

Actor: what play

Actor: the play we are doing right now

Actor: um

Actor: it's one of those plays that shows the creative process

Actor: so

Actor: ugh they're just so masturbatory, it's like anyone except your close friends who can see how they're involved fucking care about the “process” of writing and creating something... it's like just create something... how did I end up doing this play about what I'm gonna create, ugh fucking annoying

Actor: but wait wait wait, now that we're talking about it... right? (to audience) can we all address that we're talking about this being a play, when before we were just talking about your ideas for stuff, but now we're addressing that we're doing a play about making art later, correct?

Actor: Yes

Actor: so now that we're talking about it, it has become meta, right?

Actor: Oh god meta

Actor: what's your problem with meta?

Actor: Meta is just about as masturbatory as process theatre

Actor: dude, you know anything about Brecht?

Actor: Not really

Actor: well then you probably shouldn't talk shit about meta theatre

Actor: I'm not talking shit, I'm just...

Actor: wait wait wait... okay, think about this... we just started arguing and conversing like real life, right?

Actor: Well, Brecht isn't really “real life”

Actor: Not about Brecht, moron, I'm saying... I just talked to the audience, breaking the fourth wall, after you quit our performance to whine that it was a play about writing a play, thus making it meta, as we recognize it as theatre... but now if we keep arguing about germans or jacking off or whatever... that's back to conversation, back to the “real life” that theatre is attempting to depict, right? So then it transitions out of meta, and becomes just us arguing and having a conversation... but because there are people sitting in chairs in front of us, quietly watching us do this... then it's “realism”, right? But now I'm addressing it, so blah blah, on and on it goes,

Actor: Ad infinitum

Actor: how theatrical

Actor: 'Preciate it

Actor: I mean, but what's the end all... we either care that people are watching us and assess everything we do based on that, and then we either accept and invite the fact that we know that they are there watching us or we pretend that we don't know there, but everything we do is for them... for a rise, or a laugh or recognition at the end of the day. Or else we completely disregard the audience at all, like who cares if they have fun, or who cares if they learn or ever comprehend what's going on... it's like for us, and if they happen to be there, well lucky for them even if they end up getting absolutely nothing out of it.

Actor: It's dangerous

Actor: It is dangerous! It's just like, why are all these people watching me? And this is what I chose. What I opted to pursue. But sometimes caring either way just seems... terrible. Like I don't care that they're there but to not care makes me think this isn't work I should bother with

Actor: I get you, man. Theatre's kinda overwhelming

Actor: It's really overwhelming

Actor: Should we have a dance party?

Actor: Uh, yeah, probably

Actor: Awesome. Hit it man!

Music comes on. Actors, audience, everyone dances

Actor: Hey, who's having fun? Alright then.