Short Play by Romain Vuillez

From "An Evening of words and theatre" performance at the Ecole Polytechnique on the 17 February 2010.

SHORT PLAY by Romain Vuillez, Acted by Matthieu Hubert and Sophie Potin

A couple on a couch at a party.

SALOME : It was something really pure, you know, being in the desert, all alone... At night you really get the feeling you are the only one left on Earth... but at the same time, I have never been so close to anyone than the Bedouins we were working with. The Bedouins are really amazing people. So much dignity... We shared tea with them, it was so meaningful, for them because it's part of their culture, and for us because we got the feeling of being accepted, as if we were belonging to the tribe. Their life is so different from ours, everything counts, the time is slower, and in a sense everything is much more intense... You know what I mean ?

JOHN : Yeah...

SALOME : You know, I tend to be very open, because I think that it's really important to connect to the others ; like now we are talking and while I'm sharing my thoughts with you, it's just like the inner me is touching the inner you. I can't stand people faking, or people being bored by sharing, because it's what really matters, you know. I like sharing with people, even in the small moments in life, when you go to the laundromat, when you go to the grocer...

JOHN : And not only by talking.

SALOME : Exactly, what was really strong in the desert was this bond that exists without words. But it is very difficult to get this kind of connection here, because everybody has something to do, somewhere to go, and everybody is always in a hurry. Including myself !

JOHN : I'm sure you have a lot of projects going on...
SALOME : Sure, I'm working on a new movie with the same team.

JOHN, coming closer : Really ? Great, about what ?

SALOME : Well, it's a secret, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. It's a beautiful experience. These people are so good at what they are doing, it's astonishing. You know, I believe there is a rule one must follow in cinema, the rule of the three Es : entertain, educate and elevate. Most of the time, a movie is all about entertaining, you have fun but nothing comes out of it. Or all about educating, but you get bored because nothing has been made to keep you interested. Some movies, and that is rare, manage to do both. But when a movie really reaches the spectator, makes him realize something important, really elevates his mind, then it's a masterpiece. And this new project is promising. Not only will it entertain, educate and elevate the spectators, but so it does with us who are working on it.

JOHN : Can't wait until it's out !

SALOME : I'm gonna tell you a part of the secret, because I trust you... You probably know I'm always deeply concerned by the environment, even if I've focused more on my career last times ?

JOHN : Of course, I've heard you've bought some land in South America.

SALOME : Yes, that's part of a bigger project, in order to give back the land to those who plow it. I'm glad you've heard from it.

JOHN (coming closer) : I really liked the idea ; very original, but concrete and simple.

SALOME : I know, people tend to avoid originality, have you noticed ? They never want to find out what's true and what's bullshit by themselves. But it is possible, you just need to look for the information. For instance, we are being manipulated by the big firms, but nobody realizes it because people don't read about it, don't ask questions... Who are Monsanto's shareholders, that's a good question. It's one of the themes of the movie.

JOHN : It's very interesting... (coming always closer)

SALOME : But don't tell anyone about it, okay ?

JOHN : Of course not ! I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me this. I really feel there is this connection between...

SALOME (standing up) : Hold on, I'm gonna get another glass of champagne.(leaving)

JOHN : Wait a sec... (on his side) Shit ! Hope I haven't had to stand all this for nothing ! Phew, there she comes again.

SALOME (sitting) : Where were we ?

JOHN : You were telling me about...

SALOME : Oh yes I remember, the fact that people always believe what they are being told and never question it...

JOHN : That's right.

SALOME : You see, when there was this little scandal a few years ago...

JOHN : It's a shame how your words have been twisted !

SALOME : Oh thank you, I appreciate that. You know, I never said it hadn't happened or so, I just wondered if everything was as simple as they pretended... You know, it would not be the first time that a government manipulates the media.

JOHN : That's for sure !

SALOME : But nobody understood it, and nobody checked out what I had really said. But we talk, we talk and it's getting late, I need to go !

JOHN : So soon ? Let me take you back home...
SALOME : That's sweet of you, but it won't be necessary, I have a chauffeur. It was really nice speaking with you, we really had a good connection here, don't you think ?

JOHN : I was just thinking the same thing ! Why don't we...

SALOME : And that's really important, you know being able to share like this, so to say for nothing, just understanding each other, get to know each other.

JOHN : Yeah that's why...

SALOME : That's why we should take care of such small beautiful moments of life as if they were precious things, try not to destroy them.

JOHN : Certainly...

SALOME : I'm so glad you feel the same way than I do ! It was a real pleasure meeting you, John. I really like these kinds of memories, of very truthful exchanges. (kissing goodbye) Well, bye ! (leaving)

JOHN : Wait...wait... Damn !

The END !

PLAY by Romain Reboulleau

From

"
A
n

E
v
e
n
i
n
g

o
f

w
o
r
d
s

and theatre" performance at the Ecole Polytechnique on the 17 February 2010.

"PLAY" By Romain Reboulleau.
Acted by Manuella Boujard
and Tristan Picard
(Tree and butterfly: ? tba)

Characters:
Sean: 20 years old, has always lived in New York, kind of a bad boy.
Mary: same age, whimsical, with a permanent smile on her face

Setting:
Countryside. Some cows in the far background, a little river on the right. A broken bottle of gin lies next to a mobile phone, at the bottom of an old green tree. The summer sun rises slowly, the time must be around 8 a.m.

[Both characters are asleep: Sean on his back, outspread arms; Mary comfortably installed with what seems to be her sweatshirt under her head. Sean snores suddenly loudly, which awakes Mary. She opens her eyes and sits cross-legged.]

Mary: Hey, are you awake ?
[Snore]

Mary: Can you hear me ?
[Snore again, Mary gets closer]

Mary: Nope, I guess you're still sleeping... [Pause] I hate snoring people. I'm going to try that trick.
[She whistles, the snoring stops. Big smile on her face, and little innocent laugh. Then the snoring starts again]

Mary [shaking Sean violently]: GET-UP-I-CAN'T-STAND-IT-A-NY-MORE !!
[Sean awakes suddenly, and gets on his feet. Little innocent laugh again from Mary, who gets up]

Sean [visibly drunk]: My head... Where am I? Whohoooo...
[He falls and lies on his back again, in the same position as before. Mary stands over him, behind his head. She bends to get closer to his face]

Mary: Hi, my name is Mary. So what are we here for?

Sean: Hmm, what? What do you mean? How did I get here?

Mary: I don't know, you were already here when I arrived. I thought you were here for a purpose, so I stopped and decided to take a nap.

Sean: A nap? In the middle of the night? This is all insane!

Mary: Oh, no, don't worry, I must have slept, like, 20 minutes or so. The sun was already rising when I arrived.

Sean: Yeah, all right. I kinda don't care. Where are we?

Mary: How should I know? You tell me.

Sean: Do I look like I know what I'm doing here? I don't even remember leaving the house.

Mary: How come people don't remember what they do? [Little laugh] Must be funny!

Sean [still not moving, breathing with some difficulty]: You're already boring me. Where are we?

Mary [thinking]: As far as I can tell, we are in the middle of a field. A field where there are many cows. And a tree.

Sean: Oh, come on...

Mary: What? I don't know where we are, I was following a butterfly and I lost its trace when it went in that tree. Then I heard you snoring, I thought you were here for some important reason, like you were waiting for a nice white rabbit to get out of his burrow, or something of that type. [pause]
Were you?

Sean: [Sigh] No way... Get me my iPhone.

Mary: What is an eye-phone? Do you mean that kind of phone you can put on your eye, to see the person you're talking to? What does it look like?

Sean: Oh come on! My iPhone, my cell phone. Must be over there.

Mary: Oh, I see it!
[She gets to the phone with little jumps, takes it in her hand and watches it for a moment]

Mary: Nope, must be some kind of mirror. Useless.
[She throws it to the ground, next to Sean. He reacts and sits up to grasp his phone]

Sean: Hey, what are you doing? Are you crazy, that phone cost me three hundred bucks!

Mary: Oh, is this an eye-Phone? But there is no button...

Sean: Yeah, whatever. Cool, it's still working. [with a very common tone, like he's saying he will buy some tomatoes instead of potatoes] I would have killed you, I guess. Password, check; GPS...
[long pause] Come-ooon!!!! Shit. And no network, perfect. Guess we're stuck here with each other.

Mary: And the cows.

Sean: Probably.

Mary: So how did you get here?

Sean: I'm trying to remember. It could help me get back home. I was at my friend's, having a good, alcoholised party. [Thinking] Man, those tequila shots!! [Back to his reflexion] Then we went out because it was too hot inside, I think, and that's when I decided to go away. I remember something was telling me to leave. But I don't remember what...

Mary: Oh, I know, it was a rabbit. It happens to me all the time, they talk to me and ask me to help them to go somewhere. This morning one of them told me to follow the butterfly, so I did. But when I lost it, I needed to have another instruction, that's why I stayed here with you. [Explicative tone] You know, there is a reason why I do strange things like following butterflies... [Almost laughing] I'm not crazy, huh!

Sean: Yeah... No, I think it was someone's voice. 'Go away, go away!' So I ran. But I didn't stop...
Why?

Mary: Because you were scared?

Sean [with a contemptuous tone]: Haha, sure.
[He starts thinking about that last question. Mary looks at the tree.]

Mary [talking to the sky]: Oh, come here, come here... Please, no... No !! [To Sean] The butterfly left, I can't see it anymore. I'm going to get a telling off from the rabbit...

Sean: Oh, come ooon! Rabbits don't talk, are you crazy or what? No, I know, you must be that girl from the book: Alice's adventures in Wonderland. That would explain everything, the rabbits, the butterfly...

Mary: [Little laugh] You're talking nonsense.

Sean: Probably. I'm still drunk, you know.
[Sean tries again to make his phone work. Mary walks slowly around the tree, looking at the countryside.]

Mary: Hey, look, this is a sign from the rabbit! There is a smoke sign, over that house!

Sean: What? Shut up a minute, I'm trying to... [Interrogative tone] Smoke sign? Yes, I remember! The house burnt, that's why we were leaving!
[He looks at the house, while she returns to the tree, unconcerned. She sits in front of the tree, as if she wanted to see something in the trunk]

Sean [visibly waving at some people far away]: Hey, hey!
[Mary seems to be very concerned by the bottom of the trunk, nods at it. Sean is still looking at the burning house and the place where his friends seem to be]

Sean: Listen, I have to leave.
[She starts walking towards the other direction, as if something guided her, absolutely indifferent to Sean]

Sean [still looking away]: I don't know how to get you back home, maybe you can join us until we find your house... [Not sure about the name] Lily?
[He looks around, but she has left.]

Sean [heading off in the direction of the house]: Whatever!

END