In The Room
Chapter1
The sound of hydrothermal vents and the radio communication from Apollo 13 can be heard.
The stage gradually brightens.
A and B enter from the left and right, appearing as though they are being chased. They collide in the center of the stage and fall on their backsides. Then, they silently stand up and brush the dust off their clothes. After that, they look at each other's faces, expressing anger.
AB Hey! I tumbled to resemble with tangle! Cause of you!
A and B are bewildered as they realize they spoke the same words simultaneously. They then feel a sense of confusion.
AB W what did you say! Why did you use my usage!
Pause.
A and B exchange glances, take a deep breath together, and then with great force,
AB Few hares fear human hair!
Pause.
A and B exchange glances, take a deep breath together, and then with great force,
AB Random lambs ran down to the rum drum!
Pause.
A and B exchange glances, take a deep breath together, and then with great force,
AB Half of the foals will fall in holes!
A Wait
B Mistake, maybe
AB Again
Pause.
A and B exchange glances, take a deep breath together, and then with great force,
AB Half of the foals will fall in holes!
A and B try various movements as if testing each other, but all of their actions end up being mirrored. After completing a series of movements, they continue to glare at each other.
Pause.
The sound of an elephant's trumpeting is heard.
A and B look towards the audience,
AB It's a.......
A and B, at the same time,
A Airline's sound
B Telecaster's sound
A and B face each other,
AB Wait
Pause.
AB It's a.......
A and B look at the audience.
A and B, at the same time,
A Airline's!
B Telecaster's!
Pause.
A and B take a step back from each other,
A So ridiculous
B Completely. It's over
A questions B aggressively, pushing them back.
B responds while retreating.
A Well, why did you come here?
B I was chased and came here
A what chased?
B Many faces
A How many?
B About seven nation army
A It's heavy like honey?
B Yeah. Thanks to it, I'm thirsty
A For your loss, I'm so sorry
B And why did you come here?
B questions A aggressively, pushing them back.
A respond while retreating.
A It's same. I was Chased.
B What chased?
A It's same. Many faces.
B How many?
A About salvation
B It's like affection?
A Yeah. Thanks to it, I can’t keep an eye on
A and B move back towards the center,
B Then, that's same
A We are aimed with same aim
Pause.
A and B walk around in opposite directions, communicating through eye contact and gestures.
B scrutinizes A from head to toe while doing so.
B By the way...How old? Same age?
A How look?
B Time is limited, as you know?
A We only have time though
B Why?
A Nothing is beginning
B, exasperated,
B You got me
A Our future is brighter
B Are you sure?
A Morning sun is bright, right?
B Well, such words are used as "promising", aren't they?
A I didn't say. I only said "future is brighter"
B So hassle
A You read subtext yourself
B I don't know your language. It's out of my range
A I also don't know usage
B We can't divide two and three, each other
A Nothing was done so far
B You said "Future is vast", but you have said the past already!
A You can't let me get the point. It's like bendless joint.
B It's not "Bnedless", it's "hardness"
A Anyway, anymore we can't talk
B Checking meaningless is meaningful. Very much
A I don't have such knowledge. Hair-splitting
B Backbiting
A and B stop near the center.
Pause.
A All in all, in summary, in the end, as a result, so you want to say "All people are idiot because there is naught”? in conclusion
B I guess, probably, possibly, presumably, that is that, arguably. How many people can understand us?
A Such thing, unimportant thing
B Why?
A Rather than being understood, or even more specifically, rather than understanding that one is understood, it is more important and significant to understand that one is in a situation where one's existence is accepted without being understood.
B That is......too much, too far
A How? Why?
B If this is a play......
A goes to the audience and becomes a spectator.
A Hmm
B strikes a pose and speaks.
B Of course, we are main player
A The leading character
B Moreover, there is an audience because of a play
A How many audiences?
B starts to wander between the stage and the audience.
B Anything, ...well, one
A Wait. That means there are more people doing it than watching it.
B So what?
A So serious problem. If that's the case, play is for actor, not for audience, right?
B That's not our business. Play, in addition, the creation is only being at least logical space, like us.
A I see?
B And it's just a miser who is worried about number of audiences in art
A Exactly
B Let's get back to the topic. It doesn't matter about number. The matter is quality over quantity.
A What do you mean?
B Audience understands the content of the play or not
A Well, that is interested at present
A briefly looks towards the audience,
A Maybe they do not know at all
B As I though? But if Audience here totally do not know at all, I don't like it. If the reason of sitting is just feeling not like to leave this room, or mercy, I can't stand it
A Then, the solution is playing with ease to understand, for whoever
B Like papers? I don't want, never
A Why?
B If we can make it sense without exception, don't need communication
A But all persons are not divided at all. To a certain degree will gather
B As you pointed out, what I talked about earlier becomes a barrier to getting through this idea
A I don't care completely. No matter how you think about it, it's better to do what you want to do
B What?
A Without understanding, audience have sat with light wallet already. Even for just sleeping
Pause.
B That approval is similar to mother's
A Right
It starts to rain.
A and B notice the rain. They look at the sky and converse while feeling the rain. They try to take an umbrella and open it, but their conversation interrupts and they can't open the umbrella.
B Dogs and cats roar, although it is usually not recommended
A Cats and dipper is going crazy, don't you feel stupidly cold?
B Where's dogs? It is often said that it is rain of blessings
A The fire will go out easily
B Nevertheless, skin changes chickens, so cold
B collapses on the spot. Just before falling, releases their grip on the umbrella.
B Never mind. Go on conversation
Pause.
A Even so, sunny and raining, what should we say?
A collapse on the spot. Just before falling, releases their grip on the umbrella.
A Never mind. Go on conversation
Pause.
B The wedding for fox?
A Fox?
B Well, what for?
A Well...monkey?
B I've never been heard
A Perhaps, jackal
B Don't say such a stupid
A Horse or deer?
B Anyway, the sun shower is wedding for what
A If there is a wedding for animals, that's only shotgun marriage?
B Ahh...I guess so
A That means it, pregnant females have a wedding outdoor
B What an unpleasant saying!
A Um...er...if that is true, I'm worried about the baby in utero
B Indeed, exposited such a cold rain
A The baby will die with cold, such a warmth
B It's really cold, the rain
A and B shiver.
A Let's move to warm before can't move
B Good idea
A Let's stroll
B I hope goes well
The rain stops momentarily.
Chapter2
A and B stand up and walk, talking as they move. Occasionally, their gestures are accompanied by tremors.
A By the way, we mustn't watch animal marriage
B If I remember correctly, they mustn't be watched
A Really?
B Well?
A Actually, the supernatural is mostly hazy
B Certainly. Almost true
A Lose-Lose Relation, right?
B Maybe true. To show or to be shown, to see or to be seen, they're all not good
A I'm sure, there is a lure for sure, animals get colder
B The marriage has been already dire
A You've got a point
Pause.
A If we hold a wedding, should be convenient in zoo
B The reason is there are many people and we can cut corners to send invitations?
A That is about us. What I want to say is fox, monkey, jackal, horse, deer and so on, and so on
B Thus, they mustn't be seen and we mustn't see
A Everyone can't see at closed. For example, after their dinner
B You bet! That's a relief. They can't be seen, everyone doesn't see. Surprisingly, zoo wedding is great
A But they belong to the zoo for it
B That's happy for them, isn't that? At least, they can sleep and eat well. Animals guess "bless us with our effortlessness!"
A Maybe they also think "Let us dress blessed a dress". However, it takes long time to belong to
B What do you mean?
A There are only rare animals. Namely, there are not dogs. Common animals can't enter the zoo. In addition, it must be cute
B So hard
A And you said "they can sleep and eat well",
B Yes
A Oversleeping and overeating make them unhealthy. In the wild, they move to hunt but, In the zoo, there are no prey and just only dishes. So, get fat.
B It's better than being thin, isn't it? Being fat
A Moreover, their tooth get cavity since they live longer in vain than in the wild. Their tooth is wearing down
B It's so difficult for zoo animals
A It makes us think about a lot of things. But recently, smart one can exit from zoo
B I'm afraid to hear that. In the first place, accepting the zoo is strange, I thought
A Huh?
B The smarter than us will probably try us to join to the zoo
A Hell horror human zoo?
B It's so scary to think about it
A But if no worries about food and shelter, maybe there is thinking "not bad"
B The life of unshipped livestock is not bad?
A They've have been fat and cavity already
B That's true, muu
A Don't be serious. From the first, we are not cute and rare
B I see
A and B stop at the center.
The sound of an elephant's trumpeting is heard.
AB It's a.......
A and B, simultaneously,
A Telecaster's sound
B Airline's sound
A and B face each other,
AB Wait
Pause.
AB It's a.......
A and B face forward simultaneously.
A Telecaster's!
B Airline's!
Pause.
A and B, with a look of disbelief,
B So ridiculous
A It's over
B notices something in the audience.
B approaches A,
B Hey, look, something is there
A looks closely and searches.
A Well, Zoo?
B I was just thinking about going
A Nice, I didn't want to do anything else
B Yes, let's try not to do anything else
A All set
A and B go towards the audience.
A The sign, in front of cages
B What is there?
A and B look at the sign and read the words written on it.
B Elephant elephant
A Elephant lion
B Elephant elephant
A Elephant penguin
B Elephant hummingbird
A Elephant anteater
B Elephant newt
A Elephant tortoise
B Elephant tortoise
A Elephant anteater
B Elephant lion
A Elephant kangaroo
B How on earth......They're all here, a perfect peer, a little one queer
A They're all here, whole tier, lined up clear. But something is strange, you feel?
B What is strange?
A You know?
B I'm sure......That is......
A Stop. Too soon to make a conclusion
B Well, let's try to say the previous dialogue
A Elephant elephant
B Elephant lion
A Elephant elephant
B Elephant penguin
A Elephant hummingbird
B Elephant anteater
A Elephant newt
B Elephant tortoise
A Elephant tortoise
B Elephant anteater
A Elephant lion
B Elephant kangaroo
Pause.
A Um, I will get to understand something a little bit
B We came to mind earth other
A What is......?
Pause.
AB Oh
A and B look at each other's faces,
AB
Red!
A Why didn't we notice all is red
B The forest is the best place to hide leaves
A Hey, wait, is it strange?
B Don't speak scheduled dialogue
A remains silent. Then, as if starting over,
A I never thought I'd overlook such an obvious link
B It was so natural, we couldn't even think
A I agree
Pause.
A By the way, like......is it cold?
B Really? It wasn't my imagination
A Let's look for to rest
B Where is that? Such a convenient place
A looks around and finds something.
A Hey, look. There's such a convenient place
B notices the same thing.
B Well-arranged. Alright, let's go there
A "This way" written down
B That's prepared
A Let's liken
Chapter3
A and B both sneeze five times.
A So cold
B Father blesses us a lot
A and B separate and walk in opposite directions,
A We'll become red, such a ridiculous frequency
B However, wetting the rain long time is bad, indeed
A Ah, we saw red animals, so we'll accept it
B No pain no gain
A and B stop and,
B we arrived
A looks at the building's sign while,
A It shows Rest room
B Then, we can rest
A Let's rest so much
B Two hours? Three hours? Or stay?
A Then, 7440 hours
B Well, we have a lot of time
A That's right
B peeks into the distance,
B This room looks like basically for one. It will not so large
A Ok, we 'll manage to enter
B I agree
A See you later
A and B wave goodbye and enter separate rooms on the left and right.
A and B sit in chairs and stretch their spines.
AB I'm alone for the first time in a while. Not alone until just a few minutes ago
A and B notice a hole in the wall,
AB Huh?
A and B stare intently at the hole in the wall,
AB That's a hole, like pinhole
A and B peer into the hole,
AB What's hole? What’s beyond the goal?
A and B, peering intently,
AB Red, deep red, only red, the other side. Little dark, Glossy red....... The back of wallpaper......?
Pause.
AB Something is emerging...... Upside down and backwards...... That is......
Pause.
AB Me!!
A and B are so startled that their chairs make a loud noise.
AB I'm here, clearly, I am here, that is, in my eyes, obviously not others! That' why I am, that is not hallucination or twin deception, it's me!
Pause.
A and B stand up abruptly from their chairs and begin to pace around the room in contemplation.
AB Calm down, calm down me. That's me, all factors sign me. It's not Doppel or Ganger. Appearance, form, visage, visual, trace, framework, fat ratio, figure, countenance, ambiance, stature, demeanor, temperature, odor, air, all match mine. But content? If appearance is same, content also same? I want to believe there's nothing like me in this world, so have to gather evidence...... Originality of content...... Well, question, that's a question. Then I check that, and prove that is not me......
Pause.
AB But what should I ask?
Pause.
AB Well, I can prove to ask the favorite
A and B return to their chairs,
AB Do you like?
Pause.
A and B stand up abruptly from their chairs once again and pace around the room energetically.
AB I forgot important, what is favorite. But what should I ask......?
A and B sit back down in their chairs and peer into the hole again,
AB Do you like red?
Pause.
A and B stand up abruptly from their chairs once again and pace around the room energetically.
AB I forgot important, again, then, what is should I ask. Among the red things, what on earth should I ask for?
A and B sit back down in their chairs and peer into the hole again,
AB What should I ask?
Pause.
A and B stand up abruptly from their chairs once again and start pacing around the room energetically.
AB I really don't know that is same as me, so I got to think, to want concrete solution to imminent problem is better. Imminentness, imminentness......
Pause.
AB Oh! I remembered the reason to come here, I'm ill! Well, the question is one
A and B sit back down in their chairs again and peer into the hole.
AB Am I red?
Pause.
A Am not I black?
B It's not black. You are breathing
A All right. It seems that people who often assert themselves tend to be less reasonable than those who don't
B Don't you think I should be given priority over others if a situation arises where priorities must be set?
A I think you should be given the same priority as everyone else
B Why?
A If you ask me how, well, it just is
B Is it some kind of special situation?
A Yes. You Know well, I don't tell well
B Sorry, I forgot. It's too sudden. Not player knows eight moves ahead
A Is that so?
B However, even with that, you're still the same as everyone else
A So, must I die?
B Being there, you’re no different from the rest, no better, no best
A I can't accept it, even at this late stage yet
B So, do you know the difference between Merino and Corriedale?
A I don't know
B Cheviot and Southdown?
A Huh? What's that?
B That is also for me
A What a deal...... So, what's your spiel?
B Comparing myself to others is futile and sterile
A Well......No matter how alike?
B It's as pointless as comparing red and black, their absolute values lack
Pause.
A By the way, how about some tea?
B That sounds good to me
A and B bring tea cups and sit down again. They attempt to drink tea, but their conversation is interrupted.
A The fee......
B interrupts A before they finish speaking.
B Weekend fee?
A Yes
B Is the world heading to its end?
A Gently, my friend
B Anyway, I feel this way just can't stay
A Don't say such things, it lacks all grace
B Lacks all grace?
A Blah-blah-blah
B Are you saying I shouldn't depict things as they are?
A Right
B That's so ruthless
A Life is not about being killed or being the killer
B What's?
A Neither being spared nor killed
B Are you saying to stay unfulfilled?
A Go ahead, if that's your will
B Hmm
A By the way, don't you find this room quite strange?
B looks at the ceiling and towards the audience area.
B With too many lights and that dark range?
A That's a waste of words, I must say
B Then what?
A Things falling, and the break of day
B That's odd? In what way?
A Yes, indeed
B It's like that because it's meant to be
A Just think about it, please
B Think about what? It's not worth it to me
A and B set down their tea cups.
A collapse on the spot from their chair.
A Never mind. Go on conversation
Pause.
B By the way, do you think there are others in the world?
A What do you mean?
B Just as it seems
A I think so, indeed
B Why?
A Well, look and see
B Are they really there?
A They are, I swear
B They're not, I declare
A That's just not fair
B In this tiny box?
A It's home if you let it be
B There's no room for a hat, it’s so cramped you can't see
A So what if it's tight?
B It's too close, too narrow, it feels like a blight
A It's not narrow, it's near
B Are you okay with a closed circle here?
A Yes, I am, without fear
B collapses on the spot from their chair.
B Never mind. Go on conversation
Pause.
A By the way, how do you feel?
B How was it, can you reveal?
A You seem fine from what I see
B Don't make assumptions about me
A I apologize, that was rude
B It truly was, dude
A So, once more. How do you feel?
B Just guess, be real
A You look fine to me
B How fine do I seem?
A Hmm, yellow?
B Correct, fellow
A That's good to hear
B I can eat without fear
A Chicken? Beef?
B Let's settle this beef
A The feed is lead
B Bring it ahead
A and B get up and point guns at each other,
AB Finally, the truth will be said
Tension fills the air. Just as both are about to pull the trigger, a chime rings out.
to be continued