SYNOPSIS: The play “Apple on the Rooftop” is a symbolic drama / comedy. The play is set on the rooftop of a high rise building during a cold night. As the title suggests, the heroes gradually acquire certain knowledge. Everything seems nice and pleasant at first sight, but as the story unfolds, pain and suffering start to prevail.
The main characters of the play are high school students, two sixteen-year-old girls – Debbie and Alice – and their mutual friend, Jeffrey, who is in a higher grade at the same school. As if by chance, the girls meet on the rooftop. Debbie is unhappy because Jeffrey has broken up with her and Alice comforts her. So far, it’s all innocent and almost banal. The situation gets complicated when Jeffrey suddenly appears on the rooftop, too. Debbie is confused. Alice takes the initiative and stays alone with Jeffrey. At this moment we find out that Alice is playing a dirty game, because she starts flirting with Jeffrey. Then Debbie shows up. Jeffrey assures her of his love for her and Debbie is in seventh heaven. They make love.
However, the romantic moment does not last long and trouble is just around the corner. Primitive and psychopathic Jeffrey draws a letter that proves Alice’s fake game. Alice comes back on stage and is confronted with her lies. Alice confesses her conspiracy and intrigue with the intention of harming Debbie. Alice reveals that Debbie is the cause of her break up with Martin, and that she invented the whole plan with the intention of revenge. However, when she has gone through with her plan, Alice does not feel joy but great pain. Debbie’s anger turns against Jeffrey and after attacking him, Jeffrey turns evil and wants to throw the girls from the roof. Alice begs Debbie for forgiveness, and Debbie prays to God for salvation. At the moment when it seems that tragedy is inevitable, as Debbie is hanging from the edge of the roof and Jeffrey wants to knock her down, the strong voice of a teacher suddenly comes to the rescue of the girls.
Jeffrey calms down. Everything goes back to the innocent ways of school children: scolding, schoolwork, tutoring, and parents breathing down their necks. Finally, the three of them and the teacher leave home singing a song. They are small, carefree, misbehaving teenagers once again. The “mature“ game is over.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 25
CAST: 2 men, 2 women
GENRE: comedy
CHARACTERS:
ALICE – a high school student, classmate of Debbie
DEBBIE – a high school student, classmate of Alice
JEFFREY – a high school student, attends the same school as Alice and Debbie, but in a different grade
MR THOMPSON – an older man, conservative, the “old guard“; Jeffrey’s class teacher
SAMPLE TEXT
SCENE 1
The audience is seated, curtain down, the theatre is dark. The sound of a howling wind starts cutting through the silence. The curtain slowly rises and the city panorama is visible in the background. The city steadily awakes into a bustling nightlife. After a moment, Debbie appears onstage, schoolbag on her back. Slowly, cautiously, she moves forwards.
DEBBIE: Ah the fresh air up here. It was a great idea. The sky is dotted with myriads of stars – a beautiful, shining curtain.
(She puts her schoolbag on the ground.)
How carelessly they are shining. – And the moon, protecting them from falling down into the world of hatred…Goodness!
(Pause. A second girl appears on stage. It’s Alice. She is without a schoolbag.)
ALICE: Ah the fresh air up here. It was a great idea. The sky is dotted with myriads of stars – a beautiful, shining curtain. How carelessly they are shining…
DEBBIE: Is anybody there? Strange. As if I’d heard… myself. Perhaps it is my inner voice that…
ALICE: Hello…? She reminds me of someone. No, it can’t be her… But …what if…Debb, is that you?
DEBBIE: Well, it wasn’t my inner voice. – Yes. It’s me. Alice…! Alice, don’t get lost!
ALICE: Yes. Debb. That’s me. I’m coming to you. Oh, no!
DEBBIE: What happened? Alice!
ALICE: I don’t know. I feel sick.
DEBBIE: Don’t look down, do you understand, don’t look down! And walk! Move forward, Alice! Step by step!
ALICE: I’m scared! I’m staying here!
DEBBIE: No, walk carefully, sweetie, don’t worry, it’ll be fine!
ALICE: It’s creepy. Aaaah…!
DEBBIE: Alice, Al!… You know what, think about something nice!
ALICE: Like what?
(A short pause. Debbie thinks hard.)
DEBBIE: School! – Alice, think about school! Try to remember how Ms. Williams started asking you questions because she though you weren’t prepared, but you knew all the answers and she had no choice but give you an A…
(Short pause.)
ALICE: Hm, I’m better, thanks.
DEBBIE: Just a few more steps, well done…brave girl…Hi.
ALICE: Hey. – We haven’t seen each other in ages.
DEBBIE: Yes, last time today at school.
(Pause.)
ALICE: Listen, Debb, what are you actually doing here?
DEBBIE: You know, just looking around.
ALICE: You are not honest with me, Debbie.
DEBBIE: And why are you here?
ALICE: Me? …I … I came to catch a pigeon for tomorrow’s breakfast.
DEBBIE: A pigeon?
ALICE: Yes, a pigeon. For breakfast.
(Pause. Suddenly they both break into laughter.Gradually their laughter fades away. They give one another a huge hug.)
DEBBIE: (Still hugging each other.) I’m so glad I have a friend who knows how to turn serious stuff into a joke. – I would never make up such a funny metaphor to describe a…
ALICE: Do not mention that word!
DEBBIE: Why? Are you afraid to speak it aloud?
ALICE: I don’t know.A human being should never commit such a thing.
DEBBIE: Even if he or she is really, I mean really, sad?
ALICE: Not even then …..
DEBBIE: Did you see what Belinda was wearing today?
ALICE: Debbie, stop it! We’ve already agreed we won’t talk about her.
DEBBIE: But I do want to talk about her. – I have to talk about her, don’t you see?! Your friend has never stolen your guy. Do you get me? I have to, I must, I do!
ALICE: Debbie, sit down. Deborah. Come here! Don’t go there! Watch out, Debbie!
DEBBIE: Leave me alone! You aren’t listening to me!
ALICE: But I do want to listen to you. I just don’t like to see you suffering.
DEBBIE: Suffering, suffering, suffering …
(Suddenly she stops and stands still for a while. The next moment she starts dancing an unexpected and very frantic dance and singing.)
I’m a barbie girl, in a barbie world, life is plastic, it’s fantastic – I’m a barbie girl, in a barbie world, life is plastic, it’s fantastic – I’m a barbie…
(Alice observes Debbie., her eyes wide open.)
ALICE: Deborah! Deboraah!
(Debbie stops dancing.)
Wait, I’m coming to you. Don’t move. Be careful! Make sure you’re sitting still. Don’t move! Good, I’m here. Stop crying, Debb. Belinda is a stupid cow. And Jeffrey is an idiot.
DEBBIE: Jeff is not an idiot. He is an amazing guy.
ALICE: All right, so he’s an amazing guy. Let’s go back to where we were sitting before.
DEBBIE: I’m staying here….you go.
ALICE: Debb, listen to me, let’s go back!Deborah, don’t lie down on that roof, don’t do that, Deb. Stand up right now!
DEBBIE: Leave me alone! Go home and leave me here!
ALICE: Deborah, stand up! Get up, on your feet!
DEBBIE: I’m a barbie girl, in a barbie world, life is plastic, it’s fantastic…
ALICE: Deborah, stand up right now and come with me!
DEBBIE: I’m a barbie girl, in a barbie world, life is plastic, it’s fantastic… (etc.)
(Alice stares at Debbie, then suddenly, very unexpectedly and very hard slaps her on her cheek. Debbie stops singing, sits down and looks at Alice with surprise. Alice looks back fiercely.)
ALICE: Sorry, but you asked for it. Stand up and follow me!
DEBBIE: Alright.
ALICE: Like that, take my hand and follow me.Good girl. Watch out.
DEBBIE: What would I do without you, what would I do…!
ALICE: Stop yelling! Stop it!Are you out of your mind? Good. Sit down! Sit down already!
DEBBIE: I’m sitting down, you see, I am…
(Debbie slowly sits down, Alice places herself by her side.)
ALICE: It would be a pleasure to kill you myself!
(Debbie stares in front of her.)
DEBBIE: I am sorry.
ALICE: You could fall down and take me with you. That would make you happy, would it?
DEBBIE: Yes, it would. I’m so sorry.
ALICE: So, how was school today? Can you tell me?
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: It was during recess, after Science…I went out of the classroom … to meet him …. and there was this strange smile on his face …. but I didn’t realize it at that moment …’cause I wasn’t looking into his face. – The thing that caught my attention was his…
ALICE: What?
DEBBIE: …his …snack
ALICE: Snack?
DEBBIE: Yes, his snack. – I should have realized immediately that something was going on. Jeff usually has a little sandwich in a paper bag. But today it was a big one in plastic. He had never had a snack like that before. So I was completely blinded by that piece of bread, walked along the hallway towards him, my eyes fixed on that sandwich……. and then I noticed that there was another one…
Am I boring you?
ALICE: No, not at all, go on.
DEBBIE: So, one sandwich for him, and the other one for someone else. I didn’t know who that second one was for, but I know now.
ALICE: Well, OK, the second one was for Belinda.
DEBBIE: Let me finish first and don’t interrupt me, please. So I came closer and in the very same moment that I wanted to say somethingto him I noticed, standing a few steps from him – Belinda.
ALICE: Yes.
DEBBIE: She was standing there, talking to someone and when I came really close, I saw that for a short moment, for a tiny second, Belinda looked at the snack Jeffrey was holding in his hand and then at Jeffrey and smiled. And Jeffrey looked at her and smiled back.
(Pause.)
ALICE: And are you sure it was Belinda’s snack?
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: And whose else, do you think?
(Pause.)
ALICE: Oh my, Deborah, you are so stupid!
DEBBIE: What?
ALICE: You really are a whacko, Debbie! This whole story of yours is just the pure imagination of your crazy mind!
DEBBIE: You mean it?
ALICE: Of course I do! Break, hallway, snack this, snack that… This is all complete nonsense. – You should meet Jeffrey and clear this mess up, that’s all you’ve got to do. Did you talk to him after the break?
DEBBIE: I didn’t, Al. And that’s the point. I expected him to meet me in the afternoon…
ALICE: Don’t cry, Debbie…you’ll sort it out together…no more tears. Here, have a tissue.
DEBBIE: You have one for me?
ALICE: Yeah. This one is clean. Here.
DEBBIE: Thanks.
(She blows her nose and cleans it.)
I’m so glad you’re my friend. A friend I can talk to. – I’m not irritating you, am I?
ALICE: No. Why d’you keep asking me these questions? Of course not.
DEBBIE: It is probably some kind of fate that we met here, otherwise I would have been smashed to pieces down on the pavement below like a bowl of eggs.
ALICE: Hey, don’t talk like that. – Everything will be just fine. – Tomorrow you will go straight to Jeffrey and you will talk it over. I can come with you if you like.
DEBBIE: Oh, Al, you are one hell of a friend. I don’t even deserve such a great friend.
ALICE: Ah, come on…
DEBBIE: No, I have to tell you this right now. Do you remember, two weeks ago, when you were still dating Martin and then you split up in such a hurry… So, me and Martin, we’d talked about you shortly before you split, you know… And then…
ALICE: Yes…
DEBBIE: I didn’t know what to do and couldn’t stop asking myself if it wasn’t my fault that Martin broke up with you… It was so nasty… And I wanted to pologize…
I was scared….
ALICE: I knew it, Debbie.
DEBBIE: You already knew it?
ALICE: Yes, I did.
(Pause. Debbie stands up and starts walking.)
DEBBIE: Alice, I…
ALICE: Please, I don’t want to listen to this. Let’s say we split up and that’s it. End of story. It ’s impossible to bring it back now. The same as with you and Jeffrey.
DEBBIE: Jeffrey, Jeffrey…
(She sits down next to Alice again.)
I can’t get him out of my mind. Still waiting for some kind of miracle… Alice, can I ask you something?
ALICE: Yeah. Ask me..
DEBBIE: Were you and Martin lovers? You know what I mean.
(Pause.)
ALICE: You mean sex, do you?
(Debbie nods. Pause.)
Yes, we had sex. A few times.
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: And how was it? I mean, if you want to talk about it.
ALICE: Actually no, I don’t, since we’re not together anymore…
DEBBIE: Understood.
ALICE: No, wait, I’ll tell you.
DEBBIE: What?
(Pause.)
ALICE: It was disgusting!
DEBBIE: Oh man!
(Alice stands up and starts laughing.)
ALICE: Oh, no, don’t be scared. – Wait, I’ll tell you.
(Pause.)
It was….absolutely amazing!
DEBBIE: Was it…?
ALICE: It was… like a storm… like when it rains and… No, that’s not the the way to describe it… It was… I’d never experienced anything like that before… and everytime it’s different… you feel him… his shoulders, belly, you press your breasts against him, you feel, you feel him so much…
DEBBIE: Bloody hell!
ALICE: …arms… legs… my legs tangled with his… and you feel, you feel like… he’s completely inside you…
(Pause.)
It was nice.
DEBBIE: You know, I’m a bit scared of when it happens for the first time…
ALICE: You don’t have to…
DEBBIE: No?
ALICE: No.
DEBBIE: You know, I thought it would be with Jeff for the first time and now that stupid Belinda! You can’t imagine how I hate her…
ALICE: I’ll handle Belinda.
DEBBIE: Would you do it for me?
ALICE: Why not? But now I need to pee. Stay here – and don’t do anything silly!
DEBBIE: Don’t worry.
(Pause.)
ALICE: Fine. But I’ll be watching you.
DEBBIE: Have it your way. – But anyway, if I really wanted to jump, you wouldn’t have the slightest chance to stop me.
(Alice leaves into the background, but they continue talking.)
ALICE: You think so?
DEBBIE: And how would you stop me? I’d just start running and…
(Pause.)
ALICE: I think I didn’t take a tissue.
(A long pause. Debbie walks along the rooftop, observing the nightlife in the streets below. She looks back towards Alice.)
DEBBIE: Why is it taking you so long?
(Pause.)
Alice!
(Pause. Louder.)
Alice!
(She wants to go to find her, but Alice is already running towards her.)
ALICE: Stop shouting! – Don’t yell! – Be quiet!
DEBBIE: What’s going on?
ALICE: (Pulls Debbie aside.) Someone’s coming.
DEBBIE: Where?
ALICE: Over there, behind that wall. – I only caught a glimpse of him. I think he has dark hair – a man – climbing up the ladder. What are we going to do?
DEBBIE: I don’t know. We should hide somewhere. And wait until he’s gone.
ALICE: Let’s go over there.
DEBBIE: Where?
ALICE: You see? Behind that water tank.
(They move. Debbie stops.)
DEBBIE: And if he stays up here?
ALICE: Why would he do that? – We’ll wait and that’s it. – Come on, faster. – He’s almost here.
DEBBIE: Alright, I’m moving.
SCENE 2
(Pause. Whistling wind. The sillouette of a man walks slowly to the front from the background. It is Jeffrey. He stops in the front, takes a deep breath and looks at the sky.)
JEFFREY: Oh, shit, I am freezing! I am freezing.
(He starts walking and warming up with hands.)
Three hundred ninety-nine floors. And all twelve elevators broken down. Jeffrey, you are tough. Three hundred ninety-nine – and all the toilets locked.
(Pause. He stops.)
I shouldn’t’ve had that fourth bottle of Sprite.
(He walks. Goes to the edge of the roof, looks down below.)
Shit! That’s magic! A sniper rifle would be handy… bam! bam! bang! bang!… Heeey, you idiots! You have no idea how great it is up here.
(Pause.)
I’m freezing, shit. And no toilet around. What if I just go… a light shower… Someone would wonder, “warm rain falling down… weird.“
(He laughs.)
One, two, three, four.
(He sits down.)
Anyway, it rocks. Yesterday I was hanging out with Deborah, I’ve made my moves on Belinda at school today and when I came home, I found the message in my schoolbag. Written by some, I don’t know, Alice.
I can’t wait to find out who she is, because those two were nothing special…
I wanna feel you! – I wanna feel you now! – Common Barbie, let´s go party, right now!
(He takes the envelope out of his pocket and reads.)
At eight p.m., on the rooftop of the tallest building in the city. Open at the meeting point and read together. Three screamers and a signature: Alice. But which one? Let’s find out.
(He stands up and starts walking.)
Common Barbie, let´s go party…
(He sits down and opens up the envelope.)
After you read these words, something dark will happen. Dark, beautiful, and dazzling.
(He stops reading.)
You bet it will, baby.
(He continues reading.)
Something really threatening.
(He stops reading again.)
And this part doesn’t make any sense at all. The sky is dotted with myriads of stars – a beautiful, shining curtain. How carelessly they are shining. And the moon, protecting them. What crap!
(He puts the letter into the envelope and the envelope into his pocket.)
Shit, I’m frozen to my very bones! I can’t hold it in anymore. I have to go. Hope she won’t show up just now. That would be a total screw up.
(He goes into the background. Yells.)
Image is nothing. follow your instincts, obey your thirst!
(He stands in the background, his back towards the audience, unzipping his trousers, starts to pee.)
Aaaaah!
(Alice and Debbie come from the side and watch Jeffrey.)
DEBBIE: What’s he doing?
ALICE: What you think, pissing.
DEBBIE: Who might it be?
ALICE: How an I suppose to know? Some pervert, probably. I met one in the park, when I was a little girl.
DEBBIE: And weren’t you scared of him?
ALICE: Yeah, I was at first, but then I got used to him.. He used to bring me candies and chewing gum. We became friends.
DEBBIE: Why is it taking him so long?
ALICE: Am I a psychic? Go up to him and find out yourself.
DEBBIE: He is not a pervert, I guess. You know what? I’m going to have a look.
ALICE: And what for?
DEBBIE: I’m curious. – He might be from our school.
ALICE: Forget it.
DEBBIE: No, I want to know who he is.
ALICE: Ok, go, I’ll be your back up.
DEBBIE: Fine. Fingers crossed.
(Debbie slowly tiptoes towards Jeffrey. Alice watches her. Debbie stops about three metres from Jeffrey. Then she turns back and, making as little noise as possible, runs towards Alice.)
DEBBIE: Alice!
ALICE: What?
DEBBIE: It’s terrible! It’s not a pervert at all, it’s Jeffrey. I know because of his new jeans. The same ones he was wearing at school today!
ALICE: Are you sure?
JEFFREY: (Aloud, rhetorically.) …And the moon, protecting them from falling down, into the world of hatred, into the world of lies. Oh, me too, me too – oh…
ALICE: Yes, it’s him. I recognize his voice. What was he saying?
DEBBIE: I couldn’t hear him through that wind.
ALICE: What are we going to do?
DEBBIE: No idea.
ALICE: Why is he here?
DEBBIE: I don’t know.
ALICE: Did Jeffrey know that you would be here?
DEBBIE: No idea, dammit.
ALICE: You’re not going to sit down now, stand up. We must come up with something.
DEBBIE: Whatever.
ALICE: Don’t sit down and think, he can be back any minute.
DEBBIE: I can’t think of anything right now.
ALICE: You know what? You should go and hide and I’ll talk to him.
Then I’ll call you and leave you alone. How’s that sound?
DEBBIE: I don’t know. – If you think so.
ALICE: Go, now, hurry up!
(Debbie leaves and returns immediately.)
DEBBIE: Al, I want to thank you. – You are my true best friend. What would I do without you? Without such a friend…
ALICE: Shut up and go!
DEBBIE: Ok.
(Debbie leaves the scene. Jeffrey ends his pee, zipps his trousers and returns to the front. He’s whistling. He stops about three metres from Alice.)
ALICE: Hi.
JEFFREY: Oh, shit… can’t you say anything before you approach a person?
You nearly scared me to death.
ALICE: I said – hi.
JEFFREY: Hm. Hi.
(Pause.)
We go to the same school, don’t we?
ALICE: Yes, actually.
JEFFREY: And your name is Alice, isn’t it?
ALICE: Yep. Got my message?
JEFFREY: Otherwise I wouldn’t be here.Our school, you say. And your class teacher is…
ALICE: Mrs. Parker.
JEFFREY: Hm. She teaches our class too… Why don’t you come closer? Are you afraid of me or what?
ALICE: Nope, why?
(Comes closer.)
JEFFREY: Hi, I’m Jeffrey.
ALICE: I’m Alice.
(They kiss each other and start laughing.)
Chilly, isn’t it?
JEFFREY: Shit, you tell me.
(Pause.)
ALICE: You got it?
JEFFREY: What you mean? Aaaah, sure. It’s here. Take it.
ALICE: I hope you haven’t read it, yet.
JEFFREY: No, what do you think about me?
(Pause. Alice shifts her gaze from the envelope to Jeffrey few times.)
JEFFREY: It opened in my pocket.
(Pause. They both start laughing.)
ALICE: Well, I know you’ve already read it, but never mind. Now I’ll read it
to you. Listen.
(Alice walks about 2 metres from Jeffrey, who is sitting down. When she starts reading, he stands up and starts slowly circling around Alice. He dares, comes closer and hugs her from behind. Alice continues to read slowly. Jeffrey is working with his hands and bites Alice on the neck. Alice fights her laughter.)
ALICE: (Finishes reading.) So, what you say?
JEFFREY: (Still hugging Alice from behind.) Nothing, it’s wicked.
ALICE: Do you like it?
JEFFREY: Sure.
(Pause. Jeffrey steps away from Alice and starts moving.. Starts boxing in the air.)
Shit, it’s cold here. Why are we here, anyway?
(Pause.)
ALICE: Come here and sit down next to me. We can get warmer together.
JEFFREY: Like this?
ALICE: Yes, like this. Is it better?
JEFFREY: Yes, much better. But don’t pull my ears, I hate that.
ALICE: And you don’t bite my legs.
JEFFREY: Fine, I won’t. I promise.
(They both laugh. Pause.)
ALICE: Can you read hands?
JEFFREY: What you mean, like fortune telling?
ALICE: Give me your left hand.
(Jeffrey gives her his hand. Alice observes it and touches.)
You know what that line means?
JEFFREY: What?
ALICE: That first you will be very, very sad, but later… later you’ll find your happines. – Do you believe that?
JEFFREY: Yes, I do. I don’t need to be a hand reader to know that. I only need to climb down from this roof and not fail Science this year. Shit!
ALICE: (Laughs.) Mrs Parker gives you a hard times, doesn’t she?
JEFFREY: She is such a…..Sorry, I almost called her names.
ALICE: I don’t care, call her whatever you like. Call her a witch if you like.
She gives me trouble, too.
JEFFREY: Do you know this one? I wanna feel you, I wanna feel you now… (Etc.) (Alice sings along. Together they dance, then hug and kiss long and passionately.)
JEFFREY: You’re a great kisser. Who did you date before?
ALICE: Martin.
JEFFREY: Hmh.
(They exchange a short, but even more passionate kiss.)
Come on. Let’s go down!
ALICE: No.
JEFFREY: Why not? Let us move, we’ll freeze to death here!
ALICE: No, we can’t go down, yet.
JEFFREY: Why not? Is anything wrong with you?
ALICE: No, but there is a problem.
JEFFREY: A problem?
ALICE: A problem called Deborah
JEFFREY: Deborah, Deborah, which Deborah?
ALICE: Debora, my classmate. The one you were going out with.
(Pause.)
JEFFREY: That one. Well, now I know. So what? What about her?
ALICE: Nothing. Only that she is here. She is waiting behind that wall.
Wants to talk to you.
JEFFREY: What?!
(He turns back, then looks at Alice. He starts walking.)
Shit, shit, shit, I knew it.
(He stops.)
I’m leaving!
ALICE: No, you can’t leave now, you’ll spoil everything. You have to talk to her. You have to!
JEFFREY: Well, OK, I’ll manage. I wanna feel you…
ALICE: Keep this.
(She gives him the envelope with the letter.)
…and hide it well. I’m going to bring her here. And we’ll meet at school tomorrow. But be careful. At recess you’ll find another message. It’ll be hidden in the water hydrant next to the staff room. I’ll write to you what next… – with us.
JEFFREY: OK! – You’re awesome.
ALICE: You too.
JEFFREY: Hot baby.
ALICE: You too.
JEFFREY: You better go.
ALICE: Yep, bye.
(She steps forward but stops again.)
And I love you, anyway.
(Pause. Jeffrey comes close to her and gives her a quick, passionate kiss. Pushes her back with his hands, sends her into the background. Alice returns swiftly.)
Tell her that it’s over with Belinda. But not a word about us.
JEFFREY: Ok. Bye!
(Alice leaves. Pause.)
I wanna feel you…
(He walks, stops, walks again and stops again. He shouts down below.)
Heeeey, idiottos! Now you will see something! Actually, you won’t see a shit! ’Cause you are buried in that shitty, smelly crap of yours up to your stupid heads, buried in your own smelly shit. But you’ll miss the grand spectacle.
’Cause this spectacle has been written by the one and only, great Shakespeare himself!
(He walks.)
I wanna feel you…
(He stops. Declaims.)
Shattered Juliette, the dagger in her hands finds its way straight into her broken heart… Ah… Ouch… Alas… What a pain…
(He stands still. Suddenly he starts laughing badly.)
Yes! Shit, Jeffrey, you are though! You are the best! I wanna feel you…
Where is she? I wanna… Shit, Jeffrey don’t do this to me! You are afraid, you are scared, your hands are sweating… Jeffrey, aren’t you ashamed?
You are a piece of shit! No, I’m not. I’m not a piece of shit, a piece of shit is not who I am. No, no, no. But yes, yes, you are. You are the crappiest shit of all.
No, I’m not. – Yes, no, yes, yes. – No, I am not.
(He takes cigarettes out of his pocket, puts one into his mouth. Looks for a lighter.)
Why is it taking her so long…
(Debbie appears.)
Shit.
(He puts the cigarette into the packet and the packet into his pocket.)
DEBBIE: Hi.
JEFFREY: Hi…
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: How are you?
JEFFREY: I’m fine, and you?
DEBBIE: You, know, ups and downs. Not too bad.
(Pause.)
JEFFREY: Hm. – Okay.
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: Quite a height, is it?
JEFFREY: Yes, spectacular scenery.
DEBBIE: Did you talk to Alice?
JEFFREY: Sure I did.
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: About us?
JEFFREY: Yea, we talked about you… us. Sorry.
DEBBIE: And about… Belinda?
JEFFREY: About her, too. About Belinda.I wanna feel you. I wanna…
DEBBIE: What is it you’re singing?
JEFFREY: Nothing. A song.
DEBBIE: Hm. And what is it about?
JEFFREY: Don’t know. They sing that… I wanna feel – you…
DEBBIE: Feel?
JEFFREY: Yes, feel… feel you!
DEBBIE: Bullshit.
JEFFREY: What? Did I say something wrong?
DEBBIE: No, nothing…
(Pause.)
Look, Jeffrey, I neet to talk to you, seriously…
JEFFREY: We are talking, I guess.
DEBBIE: I have so many things to tell you. I have so many questions. I can’t answer them myself.
(Pause.)
Did you know I even wanted to take my life because of you?
JEFFREY: Oh, Lord! Tell me that’s not true.
(He approaches her.)
Look, Deborah, I am going to tell you straight away…
DEBBIE: Yes?
JEFFREY: Debbie…
(Pause.)
Listen very carefully to what I’m going to tell you…
DEBBIE: Yes?
JEFFREY: Debb…
(Pause.)
I want you to realize that…
DEBBIE: Yes?
JEFFREY: …that… that… Deborah… no! You have to be one hundred per cent sure that…
DEBBIE: Yes?
JEFFREY: …there is not a single reason, not even one single reason why would you do that… take your life, Deborah! Just let it out. Cry out loud, if that helps you… Let it all out, Debb… like this… good… very good… my little girl… now you are under my protection…
(Debbie nodds in Jeffrey’s arms.)
You can’t do this to me… you can’t give me such a hard time…’cause otherwise Jeffrey may start worrying about you… be a good little girl or I will spank your cute little ass, and we are smiling… finally… we are smiling and drying our tears, nicely, like this… such a big and smart girl she is, such a well-behaved little girl and now you’re going to listen, is that right?
(Debbie nodds in Jeffrey’s arms. A long pause.)
DEBBIE: Jeff?
JEFFREY: Debbie?
DEBBIE: What a silence, isn’t it?
JEFFREY: Well. Wait, baby. Jeffrey needs a smoke.
DEBBIE: I’ll light it up for you.
(She tries but fails.)
JEFFREY: Don’t bother. I won’t smoke.
DEBBIE: But I can light you up another way…
JEFFREY: Warm me up a little?
DEBBIE: I’m going to give you my energy. ’Cause I’m charged like the most powerful battery, now. Do you feel it?
JEFFREY: I do.
DEBBIE: (Laughs.) I wanna feel you…
(Debbie kisses Jeffrey. A long kiss.)
Now I am happy. When I think about how I felt fifteen minutes ago.
(A long kiss again.)
Wait, sweetie, I have to do something…
(She runs at the rooftop edge, stops and shouts down below.)
Hey, everyone, can you hear me? I have to tell you something! I am so, so happy. I want you to know! When you try hard, I mean really, really hard, you can achieve true happiness! I want you to understand, the suffering always comes to an end! I want you to believe…! Because I love you, I love you all, with pure, eternal love! Jeffrey, come here, come to me, come closer, my sweet Jeffrey!
JEFFREY: What for?
DEBBIE: Stand here and hold my hand.
JEFFREY: If that’s what you wish…
DEBBIE: Hold me tight. Hold me tight, because I want to make a big announcement.
JEFFREY: I’m holding you…
DEBBIE: Jeffrey, I love you so much, I love you. Do you hear these three words?
JEFFREY: I do.
DEBBIE: Now I feel free from everything that’s been holding me back, free from pain, suffering, doubts I had about you, Jeff, I fully trust you and you can trust me as well, I will never deceive you, never in my life, I promise! – The power of love is such a force, I can feel it for the first time in my life. Tell me you love me the way I love you, speak to me, my sweetest Jeffrey, speak to me and I will die from sheer happines.
JEFFREY: Yes. I love you but there is no need to yell.
DEBBIE: I want to yell, I want to shout these words to the whole world. I love my Jeffrey!
JEFFREY: Stop it, for Gods’s sake!
DEBBIE: No, I won’t, because I feel all pain has gone and the rest has turned into the purest love! – Love that makes you fly! Makes me light like the finest feather floating in the wind. And I want to fly, I want to float and drift, with you, my dear Jeffrey, come on, let’s fly together to faraway lands, only you, me and our love, come on, Jeffrey, come on!
JEFFREY: (Fights Debbie.) Shit, calm down Deborah! Wait, lie down, lie down, stop… we’ll both fall down!
DEBBIE: Light like the finest feather, I want to, I want to go with you, together, we’ll both…
JEFFREY: Stop it, shit, don’t do that, Deborah, stop!
(He slaps her few times on her cheeks.)
DEBBIE: Slap me, go on, slap me, I want it, harder, more, more my dearest!
(The fight goes on. Jeffrey puts his hand over her mouth. Debbie laughs and screams through his hand. Finally the screams and fight fade away and Jeffrey relaxes his hand. A long silence. Jeffrey and Deborah lie side by side.)
DEBBIE: Jeff?
JEFFREY: Hm?
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: Do you hear that silence?
(Pause.)
JEFFREY: I don’t know what to say. And you’re crazy!
DEBBIE: Yes, I’m crazy. But don’t you find it beautiful? Beautiful madness… tell me, isn’t it?
JEFFREY: I’m a realist and you should be one as well, or you’ll have to learn few lessons!
DEBBIE: I am ready for what will come, I can bear any disaster. Do you understand?
JEFFREY: I’m not sure.
DEBBIE: Do you believe in God?
JEFFREY: Do you?
DEBBIE: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…
(Jeffrey movess close to Debbie and gives her a hug. After the prayer, they slowly lie down on the roof where they make love. The scene is dark, we can hear the sounds of city and whistling wind. Above all that hustle and bustle, a very soft musical motif rises from the far distance. The couple finishes their actions, and the lights turn on again.)
JEFFREY: Hm… So…
DEBBIE: Yes?
JEFFREY: Nothing. I’ve just said “so”.
DEBBIE: Hm…. Did youhear that music?
JEFFREY: Yes, I did. Which one?
DEBBIE: Look, the lights everywhere. The city’s come to life..
JEFFREY: Hm…
(Pause.)
DEBBIE: Can you talk to me?
JEFFREY: I don’t know. What about?
DEBBIE: Hm. Whatever…
JEFFREY: Like…ask you something?
DEBBIE: Why not?
JEFFREY: Well, all right, so I am going to ask you: “How did you like it?“
(Debbie comes to Jeffrey and hugs him.)
DEBBIE: I really, I mean really liked it. It was nice, lovely, wonderful. It was like a storm, when it rains and…
JEFFREY: I hope you won’t fly again.
(Pause. Debbie, her face turns serious, releases her hand from Jeffrey’s, walks to the edge of the roof and imitates a flying bird, an eagle. Jeffrey watches her, his eyes fixed on every movement of hers, being still. The next moment she jumps from the edge, starts running towards Jeff, kisses him on his cheek and starts laughing.)
JEFFREY: Why are you laughing?
DEBBIE: It occured to me what Alice would have done if she’d seen us here. I have to tell her the whole story.
JEFFREY: Are you out of your mind?
DEBBIE: No, I was just kidding.
(Pause. Jeff starts laughing and in the next moment turns serious.)
DEBBIE: What are you thinking?
JEFFREY: Nothing. It’s gone.
DEBBIE: I keep thinking about today afternoon at school.
JEFFREY: So?
DEBBIE: So, you and Belinda, it isn’t true, right?
JEFFREY: No.
DEBBIE: I’m so glad.
JEFFREY: That’s great that you’re glad.
DEBBIE: Seriously, I’m happy.
JEFFREY: Sure, everything’s clear. My condolences.
DEBBIE: Why did you say that? Why condolences?
JEFFREY: I don’t know. Just an expression. Now what?
DEBBIE: I don’t know. You’re so strange.
JEFFREY: Me? No. Why do you think so?
DEBBIE: I don’t know. You talk strange.
JEFFREY: Well, well, well. You’re absolutely correct.
(Pause. Walks.)
I am an idiot. I don’t even know how to manage a proper social conversation.
But, wait, I’ll try. Debb, don’t get mad at me… I don’t know how to tell you this…
I… you know… I didn’t… I … didn’t want to hurt you… the truth is… I really… Deborah… you’ve changed my life completely. Deborah…
(He belches.)
Sorry, that wasn’t me. It was Sprite. Obey your thirsts, follow your instincts. Same with me, I only try to follow my instincts. Deborah, you’re crying. I didn’t want to make you cry. Shit. What now? What now? Now turn on your brain.
(He walks to the edge of the rooftop.)
Hey, idiottos! What am I supposed to do? What to do? Oh, yes, yes, understood. All right, I can handle that, no problem.
(He approaches the sitting Debbie.)
Knock knock. May I have the next dance? Or the other way. May I come in? I am a messenger, carrying good news – seriously. You know, I am a postman,
a part-time postman. Delivering good news. And, for you, a tiny one, just for a laugh. And now the punchline. Here is the letter. It was sent this afternoon, so this is express mail. All ready.
(He takes out the envelope with letter.)
The wick is burning, blasting fuse assembled watch out!
(Debbie reads the letter. Jeffrey runs sideways, hands on his ears, supressing laugher. A long pause. Debbie stands up and starts walking. Her body movements are hysterical. Then she stops and shouts.)
DEBBIE: Aliiice!
JEFFREY: (Watches Debbie very cautiously, like a scientist studying the object of his interest.)
What a show. It works. I’m a genius, a mastermind.
DEBBIE: Alice! Alice!
JEFFREY: Alice, come here, Deborah wants to share something with you.
DEBBIE: Bug off!
JEFFREY + DEBBIE: Alice!
DEBBIE: Get out!
JEFFREY: I wanna help you. Alice!
DEBBIE: Jeff, I said, leave!
JEFFREY: Fine, fine, I’ll be a neutral observer. What a show, an absolute piece of art. Arook of emotions. The rook, that’s in chess. Deborah, we are going to give Alice a checkmate. Check-mate! Shit, I’m such a school boy.
(He shouts.)
Alice!
(Pause. Alice appears on stage. A long pause.)
ALICE: Deborah?
DEBBIE: Alice?
(Pause.)
Why have you done all these things?
ALICE: You want to know the reason I’ve done it?
(Pause.)
You know, as a mater of fact it is you who should thank me. For I have opened your eyes to realize who this…
(Laughs.)
Three girlfriends in two days! Look!
(She approaches Jeffrey. Gives him a kiss. A long kiss. Jeffrey raises both his hands up.)
DEBBIE: Stop, you bitch, stop!
(Tears Alice off Jeffrey.)
JEFFREY: It wasn’t my fault, it’s her.
DEBBIE: Why did you do that?
(Pause.)
ALICE: Don’t worry! I don’t want him – your Jeffrey – you can keep him! I’ve never liked him.
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