Sunday, November 11, 2018

November Writing Challenge 2018 - 10 - Writing In The Reverse Round


I’m opening a Virtual Reality Bar. For reals- Redline VR

THE TENTH CHALLENGE: WRITING IN THE REVERSE ROUND (VR)

Virtual Reality movies are essentially theater in the reverse round, with a touch of 3D movie immersive LOOK-OUT! gimmicks. Let’s write one!

Okay, so let’s picture the reverse round play- heretofor economically not viable, but now it has international commercial potential in the form of a VR movie.

An audience of one is seated in the middle on a swivel chair. We never move and are immersed by a soundscape. Actors can come and go from anywhere, placing us in the middle of the action.

We can be visible and active (a baby, a bound captive, a person in vegetable state, a sentient object).

We can be invisible- a fly on the wall so to speak.

Special effects example: A bullet can be fired and fly right through us.

Staging: We can be placed in the middle of a Thanksgiving table. We can be the turkey!

What works in this format? A sense of encroachment. Reveals should require a head-turn.

(It's killing me not to do these prompts right away but I have rough draft of a play to finish.  More fun for later.

For now, just under the wire, I had to stage a war with puppets)




ACTRESS 3 drops her puppet arm to become CYMBELINE, appearing alongside ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet).

                          ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
And now, a war.

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
This happens a lot in Shakespeare.

ACTRESS 1 reanimates the QUEEN puppet on her arm for commentary.

                          ACTRESS 1 (QUEEN, puppet)
Because there isn't enough going on in this play yet.

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
Meanwhile, back in Rome, they receive my message calling for reinforcements, since "King" Cymbeline is reluctant to pay the required tribute.

                          ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
I told you, expenses.

                          ACTRESS 1 (QUEEN, puppet)
As if a war is cost-free.

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
Meanwhile, back in Rome -

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Well, here I am, still in exile, convinced my wife has betrayed me.  So I hired someone to kill her.  That's very likely done by now.  I probably should have taken a bit more time in considering that move.  A bit permanent.  And irreversible.  Without Imogen, what's the point of living anymore?

ACTRESS 3 switches out the CORNELIUS puppet for the IACHIMO puppet and sidles up to torment Posthumus.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Hey, Rome's starting a war with England.  They're looking for recruits.  Wanna go?

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Sure.  What have I got to lose?

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Cheer up, buddy.  Women love soldiers.  You'll find a new lady, if I don't find her first.

ACTRESS 3 drops her puppet arm briefly to become CYMBELINE.

                          ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE) (cont’d)
I probably should have taken a bit more time in considering the whole "not paying tribute" idea.  This whole "war" thing has gotten a bit out of hand.

ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet) appears, backed by his new servant ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis), ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS), and ACTRESS 3 reanimates the IACHIMO puppet on her arm (and will shortly be talking to herself).

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
I am back, as promised, with troops.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet) (cont’d)
Taking the king prisoner - that's bound to get me laid.

                          ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE) (cont’d)
I beg your pardon.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet) (cont’d)
Not you.  The ladies.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis)
And there are no ladies here.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
     (to IMOGEN)
Do I know you?

ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis) is momentarily confused, since she thought she saw this guy's headless corpse not that long ago.

ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS) is apparently just as easily confused by a change of clothes on Imogen's part.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis)
It's nice to see you with your head on your shoulders, my good man, but no, we do not know one another.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Are you certain?  Because there is something awfully familiar about you.

IMOGEN is still, understandably, less than thrilled with Posthumus' previous lack of faith in her.

And, you know, the whole contract killing thing which required her to go undercover as a boy in the first place.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis)
I don't see how, sir.  I am a stranger to you, and you are certainly a stranger to me.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
If you guys are done, could we get on with the capturing?

ACTRESS 2 reanimates the GUIDERIUS puppet on her arm, to join

ACTOR 1, who steps forward as ARVIRAGUS, and

ACTOR 2, who is the first cast member to have to juggle two puppets, one on each arm, as he now also needs to be BELARIUS, standing in opposition to his other puppet, LUCIUS.

                          ACTOR 2 (BELARIUS, puppet)
Though wronged and driven into exile, this is still my country, and you are still my king.  I, and my sons, are here to rescue you!

ACTRESS 2 lowers her puppet arm for a moment to become POSTHUMUS, who is struck by Belarius' words.  In his way, he begins to process them as his own, and switch allegiances in the battle.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Though wronged and driven into exile,
this is still my country,
and you are still my king!
I shall join them in rescuing you from this invasion!

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Dude!  You're on our side!

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
You banged my wife and stole my reason for living.  I don't know why I was fighting alongside you to begin with.  Swords up, douchebag!

ACTRESS 3 lowers her puppet arm for a moment to become CYMBELINE.

                          ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
I may be king, but I haven't forgotten how to use a sword!

                          ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
     (excited for a second)
Hey!  Isn't that Fidelis over there?

ACTRESS 2 reanimates the GUIERIUS puppet on her arm.

                          ACTRESS 2 (GUIDERIUS, puppet)
It couldn't be.  He's dead remember.  And the wolves ate him.

                          ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
     (very disappointed)
Oh.  Right.

Somehow, five people and their assorted puppets do battle.

ACTRESS 3 as CYMBELINE battles her puppet IACHIMO who his trying to capture the king.

ACTOR 2 has puppets battling on each arm – BELARIUS vs. LUCIUS.

ACTRESS 2 as POSTHUMUS fights alongside her puppet alter ego GUIDERIUS.

ACTRESS 1 as IMOGEN/Fidelis and ACTOR 1 as AVIRAGUS are the only humans with no puppets in play, fighting on opposite sides, though ARVIRAGUS is a bit conflicted since IMOGEN/Fidelis looks so much like the boy he loved and lost.  And IMOGEN/Fidelis can’t really work up much fight against the man she knows so recently aided her in the forest.

When the dust settles, CYMBELINE, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, and POSTHUMUS join forces and quickly overpower LUCIUS, IACHIMO, and IMOGEN/Fidelis.

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
Well, this didn't go as planned.

Somehow, ACTOR 2 manages to play the role of PISANIO with puppets on both his arms.  He pops up to take orders as usual.

                          ACTRESS 3 (CYMBELINE)
Take them to the dungeon.  We'll arrange for some speedy executions.  That should teach Rome I'm not to be messed with.

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Yes, my liege.  Certainly, my liege.

As ACTOR 2 (PISANIO) makes his way over to the cluster of prisoners, he crosses paths with ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS), and they catch each other’s eye.  They like what they see.

                          ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
     (shyly)
Hi.

ACTOR 2 (PISANIO) looks around for a second to make sure ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS) actually meant to address him.

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
     (equally shyly)
Oh.  Hi.

                          ACTOR 1 (ARVIRAGUS)
Stop back after you put the prisoners in the dungeon.

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
OK.

ACTOR 2 (PISANIO) now also has a dejected LUCIUS puppet on one arm, grabs the IACHIMO puppet from ACTRESS 3 and herds ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN/Fidelis) off toward the exit.

Suddenly ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS) hurries over to the departing “crowd.”

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Hey!  I don't really have much of a reason for living - long story -

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Former master, it's me.  I know.  I remember.  I was there.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Right!  She cheated on me.  I had you kill her.  Kind of rash decision on my part in hindsight.

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Yes.  It was.

ACTOR 2 reanimates the dejected LUCIUS puppet on his arm for a moment.

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
Excuse me, are you taking us down to the dungeon or - ?

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
This'll just take a minute.

ACTOR 2’s LUCIUS puppet waits impatiently for his fate while a couple of peasants stop to chat.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
So, I didn't realize quite how much I'd miss her, after I ordered her killed.  And maybe I should have talked to her first, not taken a stranger's word for it.

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Hindsight's always 20/20, my lord.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Anyway, now that the war's over and I'm still not dead - no woman, no war - execution's looking really good to me.  Mind if I just slip myself in alongside all the other Romans?

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
If you really want to join the rest of the prisoners on death row, I'm not going to stop you.

ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS) embraces ACTOR 2 (PISANIO).

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Thank you!  Thank you -

ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS) still can't remember Pisanio's name.

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Pisanio.

                          ACTRESS 2 (POSTHUMUS)
Thank you, Pisanio!

ACTOR 2’s LUCIUS puppet pipes up again.

                          ACTOR 2 (LUCIUS, puppet)
Now?

                          ACTOR 2 (PISANIO)
Yup.  Off to the dungeons with the lot of you.


(to be continued)



 

No comments: