Thursday, 22 October 2015

Kitchen exchange

Scene:   An office galley kitchen, small but spotless in periwinkle blue.  An array of tatty plants fight the blinds for window space.  Countertop space is barely a couple of feet - squeezed out by two mismatched kettles and two equally dissimilar microwaves.

Cast:

Various body parts of a weary female office worker (The Body) popping in the kitchen to make a cuppa.  As individuals, they are The Parts.  Together, they make up The Body.

The Body: Just a typical female human.

Eyes:  Just the facts, ma'am.  Eyes appears to be two separate entities (three if you count the visual cortex), but communicates as one.  Delivers visual information to The Parts.
Heart: Technically, not the heart, but let's skip the neurobiology lecture from here on in.  Heart speaks passionately, reacts emotionally and occasionally skips a beat for the right person.
Brain: Poor beleagured Brain attempts to bring order to the chaos of the competing Parts.  She speaks rationally, advises, lectures and occasionally gets tetchy and frazzled in the face* of the other Parts' incompetence.
Mouth: Mouth's purpose is to help the Body communcate with the outside world.  In theory, she is entirely directed by Brain, but since Brain has a lot to do, she sometimes has to improvise.

*Not to be confused with The Face, who does not have a speaking role in this production.
_________________________________________________

The Body walks into the kitchen where a reasonably attractive man (RAM) is already making tea on a tray

Eyes:  There is a reasonably attractive man at the counter space
Heart: I'm taken!
Brain: Noted, both.  Mouth, casual conversation please.  Not about bugs this time, either.  This is an eating area, for godsake.
Mouth:  Ummm...<smiles nervously>
Eyes: <glances down> There are six cups on the tray
Mouth: <brightly, to RAM> That's a BIG ROUND you have there!

RAM turns his head towards The Body

Heart: What did she say?! What the hell did she just say to him?!
Brain: Oh. My. God.  You're... you're like a Benny Hill extra.  You're like, a, a .. bit part actor in Carry On Cockup.  CASUAL conversation, Mouth! CASUAL!!!

RAM: <completely deadpan>: It's usually bigger.

Libido & Ego: YES!
Brain & Heart: NO!!!
Eyes: <glances down> There are no teabags on the tray

Mouth: Umm, I forgot the teabags.  My Brain is an idiot.
Brain: Shit.
Legs: RUN AWAAAAAAY!

The Body is swept out of the kitchen by her quick-thinking legs



No comments:

Post a Comment