Vertrauen sie mir - ich weiß, was ich tue!

Wie zum Henker schreibt man ein zehn Minuten Stück?

Heute möchte ich Euch mit einem Entwurf zu einem 10 min Stück beglücken.  Wenn ich ans Schreiben dachte, habe ich nie daran gedacht, daß ich Dramen schreiben möchte. Das hat sich natürlich auch an meine Herangehensweise an das Schreiben selbst ausgewirkt. Nämlich lange Zeit den Bildschirm anstarren, ohne nur eine einzige Zeile zu tippen. Dazu kommt das Englisch nun mal nicht meine Muttersprache ist und sich wirlich fast jeder Dialog ersteinmal unnatürlich anfühlt. Zwar bildet ein Dialog in einem Theaterstück nicht ab, wie wir wirklich sprechen, da der Theaterdialog quasi poliertes sprechen ist, aber normalerweise fließt er schön.

Diese beiden Aspekte haben doch dazu geführt, daß ich eher lustlos mit der Ausführung begann. Dabei war ich von Anfang an von meiner Idee überzeugt. Die Idee zu dem Stück kam mir während der Lektüre "The Three Christs of Ypsilanti", das ich hier schon mal kurz erwähnte. Wie man deutlich lesen kann, handelt es sich bei 2 plus 1 um einen Entwurf, der noch nicht abgeschlossen ist. Während ich anfing zu schreiben, habe ich einen immer deutlichen Eindruck von meinen Figuren bekommen. Das hat mir geholfen, in die Geschichte reinzukommen. Allerdings bin ich immer noch unentschlossen, wo das Ganze enden soll. Im April ist Abgabe, dann werde ich schlauer sein. Allerdings würde ich es dann auch gerne mal live sehen. Ich glaube, das tolle am Theater ist wirklich, daß es für die Bühne gemacht ist. Ideen für ein mögliches Ende sind natürlich willkommen. Also bitte an mich wenden!

2+1

A ten minute play

CHARACTERS

LEO – a patient in his 40ies, shy and sensitive

JOSEPHINE– a patient in her late 20ies, boisterous 

DR. BLOOM – the doctor, middle aged man

A NURSE

SCENE I

The play is set in a psychiatric ward. It should not give the impression of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, but rather it gives a warm and welcoming feeling.  The room contains three comfortable chairs, a little table with a box of tissues on top of it. On two walls you see packed bookshelves, on the third wall hangs a print of the painting THE TWO FRIDAS by Frida Kahlo.

DR. BLOOM is sitting in the consultation room, looking tired and drinking Whiskey. When it knocks, he springs from his chair and hides a half empty glass of Whiskey and bottle behind some books. 

DR. BLOOM: Come in!

Leo enters the room and takes a seat and looks to the floor. 

DR. BLOOM: Hello Leo, how are we today?

LEO (avoids eye contact): Fine, Dr. Bloom, thank you. 

DR. BLOOM: How is your profession…I mean… vocation going?

LEO:  I would prefer you would call it my calling, doctor. Fine, thanks.  

DR. BLOOM starts writing on a notepad he holds on his lap.

DR. BLOOM (shakes his head nearly unnoticed): You have been with us for a while now. Have you met Josephine yet? I thought we should try something new, something that might help you. I would like to introduce you to each other.

LEO: But I am fine, doctor. Really. Why should I meet anyone new? I don’t want to  -

DR. BLOOM: Excellent. Actually she should have been here by now…

DR. BLOOM looks at his watch.

LEO: I don’t want to meet anyone new. People give the impression they don’t understand me. 

DR. BLOOM: She seems to be late, let me get her quickly. 

DR. BLOOM stands up and opens the door. JOSEPHINE stands in front of the door.

JOSEPHINE (while entering and taking a seat): Thank you. 

DR. BLOOM: Oh Josephine, you are already here. You didn’t just stand outside waiting for me, did you?

JOSPEHINE: Of course not, I arrived as soon as you opened the door.

DR. BLOOM: Well for next time can I suggest just knocking? 

JOSEPHINE: Next time I will let you in.

Leo looks shyly to the floor again, DR. BLOOM looks irritated and goes back to his chair.

DR. BLOOM (smiling through his teeth): Good, as we are all here now and as we haven’t met before I would suggest we start with a short introduction. I’ll begin to break the ice. I’m Leonard Bloom, I have been working here as a psychologist for six months now. I am married to –

JOSEPHINE starts coughing. DR. BLOOM looks at her even more irritated. LEO looks at JOSEPHINE.

JOSEPHINE:  His wife has recently left him. 

DR. BLOOM looks at JOSEPHINE with his mouth open. 

 LEO: What? Really? I am sorry to hear that Doctor. I hope you won’t get a divorce doctor?

DR. BLOOM: Please, both of you. Please. We shouldn’t focus on my private life. It just slipped my tongue. It only happened recently. But it shouldn’t bother you. Josephine, I have no idea where you heard this one from, but it has nothing to do with our counselling session.  Could we continue without discussing my private life? Thank you. Leo, maybe you can go next?

LEO: You shouldn’t say it doesn’t matter. My father taught me: ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’

JOSEPHINE: Oh, that’s what my father always tells me! He would probably add: “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.  A loving doe, a graceful deer-- may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. “ – How sad it is too late for you, Dr. Bloom.

Leo looks for the first time at Josephine. DR. BLOOM controls himself visible for others and doesn’t say anything. He clings to the armrests.

LEO:  My father is saying exactly the same… 

DR. BLOOM: Ok, stop it you two. Stop it.  Who is speaking about adultery, Leo? Josephine, my wife simply left me. It happens. It shouldn’t bother you. (starts tapping the notepad with his pen) . Could we please finish the round now? Leo?

LEO: Yes doctor. Of course doctor. Hmmm…What about me? I am just Leo.  (He reaches forward to get a tissue out of the box and starts to scrunch it up. )

DR. BLOOM: And? Anything you would like to add?

LEO (his speech gets quieter with every word):  I am Jesus Christ, saviour of humanity and Son of our Lord, my father? 

JOSEPHINE: NO WAY! That can’t be!

LEO: I am sorry, I didn’t mean to -

JOSEPHINE: Sir, no offense, but that’s crazy. You can’t be Jesus. 

DR. BLOOM (looks at Josephine): And why are you saying this, Josephine?

JOSEPHINE: Because, he is obviously deluded. That’s why. He can’t be me. I am Jesus. 

DR. BLOOM: You are not saying he pretends to be you, are you?

JOSEPHINE: No. I am saying, he’s a liar. 

LEO (clears his throat): As my father always points out: Thou shalt not lie! I wouldn’t do it!

JOSEPHINE: If you are saying this, you’d better start listening to your father. 

DR. BLOOM interrupts quickly.

DR. BLOOM: Okay, let’s assume neither of you is lying. What has happened then?

JOSEPHINE: It’s easy. Sir, he might be an instrumental god. They rank over Angels but are inferior to the saviour.  Or he is deluded. 

LEO (mumbles): Excuse me, I can’t help it that I am Jesus. I didn’t ask to be.

JOSEPHINE (towards LEO): I have news for you. Forget it, you better start worshipping me.

LEO: Thank you, but I have my own religious followers. 

JOSEPHINE: Maybe in the clinic. You better get your OWN life and wake up to the facts here! 

DR. BLOOM nervously slides on his chair.

DR. BLOOM: Please, could we try not to offend each other?  

JOSEPHINE: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

DR. BLOOM: What a thoughtful remark, Josephine. Still, I would prefer we could continue without insulting each other? Please?

JOPSEPHINE nods but doesn’t say a thing.

LEO (into the quiet room): Are you an atheist Dr. Bloom?

DR. BLOOM: What has THIS to do with anything?

LEO: I was an atheist myself before I lost my wife. 

DR. BLOOM: I don’t think in this session is any room to discuss our private beliefs.

LEO (ignores DR. BLOOM completely and stares at the ceiling): I loved Sharon. (Starts sobbing) But this damn night ruined everything. It was my entire fault. I decided to go out drinking with my boys. Just for a couple of beers like we use to, every Friday night. She asked me if I could pick her up. It was snowing that day. She didn’t feel confident driving under such weather conditions. (Beat.) She had a car crash on her way back home. She died in hospital the same night.  And then after all these years my real father spoke to me. Suddenly his voice filled my head….(He stands up and spreads his arms)

JOSEPHINE: Pathetic.

DR. BLOOM: Josephine!

LEO: What did you say? (Drops his arms.)

JOSEPHINE: You are a liar, Leo. Your wife didn’t die in a car crash. She left you because you were an alcoholic. 

LEO looks at JOSEPHINE and takes a seat. He picks another tissue and starts to crunch it.

LEO: I was just out drinking with the boys. 

DR. BLOOM (sighs): I know how these stories end.

He reaches out for the tissues and starts sobbing. LEO is irritated; JOSEPHINE grabs another tissue  which she offers DR. BLOOM. Someone knocks at the door. A NURSE opens the door without waiting for the permission to enter. DR. BLOOM stops and looks at the NURSE)

NURSE: Sorry Dr. Bloom, excuse my interruption. But we have an urgent phone call for you at the reception.