This is an adapation from an earlier
play I wrote.
SCENE I
On his scooter, Xavier drives
carelessly, head in the air. The ambiance is showing on a movie by the back
scene white frame.
He stop at the middle of a bridge,
bending over the river, a smile to his lips. He likes bridges, and mechanically
he starts to speak.
“Under
Tower Bridge flows the thames
With all
his love,
From all he remembers
Joy always came after
the sorrow
Comes the
night, bells the ring
Days are
over, I’m living here
Hands in
hands stay face to face
While
under
The
bridge of our arms goes
Eternal
Stares, on a tormented wave
Comes the
night, bells the ring
Days are
over, I’m living here
Love
escapes us like this torrent
Love
escapes us
How life
is still
And how
hope is violent
Comes the
night, bells the ring
Days are
over, I’m living here
Come the
days, and go the weeks
Neither
the time spent
Nor love
returns
Under
Tower Bridge flows the thames
Comes the
night, Bells the ring
Days are
over, Here we are standing”
Translation and
adaptation from “Le pont Mirabeau” Apollinaire
One person walking by is pushing him
inadvertently. Here he goes out of his bubble. He dares a look to his phone and
comes back to earth.
Xavier- Sh…, I am already late
The back screen of the scene shows a
building.Xavier enters a building through a room left of the scene. His helmet
in one hand, he goes to the reception, and leaves a pack onto the reception
desk.
Xavier – Good morning, Speedy Delivery company. One
package for M. Henry
Sarah – Mr. Henry is waiting for you. He asked you
to come and see him. First office,
top of the stairs and left.
A desk is displayed on the screen.
The shadow of Xavier is walking over it.
Xavier –Good morning Sir, you asked to see me ?
Mr. Henry –Good morning
Xavier –What can I do for you?
Mr. Henry – A complaint from my side to hear. I
have contacted your company many times, the situation didn’t change, you are
still late.
Xavier –Ah.. Ah yes, I am one hour late
Mr. Henry – It is the problem… These documents
you brought me were meant to be signed and sent to our director by this
morning. Our president is no longer avaible, and out of office for one week at
least. You’ve made us lost a precious week.
Xavier stares to the left, to the
right, and finally goes out discreetly. He stops at the door.
Xavier – I am really sorry
Mr. Henry – Your apologies won’t make it for
the time lost. Be on time next time.
Xavier goes out and sees the
receptionist again
Xavier – What a twisted and harmful person this M.
Henry
Sarah – He’s under a lot of pressure currently. Don’t
blame him. He is accountable as well for
your delays. What were you doing? Your
office is just a few blocks away…
Xavier – I reflected some thoughts on the water under
the tower bridge
Sarah – You stop on the way to here ?
Xavier – Yes, If we are meant to be passengers of
this life, better to grasp every single smiles on the road, have you never
taste the present without thinking of the future ?
Sarah – No, I’ve got an agenda, and I am sticking to
it.
Xavier – I see, planning is this fly killer that
pastes.
The phone at the reception is
ringing
Sarah -Good Bye, Sir
Xavier is on his way out, when M.
Henry storms out of his office and walks towards him.
Mr. Henry – Hey, Mister! I’ve
got this urgent paper for Mr. Guilbert. It has to arrive before end of today at
this address. Here is a tip of 20
euros.
Xavier – I am not taking any tips, i twill be done,
don’t worry. You can trust me, I am often late but I never miss my
appointments.
Mr. Henry – Ok, but don’t be late, I am
stressing it out : it’s urgent, Please ask MR. Guilbert to contact me when
he gets it.
Xavier – will be done
SCENE II
The morning after, Mr. Henry sits at
his desk, speaking on the phone
Mr. Henry – Yes, President, you will get the
planning in one hour.
He hangs up and calls Sarah from his
desk phone.
Mr. Henry - Sarah, Please preapre a meeting in
room Pi III. Must attend: Jean from production, Norbert from Procurement and
Logistics, Francois from Quality, and Eric from Design. It is urgent, no
apologies will be accepted. If they can’t attend, one of their deputy should
come.
A music from a lift is filling the
scene. Two minutes, and Mr. Renry cleans his desk and files, uses his computer,
reflects and finally lays back on his chair. His colleagues arrive in the
meeting room. The shadows of each individual is lining up on the white screen. Starts
the meeting. Part of the screen is getting filled with diagrams, pie and so on.
Mr. Henry – Gentlemen, many thanks for making
it. We are in crisis, we are late on every single planning we first proposed.
We need to identify the root causes, and take the necessary corrective actions.
The President is expecting our conclusion in one hour. These are the tasks I’ve
identified as critical.
a. Jean, An additionnal budget has been freed. The production team will be required
to worked in night shift as well.
b. Edouard, The provides of key
critical elements are late and are impacting the production line. Get them
together and identify the root causes, and bargain a discount deal from all
that.
c. François, Quality is under what we promise to
our clients. In many cases, we have to redo the job for what would normally
need only one operation. It
has to be correct on the first spell, Perform an audit now, and give me an
analysis of the reasons. I want your
conclusions by today.
d. Eric, Design does not deliver,
bring us alternatives
Ok, now to all of you, here is the
new planning you will find on the intranet, and remember, we cannot allow
ourselves further delays. Anything to add?
Xavier knocks on the door, an enveloppe in hand.
Mr. Henry – Come in.
Xavier – A letter for you
M. Henry- Mister, don’t you see we’re in a meeting,
couldn’t it wait ? Normally you are delivering late, and now you are
interrupting us !
Xavier stays staring at the screen
Xavier – Very well balanced the colors out of this pie, and this histogram, how
beautiful.
M. Henry- A pie, Mister, a pie. Your view is of no interest to us, only experts can help us. Xavier
– Still, looking at it, You should look to the part highlighted as conception,
it is an imbalance to the whole picture. The pie would be more savy and balanced this way.
Mister Henry stops the presentation,
only the shadows of the people in the room are showing on the white screen. Mr.
Henry is staring by the windows.
Mr. Henry – Mister, leave us alone, your scooter
is not well parked and bloking the driving lane.
Xavier – The exhausted souls outside deserve a break,
It is raining, and still it is warm inside their car, they can start to speak
to each other.
Mr. Henry – Mister, most of these cars if you
haven’t seen have only one driver, no passengers. Please leave us alone, your
mobile is ringing, another upset customer is waiting for you.
Xavier – Please sign here.
Mr. Henry signs the delivery form
Xavier – Bye, Sir
Xavier goes, Mr. Henry is coming
back to his audience.
Mr. Henry – Eric, this guy was right. Once
your analysis done, strenghten the training and recruitment. Ir required, call for subcontractors.
SCENE III
Walking by a river, Mr. Henry is
walk-running composing a number on his cell. Xavier is sitting by, staring at
the surface of the river. This scene is meant to be played in silence, in calm,
providing a contrast with the previous scene. Mr. Henry is wandering on the scene, from left to
right, from right o left. Xavier sits by the edge of the sceen looking to the
public.
After 5 minutes, Mr. Henry stops
walking midway through the audience. His mobile at hand, he says softly
Keywords:
Quality, Cost, Delay
For you I
live every day
It gives
me force to go forward
Never
looking too much backwards
Xavier arrives on the other sides,
and continues the poem
To passion to the irrational
Only comes this misfit daily ball
A forgotten Cogito Ergo Sum
Letting the stars flying numb
Mr. Henry stresses his
statement :
Meeting in advance
Order, preparing the dance
The road all straight on this cement
The flow is calm, only a dent
Xavier, still his head in the sky,
goes on
They bring back to us deperation
Look at it, in search of more
deceptions
To this life, one wouldn’t believe
Them, it’s their way to live
The mobile from Mr. Henry rings, he
takes it and screams at the phone :
And yet the phone rings
Sounding walls are moving
Politeness is walking far
Down here, for money only we dare
Xavier puts himself in pause, he
picks up a leave that fell down, and delicately throws it to the wind.
Passionate
as anyone
Anyone
consuming it with no tomorrow
Landscape
that comes and goes
That we
always catch up in a break.
Mr. Henry hands up and puts the
conclusion
And so come other delays
Plans derive, agree in a way.
Xavier tighen his laces and says :
Taking that with no taste
Finshing there with nothing best
Mr. Henry crosses Xavier on his path. No stares crossing path tho'.
SCENE IV
Off voice : We can see Mr.
Henry on the front of the scene. Next week is the birthday of his wife. At his
desk, Mr. Henry finishes to eat. Once that done, he stands up and goes outside
searching a gift for his beloved one. The screen is highlighted with scenes
from a shopping street, Ads going up and down. He doesn’t pay attention to the
other walkers. He stops
whenever he sees something interesting.
Late this evening, he comes back
home, takes dinner, opens a bottle of wine. His son came back home late. This
latter went to party and has met Xavier on his road, without knowing each other
before this night.
Back to work, Mr. Henry switches on
his computer, starts to grasp the feelings of the day. Three hours after,
Xavier arrives at the reception. »
Xavier – Hiya, got a pack for Henry
Sarah - Mister Henry.
Xavier – Yeah, him, What times is it ? my watch
went broke two months ago.
Sarah- 20 to 12, Mister
Xavier- Shit, euh Damn, I am late another time,
Sarah – Well, yes… don’t worry, Mr. Henry looks like
he has other things on his mind, He is locked in his office since this morning,
and didn’t go out at all. Surprising, normally work does not take the much
stake on him, it must be private.
Xavier goes to Mr. Henry ‘s offfice.
This latter is speaking at the
phone, a pencil on his other hand that keeps beating on the desk.
Xavier- Sir Henry, one postage for you, please sign here.
No answers, Mr. Henry mumbles. He
opens the package quickly and goes back to his computer. On that, Xavier goes
out on a final word.
Xavier- Thanks, Tell me you have the face of greatest days
Mr. Henry – I beg your pardon ?!?
Xavier- Nothing, I was just wondering that you
weren’t looking happy.
Mr. Henry – Yes, private worries
Xavier – Family?
Mr. Henry – Yes, my son, he is emancipating more and more. I couldn’t remember myself being that
uncontrollable. Tell me, how old are you, Mister… ?
Xavier – 26.
Mr. Henry – Ah, interesting, tell me, what do
you do apart from the daily work?
Xavier – Well, it’s gonna discredit me even more.
Mr. Henry – You know, with the credit you
have, you wouldn’t be able to pay for a call.
Xavier - Ok, I don’t know, the morning I wake up, I
am leaving the alarm ringing to enjoy the music and then my phone rings given I
am mainly already late.
Mr. Henry – Come up to the facts, what did you
do yesterday evening ?
Xavier – Well, I came back from work, took a shower
and enjoyed a deep blunt silence by the door of my flat. I enjoyed a feg and
looked to the moon settling herself for her midnight scene. Once I am good and
relaxed, I am going for a drink at the pub.
Mr. Henry – And there ?
Xavier – In general, either friends are joining me
in, or a discussion is starting with people around.
Mr. Henry – My son came back late this
morning. I was taking breakfast, and he was showing insane and exhausted eyes.
It is not possible to speak to him, neither to ask him questions. From what I gathered, he met somebody and spent
the night across the town. And you, why do you have this exhausted face ?
Xavier answered, disturbed while
walking to the door.
Xavier – Hmm, Plese sign here Mr. Henry, Many Thanks
Mr. Henry – Please answer me, you’re afraid of
what ?
Xavier – Oh, I dare not to be afraid, still don’t
know if it’s the perfect place to speak. Soi yesterday, I went to a pub as per
usual. I went to a night out with a friend. You know, you’ve been young as well.
Mr. Henry – Well, I must have forgotten
Xavier – What ? forgetting the sixties like
that ? whenever my parents are telling me what not to do, I always had a
smile from tha coming to me.
Mr. Henry – Well, yes, still a generality
Xavier – Ok, between us, I went to one party, got
invited to another one, this way till late this moring, and now I am meant to
be working.
Mr. Henry – What a picture you are giving
about youth !
Xavier – Oh, a picture, I’d rather have the soundtrack.
The only thing I know is that I am nto good at staying focus too long. My eyes are escaping the front.
Mr. Henry – Too bad, it would give sense to
what you have to say
Xavier – You know, Silence is made of gold and
discussion are most of the time stying misunderstood. So here I come, disconnected from reality.
Mr. Henry – Thanks for your honesty. So, it’s
part out experience, a social learning I shouldn’t look to correct.
Xavier – Have a nice day. If you want, come and join
me after work around a drink.
Mr. Henry – I am keeping that in mind, many
thanks.
SCENE V
Xavier and Mr. Henry are meeting in
a bar in front of the business.
Xavier – Hiya, Mister Henry
Mr. Henry – Please call me Marc, I am no
longer one of your customers. So tell me what do you see in this pub?
Xavier – You’re direct, Here I don’t know, I’ve just
arrived ten minutes ago. Have you seen that the clock at the bar has two
minutes of advance with the one at the wall?
Mr. Henry - No…
Xavier – Look around, Can you see where the light is
getting mixed to the light of the bar, yeah there, just at the entrance.
Mr. Henry – No.
Xavier – What do you see?
Mr. Henry – A useful organization of the
tables, one waiter, one waitress, four tables, all rectangular, 12 chairs and 1
bench. And well, 5 customers,
including us
Xavier – Nothing more ? Don’t you see that one of the customer is crossing his legs, that he has
two different socks, one green, one orange ? That the girl over there is
very nervous and cannot sustain a look anywhere here?
Mr. Henry – No, but one of the light at the
ceiling is broken
Xavier- Ok, we are coming from far, Do you want to
understand you son ? Tell me, 20 years ago, what were you doing?
Mr. Henry – In a pub like this, next to my university, discussing with friends and
classmates and reinventing the world.
Xavier – And what happened ?
Mr. Henry – I don’t know, Work has started to take his load. I’ve met my wife, we had a first child. My
imagination went out, I’ve started to have several ties and a cellphone, and no
more desires to throw it all by the window. I must defragment, and you, what do
you see else here?
Xavier- The top of the lamp at the entry, moving
slowly with the breeze given the door is opened, one cellphone that is
vibrating, and illuminating the jacket of this person. There, one couple in
becoming staring lovingly at each other. Legs are crossing. Eyes and smiles are light and wide. The second pin from
the clock never stopping its run, and still this person being so nervous,
crossing in and out her legs. And of course, this deficient light at the
ceiling.
Mr.
Henry – Ok, I might
have forgotten and be too much formated
Xavier - Take
another glass, we are Friday, take a deep sip, and breath it away. Remember of the first time you were discovering
things. Simplicity with no complexity.
Marc smells his glass, then takes a sip. He puts back the glass on the table.
Silence is empowering him. He lets his mind drifting along the music of the
place, a jazz, his feet start to take the rhythm, he is swinging smoothly on
his chair. He is more relaxed.
His phone rings, He puts it on silence.
After a moment, Xavier speaks
Xavier – See, how easy can life be ? feel that
flow.
Mr. Henry – Well, yes, but a client called me.
Xavier – Let it go, it can wait Monday morning.
Mr. Henry is breathing intensely.
