Oh All To End: Lugubrious Luminescence

Oh All to End - Lugubrious Luminescence
By: Patrick Wiabel
Draft #2B

Prelude:
In creating this piece I listened very closely to the words of Samuel Beckett, I wished to treat his work with respect in all aspects. As he said “Any production done without my stage directions is unacceptable to me”, the same is for this piece. I have a “private vision” as he did, and therefore the lights, movement, stage setup, and sound is to my personal creation using the qualities of Samuel Beckett. Minimalism is a very important aspect in this performance. Therefore the set is very empty, spread apart, but if used correctly can be filled with the presence of this man you are soon to meet.
We ask ourselves, what are we as individuals? Nothing but tormented souls, suffering day to day, with bits and glimpses of happiness, while our silent mind is tortured with thought and unrest hoping for that one chance we get occasionally to speak our minds. Hence, our identity suffers, we as individuals must fight against the odds in order to even make ourselves known, make others aware of our presence. Yet, even when we try our hardest life throws a curveball, and then sometimes the idea of “sleep” can sound all too perfect.
Set: (Also See Diagrams)
One wooden table (2’,2’) , one wooden chair Down Right. Lit candle in Front Center of table. (attached with small piece of Beeswax) One wooden stool (2½’ tall) slightly downstage of Blue window frame suspended from ceiling, (base 3’ off stage floor) Up Left. The window is positioned where a light can shutter and shine directly through window frame onto the table and chair DR. In the forth “moment” the entire set of table and chair must lift off the ground and move across the stage in a romulus shape, also specified in diagrams. Also the plan for the contraption making it possible also specified in diagram.
Lights:
Ambient blue tint light to light the stage at all times. The lighting in the piece has a personality or character of it’s own. Very few times is there not a light of some source on. They must be placed specifically where the character will be at a given point in time, which are plotted out in the blocking diagrams, separated by “moment”. But altogether very bright lights are used, coming from multiple angles and occasionally specific shadows made upon the face and body.
Characters: Man1, Man2 (as similar in look to Man 1 as possible), 2 random male or female (possible).
Sub-Characters: Lights, Table and Chair, Stool and Window, Clock Bell, “tick tock”, Scream.
Emphasis on use of specific body parts: Feet, Hands, Eyes.

Moment 1
• Man1 sits on chair at table DSR, slumped over Head Over Hands. (Right hand over left, right cheek resting upon back of right hand)
• Man1 raises his head a bit, eyes closed, still asleep. But then he falls back to head over hands.
• 3x more he rises a bit more every time, till the 4th lift he rises to sitting position, fingers barely hanging on to the inside edge of table.
• He opens his eyes, adjusting to the light coming from the candle.
• He notices the candle lit at FC of table. (pause 4 seconds)
• He then proceeds to pick up the candle, and blow it out in relief, (all he seems to want is sleep) then simultaneously as he blows out the candle a bright white light shuttered perfectly through the window USL beams directly on his location.
• He pauses in shock after slamming down the candle and hastily peering over face directly into the light from the window.
• He gazes on hoping that maybe someone or something is going to come through the door.
• He then begins to stand continuously gazing at the window, staring with a weary curiosity.
• 1-He takes a double count step towards the window in a 1,2 pattern (L, R).
• 2-4- Repeat 3 more times lights from window, and on window and stool slowly getting brighter, until he has reached his final spot directly in front of window. (pause 4 seconds)
• 5-Then he turns around closing his eyes, and taking 2 long steps away from the window and stool he then tries to look back quickly hoping to catch the lights fading, which they aren’t.
• 6- Then he turns directly upstage from position and walks two steps US and out of the light.
• He lays down on right side, facing audience, left hand on top of right, right cheek on left hand.
• Deciding he has avoided the light he yawns with relief and slowly closes his eyes, only for the window light to go out, and instead a new light directly above him shines even brighter then the window.
• He is startled and wakes up and rises to sitting position.
• 7- Then riseing frustrated to a standing position he dusts himself off and walks 2 step SR, lays down same position, and is once again awoken.
• 8,9- Repeat movement in square pattern 2 more times. (Directions can be found in diagrams.)
• On 4th move instead of rising to stand he scoffs and then accepts his fate and basks in the light in smite of it, only for the light to go black.
• At this position the actor should be directly SL of the Table, so he then rises very frustrated dusting himself off and then returning his focus to the candle.
• He sits at table, and picks up the candle.
• He then relights the candle using matches that are available on the table.
• Afterwards he slowly moves in a 8 second movement back to head over hands position.

Moment 2
• Man 1 is awakened again, the stage lights as a whole rising as if it were daylight then fading back to night blues in 8 second intervals.
• Man 1 as he awakens rises very quickly, to standing position barely clinging fingertips on inside edge of table. Almost about to fall.
• Slowly regaining control and balance of body and face which slowly fades from shock to dullness. He falls back to his seat and head over hands position only to spring up 3 more times.
• On 4th he pauses 4 seconds holding breathe then gasps.
• 1-As he exhales his feet begin to move from L-R, as his torso stays still. His feet have stolen his will, and are trying to escape. Till finally they do and he releases his grip of the table and lets his feet carry him off DSL wing. (Pause 4 seconds)
• 2-He reenters USL Continuing on his path towards USR at which…
• 3-“The other”, Man 2 enters DSR as Man 1 Exits USR, and continues to move towards the table and chair
• He proceeds to sit at the chair and table opposite head over hands position of Man 1 (Closed eyes, Left hand atop right, left cheek upon back of left hand.)
• 4-Man 1 is pulled out of DSR where he falls back faceing towards table and chair.
• Man 1 looks behind him to find Man2 sitting at the table and chair.(pause 2 seconds)
• As Man 1 Rises to standing position so does Man 2 eyes open.
• 5A,5B- As Man 1 moves and reaches for Man 2, Man 2 Simultaneously reacts and turns SL and walks towards and out DSL,
• 6,7- As Man 1 makes it to DC, Man 2 reappears from USL and sets a course towards USR, Man 1 waits 2 seconds then walks US towards the path of Man 2.
• Once Man1 reaches the path, he turns in same direction of Man 2.
• 8A,8B- Man 2 exits USR and Man 1 follows.
• (Pause 4 seconds)
• 9A, 9B- Man 1 enters backwards from USR as Man 2 enters facing forwards DSR on a path towards DSL. (Walk takes 8 seconds to exit)
• 10- Man 1 takes 4 seconds to turn around, and 4 seconds to arrive behind chair and table. Arriving at same moment Man 2 exits DSL.
• 11- Man 1 face turns to DSL looking for Man 2 which he doesn’t see, but proceeds to walk 4 slow steps to CS, where he collapses sadness. The Lights that have been going back and forth from night to day stop, and one bright white light shines down directly above Man 1.
• 12- Man 2 enters DSL and moves towards Man 1, whom he picks up and helps walk over to Chair and table
• 13- Man 2 places Man 1 in Head over hands position, turns and walks toward and out DSL (8 second walk)
• Man 1 on 5th second of walk surprisingly wakes and rises to seated position and yells “WAIT!” as Man 2 exits.
• (pause 4 seconds, he does not move) Then he slowly exhales and sighs and lowers in a 4second movement back to head over hands position.

Moment 3
• A clock sounds alarmingly, rising Man 1 to sitting position in shock.
• With him still at awareness, the clock bell desipates into silence while a “Tick-tock” sound rises and gets louder and louder.
• 1-Man 1 begins to lower his head almost at head over hands position as Man 2 Enters DSL Backwards from wing.
• As Man 2 continues walking backwards in the direction of Man 1, Man 1 slowly realizing that Man 2 has entered his space simultaneously rises to seated position, and following Man 2 with his head.
• At which time Man 2 Reaches his destination after a short 8 second walk.
• 2-Man1 Jumps up to standing and chases the last image of Man 2 out downstage right.
• 3-Man 1 is thrown from DSR wing, falling right in front of desk, crawling back to the wing he tries to force himself through, yet something holds him from going any further.
• After 8 seconds of fighting the invisible force, Man 1 takes defeat, and rises to standing.
• 4-Slowly Man 1 walks to CS, once there he lifts his head from wallowing. Then in an act of desperation he attempts to scream, as loud as he could. (Although there is no audible scream the look should be of a wide mouth eyes closed)
• After a long agonizing 12 Seconds, with Man 1 searching for someone playing a joke on him, a long agonizing scream comes from nowhere not by him, ut from a recording, scaring him.
• 5-He runs back to his seat and falls plopping down Right hand over left, right cheek upon left hand.
• After 4 seconds of him shivering in his seat the clock bell rings alarmingly, He rises to seated position and screams the silent scream, stopping the clock.
• He then waits for the scream for 12 seconds yet it never comes.
• He lowers his head back down to R hand over L R cheek upon L hand.
• 4 seconds after he is in position, his left hand breaks free from the position and sprawls out to the far left corner of the desk, then 4 seconds later his right hand jumps out and lands on top of left hand.
• He pulls his head up, his hands stuck in place, pulling against a force like rubberbands connected to back of his head, he pulls away.
• Snap the rubber bands pull his hands back in and his head just flops down on top of them into starting position.

Moment 4
Transitioning night and day lighting 12 second intervals, slow fade from one to the other, starting with night lighting.
• 1-Man 1 Rises from starting position he rises to his feet and simply walks off DSR in roughly 6 second walk allowing enough time to get to USR by the 8th second.
• 2-At 8 second mark he reenters USR and comes to CS in an 8 second walk.
• Once CS he Raises his hands in 4 second motion, then claps them together and the lights stop in night light.
• 3-Exstatic that it worked, he then walks to his seat in a 4 second walk jolly as could be. Sits and slowly lowers to starting position falling asleep.
• A light comes on above him, but he doesn’t rise he merely opens his left eye to the audience. Sighs and scoffs, and closes his eye.
• Yet the stubbourn light gets brighter.
• 4A-Not opening his eyes he rises slightly allowing the table and chair to lift just slightly off ground and float off to another place in the space 2 steps worth SL
• 4BMan 1 4 seconds behind still in sleeping position tip toes to table and chair, sits and comes to starting position.
• 5,6,7-Lights 3 more times appear brighter then previous luminosity except final position. 1st move 2 steps USL, 2nd move SR 2 steps worth, 3rd move DSR to original place. (Pattern found in blocking notes.)
• In starting position he awaits the light that fades from previous position to appear but it never does, lights almost fade to black but right before…

Moment 5:
• The clock sounds alarmingly raising Man 1 to seating position screaming a silent scream.
• Out of breath and panting, seeking relief from the audience for 12 seconds till, both the clock and scream sound aloud together frightening him to starting position.
• The sounds fade out after 8 seconds, he shivers and fades with sound to stillness.
• Once silent he rises slowly in paranoia.
• 1-He stands and begins to pace SL and SR growing more impatient and anxious, and then after 2 paces back and forth he stops CS.
• He speaks angrily “RIGHT MIND…Pahh!”
• 2-He paces DSC and stands in front of audience, counts on his fingers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8.(Pause stillness)
• He slowly closes his hands and in despise he shakes his “ohh you little” finger at the nonexistent clock up and above the audience.
• When nothing happens he stops, smurks, grins, then uncontrollably starts to giggle, the laughing grows louder and louder.(this goes on for a good 20 seconds.)
• Then on the 20th second the clock sounds angrily Silencing him. Then fading to “tick tock”.
• 3-He runs back to his seat, and before he sits the sounds of the clock fade completely. The ambient light on stage fades and the light from the window comes shining through, bright as day.
• 4-Then slowly turning to the window in hope that “something = anything” is there. He walks slowly towards the window in 1,2 steps 8 second walk. His expression slowly fading from hope to sadness.
• Once he reaches the window he sits at the stool and looks out for 4 seconds to find nothing.
• He then closes the blinds of the window.
• 5-Then turning away from the window he starts to walk away casually then after 4 steps he turns back but then nodding his head turns forward again, and continues to his seat where he collapses to seating pauses then slowly comes to normal position.
Moment 6

• 1-Man 2 enters DSR and comes to table and lights candle, continues SL.
• Man 1 awakens noticing the candle has been lit, he looks around.
• 2-Man 1 stands grabbing the candle and walks off DSL.
• 3A,3B-After 8 seconds, Man 1 reenters DSL backwards, as Man 2 enters DSR forwards simultaneously.
• Just about to collide CS Man 1 turns downstage to audience, pause turns then to chair and table, as Man 2 exits.
• 4-Not noticing him Man 1 walks then to his table and chair and sits in disappointment.
• Then staring at the audience, and saying in a sigh “Oh all to end.”
• Then he blows out the candle and comes to normal position. Head over Hands.
BLACKOUT – The End