February 28th, 2002 - 3:01 p.m.

a short play

the stage:
plain stage, floors painted a mute black. black silk gauze hangs from the ceiling like clouds. black tissue squares (1 cm square) fall from the ceiling, blanketing everything. a white chaise longues draped in white silk gauze sits on the right side of the stage.

characters:
weiss: a woman, her entire body and hair painted white. white chrysanthemums in her hair. an animal heart in one hand (dyed very red), which throughout the scene she will try to shade from the falling black tissue, and nibble at when agitated. sits on the chaise.
nero: an unknown figure, painted bright red stands at the left side of the stage, behind a piece of black gauze that is hanging from the ceiling.
ostrich: an ostrich-like creature with floppy ears.

the curtains open to reveal the scene. weiss and nero are on the stage. weiss is nibbling at the heart in her hand.
nero: what is that racket? who is making to all that noise? i am too tired. i need some sleep.
weiss: we are all tired here. we all need sleep. one day. perhaps.
nero: sorry, what was that? didn't quite catch that one.
ENTER OSTRICH
weiss: there you are. and here i go. (goes back to nibbling)
ostrich: (giggling) sometimes things are too funny for words. and visa versa.
nero: this makes no sense. no sense. no sense at all!
ostrich: then, perhaps, it is time to declare it nonsense! (giggling)
weiss: this is going nowhere...
ostrich: fast! watch me run. (runs around in circles, flapping wings.)
weiss: if i have to sit here all the time i should at least... (pulls out a large clump of hair) now we are close to the end.
ostrich: silly, we are always closer to the end. here we go! faster faster faster.
nero: i still am not getting it. what is that noise? is someone talking? who is that? i am too tired for this.
ostrich: and to think. we were tired to begin with. (giggling)
at this point three large white dogs run across the stage, left to right, the leader of the pack snatching the heart from weiss' hand. weiss makes no noise, and just procedes to lick her hand. ostrich kicks the last dog as it exits.
nero: what was that? oh wait. nevermind. i have no comment.
ostrich: mute are we?
nero: mutiny is bound to even itself out.
ostrich: i will not. i refuse. (starts running around in circles again, flapping wings. hopping every so often.)
ostrich: and here we are. this is our floor. stop. (there is a loud ding, and the sound of elevator doors opening.)

n.

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