Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards

Péter Horváth (Hungary)


Black Stone

Text Extract

PERSONS:
NOSEY – a 12 year old boy from Hungary
Mickey – a 13 year old boy from Bulgaria
Girl – 14 year old girl from Italy or Spain

NOSEY I’v got a problem. May I talk about it? Everybody has a story. I also have one. It happened two months ago, at the first disco-night in the camp where I spent my holiday. We came there from several countries. I’m from Hungary, Mickey’s from Bulgaria, and she was from Italy or Spain, I don’t know. I shared my room with Mickey from the morning we had arrived. To be honest he chose to share the room with me, because the room I occupied was the best one, with two large windows facing the lake. I usually prefer to be alone, listening to my favorite classical music and imagining things. What happened if I would meet an alien creature, what should we do against the world-ending, or what my father said if he would know my secret ideas… But I was happy to get a room-mate like Mickey. He seemed to be older than me, he was smart, tidy and how do I say this… I liked him in a way… I always wanted to have had an elder brother, but… So, I spent all my time with him together – till that night. ? He knew a lot of interesting things about the stars and the black holes which lurk in the darkness of Space. The biggest one is going round in the middle of the galaxy. The largest telescopes are not able to see it, but the scientists know that it must be there. All stars are circling around it. ? That night we went to the garden together where the disco was starting. I’m not keen on the disco where the stupid girls are shaking themselves, not interested in any serious things, but Mickey asked me to keep his company… As he talked he just wanted to have a look around to have a laugh at the crazy dancers… ? Sorry for my English. I used to use it when nobody listened to me. Can you understand my speech? Ok. ? As I said, I felt him to be my friend, my first friend in the world, so I went with him to the disco-garden. I was talking about my dream of future, when a meteorite will collide with the Earth and a new ice-age will be starting, when suddenly he interrupted my speech.
MICKEY Good skin!
NOSEY What? – I didn’t know what he was talking about.
MICKEY I like her.
NOSEY He pointed to a girl who was standing alone under a tree not far from us.
MICKEY What you think?
NOSEY She is nice… – I replied wanting to continue my speech, but he didn’t listen to me at all, just stared at her with an idiotic smile on his face.
MICKEY Go up to her!
NOSEY Pardon?
MICKEY Go up to her to tell that I want to dance with her.
NOSEY I was deeply surprised. He never talked about girls. Instead of it, we often had a conversation about the future-world where all the babies will be borne from en enormous incubator without any parents. We agreed that it would be a nice world, because if there are no parents, they don’t have any reason to be arguing all the time. So I didn’t understand his sudden interest. Why don’t you go if you want it so bad? I asked him.
MICKEY Because of my English. Your one is much better.
NOSEY It’s not true. I always understand your ideas and feelings well. Remember? Yesterday you didn’t want to say a word about your mother, but I guessed what you thought.
MICKEY Because you’re my friend.
NOSEY Yes, I am.
MICKEY Ok, that is why I ask you now to do me this little favor. Please, tell her some words about me.
NOSEY The girl had long, blond hair, enormous blue eyes and a thick, disgusting mouth. I could see that she imagined herself to be as beautiful as nobody was brave enough to ask her to dance. I went to her. ? Hi!
GIRL What you want?
NOSEY Nothing. I mean it’s not me who wants you.
GIRL (laughing) Wants me?!
NOSEY I’m sent by my friend over there. Can you see him? His name is Mickey. He would like to dance with you.
GIRL And you? How about you?
NOSEY I’m just a post-man. He is better than me.
GIRL Better in what?
NOSEY He is taller, stronger and more clever. Only his English not so good. That is why he asked me to come to you.
GIRL He doesn’t interest me. But if you want, I can dance with you.
NOSEY I have never danced before. But I thought I had to try if I wanted to be successful. I started to shake my body. Everybody stared at us. The boys envied me. My friend also looked our dance. I could see his eyes. I said pardon to the girl, and ran back to him.
MICKEY You’ re a bastard. You wanted to take her out!
NOSEY No, I didn’t!
MICKEY I saw!
NOSEY I don’t like her. I swear! I like you. – It wasn’t enough. His face became darker.
MICKEY You are a liar.
NOSEY I would never lie to you! ? He wanted to leave me alone. ? Don’t go away! Mickey! Please! – I tried to catch his arm but I stumbled, and fell to my knees. The music ended in that moment, so everybody could hear my words: ? I love you! – The silence was frightening. I saw that all faces were turning to me. Mickey had a look around and stepped back.
MICKEY Why are you kneeling? Are you gay?
NOSEY Everybody was laughing. The girl’s voice was the loudest. I felt it like some knife on my ears. I stood up somehow and ran away. I went down to the lake-shore. It was night. The stars were shining on the mirror of the water. The scientists say that there is a giant, black meteor among the stars, rocketing toward the Earth, it will be arriving in the year twenty-twenty-six. How could I stand living till then?

Summary

Short play written for the PLATFORM 11+ Final production FACE ME Time of Transition


Rightholder:

www.kolibriszinhaz.hu


Performances:

FACE ME Time of Transition
P11+ premiere Pilsen / CZ, June 18, 2012


Cast:
M: 2
F: 1