circus act
characters
+ and -
+ is in a janitorial outfit.
- is in a suit and tie.
key
... = thinking
. = pausing
, = about to say something
? = not knowing
- - = interrupting/being interrupted
we begin.
- is in the center of a circus ring.
there is a small folding table.
- is taking out two folding stools from a suitcase. how were they even fitting in there? when he pulls them out of the suitcase, it is surprising. like clowns coming out of a small car, or a contortionist coming out of a small box.
after setting up the stools, - unpacks his briefcase.
inside, there is a chessboard, its pieces, and two chess clocks/timers. he begins placing them all carefully on the table.
enter +
+ hi, excuse me,
- hello!!!
+ hello-- , excuse me, but you can’t set this up here
- i’m sorry?
+ the folding table with the little characters,
- my chess board!
+ yes, chess board, you can't play a chess game here.
- oh sure i can,
+ no, unfortunately not,
- no really i’m sure of it! the lighting is good. bright for focus. and it's quiet but still in the center. being in a center is crucial.
+ why?
- so people can find me. i’ve been searching for somebody to play with me.
+ you don’t have another player?
- i did but. -- ah it’s no matter now.
+ . ,
+ well, i’m sorry to tell you, but you really can’t have a game in here.
- why’s that?
+ this is the circus
- so?
+ there are no games in the circus.
- there are absolutely games in the circus!
+ no, not games,
- then what are there?
+ attractions.
- semantics!
+ it matters the difference
- how’s that?
+ a game is about winning and losing. an attraction is when somebody does something interesting, and it catches your eye.
- and then what?
+ that’s it.
- hm.
+ .
+ did you try the baseball field? it’s a few miles out. but it has a center.
- i did, it was a massacre, they chipped two of my pawns, and one bishop blown to smithereens just about. no one wanted to play proper.
+ i’m very sorry.
- well that’s alright.
+ … ,
- ... who are you?
+ ., i'm an addition to the circus.
- what do you do here?
+ i clean the fun house mirrors in the entrance.
- what?
+ the ones where you get tall then wide then short,
- you’re cleaning them?
+ yes, so people can see the reflection accurately,
- that’s impossible!
+ well if you use a vinegar based solution it---
- the reflections aren’t accurate to begin with!
+ oh, no, the fun house mirror is one of the most accurate reflections of all. as long as it doesn’t have any smudges. or dents! dents are worse.
- what difference does a dent make?
+ they’re terrible, just terrible. the whole illusion becomes terribly misleading.
- does not understand.
- ... so you are in janitorial work then?
+ oh ah no, i'm in love, also.
- oh! with who?
+ the trapeze artist.
- how long have you two been together?
+ around three minutes at a time,
- i’m sorry?
+ maybe up to five minutes,
- in total?
+ no, almost every night. i double check the knots in her ropes before she goes on.
- for your job?
+ oh no, not mine. it’s just something i do. but somebody else checks the ropes before me.
- who?
+ the rope manager.
- rope manager?
+ the man who knows all the ropes in the circus.
- hm. does the rope manager love her?
+ i don’t know (considers) maybe.
- but certainly she loves you,
+ i don’t know.
- you don’t know!!! how do you not know?
+ i haven't asked her.
- well she must know you love her,
+ we haven’t talked about it,
- what are you talking about?
+ all sorts of things. if the crowd leaves behind a lot of peanut shells on the ground we talk about that. or we talk about the little hole in the ceiling of the tent.
- so small talk,
+ no of course not, we also discuss the elephant.
- the elephant?
+ yes, like which one of us saw the elephant last, and if the elephant seemed to be in good spirits,
- oh....
+ and then after i’m done checking her ropes, she says “thank you so much.” even though she knows i don’t have to check her ropes since it’s not my job. she always says it anyway.
- that’s all?
+ no. and then i say, you’re welcome. and then, she smiles.
both are silent.
- is thinking very hard and seems to be concerned.
after some time:
- you are sure you love her?
+ every night she flies off a swinging bar forty feet high and catches another bar, and her legs do the splits in the air,
- what a mess!
+ no she's really graceful, and she does other things too, all while in the air!
- your loving her, i mean
+ ?
- you shouldn’t love someone who doesn’t love you back.
+ ... why?
- it's a rule!
+ oh
- common rule.
+ oh. (then) do you have some one you love?
- me i'm waiting
+ waiting for what
- the right scenario.
+ ?
- i look out for certain things in people that indicate what they’ll do next. then i move my feelings around accordingly. preemptively.
+ what for
- to avoid getting into a spot where i am at a disadvantage. for example, a position like yours,
+ what about my position?
- your trapeze artist has all the leverage,
+ yes she needs a lot of leverage to jump onto the swinging bar
- not just leverage to jump! to do whatever she likes!
+ she likes to jump most of all,
- but she can do anything.
+ yes, she really can do anything.
- is puzzled again. mulling it over. then realizes + is standing awkwardly before him.
+ is trying to think of a way to politely ask - to leave once more.
+ , well i,
- oh, excuse me, please, sit down, sit down.
+ is hesitant.
- sit, sit! it will be quick. i just need to have a quick think. it won’t be a long think.
+ i---
- you can time me!
- clicks his respective timer by the chess board on. then assumes a thinking position.
+ politely sits.
- continues with thinking until it occurs to him, the solution. he immediately clicks his timer off.
- withdraw!
+ ?
- you can withdraw!
+ withdraw?
- it does seem counterintuitive but sometimes you have to go backward in order to go forward!
+ but why?
- why? because you’re losing!
+ losing to who?
- to her!!
+ there can’t be any losing – -
- untrue! losing is always possible,
+ but in an attraction- -
- oh right, yes. your attraction …
+ and - pause. they recognize they’ve come full circle.
- it’s a very smart move to love somebody who will make you a dinner.
+ she hasn’t made me a dinner.
- correct exactly.
+ but when she’s flying in the air, i get the sense that it's the time she spends on the ground that's borrowed. like, a loan-
- (a ha!) a loan!!!!
+ yes,
- i know all about loans!
+ then we could say that being on the ground is a sort of cost to her.
- a price she has to pay,
+ until she can get back in the air,
- yes!
+ yes! so i wouldn’t ask her to spend even more time on the ground, just to make me a dinner,
- but --
+ but maybe i could bring her a dinner!
- no! no, the point is: if you did ask her to make you a dinner, she would refuse. because you are not worth that cost to her.
+ oh.
- you see now? you just need a little more practice predicting outcomes like this ahead of time, that way you won’t waste your moves.
+ my moves?
- the less of them you use the more you save up!
+ for what?
- for other scenarios,
+ oh. (then) but that’s okay. i only have this one scenario.
- no no there can be many many scenarios! don’t be so defeated already! we’ll free you up from this one, i’m sure.
+ i--
- nonsense! you have plenty of opportunity left to redeem yourself. it begins with stopping the loving immediately…
+ immediately?
- immediately and completely!
+ i wouldn’t know how...
- stop with the ropes first. and do you clap for her?
+ yes,
- no clapping for her! avoid her totally! avoid, avoid!
+ but --
- since you’re both in close quarters it is going to be difficult. there’s no use in pretending it won’t be. so if you happen to run into her, you’ll need a plan.
+ --
- you can envision a bullseye slightly left of her head, and look there instead.
+ what?
- no eye contact!
+ that seems cruel,
- cruel?!!? is self-preservation cruel?! is dignity!?!
+ ---
- it won’t go on forever! eventually you will withdraw enough. and in that distance between the two of you, you’ll be able to see the total purposelessness, the absolute disadvantage, of loving her. then it will all come naturally, you won’t care to talk to her much or even at all. and then, just imagine what you’ll do!
+ is imagining. he does not look comforted by this.
- is excited. he continues with setting up his pieces.
- are you imagining?
+ yes
+’s face is getting progressively sadder.
- are you sure you’re imagining?
+ i think so...
- (off +’s face) hm. imagine winning!
+ i am.
- you seem confused
+ no, not confused...
- confusion is nothing to be ashamed of, we can work on your strategical thinking skills. practice and exercise is all it takes! (then) have you played chess before?
+ i tried once but i--
- oh perfect! we can play! what great luck you found me. great luck, but also great strategy, on my end, being here in the center of a circus ring.
- looks down at the chess board to see it is almost all set up.
- ah i’ve gotten ahead of myself again. i should let you set up your own pieces. i’m sure you remember how, right?
+ ...
- --- oh- you are crying?
+ is trying not to cry. but + is crying.
+ ,
- did i say something---
+ no, i--
- i didn't mean to---
+ it’s---
- what happened?
+ breaks down into a sob.
- is stunned.
+ the chess---
- what?
+ the chess game. it just can’t go in the circus ring. is all--
talking over each other:
- begins to pack up his board.
+ watches, wringing his hands. his crying slows a little.
+ this sort of thing just needs to be --- enforced-- you know. because, if others see , they could get...
- upset
+ yes, upset
- i can see that’s the case—
- cannot find more words.
- looks at + .
- i’ve never met any one so sensitive about chess---
+ oh yes, i'm sure that’s true...
- continues packing up as both fumble for their words.
+ and - are not super listening to each other. neither of them are able to right now, because both are in pain.
- chess is a very common game almost every where---
+ yes,
- well-respected, all over the world,
+ all over
- so you can see why i... i couldn’t.. i didn’t anticipate this reaction ...
+ of course, yes
- i really didn’t mean to- ahem. i didn’t ever think i would cause so much upset--
+ i know,
- has finished packing. he stands still. he is concentrated, and confused, and sad about his confusion, and confused about his sadness.
+ and - are in silence for a bit.
+ sniffs. he realizes he still has tears on his face and he begins to pull his sleeve over his hand...
- would you like a tissue,
+ oh, no, i have something actually
+ pulls out a very long rainbow handkerchief from his pocket. very very long. he dries his eyes.
- you are definitely, . unusual
+ oh, definitely,
- irrationally unusual
+ yes, it's why---
+ blows his nose.
+ it’s why i joined the circus...
-