Dealing With Live
/ To be performed in two separate locations, during ‘at home’ enforcement.
Two computer screens; *video cameras are not on (initially), but audio is working..
NOTE – In the moments of the *Video Camera’s being “Off” – Artists’ can decide what “digital wallpaper” can be for this look. \
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Cast of Characters:
Anyone / KIERON ANTHONY
Anyone / KATE ANTHONY
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(KIERON stares at KATE a long moment – then, KATE’s feed goes blank)
KIERON: ..hello? hell
*KATE: (from a distance) hang on. Hang on.
(KIERON drinks)
KIERON: ..-isn’t it odd? ..I mean; not seeing you doesn’t really bother me now. -no, not how that sounded. -I mean; so much happens in this way now.. Reaching out, virtually. While living life, virtually. And it all just goes on and off; on and off; and, sometimes you’re .. talking to yourself. But not. And not even noticing the difference.. -Know what I mean? Yeah. Perfectly happy with this view. Well, used to it. I mean, not happy, but, used to it, and not distracted by it, causing me to think I’m.. -
(KATE’s monitor comes on. KATE is now wearing a mask..)
KIERON: Hello!
KATE: I know what you mean. I’d just gotten used to the whole ‘dingly’ thing in public
KIERON: excuse me?
KATE: you know: talking to someone on the phone, in the street, but without using hands.. or phone.. or something to indicate that you were actually on the phone.. And it’s just you.. all along. ..It took time absorbing; a depth of generation of people.. now talking out on the streets, was no longer an indication of- you know, instability.. And then, this, ‘new’ now- where we happily to talk to anyone! -no; I mean.. in a past time, we’d all have been very careful of who we were speaking with this way.. right? Cautious. Innumerable defenses up. But now
KIERON: waitWaitwait
(KIERON leaves the frame of their monitor; while rushing around, we hear KIERON)
KIERON: (out of frame) just thinking the same thing..! I mean- “defenses up”. Circumstances have left us wide open to adapting and allowing ourselves to actually be ourselves. In our own domains.
KATE: (suspiciously) Or at least show us in our habits, making them.. ordinary now for anyone to see. Though I don’t exactly know that’s all that good sometimes..
(KIERON returns with a bag)
KIERON: Well maybe we should have new protocols - clean spaces, in which to invite in
KATE: ‘clean spaces’
KIERON: Yes.
KATE: Are you.. -you’re not commenting on my- my decor?!
KIERON: what? No, no. But.. -what is that? -behind you..
KATE: -Art.
KIERON: ..ah.
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KATE: that’s personal!
KIERON: sorry. We’re
KATE: it can still be too intrusive. You stay right here. In this here, here.
(KIERON, cheekily, bends out of the frame; a fridge door is heard opening, closing.. A hand brings a pint of ice cream into view..)
KIERON: Is it considered ‘too intrusive’.. if we’re, sharing?
KATE: Through the monitor.
KIERON: Making this Virtually Sharing.
KATE: for goodness sake
KIERON: a moment of, say -‘childhood’..
KATE: through, the monitor?
KIERON: Come on. Trust.. -that.. -once, upon a time.. : One, and One other.. -went for ice cream. -at an ice cream store!.. instead of a, delivery site. -They. Walked. ..arm in arm.. -among many; brazen, in the brightness outside.. -in once what was.. surrounding activities. Unconcerned! And confident.. that.. whichever flavor they chose.. would be finished, before it could melt.. -Hold the thought. We don’t need ‘real life’ atrophying while we’re, occupied distancing..
KATE: Thank you. ..-the dogs never think to do that. ..-just demand, out, out out out. let us out.
KIERON: They have no imagination.
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