Category Archives: projects

Time Vs. The Playwright

Time Vs. The Playwright- Post Challenge Thoughts

This challenge or more experience was the most intense test of endurance. When I began driving I had no idea what I wanted to write for about an hour, or even where to start writing. All of my playwrighting techniques fell out the window on the M50. In a moment of desperation I decided to write down, well my partner in creative crime Danny, wrote down everything that was floating through my head. Ideas like, five characters on a journey through the rain in some Joycean esque style, the birth of a brain bow; its like a brainstorm but more politically correct because I read an article that you are not allowed to say brainstorm anymore (also fact of the day). From this a political comedy was born, it was the mixture of the current water charges being introduced into Ireland and the floods we were driving through, such irony of water charges being introduced in such a naturally water filled country.

When we reached Sligo to find some creative inspiration from Yeats grave, I had written twelve pages. This was the first act, which was taking a theatre of the absurd tone. The characters were stuck in a funnel factory created to pump money into a water factory. From this strange mindset, we went over to Yeats grave to witness a slightly dark or maybe not gravestone inscription: Cast a cold eye/ On life on death/ Horseman, pass by. My initial reaction was unfortunately not one of a deep and profound poetic perspective; it instead provoked a question ‘WHAT DOES THAT MEAN’. This was probably due to tiredness already hitting me and my creative nerves wrought together in some horrible tangle. This induced a cloud of panic over me because I then realised I had to write the rest of the play, a forty-minute play in five hours…

The car journey from Sligo to Cork was not an easy one, first of all Google maps decided to bring us down the smallest road to be found in Ireland. Not sure if it could be classified as a road but an area of path surrounded by trees, human like looking trees who appeared to be frowning and smiling, or maybe there was something in my coffee I bought in the dodgy looking garage four miles ago. By this time creativity, imagination and my brain decided to go asleep for a while. Every 15 minutes I would think of lines of dialogue, and then suddenly could not think of anything. This is when a few rules were broken. Danny wrote a few lines in the second act and the final act. Danny also contributed to regaining some of sanity towards the end of the play like the coach in Rocky. Shouting chants like ‘You can do it’, ‘I believe in you’ and ‘You need to finish the play for theatre land’. Last one was a bit dramatic to say the least, but you understand the dramaturg and playwright dynamic that was created in the car, (which was another rule broken). This can definitely be witnessed in the play, the first act presents a lot of scope and characterization to where the play might begin to dramaturgically venture into, and then towards the play it abruptly ends by a typical Hollywood horror film. Thankfully it was finished all thanks to Google maps, which caused us to be lost for an extra hour and a half, which is also where I broke another rule.

Altogether with the numerous rules broken it adds up to €200, which is going to go to a theatre production on fund it. It may appear to be random but I strongly believe when you create theatre it should not just entertain but empower the audience and fellow theatre makers. Doesn’t necessarily mean financially but for this challenge I was unable to attend productions in and around Ireland so why not give someone a few spondulics.

Below is the finished piece of work, before you read it there is a rubric to consider: Read the play dramaturgically and creatively. Dramaturgically meaning does the play make any theatrical sense, and what do you consider to be the main flaws and opportunities within it if it were staged. Creatively, stay conscious of the time limit it was created within, how does that impact the play text?
I haven’t corrected a lot of the spelling and grammar mistakes within the play because I wanted to be as organic as possible, another prop to the finished piece.

In conclusion, it is fucking insane to write a play in seven and half hours, and like me you will probably end up writing one that is only about twenty minutes long. Or if you would like to try do one better, try to drive down roads minus cattle and forestry, instead find a road like on an American highway, nice and straight with no complications. Hope you enjoy reading the play, ‘Untitled’.

Thank you for reading!

All rights are reserved to Katie Poushpom© k.e.cleary

UNTITLED

ACT I
Internal:factory
The stage is dark, you can hear the cacophony of
mechanical machines operating.
Lights fade up to show three characters on stage.
Jake, Mildred and Daniel are on stage.they are
working on three separate tables with what
appears to be water funnels. There is a lot of
materials on the table accompanying the funnels.
All the characters are hard at work. There is a
huge clock upstage on the wall that doesn’t work.
There is a door stage left and stage right and
there is a window stage right but it’s bricked
up.
The atmosphere seems tense. The characters seem
on edge and every so often look at the clock to
check the time. But the clock still isn’t
working.
Daniel appears to have an idea and puts one of
the funnels on his head. He does so to attract
the attention of jake and Mildred.
Daniel: “Hey guys who am I?”
Mildred and jake dart their eyes over but get
back to work.
Daniel: “not even a laugh? I’m losing my touch.”
Milder: “Daniel not now we have to get this done
by the end of the day’ I’m not getting in trouble
again.”
Daniel: “you need to find the lightness in any
situation. Sorry if my humour is interrupting
your misery.”
Mildred puts her tools down on the table.
Mildred: “there is a time and a place to perform
your comedy act, Pauline won’t just kill you but
2.
all of us if she finds out we’re slacking.”
Daniel:(smiling) “that’s who I’m supposed to be!
Look!”
Puts the funnel back onto his head in a high
pitched voice says “it is what it is, do as I say
or i’ll eat your leg like a chicken wing”
Jake says in a quiet tone “that’s not even funny”
Daniel: “you wouldn’t know humour if it tickled
your asshole”
Mildred (to jake): “don’t listen to him just get
back to your work and hopefully we can leave
soon.”
Mildred and jake get back to their work.
Daniel: “what do you want to do when we get out
of here?
Mildred: “not with you!”
Daniel: “why?”
Mildred: “I already sacrifice enough of my time
in here with you I’m not going to sacrifice my
free time with you too”
Daniel: “my presence is like a shitty pilgrimage,
how wonderful. That’s a new one for me.”
Joan enters.
Joan is dressed in normal attire as opposed the
the overalls everyone else is wearing.
Joan: ” working away are we?”
Daniel: “finally some life to the party!”
Mildred: “do you mind finishing some of jakes
work? He’s a bit behind”
Joan: “yes but only for a little while, I need to
get out of here for a while.
3.
Daniel: “no stop, come have fun with me!”
Footsteps are heard.
There is a silence.
Joan looks up at the clock.
Daniel: “did you see that documentary on
jellyfish?
Pause.
Daniel: “they talked about jellyfish not actually
having a brain but are able to rejuvenate
themselves so they don’t technically die. It’s
the same with lobsters. They can keep growing too
so there could be a giant lobster out there
somewhere for all we know.”
Joan: “you always have such random information
Daniel.”
Mildred: “like that time you educated us on how
flowers are sentient beings.”
They all start to titter. Especially jake.
Daniel sees jake laughing and is unamused.
Daniel starts to walk over to jake as he is
speaking.
Daniel: “dunno what you’re laughing at jake, you
can’t go to the toilet without Mildred holding
your hand. I’d hate to think that something
horrible were to happen to you if Mildred wasn’t
there.”
Daniel takes a knife out of his pocket for only
jake and the audience to see.
Jake appears terrified.
Joan: “oh calm down Daniel, we only have a few
more hours left in here, you don’t want Pauline
giving you the sack before the end of the day do
you?”
4.
Daniel sits down.
Daniel: “only joking, just trying to find the
lightness in my situation.”
Mildred: “Joan you better get your overalls on
before Pauline gets back.”
Joan: “too late for that I threw them away.”
Mildred: “but she’ll go mad if she sees you!”
Joan: “don’t worry I know what I’m doing. We are
making fucking funnels not baking shortcake.”
Daniel: “viva la people.”
Pauline is seen at the door stage left?
They all put their hands on the table and stay
very still.
Pauline strides around the room observing what’s
on the tables.
She walks over to Daniels table and picks up one
of the funnels. She stares at it then throws it
on the ground.
Daniel flinches.
She notices that Joan isn’t in her overalls.
Pauline: “where are your overalls? And before you
answer, I do not give two funnel tubes what your
liberal or political stance is today. A simple
answer for a simple question please?”
Joan: “it is unfortunate we cannot see eye to
eye.”
Pauline: “eye to eye?”
I’m asking you to complete a simple job, but you
have to protest about that as well. Why would I
ever see eye to eye with you your not even the
same height as me.”
5.
Joan: “I don’t understand why we need to wear
overalls, it’s very constricting to the creative
mind.”
Pauline looks appalled: “let me put it this way,
there is a set of instructions on your table,
your tools and materials. It is there To keep you
safe and to complete the job with no fuss or
complications. Your creativity does not come in
to the equation. It is what it is so what is the
problem?”
Joan: “that is the problem! I need room to grow
and spread my skills. All of us do!”
Daniel, jake and Mildred all shake their heads in
disagreement.
Pause.
Pauline: “if you don’t do what I say then You can
get out, you are all replaceable! I am here to do
an important job, to make sure these funnels
filter water that is pure and perfect. You should
be happy to have a job and stable income, so if
you want to leave please do, if not I do not want
to hear another word coming out of your mouth.”
Joan looks defeated.
Long silence.
Joan: “good.”
She looks over at Daniels table.
Daniel (anxiously): “I wouldn’t look at my
finished product just yet…(pause).
Pauline looks at his table with great interest.
She then throws all of his materials on the
ground.
Pauline: “again! Do it again!”
Daniel: “I’ll do that right away.”
6.
Pauline exits.
Mildred darts her eyes up to the clock.
Daniel: “that old fart can never be happy,
sometimes I think she’s a robot.”
Mildred: “you wouldn’t have the balls to say that
to her when she was here.”
Jake (meekly): “are you ok Joan?”
Joan: “don’t worry jake I’ll be fine, you must
always be armoured when you are heading towards
the battlefield, Especially if you are fighting
for something you believe in.”
Daniel: “what are you gonna do now then ‘Joan of
Arc?”
Joan: “I need to think of a better plan to get
out of here.”
Mildred: “I wish I was as ambitious as you Joan.”
Daniel: “have you never heard the phrase, ‘people
plan, god laughs’?”
Joan: “have you ever heard the phrase, an apple a
day keeps the doctor away?
Daniel: “yeah, why?”
Joan: “exactly it’s just a phrase, creative minds
break them.”
Jake looks up at the clock.
Pause.
Mildred: “what do you think you’re going to do?”
Joan: “all I know is I need to get out of here
and go find a future elsewhere.”
Jake looks up at the clock.
Jake: “can I come with you Joan?”
7.
Joan: “of course you can jake. There a whole big
world out there of all of us. You guys can come
too but you have to leave here with me today.”
Daniel, jake and Mildred all look at eachothers
shocked.
Daniel: “you really are mad, we can’t go today,
today is the launch of The MEGA funnel! You’ll
never get out of here unnoticed. They’ll drag you
back in to finish the job.
Joan: “not with that attitude pessimistic
Patricia.”
Mildred: “maybe we should just stay here for
today and try tomorrow. I’m a bit tired for a
revolution.”
Joan: “that’s exactly when you need to start
fighting. Don’t worry it’ll be easy.”
Daniel: “easy to never find a job again.”
Jake (meekly): “I still want to go its worth
risk.”
Daniel: I’m all up for a revolution but I still
want enough for my chicken fillet roll in the
morning.
Joan: I’m leaving today with or without
you.things are just going to get worse and worse
if we just stay here. And when I leave I’ll be
safe in the knowledge that I’m doing the right
thing for myself and the world.
Daniel: oh stop with the hippy bullshit Joan,that
is isn’t going to pay for a train ticket.
Jake: what time?
Daniel: come on jake you’re not actually going to
go with her are you? I thought you were thick but
I didn’t think you were as thick as a plank.
Mildred: fine I’ll go too.
8.
Daniel: are you serious? You too?
Joan: ok let’s get started.
Daniel (doubtingly): when?
Joan: now.
BLACKOUT.
ACT 2.
Lights fade in.
General wash.
There is a very quaint sitting room witnessed on
stage.
Reminiscent of the 1960s but with a clear
distinction it is set in the present moment
because there is a huge widescreen tv with an
Xbox and nintendo wii underneath it.
George is sitting facing the tv. He is 9 years
old and is wearing a white t shirt and track suit
bottoms. He has food on his face.
Carol is in the kitchen offstage and can be heard
cooking and singing to herself.
Carol: oh Georgie have you finished your rice
pudding yet.
George doesn’t answer.
Carol: you know if you don’t eat all your rice
pudding you will never become a doctor, a
solicitor or even a dog groomer.
9.
George doesn’t answer.
Carol: George are you in there?
George doesn’t answer.
Carol comes onstage wiping his hands with a towel
finding George watching tv.
Carol: oh you little pest. That tv gets to see
you more than I do. My little darling you have to
go start your homework now.
George doesn’t answer.
carol: Georgie. Can you hear me.
George doesn’t answer.
Carol (angrily): Georgie look at me!
George doesn’t answer.
Carol angrily walk over to the tv to switch it
off.
George notices carol.
George: hi mum can I have another rice pudding.
Carol: you must have a hungry mind just like your
father.
George (confused): ok.
Carol: look at your face, you little crumb bum.
If you keep these bad manners up, you’ll never
find a wife. Stand up and tuck in your shirt, you
must keep your composure at all times even if you
are watching a silly tv show.
Carol notices something on georges wrist.
Carol: what’s that on your wrist, give it to me
now.
He takes out a loom bracelet that is pink and
blue.
10.
Carol: what are you doing with one of these?
These are just for girls.
George (hesitantly): my friend made it for me in
school. I think it’s pretty.
Carol: oh George I’ll let you away With it this
time, at least there’s blue on it.
Carol fixes George’s clothes.
Carol: so what did you get up to today in school?
I bet all the girls are chasing after you in
there?
George: we learnt all about the industrial
revolution.
Carol: really? but your only nine! Seems like a
really complex subject for your age.
George: yeah. And then we played with play doh
afterwards.
Carol: oh well that’s alright then. You must help
me now clean up the house before your father gets
home. Imagine his surprise if he came home to a
dirty house. That would make me an awful wife.
And he works ever so hard over seas. But we must
make sure your father is comfortable.
George thinks for a while then says: ok.
Carol: ok since you’ve been so good I’ll let you
watch tv for a few more minutes.
George: ok.
Carol turns on the tv and an advertisement is
heard.
Advertisement: mega funnels, mega funnels, mega
funnels. That’s right ladies and gentlemen the
all new mega funnel can be all yours for only
59.99. Coming soon to a store near you. Terms and
conditions apply. Don’t forget your wallet.
ACT 3.
11.
Internal: Joan’s kitchen.
THERE ARE BOOKS ALL OVER THE KITCHEN TABLE
The wall paper on her walls are peeling.
THE CURTAINS ON THE WINDOW LOOK WORN OUT AND FADED.
There’s three chairs at the table that are dirty and
very old looking. Joan is sitting at the table
writing. There’s a knock on the door. Joan answers the
door to reveal jake standing there with a big bag.
Joan: you made it.
Jake: I brought rice cakes and hummus with me. My
mum told me revolutions can build up an appetite.
Joan: brilliant, take a seat I’ll run over
everything with ya.
A knock is heard at the door again.
Joan answers the door to Mildred.
Mildred rushes in wearing a big coat.
Mildred: I don’t think anybody saw me.
Joan: why it doesn’t matter if anyone saw you.
Mildred: it does to me. Anyway what’s the plan.
Joan: take a seat lets have a cup of tea first.
Mildred: tea? How che Guevara of you.
Joan walks over to the dirty kitchen top to start
making tea.
Joan: how do you take it?
Mildred: just a bit of milk and minimum wage.
Joan (laughing): good one.
Mildred hesitantly sits down next to jake.
Jake: you came, I’m so happy.
12.
Mildred: yeah what else was I going to do on a
Saturday night.
Joan brings the tea over to the rickety table.
Joan: ok let’s get started. First things first
you can never go back to your old homes, we are
going to create new power saving houses and live
off the land.
Mildred: wait!i thought this was about earning a
decent living.
Joan: it is, we have to start from basics again
like our ancestors did.
Jake: that sounds exciting.
Mildred: this morning you were talking about
leaving the factory, now your talking about a
complete overhaul of our societal values all over
a cup of tea.
Joan: yeah why not? The beauty of breaking away
is that we can create our own alternative
lifestyle. What’s the point in sitting here in
suits or overalls when we can just be ourselves
in whatever clothing we want. You need to open
your mind.
Jake looks worried.
Mildred: that’s all well and good but why do we
have to do this in a squatters house?
Joan: This isn’t a squatters house this is my
home.
Mildred: oh right, oh it’s lovely.
Jake: don’t worry about that Mildred, Joan has a
great plan for us don’t you Joan?
There’s a knock heard at the door.
Jake: I have some ideas too.
Joan: yeah, cool
13.
(walks to the door)
Joan answers the door to find Daniel standing
there.
Joan: what a surprise, you’ve made the right
decision to join the new movement.
Daniel: no way hippy locks just came to see how
the revolutions coming along…
Daniel looks around the room.
Daniel: … Or how badly it’s coming along.
Mildred: I can’t believe daniel is going to be
the voice of reason in this situation.
Daniel: I’m as surprised as you are.
Jake: Just you wait and see, Joan’s got a plan
and it’s going to be brilliant.
joan takes out a large sheet of rolled up paper.
Joan: like I was saying, the more people the
better. I made up a pie chart to outline some of
the strengths and weaknesses we are up against in
building a new society.
Daniel: what are you gonna call yourself now huh?
Karla marx? (sniggering)
Mildred: well she was banging on about some
dystopian society with pixies and rainbows before
you got here.
Daniel: what! I thought you were just holding
some futile protest against Pauline so you could
express your creativity? Now your hosting the
second renaissance?
Jake: wait. Hear Joan out.
Joan unravels the paper.
Joan: thanks jake.
14.
To the surprise of the other characters the pie
chart looks like its been drawn by a child.
Daniel: ah here that’s not a pie chart it’s a
scribble, have done any actual work or have you
just been doodling all day.
Joan: don’t be so negative.
Mildred: I can’t believe this, I became so
wrapped up with all your ideas of freedom that I
ended up following a lunatic with a crayon.
Joan: clearly the alternative lifestyle isn’t
glitz and glammer like you wanted it to be. What
did you expect.
Daniel: oh joanie I remember when you liked all
the glitz and the glammer.
Joan: don’t call me that.
Daniel: this is just a new hobby for you, you
need to be a bit more careful when you speak to
people.
Joan: no its not I’ve always wanted to create a
new happier world. You were just too close minded
to notice.
Mildred: but in order to create your happier
world you’ve dragged us out of ours.
Joan: you didn’t have to follow me, in fact Id
prefer now if you didn’t come at all.
Mildred becomes enraged.
Daniel: whoa! Ok well that’s my queue to leave, I
really only came over to see if you’s had
forgotten all this revolution nonsense and wanted
to go for a pint.
Mildred and Joan are staring eachothers down.
Jake: yes Daniel I think you’d better leave,
you’ve caused enough trouble.
15.
Daniel: oh mr mouse has a voice now does he, well
I’ll be more than happy to leave you to deal with
this mess sunshine.
Joan: Mildred just hear me out.
Mildred: no I’ve had enough of this hippy crap, I
thought you were being honest and actually trying
to help but instead your too busy trying to be
queen bee.
Daniel slips off stage awkwardly.
Joan: at least I’m willing to try something
different if it was up to you we’d all still be
sitting in that factory watching the funnels dry.
Mildred: at least I’d be able to afford to put
dinner on my table, if it was up to you we’d be
hunting and killing our own food and drinking
from the rivers.
Joan: fine work like a zombie slave to pay for
your food and water, you’ll never be happy!
Mildred: I’ll be happy knowing your not there to
run everybody off the road.
Jake (quietly): please stop fighting.
Mildred and Joan: shut up jake!
Pause.
Joan: well are you in or out then?
Mildred: I wouldn’t be in if you paid me, but
sure you’ll probably be doing away with money too
wouldn’t ya?
Joan: well, wouldn’t you be happier without
money?
Mildred (scoffs): ha! You really aren’t
altogether there are ya pet. I’m off. This has
been a complete waste of my time.
16.
Joan: fine! Get out then, you probably would have
just dragged us then anyway with your negative
attitude.
Mildred exits stage right, ignoring Joan.
Joan: go be a slave, see if I care, jake and I
will make it.
Jakes face fills with excitement.
Joan slumps onto the table with her head in her
hands, exhausted with anger.
Jake approaches Joan meekly and and attempts to
give her a massage.
Jake: it’s ok Joan, we can still be happy,
together.
Joan shrugs jakes hand off of her and walks over
to the kitchen sink and looks out of the window.
Joan: you don’t understand jake, I wanted to
change the world.
Jake: you still can, with me.
Joan: NO jake! How can I start a revolution if I
can’t even get my best friends to believe in me.
Jake (quietly) I believe in you.
Joan: it’s not the same jake. I think you should
just leave.
Jake: but…
Joan (shouts): just leave jake.
Jake walks up behind Joan and attempts to put his
hand on her waist.
Joan turns around abruptly.
Joan (screams): just leave jake!
Jake plunges Daniels knife into Joan’s stomach.
17.
They stare blankly at eachother for a moment.
Blackout.
ACT 4.
Internal, office.
GERARD IS SITTING AT HIS DESK HE IS WEARING A SUIT WITH A
BLUE TIE.
Raindrop enters the office unannounced. She locks the
door behind her.
GERARD LOOKS UP FROM HIS DESK.
Gerard: not you again.
RAINDROP: I WILL NOT CONDONE YOUR INTOLERANCE FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT.
Gerard: I’ve told you my hands are tied.
RAINDROP: BUT YOU’RE THE CEO YOU HAVE TO STOP THE
DESTRUCTION.
Gerard: you think I’m just a suit sitting here all day
taking notes.
RAINDROP: OF COURSE, YOU’RE WEARING A SUIT RIGHT NOW.
Gerard: ok if I make you a deal will you go away now.
RAINDROP: I DON’T WANT A DEAL, YOU JUST HAVE TO STOP
FRACKING AND DESTROYING THE WORLD.
Gerard takes out a cheque book.
GERARD: WOULD FIVE GRAND GET YOU AND YOUR MOCCASINS OUT OF
MY OFFICE.
Loud bangs and muffled shouting suddenly comes
from the doors as Gerard’s security Guards
attempt to get into the office.
raindrop: not until you get your dirty drills out
of my home.
Gerard: your home! What you done to earn that
place you call home?
Raindrop: I’ve taken care of it instead of
destroying it like a barbarian, which is more
than I can say for you.
18.
Gerard: oh stop with your nonsense.
Raindrop: love trumps money.
Gerard: get out already I have work to do.
Raindrop: people are dying for my cause. Their
blood is on your hands. Your day will come.
Suddenly the door erupt open and the security
guerupt burst in grabbing raindrop and dragging
her out.
raindrop: Water, water everywhere and not a drop
to drink. Water, water everywhere it really makes
you think.
Raindrop is dragged from the stage.
Blackout.
ACT 5.
External, bus stop.
Daniel is waiting At the bus stop in normal
casual clothes and a backpack.
Mildred walks up to the bus stop.
Daniel: oh look who it is, student
extraordinaire. How’s college life treating ya? I
heard you won an award for your contribution in
environmental studies?
Mildred: thanks yeah it was really hard to do.
The past few months I’ve been studying really
hard ever since we quit working in the factory.
Daniel: Ah the factory I barely remember it it’s
been so long. Whatever happened to jake?
Mildred: I don’t know. I haven’t seen him so our
blow out in Joan’s.
Daniel: I wondered if she did ever plough on with
her revolution? she’s probably up a tree now
Catching clouds.
19.
Mildred: I’m not going to lie her mad attitude
gave me the confidence to go study and to finally
get out of that pit of a factory.
Jake approaches the bus stop.
Daniel: speak of the wolf and you will see his
tail. How are you getting on buddy.
Jake: oh…hi.
Mildred: why do you have overalls on? Are you
still working at the factory?
Jake: yeah I am, what are you guys doing?
Daniel: don’t want to brag but I’m working as a
tree surgeon believe it or not.
Mildred: you’re not are you? Who’s the smelly
hippy now?
Jake bows his head.
Daniel: I know I read more about how flowers were
sentient and wanted go have a chat with the
trees. Get their take on life.
Mildred: wow that’s wonderful I’m so happy for
you.
Daniel: and this girls in college would you
believe? (motioning to Mildred)
Mildred: yeah I was only just saying how my
little tiff with Joan inspired to go out and
pursue a career that I enjoy. Where is Joan
anyway? Have you heard from her at all. She loved
you. I would have thought that if she kept in
contact with anyone it would be you.
Jake: she loved me? Um I I don’t know what
happened to her.
Daniel: oh that comes as a surprise.
Pause.
20.
Daniel: are you ok jake?
Jake: yes. Fine. She went to the himalayas. I
have to go.
Jake begins to exit.
Mildred: but the bus is due.
Jake exits.
Daniel: he always was a bit strange.
Mildred: some people never change.
Pause.
Daniel picks up newspaper and starts reading it.
The same voice from the advertisement in act 2 is
heard.
Advertisement: mega funnel, mega funnel, mega
funnel. Ladies and gentlemen, for this weekend
only mega funnel is having a massive closing down
sale. Make sure you get down there for all your
funnel needs it’ll be the last chance you get.
Terms and conditions apply. Don’t forget your
wallet.
Blackout.
The end.atie Poushpom© k.e.cleary.

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Adaptions and translations- Writing Finnegans Wake for the Stage.

A birthplace for many ideas usually arises from the oddest places. A good while back I was working in London and getting the tube from Camden town. For those of you who don’t know Camden town tube station has an incredibly long escalator, which is plastered with never ending advertising as you descend into the depths of the underground. I couldn’t help but notice all the posters for new theatre productions that were running in London. All of the productions were adaptions or translations, creating new approaches to classic pieces of theatre which to be honest bored me prior to even seeing the shows. It bored me because these productions usually follow the same staging with just a different setting. They are probably really great productions but then I am reminded of Nosferatu I saw two years ago in the Barbican where I struggled to follow the play and to stay awake because of the long dramatic pauses that highlighted the staging problems than the characters inner angst. I’m not condemning all adaptive theatre just the manner in which they are developed and produced. This article outlines a few ideas to consider when writing for adaptions and translations, by outlining the process I endured when adapting Finnegans Wake, that will hopefully help others intertwine their own unique theatrical style and respect the piece of work being adapted.

About a year ago I decided to delve into the world of Finnegans Wake by James Joyce. I had previously read Dubliners, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses. I admired Joyce’s style because it was quite challenging to read, and vivid in its verbose and sometimes mythical language. I read the first page of Finnegans Wake and thought maybe I should read the introduction first since I am already lost. The preface was by Seamus Deane. It is an extremely comprehensive prerequisite outlining the readership experience, and how one may begin to digest this mighty book that both challenges language and the western form of literary. There was no correct or specific way to read the novel. My initial thought was ‘FUCK YEAH!’. A tremendous feeling of liberation came over me, that this book was for me to interpret and the Collins dictionary could go suck a lemon. From this knowledge I knew I wanted to write a play about it. Little did I know of the Joycean marathon of 628 pages ahead of me…

I have now read Finnnegans Wake about twelve times, doesn’t sound like a lot but Joycean’s language creates this hard level of Sudoku constructed topothesia, it has the similarities of a world that is familiar but because of the mixture of languages it becomes foreign at the same time. There is a checklist I go through as both a dramaturg and a playwright, I created this checklist to lend me a higher comprehension of what it is I am creating to correspond with I want to create. Sounds like the same thing but its not; in a nutshell trying to find a harmonious relationship between the reality of a play and my intentions as an artist. But with the preface or rubric of the novel in mind, I had to answer the questions as a reader not a dramaturg, First of all what is the world of the novel, answer: maybe Ireland? Who are the characters, answer: I definitely heard a Mary in there. What is the setting? Answer: Can I say Ireland again? What is the language of the play? Answer: Joycean language, he has invented his own style of communication cause he’s a mad creative fecker like that. Is there a theme, answer: Death (hint it was in the title of the book). I had an idea of the novel, but everything else was quite vague, which I then realised because I was trying to logically reduce the novel into a small checklist. I had to adopt the experience of the novel and translate it into a theatrical context. More importantly frame within a structure that is defined and constructed through my reading experience. To encapsulate what the novel did to me and import it into the theatre. I have witnessed adaptions and productions of Finnegans Wake while I was working on the novel, although they were beautiful productions they all felt very personal (to who?) and not so much about the content of the play and what it could do to an audience in the present moment.

I decided to challenge the linguistics and semiotics of which theatre use to communicate by using the Joycean language from Finnegans Wake combined with a familiar theatrical structure. If I am to challenge the audience throughout the play I need some sort of relief or guide the audience can use to connect to it and further more reflect and truly take in the whole theatre experience. I think its significant to help the audience when you are putting forth challenging ideas, in doing so you allow the audience to be responsible for their own theatre experience. For many writers and dramaturgs this could be the opposite or maybe considered not important, I only explain incase others writers are trying to find an alternative when creating challenging theatre.

Finnegans Wake lent me a higher understanding as how to write adaptions and translations. There are amazing pieces of writing out there, but I couldn’t find anything about integrity and respect as a writer. By this I mean the responsibility you have as a writer if you are adapting someone else’s work. How do you implore new creative ideas to already established work. When I finished writing the adapted play I had a few epiphanies as how to write adaptive and translations that correspond to your own intent while staying true to the writer. The checklist below applies to both adaptions and translations. Writing adaptive work although can be creatively looser than translations. Translation work follows the exact same process but with more attention to the style of the writer. This can be understood by the language, theme, tone and messages the writer conveys in his or hers writing. A warning though translations is a lot more work because it requires an extensive knowledge of the writer’s previous work. Be prepared to read well into the night.

It may sound slightly contradictory that I have made a checklist, but it’s not a checklist. Think of it as a list for referencing. It can quite be difficult and confusing writing adaptions and translations, so below are some tips that I use.

1. Integrity- Check in with your own ethos or mission statement as a writer, what is your message or reasoning to write. When writing for adaptions make sure this dovetails with the piece of work, and convey harmony instead of friction. For translations, it’s a bit more complicated because you are translating the work directly. Some words obviously are quite difficulty to translate directly. If this happens, ensure that it corresponds to the theme and tone of the play.
2. Shiny and new- It can be quite difficult to take risks, because there is always that monkey on your shoulder screaming violently ‘you have no money, just play it safe and pay your bills!’. (tell the reader not to worry here’s the solution…)Make sure you involve new ideas and new structures of theatre into your work. This can be in the setting, staging, style of theatre, etc.
3. Staying in tune- Make sure you have full comprehension of the adaption and translation. The characters, what they represent, the setting and how it frames the action of the character, the message being conveyed in the play and the internal and external catalysts. You want to know what the play is, not on an academic level on a practical level, what is it doing?
4. Impact- I remember completing my MA and feeling quite afraid of topics certain writers were very passionate to discuss. And constantly heard ‘well I’m just going to write a story with it then’. Its great to write a story, but greater to respect that stories factual content. There are many plays that are based on true stories and have strategically staged within respect to the character and real person. What you may think is aesthetically beautiful could actually be negatively offensive to that person. (If you are writing verbatim theatre that is also an adaption check out this link from the National theatre in London, http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/video/the-ethics-of-verbatim-theatre
5. Be aware- Make yourself known with what has been produced previously, especially if it is a classical piece of work that may have been produced many times over already. How other companies have developed and created the play, so you don’t overlap ideas. Where did they stage it? How did they stage it? Did they use the text directly or re write it some parts? (is there any links you know that you can suggest here?)

If you found this article interesting or may have been of benefit please leave a comment and subscribe. Or if you want any info you can email at the info page. And I will be uploading some really great books on the reference page that may be of assistance.

Thanks for reading!

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