PART I:
(James on the chair. Ash reading opening stage directions. Josh introduces Show. LIGHTS ARE DIM AND BEGIN TO SLOWLY FADE UP DURING THIS FIRST MONOLOGUE)
ASH – A melody is heard, played upon a flute. It is small and fine, telling of grass and trees and the horizon. The curtain rises.
Before us is the man’s house. We are aware of towering, angular shapes behind it, surrounding it on all sides. Only the blue light of the sky falls upon the house and forestage; the surrounding area shows an angry glow of orange. As more light appears, we see a solid vault of apartment houses around the small, fragile-seeming home. An air of the dream dings to the place, a dream rising out of reality
The entire setting is wholly or, in some places, partially trans- parent. The roof-line of the house is one-dimensional; under and over it we see the apartment buildings.
His wife has stirred in her bed at the right. She gets out and puts on a robe, listening. Most often jovial, she has developed an iron repression of her exceptions to his behaviour — she more than loves him, she admires him, as though his mercurial nature, his temper, his massive dreams and little cruelties, served her only as sharp reminders of the turbulent longings within him, longings which she shares but lacks the temperament to utter and follow to their end.
JOSH – Hello everybody, welcome to life lessons. A response to his work.
(BEGIN FIRST TRACK – James on chair in centre movement (Pink Floyd) – halfway through track Ash & Josh stand on chairs and deliver text)
ASH – Hello?
JOSH – It’s alright, I came back.
ASH – Why? What happened? Did something happen?
JOSH – No, nothing happened.
ASH – You didn’t smash the car, did you?
JOSH – I said nothing happened.
ASH: Don’t you feel well?
JOSH: I’m tired to the death. I couldn’t make it. I just couldn’t make it.
ASH: Where were you all day? You look terrible.
JOSH: I stopped for a cup of coffee. Maybe it was the coffee.
ASH: What?
JOSH (after a pause): I suddenly couldn’t drive any more. The car kept going off onto the shoulder?
ASH: Maybe it was the steering again
JOSH: No, it’s me, it’s me. Suddenly I realize I’m goin’ sixty miles an hour and I don’t remember the last five minutes. I’m — I can’t seem to — keep my mind to it.
ASH: Maybe it’s your glasses. You never went for your new glasses.
JOSH: No, I see everything. I came back ten miles an hour. It took me nearly four hours.
ASH: Well, you’ll just have to take a rest, you can’t continue this way.
JOSH: I just got back.
ASH: But you didn’t rest your mind. Your mind is overactive, and the mind is what counts, dear.
JOSH: I’ll start out in the morning. Maybe I’ll feel better in the morning.
ASH: Take an aspirin. Should I get you an aspirin? It’ll soothe you.
JOSH: I was driving along, you understand? And I was fine. I was even observing the scenery. You can imagine, me looking at scenery, on the road every week of my life. But it’s so beautiful up there, the trees are so thick, and the sun is warm. I opened the windshield and just let the warm air bathe over me. And then all of a sudden I’m goin’ off the road! I’m tellin’ya, I absolutely forgot I was driving. If I’d’ve gone the other way over the white line I might’ve killed somebody. So I went on again — and five minutes later I’m dreamin’ again, and I nearly… (He presses two fingers against his eyes.) I have such thoughts, I have such strange thoughts.
ASH: Talk to them again. There’s no reason why you can’t work in there.
JOSH: They don’t need me there. I’m vital here.
ASH: But you’re sixty years old.
JOSH: Goddammit
ASH: You’re too accommodating, dear.
JOSH: (encouraged): I will, I definitely will. Is there any cheese?
ASH: I’ll make you a sandwich.
JOSH: No, go to sleep. I’ll take some milk. I’ll be up right away. The boys in?
Part II:
JOSH – A man enters the stage, he is dressed for a journey. He crosses the stage, carrying suitcases and finishes opposite his original starting point. The man is a father.
JAMES – My character is feeling tired, frustrated and most of all, anxious. My character feels as if he’s fought a war all of his life, and its finally coming to an end today.
JOSH – He places the suitcases down with great care and starts to remove his outdoor clothing, almost as if he has reached his destination.
JOSH – Life lesson one.
JOSH – The son enters –
ASH – he is well built, but in these days bares a worn air and seems less self-assured. He has succeeded less and his dreams are stronger but less acceptable.
JOSH – Here are two ties. One for the father and one for the son. A business appropriate blue tie for the father. For the son, a more youthful choice in a pink tie. –
(Track 2 begins and JAMES AND ASH PROCEED TO MIRROR ONE ANOTHER AS IF THE FATHER IS TEACHING THE SON TO TIE A TIE)
Commission
A dream
Freedom
Being appreciated
Making it to the top
It’s a rough world
Undervalued
Doing what’s best for them
He knows who he is kid
Insulted
Don’t blame him
Philandering bum
Fear
He never had chance to say goodbye
He never knew who he was
To be valued
Forgetting the last five minutes
Plans
He was happy with a batch of cement
Spite
He had no right to do that. There was no necessity for it. We would’ve helped him.
Excuses excuses
Boxed in
Thoughts, such strange thoughts
For a man in that profession, there is no rock bottom to the life
Forgive me dear. I can’t cry. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t cry. I don’t understand it. – REPEAT
(SUITCASE HANDOVER/HANDSHAKE MOMENT)
BIFF (ASH) – Will you let me go, for Christ’s sake? Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?
WILLY (JAMES): Oh, Biff! He cried! Cried to me. That boy—that boy is going to be magnificent!
Part III:
JAMES- The Mother enters the space, her gait is proud and her face telling of pure affection. She raises a smile and sits her self down. The son enters the space.
JAMES – We have all at some point or another had a row with a parent or sibling, said something that we shouldn’t have, made comments we can’t take back? You feel awful and then your just kind of sat there trying to think of the right phrases to frame an apology. The argument started because she was defending someone she loves.
JAMES– But how long can you defend someone who is so deluded in their own visions? How long can you defend someone who loves unconditionally regardless of their wrong doing? What if there wrong doing is driving you insane?
JAMES– Imagine this, is a birthday party and all the family have been forced to play that name game with the post it notes on their head ‘Heads up’. The kind of game that’s enjoyable at first but grows tiring towards the end.
(Pause)
JAMES– Life Lesson two
-The Game – A few rounds of easy to guess names. Last round ‘Philandering Bum’ ‘Clueless’. In character. (Who Wants to be a millionaire music comes in on second round, James will give you the nod.)
JOSH- Philandering Bum
ASHLEY– Clueless
JOSH – What happened to the love you had for him?
ASHLEY– Naive
JOSH– Ungrateful bastard!
ASHLEY– He’s a fake!
JOSH – He’s travelled thousands of miles to get us where we are today! And you’ve thrown that right back in his face!
(pause – JOSH STAND UP – JAMES PROMPT LINES TO JOSH)
JOSH– You are a son, my son. You are strong, and you have so much potential. Your caring, you’re a dreamer, but your dreams don’t always match up to his, you’re a victim. He can’t help the way he his, he had dreams too but you’re always standing in his way. People ask where you are and what you’re doing, but you don’t care. Because your ungrateful!
(JOSH SIT DOWN – pause – ASH STAND UP, JAMES PROMPT HIS LINES)
ASHLEY– You are a mother, you are a wife. Most often jovial, you have developed an iron repression of your exceptions to his behaviour – you more than love him, you admire him, as though his rash nature, his temper, his massive dreams, and little cruelties, served you only sharp reminders of turbulent longings with him.
ASH AND JOSH SIT DOWN – Moonage Daydream Hug Scene (James brings in suitcases to make their hugs difficult)
JAMES– I find it hard to make apologies, your defending someone who’s already given up on life. I thought that I had a clear grasp of the situation, thought that more could have been done to help. But when you’ve lived a life like he has, well what do you expect?
JAMES HAND ASH THE MIC TO ASH, ASH START SPEAKING HEN JAMES HAS SAT DOWN
Part IV:
ASH – so, erm, he’s dead [pause]. He took his own life, erm… that’s all there is to it really. We’re now going to spend a few minutes remembering him. Father, husband, colleague, a friend…
Life lesson 3 – requiem – the death of a…
So josh is there any chance you could just lower yourself in front of the leaves? You don’t need your script…
JOSH – yeah that’s fine
ASH – thank you, now James could you do the same but could you put your arm round josh as if you’re consoling him and with your other arm could you outreach your script in front of joshs eyeline so he can read?
JAMES – Sure
ASH – only her lines – (ASH READS STAGE DIRECTIONS AND JOSH READS LINDAS LINES)
(Linda doesn’t react. She stares at the grave.)
(Linda makes no move. Pause.)
LINDA: Why didn’t anybody come?
LINDA: But where are all the people he knew? Maybe they blame him.
LINDA: I can’t understand it. At this time especially. First time in thirty-five years we were just about free and clear. He only needed a little salary. He was even finished with the dentist.
LINDA: I can’t understand it.
LINDA: I never had a chance to say good-by.
(Charley moves away, followed by Happy. Biff remains a slight distance up and left of Linda. She sits there, summoning herself. The flute begins, not far away, playing behind her speech.)
LINDA: Forgive me, dear. I can’t cry. I don’t know what it is, I can’t cry. I don’t understand it. Why did you ever do that? Help me Willy, I can’t cry. It seems to me that you’re just on another trip. I keep expecting you. Willy, dear, I can’t cry. Why did you do it? I search and search and I search, and I can’t understand it, Willy. I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear. And there’ll be nobody home. (A sob rises in her throat.) We’re free and clear. (Sobbing more fully, released.) We’re free. (Biff comes slowly toward her.) We’re free… We’re free…
James – Dear Arthur Miller, thank you for being here, in whatever form, for our performance. Your collaboration and insight has guided us. The issues and struggles you were writing about is still present in this day. From the migrant workers told to go home to families struggling on zero hour contracts. This is your work, today.
James picks out a letter from the leaves – And reads it aloud. ONCE LETTER IS READ LIGHTS FADE DOWN
END