B-Sides: Track One

Scene One of Eleven. "A twenty-seven year old despondent writer and a sixteen year old musician form a profound attachment to each other through their love of David Bowie."

 

 

B-SIDES: AN EXCEPTIONALLY LOOSE THEATRICAL ADAPTATION OF DAVID BOWIE’S ALBUM “THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS”

by KEVIN DANIELS

 

 

 

CAST OF CHARACTERS

CLIVE                                 27; a writer

MAYYA                                 16; a musician

JOSH                                  26; Clive’s friend

SARAH                                 26; Clive’s girlfriend

JAMES                                 27; Clive’s friend from college

OLGA                                  Mayya’s mother

 

EMCEE; MAN IN STREET; MAN IN BAR      Played by the same actor

 

 

SETTING

SAN FRANCISCO; SPRING; 2012

 

 

SIDE ONE

 

TRACK ONE

 

[David Bowie's Five Years plays.]

 

[Lights up on stage left. Clive, 27, sits on a chair downstage staring sullenly off into the distance. He looks old for his age but his face still holds on to some of the features of his youth. He is very skinny, clean shaven, and his hair is long with gray streaks contrasting against the jet black. He wears an old and worn black leather jacket over a Bowie t-shirt and tight blue jeans. Around him are old books thrown about the floor.]

 

[Lights up on stage right. Mayya, 16, sits on a single chair upstage and stares off into the distance. She looks young for her age. She has long dirty blonde hair and wears torn jeans and a baggy blouse with floral patterns on it. She wears an old and battered army green jacket that looks like it belonged to someone else a long time ago. Around her are portfolios of her artwork and her guitar leaning against the wall.]

 

[Clive looks anxiously at the stage left door. He gets up and locks it. Mayya looks anxiously at the stage right door. She gets up and locks it. They both sit down. Mayya pulls out a small medicine bottle full of weed and some rolling papers and starts to slowly roll a joint. Clive produces a handgun out of his jacket pocket. He slowly takes bullets out of his pocket and fills the chamber. Mayya finishes rolling her joint. Clive finishes loading the gun. He looks down the barrel. Mayya puts the joint in her mouth. They both close their eyes and take a deep breath. Mayya takes a lighter and reaches up to light the joint at the same time Clive puts the gun in his mouth]

 

[A loud knock is heard at both doors. Clive quickly hides his gun; Mayya quickly hides her drugs. They both go up to the doors to see who is knocking. The knocking on Mayya’s side is much more intense and it

frightens her. She puts her back to the door and closes her eyes, trying to shut the knocking out. Clive carefully composes himself and slowly opens the door. Sarah, 26, is on the other side. She is very beautiful, with a kind face and dark red hair and well dressed.]

SARAH

Why was the door locked?

CLIVE

How was work?

SARAH

(Walking in suspiciously.)

You never lock the door.

(Clive begins to pick up the books around the area.)

                   CLIVE

I do, sometimes, just never when you’re here. I like the feeling of having my own space, so I lock the door. It is my room.

SARAH

Our room-

                   CLIVE

Our room, exactly.

                   SARAH

What were you doing?

                   CLIVE

I was reading, trying to get some inspiration. I don’t like to be disturbed when I’m in the middle of a really compelling book. I like to be in the zone, you know? Just me…and the book.

                   SARAH

What were you reading?

                   CLIVE

Uh…Tropic of Cancer. Miller. 

[He hands her a copy off the floor. She studies the cover. The banging on the door is heard on Mayya’s side. Mayya puts her head in her hands and sits in front of the door.]

SARAH

There’s a naked woman on the cover.

                   CLIVE

Well, it’s very provocative. All about uninhibited sexuality…and such.

SARAH

Is it good?

                   CLIVE

It’s amazing. Miller is one of the greatest writers, I think, of the twentieth century. His work is incredible. Perhaps my favorite novel…after The Hitchhiker’s Guide of course.        

                   SARAH

What’s it about?

                   CLIVE

It’s about Henry Miller, you know? And uh…he moves to Paris…and writes…about Paris. And women…that he has sex with. And there’s lice…and he shaves this guy Boris.

              (He stops.)

I actually haven’t gotten past the first ten pages. I keep wanting to finish it but then I get distracted. But I love the idea of it. Stream of consciousness and all that. Very revolutionary. I don’t even need to read all of it to know that it’s one of my favorites.

              [Pause]

SARAH

Were you masturbating?

                   CLIVE

What? Was I…? No, I was just rea-

SARAH

Because it’s okay if you were. I understand; I do it too sometimes, but when I do it I leave the door unlocked so you can walk in on me and we can have this, like, “sexy encounter”. But it’s different with guys, guys just look so angry when their doing it and I don’t think I’d wanna walk in on that. 

CLIVE

              (Finishing cleaning. He sighs and hugs Sarah.)

You’re adorable.

[The scene shifts to Mayya’s side. The banging continues.]

OLGA

Mayya! Open the door!

              [Back to Clive and Sarah.]

                   SARAH

So about the movie tonight? 

                   CLIVE

S**t, I think I’ve got to pass.

                   SARAH

Why?

                   CLIVE

Josh needs me to hang out with him tonight. He’s not doing too well.

                   SARAH

What’s the matter?

                   CLIVE

It’s that girl he met from France. The one he likes.

                   SARAH

What about her? 

                   CLIVE

He finally got around to looking her up on FaceBook and saw that she has a boyfriend in France.

                   SARAH

And now feels inadequate next to Jean-Claude?

CLIVE

Pierre, actually. But yeah. 

[Switch to Mayya]

                   OLGA

Open this door right now.

              [Back to Sarah and Clive]

                   SARAH

Babe, if you’re just blowing me off tonight-

                   CLIVE

Nobody’s blowing anybody off. You know how Josh is; when he gets like this he needs somebody to talk to. I’m his friend, I have to do this. We can watch your movie another night.

                   SARAH

Is it because I didn’t wanna watch Pulp Fiction again?

                   CLIVE

Not at all.

                   SARAH

Because I wanted to watch something thought provoking with you for once and not just another violent movie.

                   CLIVE

It’s not really that violent, but okay.

                   SARAH

Next week?

                   CLIVE

Next week.

                   SARAH

Promise?

                   CLIVE

Promise. 

[They kiss]

I’ll see you when I get back then. I love you.

[Clive exits the stage. Sarah continues standing there.]

              [The knocking continues on Mayya’s side.]

OLGA

Open the f*****g door!

[There is one final loud push on the door. Then silence. Mayya waits a moment. She slowly gets up, opens the door and checks the hallway to see if her mother is still there. After a beat, she comes back in and grabs her guitar and artwork and rushes out the door, slamming it behind her. Sarah remains standing alone on the other side.]

[Lights fade.] 

Author's Note

This is a very rough first draft of the full length I just finished; I would be tremendously grateful of any opinions or suggestions for it; it's a story I'm rather passionate about and would like to know just how much work I have left to do on it; more scenes to follow