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section of MANUFRACTURE
© Anne Catherine de Mare. All rights reserved. Contact Information.

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The main room in an old factory. Raw concrete walls, pipes, valves, big electrical stuff. An old-fashioned bicycle hangs high above the stage, its pedals attached to belts and pulleys that drive a conveyor belt running through the stage about five feet above the floor. There are five work stations along the line. Each consists of an extremely high stool, a lamp, and a magnifying glass about the size of a human face on an adjustable neck. On one side of the stage floor, at an odd angle, as if dropped there by mistake, is a big red oriental carpet. On the carpet are a huge mahogany desk, a crystal lamp, and a big leather chair. The desk should be polished to an unnatural shine and the entire area around it should look almost as if it were enclosed inside a glass bubble of prosperity. One window, as dirty as possible, is high up against the back wall. A giant cuckoo clock. It is dim.

A man in a war-torn three piece suit is on the bicycle. He is the BICYCLE MAN. He
is motionless. The MONKEY WOMAN, the ANGLE MAN, TROUBLE, the WOUNDED MAN and the SOMETIME MUTE sit at their work stations, faces directly behind the magnifying glasses, also motionless.

A long silence. A loud whistle blows. All look at the clock. All look at their watches. All turn on their lights. All put on big yellow rubber gloves. A pause. Another loud whistle blows. All fall off their stools. The BICYCLE MAN begins pedaling. All scramble back up their stools. An item begins appearing on the belt, it not exactly a toy, but is definitely a pretend thing. One person on the line pulls it into two pieces, the next person snaps it back together again. It is an instantaneous routine, rhythmic, almost musical. It goes on for a long time.

BICYCLE MAN
Well.

MONKEY WOMAN
It's another day.

WOUNDED MAN
Yes, another day.

TROUBLE
A different one.

MONKEY WOMAN
I don't think so.

ANGLE MAN
No.

WOUNDED MAN
It's just another day.

MONKEY WOMAN
The same old thing.

TROUBLE
It's a little different.

WOUNDED MAN
Not enough.

ANGLE MAN
Well it's never different enough.

A pause. They work in silence.

MONKEY WOMAN
It used to seem different, didn't it? I can remember when it did. It used to seem different every single day. I wonder why that is.

BICYCLE MAN
We could see outside.

MONKEY WOMAN
Is that what it was?

ANGLE MAN
That is not what it was.

BICYCLE MAN
Of course it is.

TROUBLE
I wish we could still see outside.

BICYCLE MAN
Well we can't.

MONKEY WOMAN
Why not?

BICYCLE MAN
Because nobody cleans the window.

A pause. They work in silence.

TROUBLE
How long do you think it's been?

WOUNDED MAN
Since what?

TROUBLE
Since the beginning.

BICYCLE MAN
The beginning?

TROUBLE
Since we got on this particular ride.

MONKEY WOMAN
I don't think anyone knows that.

WOUNDED MAN
I know.

TROUBLE
How long?

MONKEY WOMAN
Don't listen to him.

ANGLE MAN
He doesn't know anything.

WOUNDED MAN
Yes I do!

TROUBLE
How long?

WOUNDED MAN
Thirty-seven years. (a nasty pause) Well that's how long it's been for me! Thirty-seven years I've worked in this dump, thirty-seven years. My mother died, my father died, my children were born and my children died and I worked in this dump. My wife ran off and the dog was run over, and still I worked in this dump. Then there was the accident...

MONKEY WOMAN
Give it a rest.

WOUNDED MAN
Then there was the accident and still I work in this dump!

BICYCLE MAN
We don't speak about the accident.

TROUBLE
No one can speak about the accident.

ANGLE MAN
Heaven forbid we speak about the accident!

ALL
(in unison) We should know better by now!

The cuckoo clock goes off. Big wind. All fall off their stools. The THREE MOURNERS enter and exit, crossing the stage to the sound of bells and very big drums. All scramble back up their stools. Something else is coming out of the conveyor belt now.

BICYCLE MAN
I wouldn't speak about the accident anymore, not if I were you. I wouldn't speak about it at all. We should keep to ourselves and everything will be alright. We keep to ourselves and put in our time and everything will be just fine.

WOUNDED MAN
I suppose so, but you've got to admit that it's easier for the rest of you.

All stop. All look at him with intense hatred for a moment. All turn away.

TROUBLE
Oh no.

MONKEY WOMAN
We did it again.

BICYCLE MAN
We got off on the wrong foot.

TROUBLE
I hate it when we get off on the wrong foot.

MONKEY WOMAN
Especially so early in the day.

ANGLE MAN
It stinks.

BICYCLE MAN
Well there's not much we can do about it now.

They work in silence.

MONKEY WOMAN
How much longer?

BICYCLE MAN
Till what?

MONKEY WOMAN
The end of the day.

BICYCLE MAN
Ten and a half.

MONKEY WOMAN
Till lunch then?

BICYCLE MAN
Three and a quarter.

MONKEY WOMAN
Till coffee?

BICYCLE MAN
One forty-five.

A pause.

MONKEY WOMAN
That's not so bad.

TROUBLE
No, not so bad.

ALL SCREAM.

MONKEY WOMAN
You'd think...

TROUBLE
Yes, you'd think...

MONKEY WOMAN
We'd be used to it by now.

BICYCLE MAN
I'm used to it.

ANGLE MAN
But look who you are.

BICYCLE MAN
It'd be easier for the rest of you, if you'd just get used to it. It makes more sense once you just get used to it. Takes your mind off those... other things.

ANGLE MAN
We wouldn't want to think about those other things, would we?

All squirm uncomfortably in their seats for a moment.

MONKEY WOMAN
I can't get used to it, even though it's all the same, every day, I just can't get used to it.

SOMETIME MUTE
It's not the same today.

All drop what they are doing and stare at the SOMETIME MUTE who laughs very softly and continues with her work.

TROUBLE
Did you hear that?

MONKEY WOMAN
She spoke!

BICYCLE MAN
She never speaks!

MONKEY WOMAN
What did she say?

WOUNDED MAN
I didn't know she could speak.

ANGLE MAN
Of course she can speak.

TROUBLE
She's never spoken before.

ANGLE MAN
She can scream can't she?

WOUNDED MAN
That doesn't mean anything, we can all scream.

MONKEY WOMAN
What did she say?

BICYCLE MAN
She was always a little touched in the head.

ANGLE MAN
Touched in the head?

TROUBLE
What does that mean?

BICYCLE MAN
It doesn't mean anything, I've always felt sorry for her.

ANGLE MAN
But touched in the head?

MONKEY WOMAN
What did she say?

A pause.

WOUNDED MAN
Maybe she didn't say anything.

MONKEY WOMAN
Of course she said something.

TROUBLE
We all heard her.

WOUNDED MAN
Then why can't we remember?

BICYCLE MAN
Maybe we made a mistake.

ANGLE MAN
We didn't make a mistake.

MONKEY WOMAN
I want to know what she said!!!

SOMETIME MUTE
I said that it's not the same today. I can hear them coming, still at a good distance, but they're coming today.

Sound of horses galloping. A pause.

TROUBLE
Did anyone hear something? Right then? After she spoke? Did anyone hear something? Like horses?

ALL
(in unison) No!!!

The cuckoo clock goes off. Big wind. All fall off their stools. The THREE MOURNERS enter and exit, crossing the stage to the sound of bells and very big drums. All scramble back up their stools. Something else is coming out of the conveyor belt now. It is something very strange. They go about their business.

MONKEY WOMAN
How much has gone by?

WOUNDED MAN
Yes, how much have we killed?

TROUBLE
Not enough.

ANGLE MAN
It's never enough.

MONKEY WOMAN
No, it's never enough, but how much?

BICYCLE MAN
Thirteen minutes.

WOUNDED MAN
Thirteen minutes. Thirteen minutes of the time of my life, gone, dead, killed, I never have to worry about them again. No. Thirteen minutes gone. There it goes! It's gone! A little less time for me to live! A little less! A little less! Isn't it wonderful, just killing the time! Die time! Die! Die!

A pause.

TROUBLE
Does he frighten anyone else?

ANGLE MAN
No.

MONKEY WOMAN
Not anymore.

BICYCLE MAN
He's not frightening anymore.

MONKEY WOMAN
Hasn't been for a while.

ANGLE MAN
Not since...

ALL
(in unison) THE ACCIDENT!


The cuckoo clock goes off. Big wind. All fall off their stools. The THREE MOURNERS enter and exit, crossing the stage to the sound of bells and very big drums . All scramble back up their stools. Something else is coming out of the conveyor belt now. Something just a little too strange. All pick one up and look at it in confusion.

TROUBLE
Look!

BICYCLE MAN
My God.

MONKEY WOMAN
What are they?

BICYCLE MAN
Don't ask questions you can't answer.

TROUBLE
True.

WOUNDED MAN
It's best not to.

BICYCLE MAN
Never ask questions you can't answer.

ANGLE MAN
We all know where that can lead.

ALL SCREAM. A pause. All look at the big desk.

BICYCLE MAN
He'll be coming soon.

WOUNDED MAN
Yes, it's about time.

TROUBLE
It's better when he's here.

MONKEY WOMAN
It makes a little more sense.

BICYCLE MAN
He'll be coming soon, and everything will make a little more sense.

WOUNDED MAN
Unless of course he has something better to do.

MONKEY WOMAN
Something more important.

ALL
(in unison) Then it'll be longer.

A pause.

TROUBLE
Something better might come up.

WOUNDED MAN
It usually does.

MONKEY WOMAN
And then he won't come.

TROUBLE
Not for him, for us, something might come up for us.

WOUNDED MAN
What's going to come up for us?

ANGLE MAN
Nothing ever comes up for us.

MONKEY WOMAN
Not unless it has to.

TROUBLE
We can hope can't we?

A tense pause. All look at TROUBLE.

WOUNDED MAN
You want us to hope?

MONKEY WOMAN
What are you thinking?

BICYCLE MAN
We can't go down that road.

WOUNDED MAN
We know where it leads.

BICYCLE MAN
We tried, remember?

MONKEY WOMAN
I'll never forget.

TROUBLE
It was nice while it lasted.

ANGLE MAN
Yes, but think about what happened next.

ALL SCREAM. A long pause. They work in silence.

MONKEY WOMAN
It's going to be a very long day today, isn't it? A very long day.

WOUNDED MAN
They're all long.

ANGLE MAN
They're all long and they're all the same and nothing ever comes up.

SOMETIME MUTE
Oh no. It's all going to be different today.

ALL
(in unison) Oh shut up!

The cuckoo clock goes off. Big wind. All fall off their stools. The THREE MOURNERS enter and exit, crossing the stage to the sound of bells and very big drums. All scramble back up their stools. Something else is coming out of the conveyor belt now. The something is guns. All stop, including the BICYCLE MAN. All pick one up and look at it. All except the ANGLE MAN throw them back down.

ALL
(in unison) My God.

ANGLE MAN
Guns.

A confused pause.

WOUNDED MAN
We shouldn't have stopped, someone is going to notice that we've stopped!

ANGLE MAN
They've given us guns.

BICYCLE MAN
To work on. Just to work on.

ANGLE MAN
The bastards have given us guns.

MONKEY WOMAN
How are we supposed to work on them?

WOUNDED MAN
We don't know how to work on them.

ALL
(in unison) They're real!

BICYCLE MAN
There must have been some kind of mistake.

SOMETIME MUTE
There's been no mistake.

The sound of horses galloping. The ANGLE MAN puts a gun in his pocket.

TROUBLE
I'm scared.

BICYCLE MAN
Nobody panic! There's nothing to panic about. There may be something different coming down the line, but it's still the same old line. We know it better than we think we do.

MONKEY WOMAN
What do you mean?

BICYCLE MAN
In the old days they sent some serious stuff our way and we never thought twice about it. We can do this.

WOUNDED MAN
No we can't.

BICYCLE MAN
All we need to do is think back to when we made real things here. It can't be too hard, we used to do it all the time.

WOUNDED MAN
We can't remember that far back.

TROUBLE
And we don't remember right anymore.

MONKEY WOMAN
All we know is that it was different.

TROUBLE
Very different.

MONKEY WOMAN
We don't really know what happened.

WOUNDED MAN
We don't really want to.

MONKEY WOMAN
It's so painful to try.

ALL
(in unison) Don't make us remember!

A loud whistle blows.

BICYCLE MAN
Well thank God!

WOUNDED MAN
We don't have to worry!

TROUBLE
Not anymore!

MONKEY WOMAN
Not right now!

ALL
(in unison) It's coffee time!

The cuckoo clock goes off. Big wind. All fall off their stools. The THREE MOURNERS come in with coffee pots. Everyone does the happy little coffee dance. Blackout.

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© copyright 2001 by Anne Catherine de Mare. All rights reserved.

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