A Therapy Group for the Invisible: Spearcarriers &;

INT. PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT-EVE.
A diverse group of people, all career-long 'extras' in various stage
&; screen productions around the City are gathered for weekly
therapy; they all 'suffer' from 'invisibility syndrome'........
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
(noticing an early arrival)
Hi, Quentin, you're early....
QUENTIN FORGUN
Yeah
(sighs)
Rehearsals were cancelled, again. I'm Flavius.....first among Claudius'
attendants......
(cut off)
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Why don't we wait for the others; don't want anyone out, do we?
Others, about 5 men &; women, walk into the windowless room. To
encourage participation, a feeling of inclusion, Cartoff has allowed
them to wear their stage costumes.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Love the gown, Gloria....
GLORIA SWAINS
You do? Really?
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Of course......
(sees the rest of group)
Good, looks like a 'full house'.
DOUG DOWD
Never have those at the theatre, not even opening night; you'd think
people would come, great actors, good story....it's like history.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
My mistake.....we did agree not to use 'shop' terms, I apologize.
QUENTIN FORGUN
Our 'house' too.....even with fairly new costumes.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Group, if you remember, we're going to do something a bit different
this evening, like we discussed last time; who wants to be first?
There is silence, eyes averted from hers by all.
AIDA VASQUEZ
I will, even though I'm nervous; I only have two lines.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
But they're important lines. Especially here......I, we want to hear
them.
AIDA VASQUEZ
They're in Italian.....
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Do them, original, then English, hmm?
HOWARD FITZ
It's better in the stage version only; our director says your body does
the translation.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Let's let Aida decide...
AIDA VASQUEZ
'Scuse, signore.......questa nona bona.....'
(her arms are flailing)
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
And you play......
AIDA VASQUEZ
Handmaiden, to the Viceroy's daughter, the lovely, shy, but
passionate.....
(cut off)
QUENTIN FORGUN
Is she supposed to do all that, we don't have a lot of time for
that.
AIDA VASQUEZ
(embarrassed)
Sorry, said I was nervous....
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
You did fine; let's not interrupt, you'll all get a chance......I'll
time you, and in that time you may do as you wish.
HOWARD FITZ
Not very organized......discipline is important to 'flow'.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
The director, um? Well, I'm the director here, if that helps.
(surveys their faces)
Who's next?
HOWARD FITZ
Don't look at me, all of you......you know I don't have any...lines,
just standing and holding my axe.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Yes, but it's a very large axe.....tell us why.
HOWARD FITZ
I don't have anything to do with that, it's the property manager, he
decides all that.
ANDY THETA
I'm in the same boat.....oh, sorry, no jargon-----see, I stand in a
boat!
(laughs nervously)
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
It doesn't matter; look, I want to learn from you, we all do, from each
other.....just as you all do from the director, the prop man,
see?
HOWARD FITZ
Well, it's supposed to signify rank, and power, too.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Good. Who's next?
(no response)
Quentin, you wanted to share something....
(interrupted)
HOWARD FITZ
I wasn't really finished; it's a tribal symbol, handed down to the
elite warriors only.
QUENTIN FORGUN
(competitively)
Claudius was a survivor, because he played the fool------uh, that's a
term the director likes, sorry-----and is careful who he lets around
him; I'm his main attendant, confides in me; that's because I'm a mute,
not because he trusts me, although.....
HOWARD FITZ
(clears throat loudly)
QUENTIN FORGUN
Like I was saying, it's not as if I'm an advisor, but he gave me my
tunic.
(turns to model)
SHOT: WE SEE 'INTO' DR. CARTOFF'S BRAIN, GANGLIA/NEURAL FIRINGS, WITH
BLURRED IMAGES OF HER IN VARIOUS COSTUMES; SHE 'SETTLES' UPON ONE AS A
ROYAL FIGURE, RECLINED UPON A GILDED LITTER.
GLORIA SWAINS
Dr. Cartoff? Dr. Cart......
QUENTIN FORGUN
(to Dr.)
You ok? Look a little pale....
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Oh, yes, yes, just a sugar low, I suppose.
(looks at her watch)
Why don't we.....
DOUG DOWD
Take five!
(covers mouth like child, smiling)
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Alright, Doug, we'll allow that one, not just for the theatre.
HOWARD FITZ
Actually, it's not even used that much by stage dir.......more of a
musician's phrase.
They all cross the room, in full regalia, unconsciously posing
according to 'role'-----for example, the soldier extends his arm
directionally for the Dr., &; so forth, as they get their
refreshments.
DR. LEONA CARTOFF
Well, that's better. In the time we have left-----and I know you all
haven't yet enacted, we'll finish that next time-----let's switch to
'audience' role playing: this will mean that each player is given a ONE
word reaction by the rest of you; this is quick, no deep digging, ok,
let's go------I'll point to you randomly.
They all go round, with their rapid-fire opinions of each other; it is
less important how, who, etc.; what is key is that Dr. C. has been
transformed, somehow, perhaps by their costumes/props, she having none,
somehow unsatisfied, deeply unconsciously with her postmodern
rationalistic 'role'--------while this is going on, she pulls together
three chairs and lays across them as in her daydream.
HOWARD FITZ
Wow! Dr., you remind me of our female lead, the regal.....
(cut off)
ANDY THETA
Yes, it's uncanny, sort of a Cleopatra style of supineness, although,
our play isn't about......
(also cut off)
QUENTIN FORGUN
Ours is, by analogy, anyway.....powerful personality, like the ones I'm
around, by their, well, his, choice regularly, and you, Dr., fill the
bill.
HOWARD FITZ
Jargon!
AIDA VASQUEZ
Look!!
(pointing to Dr. C.)
I've never seen such gold lame; she's.....beautiful.
Dr. C. is now bejewelled, bedecked with paraphernalia 'fitting' a royal
ancient woman: complete with Egyptianized makeup, etc.; the chairs are
now a litter, with veiled canopy, etc. The four men approach, bowing,
then grasping the poles, lifting it/her. She is silent in repose,
smiling.
DOUG DOWD
Make way, all!
(revelation)
I have dialogue! To the royal bark, awaiting in the harbor; the tides
grow strong.....
HOWARD FITZ
I haven't seen a script!
ANDY THETA
Fool, make haste.
QUENTIN FORGUN
Listen to the boatswain.........we must embark her majesty, her
rendezvous awaits......
They exit the building, somehow unnoticed, as though those external to
'them', their procession, see nothing extraordinary. The two women are
dancing before them, with rose petals.....
FADE TO BRIGHT WHITE.