By David Ruddock (Based on The Next Great Script By Glenn A. Hascall)
Several play-writers are discussing what to do for their next project.
Writers sitting at a desk discussing ideas for their next play.
6 boys and 2 girls.
(All cast enter with scripts in hand - toss them on the desk and look down - tired.)
Leo: That last play was fantastic. I was so funny.
Tim: How are we going to follow that up?
Jane: Pippa said that we have to give her a new script by tomorrow morning.
Paul: Tomorrow (shocked)
Others: Oh no!
(All scratch heads - thinking)
Wayne: I've got a good idea. It's about this football genius - who is only 9 - and ends up scoring the winning goal for England in the world cup.
Jane: It'll never work.
Russell: Hang on a minute. What if he has an unhappy childhood - we could even set it 'oop' north (Yorkshire accent).
Spacey: Yeah, like a cross between Billy Elliot and Bend it like Beckham.
Tim: Yeah.
Jane: (Exasperated) Oh no. Boys and football!
Wayne: And of course, I would play the football genius!
Other boys: You!
Jane: Maybe we should keep thinking.
(All scratch heads - thinking)
Leo: Okay what about a play about an artistic genius, who only needs to look at something for a few seconds and then he can draw it perfectly from memory, and he's only 7 years old.
Russell: Is there any football in the play.
Leo: No, and of course I would be the artistic genius.
Spacey: It'll never work.
Bob: You know, I'm not sure we want to have a play about geniuses anyway.
Jane: I've an idea. How about a story about this beautiful princess who for some reason sleeps on top of hundreds of mattresses?
Paul: (shocked) A beautiful princess!?
Wayne: Asleep!?
Russell: On hundreds of mattresses
Jane: Let me finish... while she's asleep she discovers that there is a pea under the bottom mattress. (Dreamily) And then there is this handsome young prince, and they ride away together into the sunset.
Spacey: And that's supposed to be interesting?
Tiffany: It would be so sweet.
Jane: And, of course I would be playing the beautiful princess.
Boys: (Exasperated) Oh dear. Girls and princesses!
Bob: Look we've got to come up with some ideas.
Paul: Ok. How about a story of a man who never did anything wrong?
Spacey: Sounds boring.
Paul: He wasn't rude or naughty - he just spends most of his time teaching people.
Wayne: A play about a teacher - it'll be a disaster.
Paul: Anyway, for some reason, this man makes other people angry, the religious leaders don't like him, the government leaders think he was a threat, but the people love him. Once, he takes more than 5000 of them out for lunch.
Russell: (Not sure) This might be a good idea - after all, everyone likes a free lunch.
Paul: Then everyone turns on him; the leaders, the people, everyone is against him.
Wayne: What happens - does he fight his way out of trouble? (Pretend punches)
Paul: No, they kill him!
Jane: Kill - as in dead?
Paul: Yep.
Leo: Isn't that a sad ending?
Paul: No - because its not the end.
Leo: You what?
Paul: He's in the grave for 3 days and then he gets up and leaves.
Leo: So he isn't dead!
Paul: No, he is dead all right, but he comes back to life.
Tim: (Scared) Like a mummy?
Paul: No. Like the Son of God who has power to come back to life and forgive sins.
Wayne: Sin - as in murder and stealing?
Paul: As in all the bad stuff that people ever do. It is forgiven because this man lays down his life and then rises again. All it takes is a little faith to believe it is true.
Jane: And who's going to play that kind of part?
Paul: I've no idea. Who would do such a thing?
………………………
Copyright David Ruddock (based on an idea by Glenn A. Hascall), all rights
reserved.
This script may be used without royalty payment, provided no charge is made
for entrance to the performance. In return, the author would like to be told
of any performance. He may be contacted at dramatix@davidruddock.co.uk