Kōan
I reached home at 430am this morning after spending 17 hours yesterday attending a reading of mine and 9 other plays produced from a playwriting class. This, despite the fact that I've got exams tomorrow and beyond. It kind of reminds me of the stayover I had at a friend's place the weekend before the A levels started, in which I ended up playing S11, a football console game with my friends, rather than revising. I was quite lousy in the game and I ended up losing more often than not.
It's nice to do things that are spontaneous, irrational. I suspect it feels nice to me because acting so reaffirms the notion that I am essentially a free person whose actions aren't easily predictable given any set of circumstances. Not even the circumstance of possessing a biological disposition to act in spontaneous, irrational ways - to transcend this determination I may on occasion choose to act in an obedient and predictable manner. Thus there will be some exams where I study, and some where I wouldn't mind going against the grain when opportunities present themselves. More on this, perhaps, another time.
For now I want to note that it was a pleasant 17 hours. The quality of scripts was good, and I generally like listening in on any congregation of like-minded people. Here's an excerpt.
***
SEPTIMUS is in his room alone, seated in his armchair. He is holding on to his watch.
Septimus The billowing wind stirs up hues of scarlet red. Infinite arcs twisting through us, flittering down, down, down, downwards, into the fissure. It stops there. Drawing inwards, the fading murmurs wait to be heard. Waiting.
Footsteps of a slow march can be heard.
Septimus Waiting.
The footsteps stop.
Septimus For you.
Pause.
Septimus Evans?
SEPTIMUS gets up.
Septimus Here you've arrived, bringing with you a deafening silence. Alongside, smothering darkness approaches, robbing my sight of colours, extinguishing the floating lamps of red and yellow flowers on the grass. Our minds remain muted, yet time creeps on, on, on, onwards, never looking back. You and I, continue on, never knowing that as our emotions dwindle - as we feel only complete void within, nothing remains.
Pause.
Septimus To love makes one solitary.
The footsteps start again, growing louder.
Septimus But no. I shan't relent. As the wind arrives, we shall seek brighter and clearer days. The swelling undulations shall carry away the stale monotony that weighed us down, cleansing and renewing us. As the wind gently tickles the precious chimes, the crisp and fresh tinkling will revive our deepest understanding of what needs to be done.
SEPTIMUS stares forward.
Septimus (energetically) I must speak to the Prime Minister. Let me speak to him; I must tell him the following: the supreme secret must be told to the cabinet; firstly, that trees are alive - they are alive and amongst us; second, there is no crime - none at all whatsoever; third, love, universal love - (all energy fades) what about it?
Pause.
Septimus Here I lie, my flesh melted off the world, my body macerated - only the nerve fibres are left, spread like a veil upon a rock.
Clearer distinct footsteps from an opposite direction can be heard.
SEPTIMUS turns to look over at where the footsteps are coming from.
Septimus Evans! Please, grab my hands and never let go, help me...stop me from falling down, down, down, down into the flames!
Bradshaw (offstage) My dear lady, please allow me to -
SEPTIMUS drops his watch onto the ground.
Blackout.
- Dalloway, Ng Zheng Yang (Zach)
It's nice to do things that are spontaneous, irrational. I suspect it feels nice to me because acting so reaffirms the notion that I am essentially a free person whose actions aren't easily predictable given any set of circumstances. Not even the circumstance of possessing a biological disposition to act in spontaneous, irrational ways - to transcend this determination I may on occasion choose to act in an obedient and predictable manner. Thus there will be some exams where I study, and some where I wouldn't mind going against the grain when opportunities present themselves. More on this, perhaps, another time.
For now I want to note that it was a pleasant 17 hours. The quality of scripts was good, and I generally like listening in on any congregation of like-minded people. Here's an excerpt.
***
SEPTIMUS is in his room alone, seated in his armchair. He is holding on to his watch.
Septimus The billowing wind stirs up hues of scarlet red. Infinite arcs twisting through us, flittering down, down, down, downwards, into the fissure. It stops there. Drawing inwards, the fading murmurs wait to be heard. Waiting.
Footsteps of a slow march can be heard.
Septimus Waiting.
The footsteps stop.
Septimus For you.
Pause.
Septimus Evans?
SEPTIMUS gets up.
Septimus Here you've arrived, bringing with you a deafening silence. Alongside, smothering darkness approaches, robbing my sight of colours, extinguishing the floating lamps of red and yellow flowers on the grass. Our minds remain muted, yet time creeps on, on, on, onwards, never looking back. You and I, continue on, never knowing that as our emotions dwindle - as we feel only complete void within, nothing remains.
Pause.
Septimus To love makes one solitary.
The footsteps start again, growing louder.
Septimus But no. I shan't relent. As the wind arrives, we shall seek brighter and clearer days. The swelling undulations shall carry away the stale monotony that weighed us down, cleansing and renewing us. As the wind gently tickles the precious chimes, the crisp and fresh tinkling will revive our deepest understanding of what needs to be done.
SEPTIMUS stares forward.
Septimus (energetically) I must speak to the Prime Minister. Let me speak to him; I must tell him the following: the supreme secret must be told to the cabinet; firstly, that trees are alive - they are alive and amongst us; second, there is no crime - none at all whatsoever; third, love, universal love - (all energy fades) what about it?
Pause.
Septimus Here I lie, my flesh melted off the world, my body macerated - only the nerve fibres are left, spread like a veil upon a rock.
Clearer distinct footsteps from an opposite direction can be heard.
SEPTIMUS turns to look over at where the footsteps are coming from.
Septimus Evans! Please, grab my hands and never let go, help me...stop me from falling down, down, down, down into the flames!
Bradshaw (offstage) My dear lady, please allow me to -
SEPTIMUS drops his watch onto the ground.
Blackout.
- Dalloway, Ng Zheng Yang (Zach)
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