This is a play which I have written by pulling material from our in-class assignment to write about a man getting mugged and crossing it with the idea of the renowned play Variations on the Death of Trotsky. It consists of a single event told in various ways depending on who the person being addressed is until finally we are shown the truth when he is reporting the incident to the Po-o. This piece was rather fun to write and i hope it's fun to read.
Scene I
Late summer night breaching on a twilight hour in downtown San Luis Obispo on the corner of a street outside a movie theater which list of movie advertisement had flickering letters and the metal gates drawn closed over the ticket booths. The theater is perched on the corner with an entrance to a parking garage on either side of it and the last dwindling lights inside are falling asleep with the town. The only comfort in the darkening abyss came from the street lamps above. The center one was brighter than the others and acts as an overhead spotlight for the center stage.
A young gentleman's voice is heard through the still and empty set begins the play by addressing a women with a more middle aged voice.
JOHN: Mom! Mom! Mom!
MOTHER: What John?
Enter from stage right: A college student in his early twenties walks out from the side door of the theater and crosses through the light on the right side of the stage in front of a dark alley.
JOHN: I was walking out of the movie theater and this guy came out of no where.
Enter a scraggly man in his mid thirties from the dark alley next to the movie theater exit wearing a black hood and a pair of dark navy Levi’s holding a knife.
JOHN: He took my money and threw me to the ground. He had a knife and everything.
Man approaches the student in the darkness between the lights and confronts him under the center spotlight and demands money before violently shoving the student to the ground and running off into the night.
MOTHER: Oh my gosh! Are you okay?!
JOHN: I’m fine. I just didn’t know what to do.
Stage lights fade out and actors reset under the darkness.
Scene II
Same exact setting as the beginning only this time the man is addressing another male who sounds like he is around the same age.
JOHN: Bro!
MAN: What’s wrong John?
Enter John from stage right again passing through the same street light in front of the alley.
JOHN: I was coming out of the theater when this 6’8” guy wearing a leather jacket pulled a gun on me.
Enter the same mugger though this time he is wearing a black leather jacket and wielding a 9mm.
MAN: WTF?! Broski are you alright?!
JOHN: Yea dog, he tried to take my money but I managed to knock the gun out of his hand with a round-house kick.
John performs a maneuver and disarms the thug attempting to get the jump on him.
MAN: No way! Did you beat his a$$?
The attempting mugger shoulder checked John and ran off into the street.
JOHN: He got lucky and dropped me on the curb before I had a chance.
Stage fades again and the actors reset themselves.
Scene III
Same setting but the man is addressing a girl this time.
JOHN: Sorry it took me so long to return your call Dian.
GIRL: Thats okay. I’m just glad you did.
JOHN: You’ll never believe what happened to me tonight.
Enter John in the same manor.
GIRL: What?
John makes his way through the light in front of the alley once more.
JOHN: This guy jumped me as I was leaving the theater. He asked for my money,
The attempting criminal engages John once more.
JOHN: I tried to talk to him, calm him down you know?
John talks to the man using hand gestures to help him calm down and understand that he didn’t have to do this.
GIRL: OMG! Baby, are you okay?!
JOHN: He just had this look in his eye like he was desperate or something. I gave him the money and he grabbed it so quickly that I stumbled and fell and before I knew it, he was gone.
John handed the man some money who eagerly took it. As John tripped over himself, the would’ve been mugger disappeared into the night.
GIRL: OMG! You are so brave! If you need anything Babe just let me know.
Stage fades away again and the actors return to their starting positions.
Scene IV
Same setting as in scene I but now John is explaining the situation to a male police officer with a reassuring voice.
Enter John in his same style.
JOHN: I had just walked out of the theater down town, when this man wearing a black hoody and some jeans approached me.
Enter the mugger once more.
POLICE OFFICER: Okay could you describe him in further detail so our sketch artist could get an accurate picture?
JOHN: He was maybe 5’10”, caucasian, reeked of alcohol, and he carried a pocket knife.
POLICE OFFICER: Okay then what happened?
The mugger extended the knife in Johns direction, swaying as he did so. He demanded money and John emptied his pockets showing that he had none to give. The mugger the shoved him to the ground in disbelief and staggered off into the alley down the street.
JOHN: He demanded money and when I explained that I didn’t have any, he shoved me down into the street and took off into some alley farther up.
Stage fades to black one last time.
Sup Swag, great piece, this play was very emotional and i felt that when I read it. LOVED IT!!
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