Asylum Page #10

CHRIS:

You should have said it was Bring-A-Bottle.

DOUG:

No, I figure once they see the place and

we get'em a little drunk, they'll all want

to help. We should have that floor done

in a day or so.

Doug gets out some money and they stop walking.

DOUG:

Here, let's both put in two hundred crowns.

That should get nine or ten bottles of wine.

CHRIS:

No beer?

DOUG:

Not on the opening night, wouldn't look

right.

Doug hands some money to Chris.

DOUG:

You get the wine and I'll go see if I

can rustle up some plastic cups.

CHRIS:

Why don't we go together?

DOUG:

No, it could take me hours. You know

what it's like trying to find things

in this town, not to mention disposable

stuff - I wouldn't think they've ever

heard of them.

Doug turns to take off.

CHRIS:

Red or white?

DOUG:

Both, see you later.

ON CHRIS:

Chris walks off slowly down street.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT - BETLEMSKA STREET - PEOPLE - NIGHT

Groups of two and three, plus a few singles are entering the Asylum

via side door at front. Main doors have been freshly painted black

with "wet paint" sign stuck on.

INT - ASYLUM FOYER - PEOPLE - NIGHT

People walk past foyer and go through hole into crowded ante-room. A

tall guy has to bend his head to clear entrance. Music and merriment

abounds.

INT - ASYLUM ANTEROOM - DOUG/CHRIS/HOLLY/LAWRENCE/CROWD - NIGHT

Doug is serving wine into plastic cups. Chris is out collecting cups

around the tables and comes back to bar table and rinses them in a

nearby bucket. There is a couple of empty beer bottles on the bar.

ON DOUG/LAWRENCE/CHRIS

LAWRENCE:

Interesting space you got here.

CHRIS:

No expense spared.

DOUG:

I'd like to talk with you about doing

some performance poetry here....A weekly

thing.

LAWRENCE:

Hmm, I see possibilities but you

got a lot to do.

DOUG:

We should be done by the weekend.

LAWRENCE:

Really?

DOUG:

I could pencil you in if you like?

LAWRENCE:

I'll take a rain-check for now.

Doug moves past Lawrence and Chris out from bar. He is holding an

empty beer bottle and opener. Doug takes the chair Holly is sitting

on and stands up on it. He bangs bottle and opener together and calls

attention.

DOUG:

Can I have your attention, please.

Crowd quiets down.

DOUG:

Thank you, thank you...........Okay,

I'd like to welcome you to the Asylum's

pre-opening party. I hope you're all

DOUG (Cont_d)

having a good time.....The Asylum_s a

free-space for performing art and we

hope to share the more radical elements

of our culture with the Czech_s and vice-versa.

Anyway, we want this place to be your

place and together I believe we can

really make a difference...You may however

have noticed that there is still little

work to do, like the flooring downstairs.

Someone in the crowd yells

HECKLER:

What about a john?

Crowd laughs.

DOUG:

Yeah, that too eventually. For those of

you that don't know, the nearest toilet

is in the pub around the corner. Anyhow,

part of the reason for inviting you

this evening was to ask you to help out

over the next few days to get the floor

done and maybe some painting too. You

don't have to be an expert, we've proved

that.....So, if I could have a show of

hands?

No hands go up, Holly is wavering.

DOUG:

I said, hands up all those willing to

help out a little here.

Still no hands. Doug turns to Chris in disbelief.

DOUG:

Let me see if I understand this. You lot,

think you represent Western culture here

and when you're given an opportunity of a

life-time to prove it, you turn it down.

Don't you want to get your hands dirty or

something, is that it?

Some people begin to leave.

DOUG:

I see, you've got your hands too far up

your collective arse to pull it out long

enough except to drink my bloody wine.

CHRIS:

Forget it Doug, it's no good.

Doug smashes his bottle against the far wall, showering a few people

in glass. This starts a stampede for the exit.

DOUG:

Go on, get out, everybody out, out.

Out!.....Out!

Holly has moved with the crowd, Lawrence is still by the bar, Doug

picks up a wooden chair and smashes it on a table, tossing a piece

after the last people exiting.

ANGLE CHRIS/LAWRENCE

CHRIS:

All in all, I think it went pretty well.

LAWRENCE:

Beats my performance sh*t.

Doug collapses on a chair slumped over a table. Chris grabs a bottle

of wine and takes it over to Doug.

CHRIS:

Carpentry can't be that tough,

we'll do it.

Doug takes a swig of wine.

DOUG:

Have you cleared all the rubble up?

CHRIS:

No, not yet.

DOUG:

You're all bloody useless.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT - DRAMA ACADEMY - DOUG - DAY

Doug walks down the street and into the academy.

INT - DRAMA ACADEMY - DOUG - DAY

Doug stops at reception and motions to the OLD LADY there, then

hurries up nearby stairs.

INT - DRAMA ACADEMY DANCEROOM - DOUG/JAHN - DAY

Doug enters and sees Jahn practising some moves with another guy.

Show a few dance moves and then Jahn notices Doug and comes over.

JAHN:

Hi, want to take up dancing?

DOUG:

Later. Jahn, I've been let down by

the guys who were going to do the

flooring. They brought the materials

but took my money and ran. You guys

have a school theatre don't you?

JAHN:

Yes, The Obelisk but it's closed

for repairs.

DOUG:

So I hear, do you know some of the

stage hands?

JAHN:

Sure, they are students.

DOUG:

Well, I want them to put down a floor

and a walkway.

Jahn considers.

JAHN:

What about money?

Doug gets money out of his pocket.

DOUG:

There's three thousand crowns, it's all

I got.

JAHN:

It's not so much.

DOUG:

Look, if you can get them to finish

it by Friday, you and your friends

can do the opening performance that

night.

JAHN:

Can we charge admission?

DOUG:

Donations only! And make the thing

non-lingual, so everyone gets a

handle on it.

JAHN:

I'll do my best. Is the place open.

DOUG:

Yep, it's all yours.

JAHN:

Okay.

Doug shakes Jahn's hand and exits.

EXT - BETLEMSKA STREET - DOUG\HOLLY - DAY

Doug is standing on a crate sign-writing ASYLUM (50's American style)

with white paint on the main doors. Holly walks up. Doug tries to

stop a paint run.

HOLLY:

Good morning.

Doug looks at her and turns back.

HOLLY:

I thought I'd help out.

DOUG:

We don't need you.

HOLLY:

That's not what you said last night.

And, I didn't bring that "prick" Josh.

Doug gets off stand and looks her over.

DOUG:

Alright, go help Chris shovel up the last

of the crap.

HOLLY:

Thanks.

Holly studies Doug's painting.

HOLLY:

Nice job.

Holly ducks in the front side-door. Doug continues painting the "l"

of the sign. Cars and interested pedestrians pass by.

INT - ASYLUM - DOUG/CHRIS/HOLLY - DAY

Asylum is looking quite neat except for excavation around pipe, which

is full now with debris, and the earth floor. The ghettoblaster in

the ante-room is playing motivational music. Chris and Holly throw

the last load of debris into pipe area and Holly picks up a broom and

starts sweeping up as Doug enters into foyer. Chris and Holly are

very dusty, Doug tosses paint tin down by the pipe.

CHRIS:

Time for lunch I think. I'll get the

sandwiches. What would you like Holly?

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