The challenge of Neutral Dialogue is to make a story from a set of unconnected lines. Great for exciting imagination. Please go on reading after the scene is over to know more about the game and how I wrote this scene.
In this scene there are only two actors on a bare stage with no props. Which means anything they need can be created instantly just by making the viewers believe it's there!
Scene Starts:
Two people are reclining on their elbows on an empty floor, gazing in the horizon. 1 is on the stage right, 2 on the stage left.
1 is sitting idly.
2 sits up and slowly takes a handful of nothing from his side on the floor brings it to the front, and allows the pretend sand to slowly pour in the other hand.
1 gets up with a start, dusts some sand grains off, looking mildly annoyed.
Then looks up, and starts a conversation but not with too much enthusiasm.
1: Look at the moon.
2 dejectedly throws the rest of the sand away and cleans hands by clapping hands first, meets 1's mildly annoyed gaze again, then rubbing them against pants sleeves. Looks up, but in a different direction. Starts moving head slowly as if following the trajectory of an aeroplane. 1 is looking at 2 more concerned this time.
With not much energy:
2: Ah, I know.
2 reaches to the left side and moves a hand to establish opening the lid of a box, 12" high, rummages through it to look for something. Pulls something out holding it in left hand, twisting with the right hand a few inches higher, establishing that it is a bottle. Takes the cap off and throws it in the box.
Tries to pass the bottle. 1 looks at the bottle sadly, but doesn't take it.
1: Why is the water white?
2 gives 1 "why are you such a cynic?" look, and then drinks from the bottle. Then folds legs up and puts hands around them, bottle still hanging heavily from the right hand. Takes another sip, brightens up a little, looks to left, finds something and gropes for 1's shirt sleeve without looking back, cannot find it, turns animatedly and excitedly towards 1.
2's left hand pointing left at something off stage.
2: I want an ice-cream!
1 looks in the direction, gets up dejectedly, walks dragging his feet, partly due to the sand, takes something out of the back pocket of pants starts combing, and exits the stage.
2 starts looking up.
1 re-enters, holding neck with both hands, unable to breathe and walking unsteadily. 2 sees this, throws the bottle towards the audience, stands up with a jump and runs to 1. Holds arms around chest and applies pressure as is done in case of chocking. 1 catches something in right hand as it is shot out of the mouth, catches breath and bends on knees, puts the right arm up without looking up.
2 takes the small object from 1's hand holding it with two fingures as if it was a comb covered in phlegm and spit, which it is.
1: [Gasping for air in between] I... ate... a... brush.
2 looks astonished, then smiles teasingly, waiting for 1 to look up.
1 looks up and catches the gaze, both of them smile and encouraged by each other slowly start laughing, and do a high-five.
2 takes the wet comb and keeping a good distance between the head and the wet comb, mock combs hair; looking into the left palm, the mock mirror, says in Eliza Dolittle voice:
2: Coo, Aye needs an 'aircut!
Synchronised they let out a guffaw, bending over their knees.
Scene Ends.
----
This is a famous acting game that I used to play a lot (not alone then) for theatre classes and otherwise. It is called Neutral Dialogue. It is a fun game that any two people can play in any space, where they can speak and move about reasonably.
One person can also play it, if you have enough imagination. If you can't yet, learn how, it's one of the most important items in the emergency packet for a disaster such as, [only for a random example, I was not thinking trying to get at this honestly!] a break-up.
The game goes like this:
First, with your friend or your evil twin who lives inside you, you create a neutral dialogue, a small script if you may, of lines which are not obviously consequent in a normal dialogue. For example:
(1 and 2 are different characters)
1: Look at the moon
2: Ah, I know
1: Why is the water white?
2: I want an ice cream.
1: I ate a brush.
2: I need an [sic] haircut.
Second, with your partner-in-crime you make up a scene in which this dialogue happens, using no words other than these.
[Caution: If you are doing this part alone avoid the temptation to argue with yourself aloud in two different voices. Even the nicest people around you are touchy about that kind of thing.]
The challenge is to make characters that are consistent and complete using just the few words you have. The scenes I have been a part of and witnessed, ran for a few minutes using only 8-10 lines, and were, in most cases excellent.
Important questions to ask: What is the conflict? What do the characters want? Where are they, what do they see, smell, feel? What time of the day is it?
The scene above is just one possible outcome. Another scene with the same neutral dialogue:
http://mz-personal.blogspot.in/2012/02/neutral-dialogue-2.html
In this scene there are only two actors on a bare stage with no props. Which means anything they need can be created instantly just by making the viewers believe it's there!
Scene Starts:
Two people are reclining on their elbows on an empty floor, gazing in the horizon. 1 is on the stage right, 2 on the stage left.
1 is sitting idly.
2 sits up and slowly takes a handful of nothing from his side on the floor brings it to the front, and allows the pretend sand to slowly pour in the other hand.
1 gets up with a start, dusts some sand grains off, looking mildly annoyed.
Then looks up, and starts a conversation but not with too much enthusiasm.
1: Look at the moon.
2 dejectedly throws the rest of the sand away and cleans hands by clapping hands first, meets 1's mildly annoyed gaze again, then rubbing them against pants sleeves. Looks up, but in a different direction. Starts moving head slowly as if following the trajectory of an aeroplane. 1 is looking at 2 more concerned this time.
With not much energy:
2: Ah, I know.
2 reaches to the left side and moves a hand to establish opening the lid of a box, 12" high, rummages through it to look for something. Pulls something out holding it in left hand, twisting with the right hand a few inches higher, establishing that it is a bottle. Takes the cap off and throws it in the box.
Tries to pass the bottle. 1 looks at the bottle sadly, but doesn't take it.
1: Why is the water white?
2 gives 1 "why are you such a cynic?" look, and then drinks from the bottle. Then folds legs up and puts hands around them, bottle still hanging heavily from the right hand. Takes another sip, brightens up a little, looks to left, finds something and gropes for 1's shirt sleeve without looking back, cannot find it, turns animatedly and excitedly towards 1.
2's left hand pointing left at something off stage.
2: I want an ice-cream!
1 looks in the direction, gets up dejectedly, walks dragging his feet, partly due to the sand, takes something out of the back pocket of pants starts combing, and exits the stage.
2 starts looking up.
1 re-enters, holding neck with both hands, unable to breathe and walking unsteadily. 2 sees this, throws the bottle towards the audience, stands up with a jump and runs to 1. Holds arms around chest and applies pressure as is done in case of chocking. 1 catches something in right hand as it is shot out of the mouth, catches breath and bends on knees, puts the right arm up without looking up.
2 takes the small object from 1's hand holding it with two fingures as if it was a comb covered in phlegm and spit, which it is.
1: [Gasping for air in between] I... ate... a... brush.
2 looks astonished, then smiles teasingly, waiting for 1 to look up.
1 looks up and catches the gaze, both of them smile and encouraged by each other slowly start laughing, and do a high-five.
2 takes the wet comb and keeping a good distance between the head and the wet comb, mock combs hair; looking into the left palm, the mock mirror, says in Eliza Dolittle voice:
2: Coo, Aye needs an 'aircut!
Synchronised they let out a guffaw, bending over their knees.
Scene Ends.
----
This is a famous acting game that I used to play a lot (not alone then) for theatre classes and otherwise. It is called Neutral Dialogue. It is a fun game that any two people can play in any space, where they can speak and move about reasonably.
One person can also play it, if you have enough imagination. If you can't yet, learn how, it's one of the most important items in the emergency packet for a disaster such as, [only for a random example, I was not thinking trying to get at this honestly!] a break-up.
The game goes like this:
First, with your friend or your evil twin who lives inside you, you create a neutral dialogue, a small script if you may, of lines which are not obviously consequent in a normal dialogue. For example:
(1 and 2 are different characters)
1: Look at the moon
2: Ah, I know
1: Why is the water white?
2: I want an ice cream.
1: I ate a brush.
2: I need an [sic] haircut.
Second, with your partner-in-crime you make up a scene in which this dialogue happens, using no words other than these.
[Caution: If you are doing this part alone avoid the temptation to argue with yourself aloud in two different voices. Even the nicest people around you are touchy about that kind of thing.]
The challenge is to make characters that are consistent and complete using just the few words you have. The scenes I have been a part of and witnessed, ran for a few minutes using only 8-10 lines, and were, in most cases excellent.
Important questions to ask: What is the conflict? What do the characters want? Where are they, what do they see, smell, feel? What time of the day is it?
The scene above is just one possible outcome. Another scene with the same neutral dialogue:
http://mz-personal.blogspot.in/2012/02/neutral-dialogue-2.html
I was imagining Kinshuk as 2, and Nandini as 1.
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