IN THE WORKS
Judy – the character of Miguel that everyone sees, not as socially active as Amil, more simple and down to earth background (Libby)
Felix – eventually becomes the hero of his own narrative in choosing to take control, experiences mentally damaging problems at home, part of the character study, enjoys writing, emotional (Miguel)
Emil – a foil to Felix, the character he secretly wants to be, sometime over-reactive and comedic at points, rich and wealthy background, privileged, but conceals his guilt and insecurities behind that fact and a fear of being judged, impulsive and at times reckless (Lucas
Theme and character notes
When you think about it we are characters that have been written by other people. When you revolt against your narrative. What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? Emil and Judy eventually leverage the power or control from Felix, as Felix resolves to take actual control over his own life
Felix enters rapidly, slamming the door, everything feels like its spiraling. It’s the place inside his mind he goes to when he needs to write. Frustrated at his inability to manage his life: horrible living space, unable to take control. Almost in tears, feels like tearing everything apart, kicking the wall more than once, throwing his backpack to the ground and crumpling up pieces of paper, but after getting everything out of his system, he takes a deep breath and tries to regain himself. After retrieving his notebook from his backpack, he puts the pen to paper in which the lighting flickers into a blackout and shifts to show his entire storage space of creative notes and stories. He carefully picks up and returns the books to their tables, wishing they weren’t damaged. He then sees what he was working on: Emil and Judy. Their clothing is slightly distinct from his, with Emil wearing a rich, cool jacket and Judy wearing trendy but affordable legging, but they share similar features in terms of colour coordination and Judy wearing a watch on the same wrist as Felix. He pulls out his journal
FELIX (while sculpting them into their positions in the story, calm at being in control)
Emil was two hours into telling Judy about his trip to Greece to Mykonos. To a club named Scorpius, which he thinks is Greek for scorpion. It’s an educated guess. (Wishing this life was his) They drank wine, everyone was happy. Not a care in the world. (He snaps his fingers-their conversation starts)
EMIL (can freestyle)
So Greece was like just amazing, we’re dancing on the tables, and then we just see George Clooney, and Jessica was trying to get a picture, but we were like no, you can’t do that it’s not cool, but then he came up to us and was all do you guys want to go on my yacht, and we were like Um absofuckinglutelty yes. And then he mentioned casually that Leo and Sandy couldn’t make it, and then we realized by Leo and Sandy he meant, Leo freaking Di Caprio and Sandra freakin Bullock, (so caught up in his own life story) So how was your summer?
JUDY (disinterested, mind is already busy)
I stayed in my room. Walked the dog. Down the block. It was raining. It rained. I did go to this coffee store –
FELIX is vividly enjoying writing this
EMIL (enthusiastic, can still freestyle a bit)
Oh my god, I went to this coffee shop, it was this avant guarde place with strobe lights, where it was kind a new take on coffee, so you make the coffee itself. And you pick the beans, and press the button. It was so cool, it had all this awesome art –
Felix snaps his fingers and everything pauses, frozen facial expressions
FELIX
Judy herself liked coffee for herself to be made for her, hence the idea of a coffee shop. Emil’s story felt like telling someone about chocolate cake, describing the brown and goo, when you’re eating a green salad. Judy never went anywhere besides two streets down from her house. She never had the chance to travel; her life didn’t mirror Emil’s in exuberance.
He his snaps fingers again, the narrative resumes uninterrupted
EMIL
So by then I just thought it’d be great to like go to Paris –
FELIX (scribbling the words out)
No, it, it should be Berlin
EMIL: (simultaneously)
But like Jessica was thinking of Berlin–
(overlapping continuous dialogue)
FELIX
No, wait he doesn’t even speak German so Tokyo–
EMIL
But I don’t actually know German so that’s why Tokyo is great cause its foreign–
FELIX
Um, Florence –
EMIL
Florence is – (this keeps going on until)
FELIX
Wait Italy! ITALY! ITALY!
As he continues to frantically erase the words, Amil’s dialogue becomes more jumbled, until he suddenly snaps out of it, both him and Judy breaking out of their trance and becoming self aware, turning toward Felix
FELIX
Jeez, it’s Italy, sometimes my brain just…
He makes eye contact. There’s a moment of silence before Felix falls back from his seat and Amil let’s out a scream
EMIL (Terrified, small scream, rapidly speaks)
Ahhhhhhhh, what the fuck Judy? Who is this?
FELIX
You guys can move, you’re moving… no, no, no, no –
JUDY (questioning)
Who are you?
EMIL
Can you please leave, this is a private residence! (trying to figure it out) Oh wait, maybe’s he’s the gardner (tries to attempt speaking Spanish) El jardin… es AFUERA!
FELIX (frantic)
No, no, no, this isn’t supposed to be happening…
EMIL
Is this a kidnapping! Look I’m sure my dad can pay the ransom…
JUDY (to Amil)
Your house isn’t grey and black.
EMIL (upset, comedic)
Oh my god this a kidnapping!
FELIX (trying to regain control)
You just need to sit down.
EMIL
Can you shut up, I don’t know what you want… (Felix tries snapping but cannot take control of the narrative) What are you snapping at me for?
FELIX (repeatedly snapping, anxious at losing control)
You’re not supposed to talk –
EMIL
I’m supposed to know how to talk? Stop telling me what to do!
FELIX
Emil and Judy, please calm down –
JUDY (alarmed)
How do you know my name? His name?
FELIX
This is just a misunderstanding.
JUDY (trying to get out)
Where are the exits?
FELIX
There’s a perfectly good explanation. I haven’t properly introduced myself. (urgent) If you can just let me explain to you (Two rapid snaps. Both suddenly are frozen in their active moving position, but they can still speak and react horrified and confused)
EMIL (shocked)
Why am I stuck? What did you to me?
JUDY (confused)
Emil, I can’t move?
EMIL (attempts to be threatening)
I’m definitely suing you, my dad’s a lawyer.
FELIX (attempts to calm down)
Look you may not remember me, but I know you. This is gonna sound a little crazy, but I created both of you.
JUDY (exasperated)
You’re not my dad!
EMIL (upset, in tears in a funny way)
I knew we should have gone to the Hamptons!
FELIX
But it’s true, I – (admitting) made you up.
JUDY (disbelieving, too good to be true) I
I’m not real. You created me.
EMIL: (still stubborn)
Oh my god Judy you can’t believe this guy. What about Megan, was that not real?
JUDY
Will you shut up about Megan!
EMIL (impassioned, also funny)
She’s the love of my life Judy!
FELIX
We both know Megan didn’t like you, you’re arrogant, I would know –
EMIL (playing into it)
You made me arrogant you stupid piece of shit.
FELIX
I can prove it (moves to the books that record all the details about both characters, showing it to them. They take in all that they’re reading)
EMIL
How do you know about this?
JUDY
You write about my life. (Pause. Then growing anger) You wrote about my whole life. You did this to me. So it’s your fault my life is a living hell.
EMIL (trying to reason)
I made your life a little bit difficult cause that’s what it’s like –
JUDY
Stop, no! I want you to change my life, I have a right –
FELIX
That’s now how it works –
JUDY
Yes you can, I can make demands! (freestyle demands)
FELIX That’s not how real life works –
JUDY
It’s my life in your hands and you want to make it miserable!
FELIX
That’s not the point –
EMIL
You know what, I don’t believe this. You’re just some crazy stalker, but you don’t know who I am.
FELIX
I told you I do.
EMIL (challenging)
Oh really, prove it, anyone can know these things. Say something no one could know.
FELIX (reading from the book, higher level)
When you were seven, you kissed three boys at camp so you didn’t have to tell your dad about it and he wouldn’t write you out of his will –
AMIL (sharp interruption)
That’s not true.
JUDY (excited)
No, I want to see!
EMIL
Judy, no, no, don’t believe him Judy - (She is able to tear away the book from both of them, and reads the passage, he bangs his arms and head again the wall groaning massively) Agghhhhuggghhh
JUDY
You keep this hidden!
EMIL
Well Judy it’s not like you’re so perfect.
FELIX
Don’t pick on him, he’s not alone. I have all these books on you (finds a new passage of secret information) You have these insecurities about your brother and how you feel incompetent in compared to him, he’s a lacrosse player that your family worships while you’re invisible and would prefer not to exist (freestyle why this is, looks up to see she’s upset) I’m sorry
EMIL (while comforting Judy)
You are such a dick!
JUDY
Why do you do this to us? (A beat)
EMIL (trying to get back at him) You know how about we see what you say about yourself! (grabs the journal)
FELIX (urgent) No please don’t read that! (about Felix – Amil starts to read, but stops abruptly, looking further and what he’s reading and can’t say anything)
AMIL
You turned down a writing scholarship to stay at home? What are you five?
FELIX I said it’s nothing… (Judy goes to see what’s the matter, also more quiet)
JUDY
It says you’re… that this, is some sort of escapism.
EMIL
What’s escapism? (Look to Felix for answers, and at Judy for a beat)
JUDY (realizing)
Us. We’re what’s helping you to run away from reality? So you wrote us to live the life that scares you. (horrified) You wrote him because you want a lavish and rich life, and you wrote me because I’m what you’re scared of becoming.
EMIL (dawning on him)
Ohhhh, OK. (sees the truth, stumbles) Is this true? About your dad. 5 times in the hospital… hit with a baseball bat… second time a frying pan… a knife…
JUDY (horrified)
Your dad is a piece of shit.
Felix: (sudden outburst, echoing)
ENOUGH! (in tears) Just put it down. That’s why I come here everyday to this ‘library’. ‘The stupid kid with the alcoholic dad’, what a cliché. (Power imbalance and a beat, suddenly bursting out loud, almost frenzied and a bit wild, shakes while writing) What do you want Judy? What are you crying about? You want your Dad to pay eight-figure salary for your little art college! She becomes a star in her family. (Tenser) And Emil, I give you a lot, I mean you go to Mykonos like it’s fucking Dunkin Donuts, but he can have anything he wants. Except this time you go to Mykonos with your family and (LOUD) Emil’s dad sits at the table and have a glass of wine and instead says he loves you without beating the shit out you and of his mum. (slams the book shut. Another few beats as FELIX quietly weeps) (freestyle talking about his family life)
Resolution (realizes he can’t live his life through his characters)
Both Emil and Judy slowly move to either side of him as he is sitting in tears. Emil kneels beside him
EMIL
Yeah, my life’s great, but it’s not real. I don’t get to say what I do, choose what I want, do anything, it’s all fake. But you do. You get to change where you are. You don’t have to stay in this shitty house forever. You can go to this stupid writing college. You can’t live through us. (try to freestyle a bit if possible)
FELIX
It’s not that easy.
JUDY
You can get therapy…
FELIX (admitting, perhaps gesturing)
This is my therapy. You’re the only control I have over anything, over this narrative. Everything else is a fucking shitshow. (Silence for at least five seconds)
JUDY (sense of awareness)
When you think about it, we are characters that have been written by other people. When you revolt against your set narrative – (resolved, tries to hide sadness) Stop wasting your time writing about us. Write your own narrative. You have the power to change.
EMIL
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable?
(Felix waits a moment. Judy then goes to the tables and picks up a new bare book for him to write. Another moment, then he slowly opens up and starts to write a new story)
(As Felix makes eye contact with Judy and then Emil, Judy and Emil look at each other knowingly, understanding what they have to do. Amil and Judy walk further backstage, distancing themselves from him, accepting their role as unused characters for the sake of letting Felix live as his own character)
FELIX (SLAM poetry style) Under the bed: frying pans, bats and knives, the world is cold as are the tears in her eyes. I hold my mother’s hands: her nail polish is chipped, I look at her clothes and the fabric is ripped, I tell her I’m going to stab him: that’s the last straw that’s it, But she says that it’s okay she just slipped or tripped. I say that’s the final straw, it’s over, that’s it!
Both AMIL and JUDY snap their fingers.
Lights flicker back to reality. FELIX is still in the same place, the dim white light indicating his lonely silhouette. But now both JUDY and EMIL have vanished. He knows he’s alone, but despite momentary hesitation, he starts to write
FELIX
She goes to the couch and watches the TV. I run off and she pretends not to see me. In my room where I write: the characters I hold dear. I’ll conquer these demons with pen and paper for the world to hear. Momma we’ll fly away from this place and never look back, Your beautiful face won’t need anymore more stupid ice packs: for the pain. We’re escaping these demons, I don’t care if it’s by train or plane. I will be somebody and you’ll be proud of your boy,
I’ll use these words to make it happen and our lives will be joy.
It’s all gonna work out and together we can travel the world, See the beaches of Greece like you’ve wanted since you were a girl.
We’ll watch the sunset together: drink wine as days fade into night, Live happily because any other way is not right. Because what is the point of being alive if you don’t make it remarkable. I won’t let our lives won’t be reduced to an obituary in a newspaper article.
He looks at the book, then slams it shut. BLACKOUT
