POSITIVE PEOPLE’S PLATFORM
presents
The Technology Tales
From gaslight to satellite
(working title)
A group of strangers are thrown together, when an un-identified crisis in a shopping centre causes the security shutters come down on Computer World Superstore, a siren is heard and the lights go out…..
ON SCREEN – we see the characters wandering around Computer World, looking at gadgets – those in couples or groups are chatting to each other. One character is in a wheelchair pushed by her friend. A cleaner in the store is dusting the wares. A business man is scrutinising the mobile phones. A young lad is weighing up the consoles….some “lift” music is playing in the background – perhaps one of our tunes converted for this section using garage band. The video lasts about 2 minutes….
on the stage there are some smart looking computers on display stands – and as the piece progresses various props appear – such as a pram piled with a big old battery and a shopping trolley full of discarded computers and old electrical appliances that are falling onto the floor
1.
Suddenly, the screen goes blank – as if the plug has been pulled. A siren is heard and panicked voices on the stage shouting and saying things like “whats happening!” “where’s the lights” “help!”
someone finds a match and the cleaner brings a candle / torch forward of the stage. Everyone finds a torch and lights their faces. The candle is placed in the middle of the stage, everyone gathers around it and someone says something like
“well….none of this lot will be any use now will it? Without electricity!”
MAIN SONG “E – LEC – TRI -CITY” – THEME of the song is the spark of technology –
2
our wheelchair bound person reveals she is isolated and life has become lonely since she moved to a new place, away from her familiar friends. Over time she has lost her confidence
ITS A CONVERSATION SOMETHING LIKE
“I knew it wasnt a good idea coming in here. I feel even worse now. I dont like crowds at the best of times and I dont know what they will think of me”
her friend / daughter / carer responds:
“But this is why we came to Computer World Superstore – to look at getting you a mobile, so you can keep in touch with me!”
“ I cant get my head round all these things – how they work, what are they for – it’s all so different”
“But you’ve been here before – think of all we lived through over the years”
MAIN SONG “REMEBER ALL WE’VE LIVED THROUGH” – the theme is all the inventions that have affected life – domestically
ON SCREEN a slide show timeline of inventions echoes the theme of the song while everyone sings
3
Our business man chips in
“of course! This is what you need – a smart phone! I have the top of the range back in the warehouse – I can show you devices that havent been invented yet!” he turns and leads us back of stage
ON SCREEN
WE see a large door reveal a packed aisle of boxes waiting to be sold – the corridor seems to go on forever – fork lift trucks and workers appear carrying boxes – could be archive film / filmed in a warehouse – or some sort of animation. The opening door fills the screen..as if we are entering from the stage..
MAIN SONG “PRESSURE AND PACKAGING AND BUILT IN OBSOLECENCE”
cleaner – “take no notice of him! I know his game – come with me and i’ll show you the best deal in here – it’s a perk of the job!”
4
CLEANER – it’s a perk of the job – look at this – SHE SWITCHES ON A COMPOUTER -
ON SCREEN – WE are skyping someone on the other side of the world. It is our hero’s granddaughter in spain
“I cant believe it!”
a short interchange between the stage and the screen
MAIN SONG – “Internet takes me everywhere!”
5
Our young person speaks. They are possibly the grandson of one of the other characters (our hero or perhaps her friend or the cleaner – )
“I’m bored with all this chat. I cant even get a signal in here! I need to BBM me mates!”
“This is it! You dont know how to chat – you’ve always got yer head in that thing! – come on, tell us whats so important that you have to BBM or Facebook, or text your mates rght now!”
“You just dont understand…”
MAIN SONG “FACE TO FACE” – the theme is a conversation between 2 voices (2 groups of singers – one lined up behind the youngster, one representing the person who values face to face chats – aboout the benefit of communicating in different ways. The young person’s viewpoint to be included – but we need our meeting with young people to inform the content
6
Wheelchair “ I’m no further on! I’m even more confused- how am I gonna use this thing when I get home!”
everyone
MAIN SONG – “REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE THE ONE GIVING HELP – JUST ASK US AND WE’LL BE AROUND – GIVE US A SHOUT, SEND US A TEXT, RING ON THE PHONE, OR JUST KNOCK ON THE DOOR” focussing on the workplace – having been a secretary perhaps…
the final verse /chorus is dominated by our wheelchair character – who sings loudest and strongest as she forgets her inhibitions and lets go!
Cleaner – “ Your quite a singer!”
“I used to be on the stage too – years ago. …… I love to sing – but..”
Business Man “You could join a singers website!”
“What do you mean?”
He takes out a camera “This is the latest model – sing us something”
She sings to the camera
everyone gathers around a PC with their backs to the audience. Our young person is tapping away
ON SCREEN We see her song uplaoded to a YouTube site called All The Singers In The World
“Wow, that’s me”
a message appears – what a lovely voice you have…lets hear some more. Bill-Miami
“Who’s Bill!?”
another message appears – I’m a singer too! Check out my video
7.
The lights come back on fullly – a disembodied voice on a loudspeaker says:
“Thankyou for your patience Customers, we aplogise for the inconvenience, a free gift voucher worth ?5 can be collected at the cash out desk. Remember that this week and every week, we have special offers on our Gold Star Managers selection, reduced, interest free credit, free delivery , 36 month contract, optional gaurantees in all departments – and dont forget our 10% pensioners discount Wednesdays. Thankyou for shopping at Computer World Superstore! Call again soon.”
Everyone gathers together and shakes their heads in disbelief, rolling their eyes at the speaker…
“they dont miss a trick do they!”
Our show ends on an up beat song that emphasises that our Wheel chair bound person has connected and everyone has benefitted from the shared experience
MAIN SONG FINALE “GET CONNECTED – ITS A FACT OF LIFE – GIVE IT A GO” – CONNECTED BEING FACE TO FACE OR OVER THE NET…EITHER IS BEtTER THAN ISOLATION
Perhaps the ‘Cleaner – Singer’ character should be named “Pearl” ??? LOL
left a poem with caroline regarding what she asked of us hope it goes down ok