THE MAGICIAN
FADE IN:
SCENE 1 INT. – NIGHT (DRESSING ROOM)
(MARVIN, BRENDA, COMPARE)
THE MARVELLOUS MARVIN AND HIS ONCE GLAMOROUS ASSISTANT BRENDA ARE BACKSTAGE IN A SMALL, BRIGHT AND MESSY DRESSING ROOM. CLOTHES AND COSTUMES CAN BE SEEN ON RAILS, A CALANDER IS ON THE BACK OF THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR AND BELOW THE DESK-SIDE MIRROR IS A MAKE-UP BOX OF MANY COLOURS AND MAGICAL ACCESSORIES.
MARVIN, LATE 40'S, IS SLIM, CLEAN SHAVEN AND SPORTS A RECEEDING DARK/GREY HAIRLINE. HE IS WEARING A DARK PAIR OF TROUSERS AND A WHITE SHIRT WITH A RED PAIR OF BRACES. HE IS FOCUSED.
BRENDA, LATE 40'S, IS SLIM, LONG PEROXIDE BLONDE HAIR. SHE IS WEARING A RATHER CONSERVATIVE, LONG, BLACK DRESS WITH A FEATHER IN HER HAIR.
MARVIN IS PRACTISING HIS BREATHING TECHNIQUES WHILE BRENDA FILES HER NAILS, CHEWS GUM AND TRIES HER HAND AT THE CROSSWORD.
BRENDA
READING SLOWLY FROM HER CROSSWORD.
Robbie Williams' 2002 album sets him free. 10 letters.
MARVIN
HIS BREATHING RHYTHYM BROKEN AND INWARDLY ANNOYED.
Pardon?
BRENDA
6 down, Robbie Williams 2002 album. Any idea?
MARVIN
Not now, Brenda. Can't you see I'm breathing!
A KNOCK IS HEARD FROM THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR, WHICH THEN OPENS.
ENTER THE COMPARE.
THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR WE CAN HEAR SLIGHT BOOING COMING FROM THE MAIN STAGE.
COMPARE
Five minute call, Marvin. Good luck.
MARVIN
MARVIN TURNS TO THE COMPARE AND REGISTERS THE NOISE.
My God! Who are they booing now?
COMPARE
Les.
MARVIN
The comedian?
COMPARE
So he led us to believe. I've heard funnier lines off the back of a fag packet.
BRENDA
I quite like Les's jokes. Must be a tough crowd in tonight.
COMAPRE
Tough! Have you ever made a 19 stone bouncer cry?
BRENDA
No.
COMPARE
Well, they have.
BEAT
Anyway, good luck, ‘cause you're both going to need it.
COMPARE CLOSES THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR.
SILENCE RETURNS. MARVIN AND BREANDA LOOK AT EACH OTHER NERVOUSLY.
MARVIN
Look's like we're going to have to resort to our special magical act, Brenda! The one we've been rehearsing all these years.
BRENDA
Not the one where you get me to wear a bunny costume, eat cheese and sing ‘Land of my fathers' under a heat lamp?
MARVIN
No, we shall save the Welsh rarebit act for Cardiff.
BEAT
I was actually thinking of a much simpler act.
BRENDA
Which is?
MARVIN
Disappearing through that door and not coming back.
MARVIN POINTS TO THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR.
BRENDA
It will never work.
MARVIN
Why not?
BRENDA
I heard the compare lock it just after he left.
MARVIN
The fiend! OK Brenda. Let's think about this logically for a while.
BOTH SIT DOWN, SEEMINGLY IN DEEP THOUGHT. AFTER A GOOD LONG PAUSE MARVIN JUMPS UP VERY EXCITED AND CLICKS HIS FINGERS!
I've got it! Escapology!
BRENDA
SLIGHTLY STARTLED AND CONFUSED.
Escapology?
MARVIN
Yes, 6 down, Robbie Williams 2002 album!
BRENDA
Oh, right. Thanks.
MARVIN
Not a problem.
THEN
No, wait. Perhaps that's it.
BRENDA
What is?
MARVIN
Escapology!
WE SEE MARVIN WINK AT A ROBBIE WILLIAMS CALENDER ON THE BACK OF THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR.
Thank you Robbie.
BRENDA
What are you on about?
MARVIN
Just think about it. We have a hostile audience waiting for us.
BRENDA
Yeah?
MARVIN
Well, why not make them work for us?
BRENDA
With the wages you give out, you can expect monkeys!
MARVIN
No, engage them in the act like we did in Blackpool at Willy Russo's!
BRENDA
No way! I'm not doing that again. We've only just been allowed back in the Magic Circle.
MARVIN
She was heckling!
BRENDA
She was 97!
MARVIN
Old people have no respect anymore.
BRENDA
They have more than you.
BEAT
Besides, she wasn't heckling you. She was trying to grab your attention.
MARVIN
Is that what she called it!
A KNOCK IS ONCE MORE HEARD FROM THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR, WHICH THEN OPENS.
THE COMPARE RETURNS AND LOOKS MORE ANXIOUS. LOUDER BOOING IS HEARD.
COMPARE
Right, come on. You two are up next.
MARVIN
Well, let's get this over with. The quicker we're on, the quicker we're off.
COMPARE
Hopefully not too quickly.
BRENDA
Why?
COMPARE
Mrs Pilkington isn't back yet and she's got the results of the jam contest.
MARVIN
Jam contest? This is last time I ever do a show for the WI!
MARVIN AND BRENDA WALK SLOWLY TO THE STAGE TO THE SOUND OF SLOW HAND CLAPPING.
THE COMPARE CLOSES THE DRESSING ROOM DOOR AND THE ROBBIE WILLIAMS CALENDER SWINGS IN THE SILENCE.