Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 10:23:53 -0800 (PST) 
From: Richard Traynham <therichardt@yahoo.com>  | Block address 
Subject: Two Men in a Room -- precese 
To: TheRichardT@yahoo.com, pizo@music-art-conversation.com 
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Two Men in a Room -- Memoirs of a very cold war

Outline....

This play is basically about the cold war; now that
it is finally over.

Ostensibly there are two guards who sit in a room
that borders between east and west Berlin.  The 
primary dialog is between them. 

There would be several scenes (again mostly just
one act, in the "theatre of the absurd" style.

The dialog between the two men (one Russian the
other American) is divided into several stages
that reflect the basic level of hostility/tollerance
between the two sides.

The set is simple,  there "could" (ie, would be
nice to have, but need not be there) two doors
on either side:

  ----------------------------------------------
   filing cab        ||  ||           Filing cabinet
   ch  ch            ||  ||                 ch  ch
                     ||  ||
  stage              ||  ||                stage      
     
  left    +------+   ||  ||  +-------+     right
          |      |   ||  ||  |       | 
       ch |table |   ||  ||  | table | ch
          +------+   ||  ||  +-------+
                     ||  ||
                     ||  ||
                     ||  ||
   ----------------------------------------------
                      Audience

Down the middle are two white (red?) stripes of
tape indicating the EAST/WEST boundaries.

On the back, posters indicating  EAST or WEST
berlin (ideally in English/French/Russian/Chinese
-- at the end of the play, when the wall comes 
down, placards in German could be added to the
front of the tables, indicating "Historic Landmark"
-- The idea being that during the cold war, Germany
(like most of Europe) doesn't really exist -- only
the nuclear stand-off between US and USSR.

In addition, the guard's chairs would ideally
be roll-about swivel types; since they will often
be getting up from them.  Additionally, chairs
in the background, where the spies/prisoners
sit, while waiting for their counter-parts.

Set elements can be used to show the passage of
times.  Ideally, as each new scene begins, a NEW
calendar is hung up, with a new leader 
(eg, Truman/Stalin,   Kennedy/Krushcev, etc)

There is a great possibility to talk about the
relative "stability" of the two sides, if when 
the picture of Truman is replaced with a pic of
Eisenhower, and at the same time the Stalin pic
is replaced with Kruschev.  Of course, the prez
pics will update more rapidly:  Kennedy, Johnson,
Nixon, etc.  -- than the premiere's pic's.

The only comment would be (eg, by the Russian
guard):  I see you got a new calendar,  
Amer Gd: Yes.
Russ Gd: We are still using the same one we have
         had already..

Each scene can also be marked in two ways:
By bringing in an additional filing cabinet
(if avail), --or-- by another guard brining
in a stack of folders and placing it on the
filing cabinet in the back; with the comment
"for files, on them".  Alternatively, of course
a tahle can be used at the back instead of 
the filing cabinets.

In addition, the SIZE of the table (the main
prop in the forground on each side of the stage)
can be INCREASED to indicate the missile gap/
arms race.  Perhaps the american side gets a
slightly larger desk, and then russina officer
notices it.  He immediately orders a new desk
it comes in, and is either the same size, or
larger.  Then each side, "decorates" the desk
-- electric pencil sharpeners, filing trays,
etc -- stacking them to un-godly heights.

(As the pencil sharpeners are brought in for
example, they are POINTED at the other side
a pen set can likewise be used, with those
rotating pens, and swivelled so thaty they point
up in the air at about 45-degres TOWARDS the
other side, etc, etc.)

It is at this point that the two guards begin
to soften towards each other.  The first such
build up represents 1962 -- Missles of october.
the second represents 1983 and the Star Wars
Initiative -- at this point, some strange looking
office equipment could be set up; eg, several 
of the stand-up fans (ie, with a floor plate and
a pole, holding the fans aloft) -- all of them
pointing at the other side.  They are tested
in turn, etc.  The two guards ask but are told
"need to know only".  The fans never actually
do ANYTHING, but this would be an optional scene
where the "men in black" attend to their setup
and test quite seriously;  the two guards both
look at each other nervously, etc -- it is the
beginning of the thaw between them.

======================================

Dramatis Personae

The two guards at "check point Johnny" / "check
point Ivanova".

In addition, there are two Joe/Sally characters.
They are janitors that mop each side of the room.
In this case, they are a German couple who were
divided when the wall went up.  They ONLY time 
that they get to see each other is when they 
are cleaning their side of the floor.

There are basically counter-parts on each "side"
of the line:

Rocky/Natasha  -- Amer/Russ spies

one/two  -- Prisioners to be exchanged

Rus/Amer Col's 

Assisting Guards (these can be stage hands
                  properly outfitted)



Costumes are a matter of some concern.  There
shouldn't be too elaborate things taken here.
If the prop dept has some sort of uniforms these
may be used, with simple insignia attached; eg,
the american col. has blue medals, the russina
red.  Winter coats could be used, as long as 
the time on stage for the actors is not too
long (heat from the lights!  :(