Scene 13- “Slowdown” --- 8 mins.
Scene Summary :
Maice and his friends believe Theseus and the Athenians are planning a
large-scale escape attempt. But his friends’ anxieties about Maice possibly planning a future without them boil over to the point where Maice is barely able to reassure them that they’ll always have each other. And then he leads the group in the high-energy dance chorus number "Slowdown" -- which is meant as a warning to all the other
athletes not to follow Theseus -- or self-appointed leaders in general.
But they are unaware that the "escape plan" is really an actual alliance between
the Bulldancers and the rebel forces against Rhadamanthos.
Setting : Curtain Opens: Maice and the ‘free-thinkers’-- very anxious, pacing.
Perius and Tarku apparently just arrived; urgent, almost breathless.
“Mid-conversation” feeling:
[ FAST PACING]
Maice: Down in the catacombs?
Perius: Yeah --Just like we thought -- the Athenians --
Tarku: and 22 people -- besides them --
Maice: (quickly) And what did you hear?
Perius: We couldn’t get close enough --
Reeba: What do you think now, Maice?
Maice: (now refocuses; others lean close) Alright -- it’s all adding up -- . . . I think
. . . it’s an Escape! --
Reeba: With 22 people?!
Boca: That’s crazy!
Maice: Enough to run a Cretan ship--- And besides, He’d want to go back as a
hero--- to get support for his city--
Perius: (discerning, agreeing) That’s how it is --
Reeba: They say it’s for the country --
Tarku: But it’s all for them and their own --
Perius: Maice -- What if they get caught! -- And drag us down too!?
Maice: That wouldn’t happen --
Reeba: (steamed, pleading) Maice -- We’ve all got less than a month to go --
Boca: (panicked) What about our future!?
Tarku: What about our gold!?
Maice: (almost over-run) It won’t affect us --
(All still upset -- Maice can’t control – as they erupt)
Slade: I say we turn ‘em all in ! Everyone at the meeting --
Tarku: We gotta look out for US --!!
Maice: But they’re not doing anything to US -- They’re just makin’ a choice -- to
survive -- because of what he’s telling them --
Perius: Then we turn HIM in -- him and the Athenians ! –
ALL : Right ! That’s it ! Let’s go !
Maice: [over them] We’re not doin’ that either –
Reeba : Well what are we gonna do then -- NOTHING ?!!
Tarku: [ pent up emotions now coming out] Maice, we don’t even know where YOU’RE GOING after this !!
Boca : He’s right, Maice – you NEVER talk about it anymore !!
[ Others react to outburst – tension – hands on belts – looking away]
Perius: [lower] It’s true, Maice ….
Maice: [ surprised, needs a breath here ] …Listen ….. I’m not abandoning anyone
[looks around -- all looking down ] .. Do you understand me ?? Tarku ? ..
Tarku: [looks up,very upset - pointing] All I know is .. I’m sick and tired of being nothin’ in this World, Maice -- and goin’ nowhere !! Goin’ nowhere --
Perius: [sees the emotion ] …Tark ---
Reeba: [ concerned – big sister ] …hold on, Sport –
Tarku: [turned away – muffled] …. bloody hell ..
Boca; He’s right, Maice --
Slade: That’s how it feels sometimes ...goin’ nowhere--
Reeba: ..Nowhere and nothin’...
[Maice holds up hand – knows it’s up to him]
Maice: [ to Tarku] …Listen to me -- You’re not ‘nothin’ and you’re not going nowhere -- All of You !! We’re gonna beat this place and we’re gonna have a real life -- just like we always said --I don’t care if it’s the last thing I ever do !! -- You think I could forget all we’ve been through here ??
Others: [sheepish] “Well -- No.. not really.”. “don’t think so” .”.not saying that “..
Maice: [passionate] You think I could ever stop caring about you- even a little?
Others: [clearly touched now- drawing closer]] “ No Way, Maice -- Never -- Uh-uh- --Wouldn’t - Couldn’t happen”
Maice: Still with me then ??
Others: Still with ya’, Maice !! [all in for a group hug, Tarku not inside]
Perius: … Tarku ?? …
Tarku: Well let me in there, Will Ya !! [pushes in]
Reeba, Boca, Slade: [toussling his hair - happy] Come on, Big Fellow !!
Maice: Are we the Best ??
Others: [ loud-- all hands in hi-5} BEST !! Damn right - alright
Tarku: [still vulnerable] Always, Maice ??
Maice: [to all] ---- Always--
Others maybe realizing they’re older now – seeing Maice at his limit first time
ALL: [ hands altogether ] – “ Always “—
[ lights and mood change here]
Reeba: Make the call, Maice -- what do we do about this ??
[ all coming forward -stage now – Maice thinking- anticipation]
Maice: What do we do ? – … what we do is …we tell them what we know ---
what we’ve always known …about ‘Leaders’ --
Perius: What do you mean, Maice ?
Maice: Simple -- we’re gonna put out a warning -- to everyone at the meeting -
{ looks out over audience—gestures across—as if addressing them}
- Everyone out there-- that they’re only being used---just like always---
(Others perk up now again -- Yeah – that’s right -- you know that’s right ]
Maice: So he says he’s got a fast ship, sun in the sky, all the way home -- . . . but
they better think about it first --
Perius: (demonstrative) Better watch it, Vade --
Reeba: Better step back,Vade---
Bocca: ‘Cause you’re gonna lose --
Slade: You’re gonna fall
Maice: So you better just -- Slowdown --
(Music starts:)
Song: SLOWDOWN Track 12 - CD
High energy dance number -- Maice sings stage left or center -- Others formed out on either side -- Song ends with eerie, descending stillness -- Conversation ensues:
All of them still in their final formation , facing audience, staring ahead --
Perius: Maice, the ones at the meeting , I remember now
-- they were the team leaders –
Tarku: From the ones they trained -- that’s over half the Bullcourt now -- a hundred
or more --
Reeba: (poignant) Maice, that’s definitely going to affect us --
(Maice turns head to each, but doesn’t answer --)
Perius: Maice --if it’s that big, --
Tarku: She’s gotta be part of it -- She’s one of them ! --
Maice: (Long pause -- hands clench and unclench -- tight controlled voice:)
We’ll find out tonight --
Lights go down – low strings rise and fading out