ACT II

SCENE 7

(Lights up - very gradually. The final notes of John, I'm Only Dancing play, then there is a long, empty silence. For the first time, very noticeably, there is no music accompanying the scene)

DRIVER
(Stretching)
Well, I s'pose it's time to hit the road again. There's enough light now to get away without using the headlights, so maybe the battery will hold enough juice to get us home.

(Wordlessly, the characters wander off, collecting their various belongings as they do so. Groupie remains seated. Lady is the last of the others to leave. As she is about to do so, she turns and notices Groupie)

LADY
(Quietly, with compassion)
Coming?

GROUPIE
(Stirring herself from her reverie)
Mm?
(Lady beckons)
Oh. Er, no. Don't think so. I'll just hang around here for a bit. I'll hitch a lift later.

LADY
You sure? Only ...

GROUPIE
(Smiling weakly, and gesturing gently for Lady to go)
Yeah. Thanks.

(Lady leaves. Groupie sits for a little while, then Rock & Roll Suicide by David Bowie starts playing. Groupie's actions mimic the words. "Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth. You pull on a finger, then another finger, then on the cigarette." A nailfile or lipstick case doubles for the cigarette)

(As the song proceeds, Groupie slowly gets up and then starts to walk around. As the song gradually changes tone, she visibly raises her chin and changes her resolve, beginning to emphasise the words. With the lyrics saying that she's not alone, she bangs the table and mouths the words "You're NOT alone" and "You're WONderful")

See Teenage Wildlife - the David Bowie Interactive Fan Site for Rock & Roll Suicide lyrics.

(Lights begin to dim slowly)

(Suddenly, lights up. All of the remaining characters burst in)

DRIVER
(Making a lot of noise, slamming his hand on the nearest available surface)
Damn that battery!

FOOL
(Giving the jukebox a hefty kick which dislodges the stylus from the record. The music stops abruptly and the lights of the jukebox go off)
Can't take that maudlin stuff! I want to rock!
(With a magician's abracadabra wave, the jukebox springs to life again, lights blazing. Suffragette City by David Bowie starts playing. Fool looks suitably stunned, then recovers and parades in triumph)

NICEGUY
(Taking Lady by the hand)
Care to dance?

(Lady smiles and accepts. They execute an incongruous waltz in counterpoint to the music. Groupie and Girl hug. Then Groupie twirls to the music as the others look on)

(Before the first chorus, the characters turn to face the audience as one. They encourage the audience to join in with hand claps and singing along. The "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" line should be emphasised. Perhaps even a descending song sheet on which Fool uses a music-hall pointer to encourage the sing-along!)

See Teenage Wildlife - the David Bowie Interactive Fan Site for Suffragette City lyrics.

(Depending on the level of audience participation, either lights dim slowly or the music plays to a conclusion and the characters stay on stage to take their bow)

(End of FOREVER SLOWHAND)

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This page last updated December 20 1999

Copyright (c) 1999 by Richard Ian Pentland Gooch