Lasers In The Jungle

Synopsis:

The play is a kind of stylised satire, based around the lyrics of the Paul Simon song ‘The Boy In The Bubble’.

Lee runs an acting course in which Stella and Vidal are students, rehearsing ‘Streetcar’.

It quickly becomes apparent that Stella is a complete innocent and, as such, incredibly impressionable.  So profound is her lack of worldliness that she seems incapable of separating fantasy from the real world.

During rehearsal, a bomb is detonated at a nearby shopping mall, killing 34 people and injuring many more.

It’s decided that the class cannot continue rehearsing what is essentially a ‘museum piece’ in the face of what is happening in the world, and they turn to improvising a piece about domestic terrorism.

Left alone with Stella at the end of the day, Lee has sex with her.

Eunice, the voice coach, learns of this and considers it to be rape.

In investigating the alleged rape, the police make certain discoveries that lead them to charge Stella with 34 counts of murder.

But her culpability is put in question when it is revealed that she is a synthesised being.  This opens a Pandora’s box of ethical and moral dilemmas.

Character Breakdown:

Four-hander:  Two females, two males.

STELLA  Student

LEE  Drama teacher / KOWALSKI  Chief Inspector – one actor.

VIDAL Student / DUBOIS  Lawyer / HUNTLEIGH  Detective Superintendent – one actor.

EUNICE  Voice coach / LEIGH  Detective Sergeant – one actor.

Running-time: 85 minutes.

Production History: Not yet produced.

Excerpt available for download for free.