Emilie Hetland Revolutionary

ACT I: THE MAKING OF A REVOLUTIONARY

Scene 1

Circus ring. As ringmaster Lenin speaks, the revolutionary circus troop enters the stage.

LENIN

Ladies and gentleman, everything in between and beyond and people in all cages, boys and girls and children of all ages: Step right up, come closer, witness the greatest show on earth - step up, come closer, witness the rebirth - of a revolution. Are you ready to be entertained, baffled and blown away? There is nothing like the circus to make you wanna stay. We've got clowns and deadly trapeze acts through the sky, we've got liars, and tigers, betrayal and affairs, oh my! It's not for billionaires - or the faint-hearted, but if you're a proletarian - let's get this party started! Or if your sympathies lie with the working class, or if your chosen title is 'not a jackass'. If you're self-made, half-made, true-made or deformed, if you're book-smart, street-smart or completely uninformed...  welcome to our circus. We've even got room for a few fascists with regrets. We don't discriminate. We never built on hate. So, step up, come closer - take part in your own fate!

We are your humble servants once more, but not for long. Beyond this curtain: an angel.

Young Alexandra Domontovich is pushed onto stage wearing a white dress. She's nervous.

LENIN

The future sings!

Nothing. Alexandra tries to open her mouth, but nothing comes out. Lenin whispers.

LENIN

Go on, child!

Alexandra is frozen. Change of atmosphere. Someone throws a ball at her and she catches it. Vanya (17) enters. They look at each other. The circus troop is frozen in time. Vanya and Alexandra play ball.

ALEXANDRA

War is the opposite of peace. Posing the opposite of picturing. Flesh is the opposite of metal. Suffocating the opposite of breathing. Living the opposite of dying. Smiling the opposite of crying. I'm the opposite of you. In a way. Wait.

Vanya catches the ball. Leaves.

Enter Mother (Late 30s).

MOTHER

Alexandra?

ALEXANDRA

Yes, mum?

MOTHER

What are you doing?

ALEXANDRA

Playing a game.

MOTHER

What game?

ALEXANDRA

A game I made up.

MOTHER

With who?

ALEXANDRA

Whom.

MOTHER

With whom?

ALEXANDRA

Him.

MOTHER

Him?

ALEXANDRA

With a friend.