SCENE: "GET DOWN!"
VERSION 01; 05.04.04
[currently proposed as scene 7]

There is a video camera placed on the floor at the back of the court, in the corner. The net is in the cameras view. The image is projected onto the black wall opposite the audience. There is soft music playing. The court is empty.

VOICE: The green shroud of the forest returns, smoothing things out, leaf by leaf, shroud by shroud. The forest grows darker and more intense.

VOICE 2: It's very quiet here.

VOICE: The windows stay open and the world comes in.

VOICE 2: What's to be done?

VOICE: Synchronize the clocks and keep all channels open. They can't hold the forest back for ever.

A ball comes over the net. The woman enters the court from undert the net with her racket still with the cover on. She has a bottle of water in her hand. She reacts by peering over the net. Another ball comes flying low. It hits the net. She picks it up. Looks at it. Looks to see where it's come from, feeling it in her hand. Picks up her racket, and water bottle. We hear the sound of rain. Light at first, then getting more heavy. The man enters from under the net, also with his racket in the cover. She throws the ball to him. He catches it. Looks at her. They move to the back of the court.Take off the covers. The man takes them both and moves towards the net. A ball hits the net (as if pushing him away). He throws the covers aside, but stays close to the net. They both look into the darkness. A ball is served to the woman. She hits it.They look, wait, to see what'll happen next.More balls come flying over, higher now. They duck to avoid them.

VOICE: (quietly) Get down.Get down. (shouting) GET DOWN.

Silence. They drop down to the floor. The music and the rain come back on as they lie on the floor. Some more balls come over the net.

VOICE: Hit it. Hit it!

The man tries to hit the ball from his position on the floor.He gets up, closely followed by the woman. They move twords the net, as if looking to see who's firing at them. More balls come flying over.

VOICE: Hit it! Get down!

They hit and fall, hit and fall. There is a pause. They both move towards the net. Try to pick up balls, but more balls come flying over.

VOICE: Hit it! Get down! Get down!

MAN: Get down and stay down.

WOMAN: Hit it!

By now, there is lots of shouting from everyone, falling and hitting. By now, they fall as they try to hit the balls. Then the man lies on the floor, the woman walks over to him, he looks up at her.

WOMAN: Get down and stay down.

More balls. She hits them. He tries to get up. She continues hitting.

WOMAN: Stay down! Stay down!

The man stands up.

WOMAN: Get down!

He falls to the ground. Gets almost up again.

VOICE: Get down! Get down!

He falls again. There is a pause. The woman is looking into the darkness. The man gets up. They are both at the back of the court. Nervous. Waiting. Tense.

VOICE 2: Get as far away as possible.Run fast and do not move in straight lines.Do not bother to count shots.Counting is only for the movies. Turn corners as fast as you can.

More balls. The man tries to hit them. The woman is running in zig zags trying to avoid them.

MAN: Get down! Get down!

She ducks and falls to the ground. Curled up. Her hands over her head: The man is still shouting and hitting the balls. The video camera has become active now, following the players.

VOICE 2: If you are face to face with the shooter do anything you can make yourself less of a target

The woman is crawling along the floor.

VOICE 2: Stay down until the shooting stops.

They both stay low. A few balls are shot, and they try and hit them from a low position. The balls seem to stop. They both stand up. Wait. Anxious. Suddenly the balls start coming hard and fast. More shouting. The sound of breaking glass is heard as they hit the balls. They are getting really exhausted. Shouting alternately at each other, falling and getting up so fast. Close to each other, they are pulling each other down to the ground, covering each other, not trying to hit the balls.The woman is lying on top of the man. They are both gasping for breath as the lights fade.

VOICE: Did you get what was needed? Will it have enough impact?

VOICE 2: Yes. It will definately sex things up.