A small black box theatre.
The audience enters the space in nearly complete darkness. As the door slams behind them, the audience are met by the Foreman, who hands them each a hard hat with a head torch and a spade. He already has his head light on – the only light in the space.
Foreman: Turn on your light.
The audience turn on their headlights. They are very dim and flicker.
Foreman: Follow me.
The Foreman leads the audience to the middle of the space. There is a white box marked on the floor lit from above.
Foreman: Stand in the lines.
The Foreman stands with the audience.
The Foreman clicks his fingers.
The sound of a lift descending, gears crunching and metal scraping stone walls.
As the lift descends, the light gets smaller. Finally the light blacks out leaving the head torches as the only light. The sound also stops with the final grating noise of the lift stopping and the sound of a metal door openings
The Foreman steps out.
Foreman: Put your hand on the shoulder of the person in front.
The audience does so.
Forman: Follow me.
The Foreman leads the audience through the space.
Eventually, he stops by a wall of dirt. He shines his torch on the wall.
Foreman: Dig.
The Foreman goes to the walls and starts to dig. The audience join him in digging. The earth is hard and heavy – digging is difficult.
After ten mins, the Foreman stops. He pulls a tape measure from his pocket. He measure the holes.
Foreman: Not enough. Keep digging.
As the audience dig, different things are emerging from the heavy dirt. Old clothes, bottles, bones – anything you would find in a rubbish tip. As the audience dig, more and more rubbish rolls down the walls.
After 20 mins, the Foreman comes and remeasures.
Foreman: Keep digging.
The Foreman points people to different areas of the wall of dirt and rubbish.
The Foreman works with a group of people on a new, specific area of the wall. He puts his spade through the dirt wall. Bright light shines through.
Foreman: Here.
The audience all work together to make a big hole. Light is now pouring in.
Foreman: Step back.
The audience step’s away from the hole.
Foreman: Wait.
The Foreman climbs through the hole.
Pause.
The Foreman appears in the hole.
Foreman: Come.
The Foreman beckons the audience through, helping them through the hole.
Foreman: Hats.
The Foreman collects the audiences hats.
Foreman: Good bye.
The Foreman gestures that the audience should leave. He stands and watches them go.
End.
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