A text by Annamaria Merkel

Script for a five minutes noiseplay – a play for a auditive ‘game board’, with an announcement to blacken the player’s eyesight to enhance the sense of vision though an amplification of their auditory perception.

This script is about expanding the zone of „art“ to the audible dynamics of social fluidity: ordinary happenings on ordinary days. I make no claims to objectivity, correctness nor completeness.

Excerpt: Act 1/ Scene 1 

Ava stands in a nearly empty room with several suitcases and a few trunks, looking at a formidable chestnut tree in the inner courtyard (cell phone lays hidden in her pocket).

Phone.  Nathan is calling via Face time.

Ava picks up.

Nathan in a tizzy. Listen this morning my ceiling fell on my head and rattled my brain. It was around 10 am. Actually it was less painful than you might think, but I did feel a bit dizzy right after and there was all this dust…causing a bad cough – so I went out and–

Ava cutting Nathan off.

Ava. Wait, where did you go? Out to the street?

Nathan. Yes, and I am calling to tell you that you should do the same. Go out! You’ll see. Everything is different in reality than it is in theory.

Ava after some hesitation. I don’t believe a word you’re saying!

Nathan very seriously. Belief is the pathology of thoughts!

Ava fretfully. You stole those words from someone!

Nathan. Who cares? Words die with the sound anyway. I just listened to them and they became mine. And I’ll loose all power over them as soon as they are articulated anyway. No one owns words.

During the conversation a harsh electronic noise accrues and the connection becomes more and more interrupted.

Nathan trying to fight against the noise with his/her voice by speaking louder and more clearly. W-o-r-d-s are r-e-b-e-l-s! They d-o-n-’t obeeey! Adds But…you can gamble with them. 

Call quality gets worse.

Ava attempts to speak up. Well, alright then, let’s play a game! Catch my words – if you can.

The noise is finally flooding the receiver. The volume is so loud as to be blaring from the speakers.

Ava holding the phone at arm‘s length, shouting. Where are you exactly?

Nathan is offline. Phone answers.

Phone. Wherever you are, that’s where I am.

Electromagnetic noise overruns the situation.
Ava turns around and storms out of the room.