LIAR'S DICE

Marshall Spann, Logan Ford, Patrick Lane in "Liars Dice"-Photo by Jason Donovan Hall

 

IN THE DARKNESS THERE IS THE SOUND OF A TRAIN. IT CAN
AND SHOULD CONTINUE AS THE LIGHTS SLOWLY FADE UP ON
A RAILWAY COMPARTMENT.  ALEX IS SPRAWELD ACROSS ONE
BENCH ABSENTMINDEDLY PICKING OUT A TUNE ON HIS VIOLIN.
RENE IS ATTEMPTING TO JUGGLE SOME ORANGES, BUT NOT
SUCCEEDING VERY WELL DUE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE TRAIN.

RENE

Must you?

ALEX

Must I?

RENE

Diddle like that.

ALEX

Diddle?

RENE

Yes. Diddle. It’s not even a song. It’s barely music. It’s annoying.

ALEX

No more so than your bumbling around with that fruit. You haven’t gotten through the routine once without dropping it. It’s embarrassing.

HE PUNCTUATES THIS WITH A FLOURISH ON THE VIOLIN.

RENE

It’s the train. My balance is off. And I can’t concentrate!!!

ALEX

You weren’t on a train in Carlsbad. Or in Baden. And the Grand Theatre Bratislava seemed relatively stable when we played there.

RENE

That was months ago! And I had a head cold! You know what that does to my sense of rhythm. If you want to be helpful, why don’t you play something I can actually use? You know, something actually IN the act!

ALEX

Alright, alright. But only so I can’t hear the excuses! You’re like an old woman sometimes.  “It’s too hot. It’s too cold. I’m not feeling well”

RENE

Sha, sha , sha!! Just play!

ALEX STRIKES UP A JAUNTY TUNE AND RENE BEGINS AN INTRICATE  JUGGLING  ROUTINE IN TIME TO THE MUSIC.  IT IS IMPRESSIVE AND HE IS BUILDING TO A BIG FINISH WHEN SUDDENLY THE COMPARTMENT IS PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS. A TUNNEL.

RENE

Shit!

ALEX

Aw. And just as you were getting to your big finish.

RENE

Shut up!

THEY WAIT IN DARKNESS FOR A MOMENT.

This is a long tunnel. PAUSE Alex, how long have we been on this train?

ALEX

What?

RENE

I think I’ve lost track of time. Was it yesterday in Carlsbad?

ALEX

No, that was last week! Yesterday was… Yesterday was… Yesterday was someplace else. There was that girl in the box. The one who threw her handkerchief down to me.

 

RENE

That was in Prague last month! And she was throwing it to me!  Your head got in the way.

ALEX

Wait a minute. What day is it?

PAUSE

RENE

I don’t know.

THE TRAIN BARRELS OUT OF THE TUNNEL FLOODING THE COMPART MENT WITH LIGHT. 
THERE IS NOW A THIRD PERSON SEATED ON THE BENCH OPPOSITE ALEX. HE IS A PALE YOUTH WITH A SMALL CASE IN HIS LAP.

THE YOUTH

It’s the 30^th.

ALEX AND RENE START WITH SURPRISE. THEY HADN’T NOTICED HIM IN THE DARK.

RENE/ALEX

My God!/ Son of a …

THE YOUTH

I’m sorry. I was walking back to my compartment when we came to the tunnel. I must have miscounted the doors. But it is the 30^th.

RENE AND ALEX STARE AT HIM FOR A MOMENT. THEN AT EACH OTHER.

ALEX

What month?

THE YOUTH

April.

RENE

But that can’t be! We have a booking in Brno in March. I specifically remember. March 15^th; the Ides of March.  “ Et tu Brute?” and all that. It sticks in my head.( PAUSE) Unless we played Brno already and I forgot. Alex, did we play Brno?

ALEX

Of course not! I’d remember that… He’s confused.

THE YOUTH

Oh no, I’m quite certain. It is April the 30^th. Or I wouldn’t be here.

ALEX

He’s crazy.

RENE

Don’t you think you should trip along back to your own compartment? Your mother must be wondering where you are.

THE YOUTH SMILES.

THE YOUTH

You got on at what station?

RENE

Excuse me?

THE YOUTH

What town?

ALEX

Listen, little man, I think you should shove off. We were right in the middle of an important rehearsal when you showed up. We don’t have time to sit and play twenty questions. There’s plenty of light now and you can surely find your way.

THE YOUTH

What were you rehearsing?

RENE

Our act.

ALEX

Don’t encourage him Rene.

 

THE YOUTH

Really? What sort of an act is it?

ALEX

It’s a “mind your own business and go back to where you belong” sort of act!

PAUSE

RENE

It’s a musical juggling act. We’re very well known. We play only the first class theatres.

ALEX

Rene!

RENE

What? It’s true. And it’s something I’m still sure of! What town did we get on at, Alex? I don’t remember. You don’t remember.

 

ALEX

Of course I do! It was…

 HE DOESN’T REMEMBER. PAUSE.

THE YOUTH

I would like to see it. Just a bit of it?

ALEX

NO!

RENE

Alex!  Please. The more I stand here, the less I remember. Right now the only thing clear in my mind is who we are and what we do. Maybe if we just perform a little, everything will fall into place! I’ve heard of things like that happening…

ALEX

He unnerves me.

 

RENE

But he’s an audience. I REMEMBER audiences.

THE YOUTH

Please? I’m sure I’ll enjoy it!

ALEX PICKS UP HIS VIOLIN. HE STRIKES UP A TUNE AND RENE LAUNCHES INTO HIS JUGGLING. HE FINISHES, BOWS WITH A FLOURISH AND TURNS TO ALEX. THE YOUTH APPLAUDS.

THE YOUTH

Bravo!

ALEX (TO RENE)

Anything?

RENE

Nothing. You?

ALEX

Not even what I had for breakfast.

THE YOUTH

Gentleman, thank you! Really! I feel as though I should offer you something in return. What is your usual fee?

RENE (BLANKLY)

I don’t know.

THE YOUTH

I’m sorry. Maybe I can entertain you then?

ALEX

Do you perform? Have we been on a bill together?

 THE YOUTH

No. No. But we have met. I was hoping we could play a game.

HE REMOVES A CUP AND A PAIR OF DICE FROM HIS CASE.

THE YOUTH (cont)

I usually like to play chess to pass the time, but since there are three of us, I thought that might not be practical. Have you ever played “ liars dice”?

RENE

Yes! Yes! I remember that!

ALEX

My uncle taught me! It’s coming back to me. Yes.

THE YOUTH

Excellent!  So, for the sake of time, let’s say we each get two “lives”.

ALEX

Is this a friendly game or are we playing for stakes?

THE YOUTH

This is a friendly game! A very friendly game! But yes, there are stakes. Let’s not talk about that right now, though. Let’s begin.

RENE

Who goes first? I’ll go first.

HE ROLLS THE DICE, LOOKS AT THE TOTAL, AND ANNOUNCES THE NUMBER.

64

HE PASSES THE CUP TO ALEX.  ALEX LOOKS  AT HIM, BUT NOT AT THE DICE.

ALEX

You’re lying.

RENE

I’m terrible at this.

ALEX LOOKS AT THE DICE.

ALEX

Ah yes.

 THE YOUTH

One life down.

  HE LAUGHS. RENE JOINS HIM. ALEX SEEMS LESS AMUSED.  HE SHAKES THE CUP

ALEX

66

IT IS AN OBVIOUS BLUFF.  THE YOUTH TAKES THE CUP.

THE YOUTH

You know tonight is Walpurgisnacht? They say the veil is thinnest on this night.

HE SHAKE S AND DOESN’T LOOK AT THE CUP.  HE PASSES IT TO RENE.

21.

RENE

Wait a minute. If I guess that you’re lying and you’re not I lose. But if I pass it without looking I lose. The only way I win is if you aren’t lying. I hate this game.

THE YOUTH

It’s a choice you have to make. Like getting on a train. A train to Brno, that jumped the rails on a trestle over the Svitava River in early March. Some people chose not to get on that train. They lived.

RENE

Lucky them. (HE LAUGHS ) I hate choosing. Take the cup Alex, I’m out.  Here’s my Thaler.
HE FLIPS A COIN TO THE YOUTH.

THE YOUTH

Keep your money. We’ll settle up later. (HE TURNS TO ALEX) I believe it is your turn, sir.

ALEX

I don’t want to play anymore.

THE YOUTH

But you have two lives left. Are you forfeiting the game?

THE TRAIN BEGINS TO SLOW.

Oh. We seem to be reaching a station. What a lucky break for you!

ALEX

Get your things Rene, we are getting off his train as soon as it stops!

BUT RENE ONLY STARES BLANKLY.

ALEX

Come on you klutz, let’s go!

THE YOUTH

No, I’m afraid he won’t be coming with you. He lost. And now he and I have an engagement we have to keep.  You’re free to go sir, but remember that our game isn’t finished. You have two lives left. Someday you’ll have to roll the dice again and decide whether to bluff or tell the truth, whether to get on or stay off the train. And I’ll be there. And we’ll play again. And just so you know, sir, I always win in the end.

BLACKOUT