mimes! all the mimes!
(A sidewalk in the city. It's a bright, sunny day, and a group of people are gathered around VIOLET, a mime.)
VIOLET: (pretends to build a box around her, smiling brightly at the crowd)
(The crowd shares bemused looks, but generally seem to be enjoying the show. VIOLET continues building the box, but the smile slowly fades into a look of concentration as she makes the ceiling. The crowd murmurs in appreciation and start throwing change at the box by VIOLET'S feet.)
VIOLET: (pats at the completed ceiling, then turns to the crowd and bows to them in thanks. As she starts gathering up the change, the crowd starts wandering away, until only a teenage boy, ROB remains.)
ROB: (knocks on the wall of VIOLET's box. When she looks up, he takes a step back and mimes opening a door and walking through it.)
VIOLET: (Looks confused for a moment, before a shocked look crosses her face and she slaps her hands over her mouth. Then she starts patting at the walls with a hopeless look on her face.)
ROB: (Gestures for VIOLET to step back. Once she's on the other side of the box, he moves back a few steps, then runs for the box shoulder first. He bounces off and stumbles backwards.)
VIOLET: (puts her face in her hands and starts crying)
ROB: (knocks on the wall again)
VIOLET: (looks up and glares at him)
ROB: (makes a walking motion with two of his fingers, pretends to climb some stairs, and knocks on an imaginary door. After waiting a moment, he waves before starting to mimic someone being stuck in a box.)
VIOLET: (smiles again and gives ROB a thumbs up)
ROB: (nods sharply and runs off)
(The light slowly starts to dim. VIOLET has been shifting her position, and finally settles on the ground to lean against one of the walls. People pass by, some tossing money in her direction, but most just continuing on their way. Finally, ROB returns, with two older men, FRED and GEORGE, following behind him. They both look mischievous.)
ROB: (knocks on VIOLET'S wall and gives her a thumbs up)
FRED: (starts knocking at VIOLET'S wall, looking thoughtful)
GEORGE: (starts knocking at a different part of the wall, looking impressed)
(After a few moments, FRED and GEORGE turn to each other and start making strange gestures. Eventually, GEORGE mimics lighting something on fire, putting it by the box, and running away. FRED shakes his head and mimics the use of a crowbar. GEORGE shakes his head, and starts tapping his foot on the ground as he thinks. ROB pops up in between the two of them and, once he has their attention, starts making a sawing motion. FRED and GEORGE grin.)
GEORGE: (turns away from VIOLET and pretends to lift a heavy bag. He goes to put it on a table, only to realize that he forgot to make one.)
FRED: (rushes over to GEORGE and starts pretending to build a table)
GEORGE: (carefully puts the bag on the table, and gives it a little shake. Satisfied, he opens it up and starts peering inside. A minute passes before he finally looks up at FRED questioningly.)
FRED: (Scowls, and puts his head in the bag. Looks up a few moments later and shakes his head sadly.)
GEORGE: (mimics lighting something on fire again)
ROB: (pulls GEORGE'S bag off of the table and puts up one of his own. FRED and GEORGE watch curiously as he rummages through it, and then pulls something out)
FRED: (grins)
GEORGE: (grabs the thing out of ROB'S hands, and turns back to VIOLET, also grinning)
VIOLET: (stares at them with wide eyes and pushes herself against the far side of the box)
GEORGE: (laughs and pulls a cord as if he's turning something on, then advances on the box)
VIOLET: (covers her face with her hands and cowers in the corner)
GEORGE: (makes sawing motions against the box)
FRED: (watches GEORGE for a few moments, then, shaking his head, grabs onto GEORGE'S hands to help him)
(After a minute, VIOLET drops her hands from her face and stares at FRED and GEORGE, surprised. Eventually the surprise morphs into downright glee, and she claps her hands in delight. Eventually, FRED and GEORGE stop sawing and put their object down.)
FRED: (grips one edge of the box)
GEORGE: (grips another edge)
ROB: (walks over and starts pushing at the area above where the other two were sawing)
VIOLET: (ducks down, but grins as she watches FRED and GEORGE walk around the sides of her box. They eventually stop walking, looking strained as they hold the sides of the box up, and VIOLET dashes across the box and climbs out with ROB'S help.)
(FRED and GEORGE let go of the sides of the box and walk over to ROB and VIOLET, dusting their hands off. VIOLET throws her arms around both of their necks and gives each one a kiss on the cheek. ROB pouts, but she doesn't appear to notice him. VIOLET then shakes each of their hands, and mimics giving them invitations. All three of the men agree, and the four of them start to walk off.)
VIOLET: (pretends to build a box around her, smiling brightly at the crowd)
(The crowd shares bemused looks, but generally seem to be enjoying the show. VIOLET continues building the box, but the smile slowly fades into a look of concentration as she makes the ceiling. The crowd murmurs in appreciation and start throwing change at the box by VIOLET'S feet.)
VIOLET: (pats at the completed ceiling, then turns to the crowd and bows to them in thanks. As she starts gathering up the change, the crowd starts wandering away, until only a teenage boy, ROB remains.)
ROB: (knocks on the wall of VIOLET's box. When she looks up, he takes a step back and mimes opening a door and walking through it.)
VIOLET: (Looks confused for a moment, before a shocked look crosses her face and she slaps her hands over her mouth. Then she starts patting at the walls with a hopeless look on her face.)
ROB: (Gestures for VIOLET to step back. Once she's on the other side of the box, he moves back a few steps, then runs for the box shoulder first. He bounces off and stumbles backwards.)
VIOLET: (puts her face in her hands and starts crying)
ROB: (knocks on the wall again)
VIOLET: (looks up and glares at him)
ROB: (makes a walking motion with two of his fingers, pretends to climb some stairs, and knocks on an imaginary door. After waiting a moment, he waves before starting to mimic someone being stuck in a box.)
VIOLET: (smiles again and gives ROB a thumbs up)
ROB: (nods sharply and runs off)
(The light slowly starts to dim. VIOLET has been shifting her position, and finally settles on the ground to lean against one of the walls. People pass by, some tossing money in her direction, but most just continuing on their way. Finally, ROB returns, with two older men, FRED and GEORGE, following behind him. They both look mischievous.)
ROB: (knocks on VIOLET'S wall and gives her a thumbs up)
FRED: (starts knocking at VIOLET'S wall, looking thoughtful)
GEORGE: (starts knocking at a different part of the wall, looking impressed)
(After a few moments, FRED and GEORGE turn to each other and start making strange gestures. Eventually, GEORGE mimics lighting something on fire, putting it by the box, and running away. FRED shakes his head and mimics the use of a crowbar. GEORGE shakes his head, and starts tapping his foot on the ground as he thinks. ROB pops up in between the two of them and, once he has their attention, starts making a sawing motion. FRED and GEORGE grin.)
GEORGE: (turns away from VIOLET and pretends to lift a heavy bag. He goes to put it on a table, only to realize that he forgot to make one.)
FRED: (rushes over to GEORGE and starts pretending to build a table)
GEORGE: (carefully puts the bag on the table, and gives it a little shake. Satisfied, he opens it up and starts peering inside. A minute passes before he finally looks up at FRED questioningly.)
FRED: (Scowls, and puts his head in the bag. Looks up a few moments later and shakes his head sadly.)
GEORGE: (mimics lighting something on fire again)
ROB: (pulls GEORGE'S bag off of the table and puts up one of his own. FRED and GEORGE watch curiously as he rummages through it, and then pulls something out)
FRED: (grins)
GEORGE: (grabs the thing out of ROB'S hands, and turns back to VIOLET, also grinning)
VIOLET: (stares at them with wide eyes and pushes herself against the far side of the box)
GEORGE: (laughs and pulls a cord as if he's turning something on, then advances on the box)
VIOLET: (covers her face with her hands and cowers in the corner)
GEORGE: (makes sawing motions against the box)
FRED: (watches GEORGE for a few moments, then, shaking his head, grabs onto GEORGE'S hands to help him)
(After a minute, VIOLET drops her hands from her face and stares at FRED and GEORGE, surprised. Eventually the surprise morphs into downright glee, and she claps her hands in delight. Eventually, FRED and GEORGE stop sawing and put their object down.)
FRED: (grips one edge of the box)
GEORGE: (grips another edge)
ROB: (walks over and starts pushing at the area above where the other two were sawing)
VIOLET: (ducks down, but grins as she watches FRED and GEORGE walk around the sides of her box. They eventually stop walking, looking strained as they hold the sides of the box up, and VIOLET dashes across the box and climbs out with ROB'S help.)
(FRED and GEORGE let go of the sides of the box and walk over to ROB and VIOLET, dusting their hands off. VIOLET throws her arms around both of their necks and gives each one a kiss on the cheek. ROB pouts, but she doesn't appear to notice him. VIOLET then shakes each of their hands, and mimics giving them invitations. All three of the men agree, and the four of them start to walk off.)