Solo theatre piece practice ideas

I had first done a bit of research on the theatre of the absurd and the main features that are incorporated in each play, i have found that the cyclical nature of the dialogue seems to be the most highlighted and noticeable aspect of these plays, so i decided to focus on this for my own performance.

I began with looking at a few plays online for inspiration so i could start developing my script and a few ideas, the following videos helped me generate a concept for my performance:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqpjddXaw4E
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF-sONKqync
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucgtym1A_tA&t=127s
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBDZvkRFPbY

Although most of these performances focused more on the absurdism and lack of meaning for their performance.

After watching these videos i began to write up a draft for my script:

I go to bed get tucked in but then i don't find my stuffed bear, i get up and look for it

My bear, where's my bear

I sleep with my bear every single night

(look around my room) it’s not in here

(look right and left at both rooms)

There's only one of it and two rooms, (pause) two rooms, one of it

One bed, one of it

Under the bed? Not possible, mhm possible, but improbable, yes improbable     

I can't sleep without it

(pause) i need it

But why, why do i need it?

Oh right, to sleep, i can't sleep without it

It's so cuddly, it keeps me relaxed

So i need it

(pause) cause i need my rest, without my rest im just all over the place!

(pause) (calm down)

One of it and two rooms, two rooms and one of it  

Where could it be it? (agitated) I need it, its my friend, where is my friend!

(pause and think then head over to the bathroom)

In the bathroom? Not possible, mhm possible, but improbable, yes improbable

(walk back to the stage while talking)

I don't understand why is this so important, why do i need a bear to sleep?!

I should be able to go to bed on my own!

I mean i'm pretty much alone anyways, its not real!

It's just a toy! Its cuddly but, why do i need it?

(sigh) What do i do?

(stop and think) There's only one of it and two rooms, two rooms and one of it

(give up) I don't think i need it

I don't need a stuffed bear to sleep with!

I'll be fine on my own

I can fall asleep just fine

(pause) go to bed, the get annoyed and get up from bed

No no i need my bear, i need it!

This is what i got done on the first day although i couldnt think of a proper ending for this performance, i felt that it was too short to be 4 minutes long, and i felt that i needed to incorporate the cyclical aspect more prominently, so i continued to edit it which resulted in this:

I go to bed get tucked in but then i don't find my stuffed bear, i get up and look for it

My bear, where's my bear

I sleep with my bear every single night

(look around my room) it’s not in here

(look right and left at both rooms)

There's only one of it and two rooms, (pause) two rooms, one of it

One bed, one of it

Under the bed? Not possible, mhm possible, but improbable, yes improbable     

I can't sleep without it

(pause) i need it

But why, why do i need it?

Oh right, to sleep, i can't sleep without it

It's so cuddly, it keeps me relaxed

So i need it

(pause) cause i need my rest, without my rest im just all over the place!

(pause) (calm down)

One of it and two rooms, two rooms and one of it  

Where could it be it? (agitated) I need it, its my friend, where is my friend!

(pause and think then head over to the bathroom)

In the bathroom? Not possible, mhm possible, but improbable, yes improbable

(pause) Hmm i think i should check there anyways  

(Enter the bathroom)

Oh god! The bathroom is filthy

Where's the clorox? I know it's in here. Oh there it is

(cleaning the bathroom)

Let me clean this right up

Ah all done

(pause) Hmm what was i up to? Oh right my bear

(pause) looking for the bear

Could it be in here, no, maybe here, no, what about here, no

Ugh its not in the bathroom either!

(walk back to the stage while talking)

I don't understand why is this so important, why do i need a bear to sleep?!

I should be able to go to bed on my own!

I mean i'm pretty much alone anyways, its not real!

It's just a toy! Its cuddly but, why do i need it?

(sigh) What do i do?

(stop and think) There's only one of it and two rooms, two rooms and one of it

(give up) I don't think i need it

I don't need a stuffed bear to sleep with!

I'll be fine on my own

I can fall asleep just fine

(pause) go to bed, the get annoyed and get up from bed

No no i need my bear, i need it!

In the kitchen, not possible, mhm possible, but improbable, yes improbable

Hmm i think i should check there anyways

(enter the kitchen and see that i forgot to feed the fish)

Uh oh forgot to feed the fish

I need to feed the fish, feed the fish, the fish need to be fed  

(get the food) There we go, eat up little ones

(yawn) ah i feel tired all of a sudden

Wasn’t there something i was meant to do?

Did i come in here to get something?

Hmm i don't think so

I'll go to bed now (say it while yawning)

Once i added more to the dialogue and satisfied what i felt was missing, i tried to act out my script to check if anything needs to be changed and if it is 4 minutes long, after doing this i found that it was only 3 minutes and 30 seconds, so i began to brainstorm new ideas that i could incorporate in my script, and i thought of possibly starting to talk about how the prices of clorox went up, so i could make the dialogue even more pointless and cyclical, and then revert to what i was doing. Although i didnt begin editing my script yet, so i will continue on brainstorming and possibly adding these ideas into my script.