LIMITS

by Pasakorn Konwohrachet

For Lhu Wen Kai. The best source of inspiration is always a good friend.

CHANGE LOG & REVIEW Draft 1.0

Draft 1.1














Added pre-script. Found lack of character development for Kai and Andrew. Found lack of motivation for conict in plot. Added more dialogue throughout play. Changed ending monologue. Added post-script. Went through thorough analysis of lines with Ms Kaur. Found lack of care in audience impressions. Expanded Scene 2 and 3 with character & plot. Made subtle changes to meanings in monologues. Replaced pre-script with simple dedication. Made subtle changes to beginning and ending of Scene 3 Adjusted ow of dialogue in Scene 2

Draft 2.0

Draft 3.0
Draft 3.1
Draft 4.0

CHARACTERS Kai Andrew SCENE 1

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STONE-HOP

Darkness. KAI is seated on a beach. Behind him are a few tents, some with lights glowing inside. KAI begins to hum. Soundscape of waves lapping on the shore. Gradually, the soundscape overwrites the humming. KAI picks a pebble off the ground and throws it into the water. Sound of a pebble sinking into the water. KAI

I still dont get how they do it.

KAI picks another pebble off the ground and throws it into the water. It hops once, then sinks. KAI



Ive seen so many people do it. They just throw these pebbles. And they hop forever and ever into the horizon. Or maybe I just watch too much anime. I dont know.

KAI picks another pebble off the ground and throws it into the water. It hops twice, then sinks. KAI

















Cant I ever reach the end? These pebbles. Theyre so much like our life. One pebble has one try. Only one try. If it doesnt hop, thats it. It wont ever hop. It would sink. Thats the end of its life. Only those pebbles that hop, that overcome every step, those people, those stones, will reach the end. But where is the end? What is the end? That is denitely not the end of life. Maybe, the end is the state of pure bliss. We pass through life, trying to gain the most happiness. And every hop of the stone is an obstacle. An obstacle that tries to end our life. What is life? Its the end of one person. Thats it. Thats it.

A tent is unzipped. ANDREW comes out of the tent.

ANDREW
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Not asleep? I cant sleep. You should get some sleep. Tomorrows sea expedition is going to be tiring. I dont need that much sleep. You should go ahead.

KAI throws a stone. ANDREW

KAI



You homesick? Yeah. Sort of. Theres mainland Singapore. Theres our home. Well be back in two days. I miss my bed. I miss my TV. I miss my Facebook. I miss my YouTube. I miss my shower. I miss my family. I miss my mom.

ANDREW
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Pause. KAI

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What was she like? Well, she always was somewhat of a workaholic. Forever pushing herself to work more, earn more for the family. For me. All for me.

KAI

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Pause. KAI

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Pause. KAI

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She must have loved you a lot, huh. Yeah. She did. Always bought stuff for me. Isnt that what all mothers are like? Theyre motivated by love for their children.

Well, if you need support. Were all here. The whole class. Me too. Thanks.

So, what happened today while I was away? Land expedition. We just walked and walked and walked with our super-heavy back packs. Walked? How long? Across the island. All the way from Camp 2 to the village on the east side of the island, then all the way here. Dang, I missed a lot. Curses. Be happy you missed it. My shoulders still hurt. Thanks for carrying my back pack for me. Yeah... Or else wed have no food for tonight! The instant noodles were horrible. So un-nutritious. Is that even a word?

KAI

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They laugh. KAI

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Yes. Yes, it is. In your dictionary, maybe.

You arent tired, are you? A bit. Why dont we get some sleep? Yeah, thatll be good.

KAI and ANDREW enter their own tents. Light change. ANDREW comes out alone. ANDREW














Pulau Ubin... So far from Singapore. So far from home. On this island, I can see so many stars. You'll never see those back in Singapore... I can even spot the constellations. There's Leo. That one's Aquarius. Those are Gemini. And that's Taurus. These stars. They don't shine forever, do they? They die. They fade out, and are never seen again. Sure, people would notice that these stars disappear. And maybe the stars do too. Maybe the stars miss those that go away. And then, other stars would shine a stronger light of comfort. There is hope. Even when those stars are gone.

ANDREW re-enters his tent. Blackout. Nights sound.

SCENE 2

SEA EXPEDITION

Lights fade up. KAI and ANDREW are on a kayak, paddling. Soundscape of sea. KAI

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And were off! The morning suns so warm. Good day for kayaking, huh? Yeah. (He tries paddling.) Wow. This is harder than what we practiced. We were practicing on air. This is water. Its like swimming, you know? Sounds like Physics. Urgh. Thats why Im not taking it. Dont make me regret taking that subject now. Hey, its useful... For things like... Paddling on a Kayak? Yeah. Exactly. Schoolwork seems so distant here. I dont think we should worry about whether or not were going to pass our Level Test on Week 7. I think we should worry about whether or not well reach base camp in time. Hey, dont blame me for being overly thoughtful. Overly thoughtful? Sounds more like you worry too much. Chillax.

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Okay, okay. And paddle. Id rather have the distraction of studies to take away the pain of this paddling. How about I think of a new distraction for you? What? Erm... You like soccer? (rolls eyes) No. Okay, thats off the list. Basketball? Look at me. Do you think I would be interested in balls? Good point. Erm... Why dont we talk about your latest video, then? You follow me on YouTube? Who doesnt? Maybe you have too many subscribers to notice I was there. Youre reminding me of it again. Gosh. Have to work on a script when I get back. You have scripts? Duh. If not where do the lines come from? Improvise. Pretty bad at that.

ANDREW
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No wonder I always see you holding a piece of paper in your videos. Having a script makes you more condent of what you want to say. Got it, boss. Im interested to know how do you even create videos without a script. Well, just have simple concepts in your head that you wanna link together. Link them together in the video. Done. What about those things you need research on? Like? Dates. I have never dated anyone. Not those dates... I mean, like... Historical dates. Not everything in the internet must be true, you know. Meaning? Meaning, my videos are mostly ctitious. Meh, ction. Dont tell me you dont read novels. I do. But I never thought of putting them on camera before. Media Studies term project. You have to do that someday.

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Even when I do that, Ill probably have a script. Actually, they make storyboarding a necessary requirement. Good. Something familiar. To both of us, huh. Its so funny. I like lm. And you like... Theatre. Why do you like theatre? That is one good question. Looks like I have to give you time to consider. No, no. Its just... Ive never actually thought of it until you asked. So, why? I guess I like it because... Whenever Im onstage, Im never myself. Im always someone else that has similar characteristics to myself. So you dont like being yourself? No, not at all. Its a good way to let off steam the way your real self cant. You can cry on stage and people would believe that you did not cry because you broke up with your girlfriend the night before, but because the character in the play just lost a very close relative. Acting on stage must be tough, then? Not really. For me, just being another person, another character, is already enough.

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But, isnt it difcult? Being in another character all the time? Its fun, really. Just that, sometimes, you never know what your true self is like. Isnt that bad? Nope. Actors have friends. Real-life friends that help to bring out his true self. Like who? You, for example. Thanks. Im attered. Truthfully, I think youd make a very strong actor. Really? You never know until you try, right? Maybe when we get back. Yeah, maybe... Mind pinpointing our current location? I dont think I have internal GPS. A rough gauge? Well, we passed by the jetty point just now... So, were like, more than halfway through the expedition? More or less. Great. Cant wait to be rid of this stupid paddling.

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If we paddle faster, maybe well be rid of this stupid paddling faster. Fine. Okay. Time to increase from Level 5 to Level 8. Why not Level 10? If I went Level 10, I would be out of energy in two seconds at. Okay. Level 8.

ANDREW speeds up his paddling. ANDREW

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Are we going faster? I think we are. The waters surprisingly still. Great day for kayaking. All of a sudden, I regret not bringing a watch. Theres always shadows and sun intensity. Right... Im a pedaling sundial. Are you always this sarcastic? Only when Im pissed off with this pedal. Imagine pedaling from sunrise to sunset. Youre not helping. Thats what the instructors have done.

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Slight drizzle. ANDREW
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Note to self: new addition to list of jobs I never want to have. OBS Instructor. Its not that bad. Hello, Im physically challenged. You survived the land expedition, didnt you? My shoulders still ache from those ridiculously heavy backpacks. Now, now. Complaining wont get you anywhere. Now you sound like my aunt. Its the truth. Lets keep the truth until we get back to base camp, okay? We came to this camp to push our limits, didnt we? Right now I think Ive reached my everything-limit.

And the weather agrees with me. Rain? Bad sign. Of? A storms coming. We need to get to camp fast. Do you think Im just chilling back here? Can you try going faster?

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Im going as fast as I can. If I am not wrong, base camp is just around the bend. Great. If only the bend wasnt so far away. Lets try to get there in... Lets say, 5 minutes? With these waves, I dont even think well reach there in 10. When did the waves start coming against us? Since the start of the drizzle. Okay, now we need to paddle even faster! This pressure is pretty bad for the body. Push yourself! Come on! We can do it! Thats what you think. There. Were at the bend. Ow, my arms hurt. Just a bit more!

Clap of thunder. Storm. ANDREW

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Welcome to the land of no hope. You can still joke in a situation like this? Well, I dont see what else I can do.

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How about pedaling? I cant even see where were heading! Just pedal! Kai... Kai... What? There are rocks in front of us. Holy... Back paddle, back paddle! Back paddling... More! Come on, dont give up! Im doing it as fast as I can! Faster! You can do it! Get us back to the shore! Would you just... Do it for me! I cant... Move. Any faster. For the love of god, PADDLE! Paddle...

A clap of thunder. Blackout.

SCENE 3

TIES

Scene transits to ANDREW sitting alone on another beach. The stage should be bare. ANDREW










When we go to a Chinese funeral, more often than not, the guests will receive a piece of red yarn. Imagine. Imagine if every one of us was this piece of yarn, forever stretched, never reaching an end. When we meet other pieces of yarn, we
have different interaction. But, somehow or the other, one piece of yarn will affect the others that they've interacted with. I can sense it. It won't ever be the same. Not again.

Lights change. ANDREW looks straight towards the audience, a solemn, sad expression on his face. KAI

ANDREW
Hi. Oh, hi, Kai. Sit down.

KAI sits. There is silence. ANDREW

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You know how it is when you lose someone very close to you? Your mother? No... Kai. Yes? I couldnt see him. He was gone. Whos gone? Kai... KAI! What are you doing here? Talking to you, what else?

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Why have you come back to haunt me in Pulau Ubin? Haunt you? Didnt you disappear into the sea? I was wearing a life jacket. But, the instructor told me... You fainted in the middle of paddling in the storm. I did? You did. We couldnt get to shore. So, the instructors pulled you on board on their motor boat... What happened to you? Holding on to the side of their boat to pull the kayak back. So, youre here? Youre not a ghost? Touch me. Do you think I am a ghost? (chuckles) No. Then? Thank goodness. (Pause.) Then why did the instructors...? What exactly did they tell you? When I woke up, they told me you were gone.

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(Pause.) I was gone to the dorm to bathe and change. And they were really solemn about it. Like you really were dead. Liars. Through and through. I bet you they had so much fun out of it. Let them have their fun. Im just glad we didnt lose you. You should be heading back. Youve been sitting out here for an hour. Emo-ing about you. Exactly. Go bathe and change. We still have a day until the camp ends. Yeah. I shall.

ANDREW leaves. KAI looks for a pebble, and throws it. It hops a few times, then sinks. KAI smiles wistfully, and walks offstage as lights fade out. End of play.

POST-SCRIPT A beach that spells endless Pebbles on the ground They lay, a stagnant state A boy sits, looking at the ends Wondering what his future is like What world will this end He smiles, grabs a pebble Its thrown into the ocean And sank Another pebble Suddenly, it hops Jumps, then sinks Someone sits beside him Its another world With another person They throw stones together Teach each other Talk about life Life seemed as endless As the horizon But Will the pebbles ever reach The end? - Original Script, Limits - a scripted piece from Theatre Cell