LAMDA ACTING PROGRAMME 2020 GRADE SIX – …Chatroom by Enda Walsh LAURA: Jim, this is Laura....

LAMDA ACTING PROGRAMME 2020

GRADE SIX – CONTEMPORARY PIECE 1 (GIRLS)

ChatroombyEndaWalshLAURA:Jim,thisisLaura.I'vespokenwithJimbefore.Weknoweachother.Whyexactlyareyouharassinghimlikethat?Iknowhe'snotfeelingwell.Hehasn'tbeenfeelinggoodabouthimself.He'slonely.Hefeelsdetached.Whyisityou'redoingthis?You'retalkingtohimliketherearenooptions.You'remakinghimbelievethatthere'snothingelse.Thatsuicideissomeromanticgesture.Likeonefifteen-year-old’sdeathwillbeheldupbyotherfifteen-year-oldsandcelebratedforsomething.Willmakeabigstatementforallthose"trapped"averageteenagers!Ifyouthinkofyourselfassomeblobwho'smouldedintothisemptychildand sentonasetpatternthroughlife...Ifyou thinkthat-itwillhappen.Everysinglemomentinlifethere'spossibilities.Thestatementbeingmadeisyours.Butwhatareyousaying,William?Thatyou'vegotpower?Thatyouresmartenoughtotakeadvantageofsomeonevulnerableandtalkthemintothecornerwheretheymightkillthemselves?Andthisissomejoketoyoutwo,right?Somebigcomedy.Becauseyoucan'tseehimit'seasier.It'seasierwhenyoudon'thavetoseeadeadboyandjustimagineitlikeyoureaditinabookorsomething.It'seasierthanmurder,isn'titWilliam,'causeJim'sfacelesstoyou-butit'sJustlikemurder.Intheseroomswordsarepowerandyouhavealltherightwords.Thisisn'tsomecompetitionaboutwho'sthemostsadhere!Andifyouneedtoknow,Ihavetriedtokillmyself!Ididslitmywrists.Itdidcomefromaveryrealplace!ButI'mhappyI'malive.Andsomedaysarebetterthanothersandthefuturescaresme,butI'mreadyforthestruggle!AndIlikethestruggle!IlikeitalotmorethanbeingdeadandstuckinthegroundandwatchingovermyfamilyandfriendswhoI'vetornapart.Stayaliveandtheycanhelpme!There'salwaysalife!Jim,I'mstillheretotalkto