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ACT ONE
1. Overture: Have You Seen This?
The stage is bare, except for a number of mobile phones on various tables and surfaces. One by one they start to buzz, slowly building a percussive rhythm. Now they begin to bleep and chirp. Gradually, members of the COMPANY enter. Now the noise of their key tones as they write messages are incorporated into the score, along with the whooshes and chimes as these messages are sent and received. Only now do they start to sing, their voices overlapping.
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Have you seen this?
Have you seen this?
Have you seen this?
Have you seen this?
Fake – totally fake.
Have you seen this?
Don’t believe a word of it
Have you seen this?
Shit – what’s going on?
Have you seen this?
Read this thread by @SuzieCupcake96
Have you seen this?
Shots fired –
Have you seen this?
A search result is heard.
TWEET. Fire sweeps through agricultural site near Dartford
The story is minimised as the COMPANY keeps searching.
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Shots fired in central London
Another search result.
MAN. Fired up for tonight’s sesh in London town – bring on the shots! #ladsontour
Again, it’s closed.
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Shots fired!
Witnesses report a shooting in London
Shots fired!
Shooting London
A CELEBRITY emerges from the COMPANY, sending a tweet and taking a selfie.
CELEBRITY. Great to be back shooting in London – one of my all-time favourite cities.
COMPANY. Gunshots. Shots fired. Shooting.
Have you seen this?
Gunshots fired in central London
WOMAN. Who’s letting off fireworks in June? #wankers
ALL. #wankers!
COMPANY. Gunshots in Mayfair
Swear to God that sounded just like gunshots in Mayfair
TWEET. We’ll be live-streaming from the British Media and Entertainment Awards tonight in Mayfair. #BMEAwards
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Shots fired at the #BMEAwards
Have you seen this?
Ambulances arriving at the #BMEAwards
A series of more official tweets.
TWEET. Delays on the Jubilee line caused by an incident in Mayfair
TWEET. Grosvenor Street is closed due to an incident in Mayfair
TWEET. Adjust your travel plans to avoid an incident in Mayfair
COMPANY. Shit’s going down in Mayfair
All kicking off in Mayfair
What’s going on in Mayfair?
From out of the COMPANY come three NEWS REPORTERS. The speech is now more formal, clipped, official. Underscore continues underneath. NEWS. 1 and 2 are in the studio, NEWS. 3 on the ground, unexpectedly caught up in the action, trying to hold it together.
NEWS. 1. We are receiving breaking news of an incident –
Of a suspected shooting –
In the West End of London.
Eyewitnesses / are reporting –
NEWS. 2. If you’re just joining us, what we currently –
We believe –
At the moment we believe –
We think an attack / may have occurred –
NEWS. 3. You’re joining me, uh, I’m here
At the British Media and Entertainment Awards, Where there, there / seems to have been –
NEWS. 1. Four ambulances / were seen arriving –
NEWS. 2. Four – we’re saying four –
NEWS. 1. At the exclusive Mayfair venue
But it’s unclear at this point / just how many –
NEWS. 3. Um, some kind of, of, I think gunfire –
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Bloodbath at the #BMEAwards
Have you seen this?
Terror attack at the #BMEAwards
NEWS. 3. You can see where police have…
They’ve cordoned off the whole…
The whole… as you can see…
I’m sorry, John. I’m sorry, / this is –
NEWS. 2. Many of us here of course
Have friends – have friends and colleagues
In attendance at the… / present at the –
NEWS. 1. We don’t yet have any details of…
All we know is that there has been an incident
And we’ll keep you updated / on all of the –
NEWS. 3. I see Cathy! I see Cathy from our –
Lots of… of very, um, of very shaken up, and…
Understandably. A lot of shock. A lot of…
And the police presence, still, as you can see…
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Panic at the #BMEAwards
NEWS. 1. We’re now being told… I’m hearing three – Three individuals have been admitted to hospital, Others being treated at the scene.
COMPANY. Have you seen this?
Dozens dead at the #BMEAwards
NEWS. 2. Two with minor – with fairly superficial –
The third… No word on the third / individual, as of yet.
NEWS. 3. But we did, um, we did definitely hear shots fired –
What sounded like shots being fired –
COMPANY. Shots fired at the #BMEAwards
NEWS. 3. Most people saying four or five, they think, As the last few guests were / making their way in.
NEWS. 1. No names have currently been released.
They’ll be waiting, of course, until the next-of-kin – Until they’ve made contact with the families.
The COMPANY are googling search terms.
COMPANY. Who’s at the #BMEAwards?
Stars at the #BMEAwards
NEWS. 2. And we’re hearing – we have heard / multiple reports –
NEWS. 3. But a lot of… of confusion, an...
