Busking It

Danusia Samal

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781786825551
• eBook ISBN: 9781786825568
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: British Drama

Cities are full of stories – it's amazing what you hear if you stop and listen. Drawing on her decade of singing on the tube, Danusia Samal's Busking It is a journey through the tunnels of the London Underground.

This is a fun, moving and vibrant piece of gig-theatre, giving voice a multiplicity of passers-by: "We meet in detail half a dozen members of the public: her father figure, an old Boxer, a lonely man with two Iron Maiden tickets, a Spanish woman supposedly suffering from amnesia and a threatening man" (A Younger Theatre). 

Blending chance encounters with original live music, Busking It zooms in on the little interactions that show our humanity. It was developed as part of the RSC's Making Mischief festival, and won the HighTide Edinburgh award.

IV. A SECOND ESSPERIENCE

Announcement/projection states: SOUTH KENSINGTON. 90 MINUTES, 9 POUNDS, 9 PENCE, AND A POLO.

BUSKER Picture this: School holidays, inundated with screaming children. Penned into a corner, by buggies and harassed-looking women. Picture –

Screeching children are heard. BUSKER is interrupted, reacting as if something has been flung in her face. She takes on a posh parent persona.

POSH PARENT Genevieve! So sorry, she’s in her throwing phase. Her therapist says it will pass. Wish I could give you something, but I don’t carry cash. And I’m assuming you don’t take Mastercard!

Posh parent guffaws. The BUSKER takes deep breaths.

BUSKER ‘Deep breath, happy place, deep breath, happy place…’

(To audience.) It’s not working. I have to take a breather. A time out.

She goes to rest, has some water (Maybe a Time Out chocolate bar.).
The musicians play ESSPERIENCE theme. BUSKER notices someone.

BUSKER … You again!

ESSPERIENCE (About the mic.) Is this yours? Can I sing on it?

BUSKER Again?

ESSPERIENCE What?

BUSKER (Doing an impression of the song.) You know: ‘Essperience, amnesia!’

ESSPERIENCE You have amnesia too? I have amnesia!

BUSKER Yeah, you told me.

ESSPERIENCE We have met?

BUSKER Yes!

ESSPERIENCE (Shrugs.) I am sorry, I forget people I meet, because I have a –

BUSKER – Amnesia, yeah. How did you find me again?

ESSPERIENCE shrugs. BUSKER speaks to the audience.

I look at her more closely this time. She’s very thin. In her neck is a small incision, a little plastic tube runs out of it and down her over-large jumper. Her eyes are very bright, starlight, and her hands constantly moving, as if she’s weaving something out of thin air. The air of someone who might not be here long…

(To ESSPERIENCE.) Um. I wanted to say… I’m sorry. That I was…ungenerous, the last time we met.

ESSPERIENCE Is OK. I don’t remember it.

BUSKER Not even a little bit?

ESSPERIENCE No! Look. Everything I essperience, I see, hear, smell, is just a footprint to the sand. Maybe there for days, maybe it is hours, maybe just a minute before the sea comes, whoosh, and wash it away.

BUSKER Don’t you miss having memories?

ESSPERIENCE Why spend life missing days that already lost, regretting mistakes that already done? I am blessed every day is new one! Memories are a heavy bricks. Everybody carry them and look so sad. Not me. I am free! I just stop. I listen. And wonderful things they happen!

BUSKER Stop and listen…yes.

… Oh gosh, I owe you a tenner! Someone gave us a twenty last time, hang on…

ESSPERIENCE (Waving it away.) I don’t want this!

BUSKER (Surprised.) … Really? Well, is there anything else I can – ?

ESSPERIENCE becomes very excited.

ESSPERIENCE You let me sing?

Flamenco guitar riff.

What I want most is to sing!

Music building. The BUSKER is hesitant.

BUSKER (To audience.) I’m going to regret this.

BUSKER hands over the mic, and ESSPERIENCE begins to sing.

Essperience Song

I may forget tomorrow

Adventures of tonight.

But no one brings me sorrow

I don’t give them the right

I found a way to live

And learning to be strong

I say it in my head

And now I write this song

Every day, essperience

Even when you are afraid, essperience

The good, the bad the strange, essperience

There’s much to do and see!

ESSPERIENCE (To audience.) Sing, sing!

Every day, essperience

Even when you’re afraid, essperience

The good, the bad the strange, essperience

There’s much to do and see!

The song ends. Lots of coins drop and the BUSKER’s hat fills up.

BUSKER Oh my God! People are literally emptying their pockets for her! In minutes she’s trebled wha...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• I. THE BUSKER
• II. ESSPERIENCE
• III. THE KING
• IV. A SECOND ESSPERIENCE
• V. OLD LADY
• VI: LOVE ON LONDON UNDERGROUND
• VII. ESSPERIENCE’S WARNING
• VIII. LONELY MAN
• IX. LOVE IS BLIND
• X. STOP AND LISTEN