Devising Journal #7 + Recess Week
Back from recess week, I have written a fresh new edition of Mengjiao as a teacher being pressured by her father Xu Xian to find herself a husband. I determined based on the information the class was giving me that this would be the most logical reason for Mengjiao to break from Xu Xian, and force Bai Suzhen to make a choice for her own happiness. However, the idea of Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing being together still felt out of place without a script to hold it together, and all I have at the moment is fuzzy approximations of the timeline. My purpose in class today was thus to get a real sense of where exactly our story is going before I can proceed with writing the rest of the show.
Having written Three Lives and with the expanded monologue version, I had a feeling this was going to be integrated in the presentation. However, at first I had trouble imagining this piece of the puzzle fitting in anywhere. There were also many questions about the naming conventions of the characters - should we keep them?
The answer was a resounding yes. It was Lady White Snake after all. We ought to give our audience something familiar before introducing them into our world, the one where Bai Suzhen loves Xiao Qing more than she loves Xu Xian after all.
We were cautioned to draw the line carefully between feminism and lesbianism, a note which I appreciated greatly. After all, our show needed to present a clear message, and the creative team - our ensemble - must decide on the direction we want to move towards as we start putting the script together. I was already beginning to throw out possibilities. What if Xu Mengjiao left with Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing? Why would all of them leave Xu Xian alone? Who exactly has Xu Xian become as a character? I began approximating that in this universe, Xu Xian had become a man who is deeply insecure. About what? The answer formed in my mind, and a conversation has taken shape - something like "Suzhen, forever? Will we last forever?"
Hypothetically, if a couple knew that one of them would last forever and the other would die eventually, then I can foresee a lot of marital problems, especially if one of them is already a suspicious freak based on past behavior. Say, the act of sneaking wine into their wife's food to test if they are a demon snake. I have to say, I finally understand why writers feel like detectives sometimes. It's an exhilarating problem solving process which requires every ounce of imagination and logic I have to work together and complete the story.
The class was surprisingly receptive to my many wild ideas, and among the counter-ideas it was suggested that we could change Xu Mengjiao's name to Meinan ("pretty boy") to show her father's sexism. I then completed the idea by suggesting that Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing would choose a new name at the end of the show, and that it would be Xu Mengjiao - perhaps as a courtesy name? That idea was partially accepted because a total name change would be more acceptable if our setting was modern Singapore.
It was then asked if we should consider a multilingual play given that the show was set in Singapore. We were intrigued by the idea and I shelved it away for consideration at a later date. For now, I have plenty of things to fill out in the story, because it is absolutely vital that I know what material to write before we can work on anything else.
MIDWEEK EXTRA:
It's clear that I watched way too many Xianxia (Chinese immortal heroes) flicks in the last few weeks, because I am writing those scenes to The Untamed background instrumental music. Here's one track to loop for this scene (夜奔).This is an early first draft of Split Up, written between Weeks 7 and 8. Certain elements, like the rage murder moment in this scene, were borrowed from a variety of Chinese dramas. I felt that this genre is quite true to the roots of our show because of the mythological element and its strong roots in Chinese culture and tradition. Besides, the main couple in the TV show that the above background music track comes from is gay, so if anything from that playlist makes it into our show I would be so incredibly happy.
Xu Xian, Meinan and Bai Suzhen are together.
XX: Meinan are you clear about what Dad said yet? Meinan? Meinan ah? Dad is talking to you, why are you so rude? Dad is calling your name- 美男爹讲的你想通了吗? 美男？美男啊？阿爹跟你说话你怎么这么没有礼貌？爹在叫你的名字-
MJ: That is not my name! 那不是我的名字!
XX: What? 什么?
MJ: I said... that's not my name. Meinan, Meinan, Meinan. You never wanted me in the first place, did you? You wanted a boy. Well Dad, I'm sorry I'm not your little boy, I'm sorry I'm leading my own life. I will never be the perfect replacement for your son!
XX: Good, good! Your wings are hard and you can fly now, rebelling against me huh? 好好好！翅膀硬了会飞了，造反啊?
BSZ: Not again? 你又怎么了?
XX: Look at your good daughter! 你看你的好女儿！
Stunned silence.
BSZ: MY good daughter? So what have you been doing for the last 8 years? 我的好女儿? 那你这八年来是怎么教女儿的?
XX: I... 我......
Xiao Qing enters in the next line. Xu Mengjiao makes to leave, and notices her first. She realizes the awkwardness of the situation. Xiao Qing asks her to leave the room.
BSZ: Don't think I don't know how you neglected our daughter and left her to fend for herself! Good thing Xiao Qing- 别以为我不知道你是怎么放着女儿不管的, 还好有小青-
Xu Xian sees Xiao Qing and asks in a low and dangerous tone.
XX: What about Xiao Qing? 小青什么?
BSZ: Good thing she was there for our daughter! 还好小青一直在我们女儿身边!
XX: (to Xiao Qing) Do you hear that? 听到了吗?
Bai Suzhen spins around and her eyes meet Xiao Qing. Xiao Qing steps in front of her defensively.
XQ: So this is how you treat your wife?
XX: This is between my wife and me, it's none of your- 我们夫妻俩的事不用你管-
XQ: XU XIAN!
She breathes.
XQ: Xu Xian, A'Zhen has been around for thousands of years. She has never loved anyone as much as she loves you. She fought to the ends of the earth for you. She gave her life for you. If she had to be imprisoned forever for you, she would. Even if no one else understands what she has done for you, I thought you of all people should understand.
XX: I said stay out of it, demon. 你一个妖女不要插手!
XQ: Demon? 妖女?
XX: Don't act like she deserves anything better, she's just a demon. Like you. 别以为她很了不起，她跟你一样，你们都是妖女罢了。
BSZ: Xu Xian?
In her blinding anger, Xiao Qing immobilizes Xu Xian and strangles him.
XQ: Demon, yeah? 妖女是吧?
BSZ: A'Qing, that's enough. I'll leave with you. We'll never come back again. A'Qing, you're not a murderer, please stop. A'Qing! 阿青，够了。我跟你走，我们不回来了。阿青，不可杀人啊。阿青!
XQ: A'Zhen. 阿贞。
She lets go of Xu Xian.
XQ: Get lost. 你滚。
XX runs away. XQ has yet to move.
BSZ: A'Qing?
XQ: I'm fine. Just now, you said... 我没事。刚才，你说......
BSZ: I'm going with you. Now and forever. 我跟你走。一生一世。
XQ: I'll meet you at the bridge tomorrow. 我们明天在桥上会和。
Xiao Qing leaves. Bai Suzhen lingers a moment more and leaves too.
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