Première : un court sketch en anglais !!!

C'est certain que le voir joué, c'est encore mieux, mais voilà, pour le moment je n'ai pas de camescope, alors je me contenterai de mettre mes sketches en lignes par écrit... Bonne lecture, en espérant que cela vous distraira et vous plaira.

THE COMEDIAN AND THE PROMPTER (by Claude VEDDER – 2007)

(The comedian, on the balcony, paces up and down, tries to concentrate. The prompter, below, behind a screen.)

- The prompter (whispering): To be… (No reaction from the comedian).

- The prompter (a bit louder): To be… (No reaction. Insists again a bit louder) To be…

- The comedian (puzzled, stops): What? (Looks downwards, whispers to the prompter): What’s happening?

- The prompter (whispers to the comedian): The audience is already in the auditorium… You should start your monologue…

- The comedian (bewildered and a bit angry): What are you talking about? Stay at your place! I know exactly what I have to do… And prompt only if I have a blank!

- The comedian (takes a deep breath, walks at the middle of the balcony, leans on the balustrade, starts his monologue dramatically with a very slow speed): To…………….be…………………..or not………………………..

- The prompter (whispers not so discreetly) : To be !

- The comedian (astonished and angry, going above the prompter) : Are you going to shut up?

- The prompter (also angry): But you had a blank… So I helped you! That’s my job!

- The comedian (despaired): Your job! Your job! I don’t know if you’ll still have one at the end of this night… Let me perform as I like! (Goes back in the middle of the balcony, resumes in the same way). To…………….be…………………..or not………………………to be !( He has a blank, waits for the prompter’s help.) X 2. (He then calls the prompter, excited and very angry) Hey you! What is the rest?

- The prompter (airy): What rest?

- The comedian (excited, shouts): The rest! The rest! After to be or not to be!

- The prompter (still airy): Oh sorry sir! I thought it was your way to play it! Don’t worry, I’m going to help you! (He then suddenly comes on stage from behind the screen, greets the audience, makes a reverence, coughs to clear his voice and starts to speak). To be or not to be!

- The comedian (very, very upset seeing that, runs downstairs and shouts): I’m going to kill him! I’m going to kill him!

(So the comedian knocks off the prompter who falls on his bottom. Then the prompter hits the comedian between his legs and this latter falls on his knees. Both, look up and say together): To be or not to be! We don’t want to wonder anymore.

The end.