(1996, performance) Lucky Pierre’s first piece. Using dialogue transcribed from episodes of the TV show COPS and the film Easy Rider, we began focusing on the deployment of language as power ("Do you speak English? Does she speak English?"), and the self as the end product of appetite—and a single stock photo entitled: American Landscape. The piece was performed at a dining room table during the course of a meal. We prayed, we rode motorcycles, we were all dying Jesus. We were surprised that so many people came to see it.

Created and performed by Vincent Dermody, Noah Loesberg, Michael Thomas, Mary Zerkel.
Directed by Michael Thomas.

Performance Script

NO NO I WAS SLEEPING YOU KNOW - written by Michael Thomas with Mary Zerkel, Vincent Dermody, Noah Loesberg

OPENING

MZ: I always wanted to be a cop. But before you become the department you think that everybody likes cops that's not true. Once you've been on the job a little while and it really doesn't take very long, you find out they probably dislike you more than anybody. You interfere with their lifestyle and usually it's the criminal lifestyle

(MZ has the following on a set of 12 index cards numbered 1 through 12. She speaks the number as she gets to the card)

MT: I always wanted to be a cop. But before you become the department you think that everybody likes cops that's not true. Once you've been on the job a little while and it really doesn't take very long, you find out they probably dislike you more than anybody. You interfere with their lifestyle and usually it's the criminal lifestyle. We have an assault just occurred and we have rescue to the scene. It's in a motel over on 6th Street East. They're not saying what sort of weapon was used or any suspect information so we'll have to find out when we get there. Where they at, what happened? His wife stabbed him. Where's his wife? Somebody help me does he speak English? Senor do you speak English? I don't know. Okay the firemen are here and they're going to take a look at you okay? What happened? what happened? what happened? I don't know. Does your wife know? Did your wife do this? I don't know. Who did it then? Somebody. Okay the firemen are here, they're going to take a look at you. Were you stabbed just the one time? I don't know. What's your name? Come here ma'am, what happened? What happened? Does she speak English? Do you know what happened? No, no I was sleeping you know. Okay it looks like it may have happened here in the kitchen. A lot of blood spattered on the floor and blood on the wall. This is probably the - uh - knife she used on the counter. A lot of blood on the knife, and the blood trail leads outside where he collapsed. Do you have any medical problems? No. Do you take any medications? No. Hold still. What she's basically saying is that he was in the kitchen. What she thinks happened is he was stabbed, not really stabbed - it doesn't really translate - but he stabbed himself. Yes. So she thinks he was in the kitchen and he fell down on the knife. So what she's saying is that he fell down on the knife. In talking to her right now, she didn't feel free to talk because the handcuffs were restraining her, so if the handcuffs could be loosened enough she could be able to think more clearly. So what she thinks happened now is she was in the living room location her and her husband were in the living room location and they were having this argument, which was a heated argument, and at one point during the argument she picked up a knife and she slipped and she fell forward and the knife went into her husband. So what she says is she slipped, she fell forward and the knife went into her husband. First, she said he did it himself. Then she changed her mind and said they were having an argument and she slipped and the knife accidentally went into her husband.

MZ: (stands each of these is on an index card) COPS season 3 episode 4 COPS in Portland

COPS season 5 episode 22 COPS in LA

“Just The Way You Look Tonight” written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields

“The Principles of Psychology” by William James

“Easy Rider “written by Peter Fonda Terry Southern and Dennis Hopper directed by Dennis Hopper

“Walkin’ Cane” traditional American folk song

Object gear photo CD taco banana and fortune cookie

Corel photo disc image ia2306 American landscape.

put your hands behind your head little lady little lady put your hands behind your head

(mary keeps repeating previous)

VD: This is that prayer from Easy Rider the one where they're in the hippie commune in New Mexico or someplace.

MZ: What?

VD: oh this is that prayer the one that's from Easy Rider when they are out there in the hippie commune in New Mexico or someplace

MZ: Put your hands behind your head little lady little lady put your hands behind your head

Put your hands behind your head little lady little lady put your hands behind your head

(keeps repeating)

COPS/SONG SEQUENCE

NL: Where they at what happened

MT: Senor do you speak English

NL; where they at what happened

MT: senor?

MZ: No

MT: senor?

MZ: no.

NL: senor?

MT: No

MZ: Senor do you speak English

MT: No no I was sleeping you know

NL: No

MT: No

NL: You know I was...

MZ: Sleeping

MT senor

NL senor

MZ: no

MT: you speak English? you speak English? you speak English?

NL: um

MT: She’s basically saying

NL: She's basically saying

MZ: Does she speak English?

MT: Basically

NL: Um

MZ: He, uh was uh stabbed

NL: Does she speak English?

MT: It really doesn't translate

NL: Well she uh

MZ: stabbed him?

MT: basically

All: put your hands behind your head little lady little lady put your hands behind your head

(they run to front of table and repeat previous)

NL: Where they at what happened

MT: Senor do you speak English

NL: where they at what happened

MT: senor?

MZ: No

MT: senor?

MZ: no.

NL: senor?

MT: No

MZ: Senor do you speak English?

MT: No no I was sleeping you know

NL: No

MT: No

NL: You know I was...

MZ: Sleeping

MT: senor

NL: senor

MZ: no

MT: you speak English? you speak English? you speak English?

NL: um

MT: She’s basically saying

NL: She's basically saying

MZ: Does she speak English?

MT: Basically

NL: Um

MZ: He, uh was uh stabbed

NL: Does she speak English?

MT: It really doesn't translate

NL: Well she uh

MZ: stabbed him?

MT: basically

All: put your hands behind your head little lady little lady put your hands behind your head

NL: 1-2-3-4 (singing) Someday

ALL: when I'm feeling low
and the world is cold
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
just the way you look tonight.
Oh but you're charming

MT: Do you speak English, does she speak English?

ALL with your smile so

NL: How old is she? How old are you?

ALL: And your cheeks so

NL: 18

MT MZ: Soft

NL: 18

MT MZ: Soft

NL: No you're not 15.

MT MZ: There is nothing for me but to love

NL: You

MT MZ: You

NL: You

MT MZ: You

NL; 15?

MT MZ: Just the way you look

NL: Now that's a lot different than 18.

MT MZ: Tonight

(VD slaps table and stands - all go back to table and sit)

VD: why were you talking to that car?

MT: what?

VD: Why were you talking to that car

MT: what car vince?

VD: Why were you talking to that car

MT: What?

VD: Why were you talking to that car

MT: What?

(VD jumps on table and grabs MT by collar pulls him uo)

VD: Why were you talking to that car

MT: That was my boyfriend

MT takes a sip of water hands water glass to VD. VD gets close and spits in MT's face. MT offers again, they do it again. And again. 4th time VD grabs MT's face and makes a slow stream of water spitting in his face.

NL and MZ run to front of table.

NL, NZ: (sing) With each word your tenderness grows, Tearing my fears apart. And the laugh that wrinkles your nose. Touches my foolish heart.

MT JOINS

ALL: (sing) With each word your tenderness grows, Tearing my fears apart. And the

MZ: I'm just going down to the ARCO

MT, ML: laugh that

MZ: and get myself a 40 oz of old English

MT, NL: wrinkles your nose.

MZ: And then I'm going right here to visit my friend

MT NL: Touches my foolish

NZ: and get him two tacos

(VD joins)

MT NL: heart.

MZ: From taco bell.

MZ: I'm just going down to the ARC to get myself a 40 oz. of Olde English. And then I'm going right here to visit my friend and get him two tacos from Taco Bell.

(All sharp intake of breath heads back - all lowering heads slowly , and in unison)

All: I'm just going down to the ARCO to get myself a 40 oz. of Olde English. And then I'm going right here to visit my friend and get him two tacos from Taco Bell.

REPEAT gesture.

All: I'm just going down to the ARCO to get myself a 40 oz. of Olde English. And then I'm going right here to visit my friend and get him two tacos from Taco Bell.

REPEAT gesture - this time with hands up fingers spread.

All say line starting at different times: I'm just going down to the ARCO to get myself a 40 oz. of Olde English. And then I'm going right here to visit my friend and get him two tacos from Taco Bell.

MZ: Darling (singing)

MT, NL, MZ: Ever never change. Keep that breathless charm. Won't you please arrange it 'cause I love you.
Just the way you look

(wriggle fingers - sharp intake of breath fingers extend)

just the way you look

(wriggle fingers - sharp intake of breath fingers extend)

just the way you look

(wriggle fingers - sharp intake of breath fingers extend)

(MZ sharp intake of breath all fingers extended 4 x)

MZ: Tonight,

MT, MZ, NL back to table.

VD: This is that prayer from Easy Rider the one where they're in the hippie commune in New Mexico or someplace.

(He sits at table)

EASY RIDER SEQUENCE

(all sit at table)

Hands above the table top. Slow making fist – like shifting gears on a motorcycle. After about 5 minutes. Begin the sequence again. Then after a while they begin putting alternate fists in their mouths.

VD: (between fists in mouth). We have planted our seeds.
We ask that our efforts are worthy to produce simple food for our simple tastes.
We ask that our efforts be rewarded
We thank you for the food that we eat from other hands that we may share it with our fellow man
And be even more generous when it comes from our own.
Thank you for a place to make a stand

Amen.

Let’s eat.

(NL goes and gets guitar)

DANCE SEQUENCE

NL 1-2-3-4. (begins playing)

MZ: (yelling while VD & MT clear table).

Okay it looks like it may have happened here in the kitchen. A lot of blood spattered on the floor some on the walls. This is probably the uh knife she used on the counter. A lot of blood on the knife. And the blood trail leads outside where he collapsed

NL: He uh.

MT: Fell

NL: Fell. Onto the knife

MZ: Into the knife.

MT: She changed her

MZ: Uh.

NL: She changed her.

MZ: Uh.

NL: She changed her

MZ: Uh.

NL: She changed her story.

MT: Her story.

MT: And uh, Basically

MZ: Basically

MT: She slipped.

MZ: She uh slipped.

NL: And the knife.

MT: the knife.

NL: Basically she – uh –

MZ: slipped

MZ: In talking to her right now she doesn’t feel free to talk

NL: Uh

MZ: because the handcuffs were restraining her

NL: And uh

MT: the knife.

NL: Basically she slipped and the knife went into him.

(the previous happens 3 times with frantic guitar playing between while each dances on the table. Until by the end all three dance on the table as the guitar playing goes on longer)

Dance changes into slow rocking movements. Still table after dance:

VD: This is that prayer from Easy Rider the one where they're in the hippie commune in New Mexico or someplace.

SHOOTING SEQUENCE

Vince on table kneeling. Noah shoots him in the face with water pistol

Noah gets guitar moves downstage right with chair.

VD: We have planted our seeds.
We ask that our efforts are worthy to produce simple food for our simple tastes.
We ask that our efforts be rewarded
We thank you for the food that we eat from other hands that we may share it with our fellow man
And be even more generous when it comes from our own.
Thank you for a place to make a stand

Amen.

Let’s eat.

(noah begins playing riff on walkin’ cane).

Vince gets on table. MT shoots him with water pistol. Lays pistol on table. MZ starts shooting VD. MT moves to end of table. MZ crawls on table begins shooting water into VD’s mouth. He turns and spits it in MTs face. This goes on awhile. MZ crawls up on table faces VD. MT sets up lights for the end.

TABLE PIETA SEQUENCE

VD and MZ begin doing rotating pieta on table top. MT joins them. NZ begins playing and singing Walkin’ Cane.

On 4th verse. Three on table look at audience begin chanting “Taco Bell” in time with the music. Song ends and NL joins them on table. Pieta continues. They stop with MZ in jesus position. MZ counts 1- 2- 3. Sharp intake of breath by all, slow exhale.

MZ: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Sharp intake and slow exhale.

MZ: (sings) Darling ever never change. Keep that breathless charm. Won’t you please arrange it ‘cause I love you. Just the way you look….

All look up and freeze. Hold. Move to set up for ending.

ENDING

Set up slide projector, screen and microphone on table. Spotlight on table. VD MT MZ AT Table . NL in position DSR. T

NL: O k. Is everybody ready?

Each answers yes.

NL: What is your name?

MZ: Mary.

MT: Mike.

VD: Vince.

NL: How old are you?

VD: 22

MT: 34

MZ: 30.

VD: 15

MT: 18

MZ: 18

NL: Do you speak English?

VD: No.

MT: No I’m sorry, I don’t.

MZ: No.

NL: How are you feeling this evening?

MZ: I feel ok.

VD: Yeah, I feel ok.

MT: I feel hungry.

VD: Yeah, me too. Hungry.

NL: Why were you talking to that car?

NL: (repeats) Why were you talking to that car?

MT: That was my boyfriend.

MZ: What car?

VD: That was my boyfriend.

NL: ¿Hablas inglés?

(all answer no)

MZ: Ok. Yes. Actually I do.

VD: No you don’t.

MZ: Yes. I do.

NL: Very good. Now please direct your attention to the screen behind you. What is this a picture of?

VD: This is a place I went on vacation once when I was really, really little.

NL: Anyone else?

MZ: Corel photo disk image IA2306 American Landscape.

MT: This is a picture of where you live.

NL: You mean where I live?

MT: This is a picture of where you live.

NL: Where are they at? What happened?

VD: This is a picture of where you live.

MT: This is a picture of where you live.

MZ: This is a picture of where you live.

NL: Where are they at? What happened?

VD: This is a picture of where you live.

MT: This is a picture of where you live.

MZ: This is a picture of where you live.

NL: Do you know what you want?

VD: Yes.

MT: Yes I do.

MZ: Yes.

NL: Can you please show me a picture of where you live?

(they begin shuffling through papers in front of them. Hold up printout of landscape picture that’s being projected).

NL: Can you show me another picture of where you live?

(they begin shuffling through papers in front of them. And again hold up printout of landscape picture that’s being projected).

NL: Show me a picture of something you’d like to eat.

(And again hold up printout of landscape picture that’s being projected).

NL: Show me a picture of your car.

(again with image)

NL: Show me your family.

(again with image)

NL: Show me someplace you went on vacation once when you were very very little.

(again with image)

NL: Show me a picture of your pets.

(again with image)

NL: Show me a picture of your friends.

(again with image)

NL: Show me a picture of what you want.

(they hold up banana, taco, fortune cookie images).

NL: Show me a picture of what you want.

(they hold up banana, taco, fortune cookie images).

NL: Show me what you want.

(they hold up banana, taco, fortune cookie images).

(they keep holding up images one after another banana, taco, fortune cookie – until they all end with landscape photo).

NL: Show me a picture of your hands.

(they look confusedly at each other)

NL: Please show me a picture of your hands.

(all hold hands a few inches above table – palms facing upward. They slowly raise them bending at elbows.)

NL: Show me the horizon.

(slowly lower hands turn and palms down on the table).

NL: Can you tell me how long the present lasts?

MZ: No I can’t

MT: No I can’t

VD: 3 to 12 seconds.

NL: How long does the present last?

MT: 3 to 12 seconds.

MZ: 3 to 12 seconds.

VD: 3 to 12 seconds.

NL: (counts to 12). One, one thousand, etc.

NL: What have you always wanted to be?

MZ: A cop.

MT: A cop.

VD: I’ve always wanted to be a cop.

(NL gets guitar and starts playing )

MZ: (stands) COPS season 3 episode 4 COPS in Portland

COPS season 5 episode 22 COPS in LA

“Just The Way You Look Tonight” written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy fields

“The Principles of Psychology” by William James

Easy Rider written by Peter Fonda Terry Southern and Dennis Hopper directed by Dennis Hopper

Walkin’ Cane traditional American folk song

Object gear photo CD taco banana and fortune cookie

Corel photo disc image ia2306 American landscape.

BLACK and END

No No I Was Sleeping You Know

Happiness