Orpheus in the Record Shop and The Beatboxer

Testament

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781350267688
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Littérature
• Subtopic: Théâtre britannique

She cared for him, she understood him…
And now she's gone. Two new plays from acclaimed rapper and playwright Testament ( Black Men Walking ). Orpheus in the Record Shop
Orpheus is alone, playing tunes in his record shop. After a visitor leaves him an unexpected gift strange things start to happen and music, myth and reality collide. Together with Orpheus we go in search of something ancient, contemporary and hopeful. The Beatboxer
A beatboxer goes into a call centre to run a training day. But the bosses have ulterior motives for him being there. Testament takes inspiration from the classical Greek myth of Orpheus, in a show that fuses spoken word and beatboxing with the musicians of the Orchestra of Opera North. Published alongside his radio play The Beatboxer which was shortlisted for The Imison Award, BBC Audio Drama Awards, these two plays are inspiring pieces of contemporary theatre. Orpheus in the Record Shop was broadcast as part of the #BBCLightsUp season on BBC television in 2021.

The Beatboxer

‘The Earth has music for those who listen.’

Unknown

Introduction

It is fitting that The Beatboxer is published alongside Orpheus in the Record Shop. Both celebrate the transformative power of music and the way in which it can transcend our everyday struggles and allow us to return to them with an enlightened perspective.

They also pushed me into new artistic territory. I am fortunate that The Beatboxer was my first radio play and I got to work with director/producer Gary Brown at the BBC who has not only got a razor-sharp insight (and wit) but has a track record of bringing new writers through and has the ability to take you where you’re at.

The idea for the play spiralled out of a real-life event at a beatbox workshop for an electronics firm, where a participant told me that he was so inspired . . . he was going to quit his job.

To be honest, the bloke inspired me. To take a risk, to make your own place in the world. And to do it compassionately.

I hope it worked out well for him.

Testament, 2021

The Beatboxer was commissioned by BBC Radio 4 and was first aired on 1 October 2019 with the following cast and creative team

Subs	Testament
Katherine	Susan Twist
Samiya	Purvi Parmar
Kristy	Verity Henry
Graham	John Branwell
Jaron	Dermot Daly
Caspero	Sholto of The Pushwackers
Director/Producer	Gary Brown

Scene One

On Stage – British Beatbox Championships

Subs (V/O) Breathe . . . I don’t know where you are at the moment, but if you listen hard . . . You can probably hear your breath . . . My breath? . . . Can sound a little different. The way I use it . . .

Fade up on Casparo beatbox solo with a little crowd noise.

Like . . .

Oh that’s not me. He is dope though . . .

Shepherd’s Bush Empire cheering and whooping in the final round of the British Beatbox Champs.

. . . Yeah, he’s good.

The final round.

Casparo beatbox flourish. Crowd reacts.

My hands are clammy, wipe them on my jeans. The lights too bright in my face. Can’t see anyone out there.

Casparo beatboxing builds.

I think I can beat him. I’ve got two routines left to choose from. Or maybe I should take a risk? Maybe?

His round’s about to finish and the host is holding up five fingers . . . four . . .

Compare and CrowdThree – two – one!

Airhorn blares.

Compere Tiiiime!!!

Crowd cheers.

Compere Make some noise for Caspero!

Crowd cheers.

Subs (V/O)The air shifts. Walk out onto centre stage.

Compere Okay, final round. It’s on you: Megaton Subsonix.

Subs (V/O)

This is happening. This is real.

Some people call this ‘a battle’

But for me, it’s just a space where people do their thing.

Reveal who they are . . .

22 years old and this is the moment I was born for

. . . Right?

Compere (off mic) Ready bro?

Subs (V/O)

My turn . . . but I feel my impulses turn in on themselves . . .

Compere Final round – Beatbox!!!

Subs (V/O)

Thoughts lost to gravity.

Collapsing my synapses.

Lungs contracting

But won’t return to respirate

Hours of practice vanish

Too late.

No.

Not this year.

Improvise.

Improvise.

Imp –

Starting with an exaggerated breath – into the sounds of Subs’ beatboxing.

Breathe.

My diaphragm convulses into a cough snare.

Lip trills. Drums fills . . .

Together Subs (V/O) and Subs (in scene)

. . . And we begin.

Subs (performing in scene – beatboxing at the same time as speaking ‘Begin etc’– the crowd repsonds):

Begin. Be-be-begin.

Begin. Be-be-begin.

Check it!

The beat starts. Subs V/O narrates what we can hear behind the words.

Subs (V/O) And I’m in the zone.

A blizzard of beats. The crowd erupts.

Creating.

Elevating work of the mouth, from simply speaking or singing.

Now ALL sound can be made manifest . . .

Elevated beatboxing with an eerie effect.

And

For a second.

Lines around us to start to phase

Air...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Cast
• Creative
• About Leeds Playhouse
• About Opera North
• Contents
• Orpheus in the Record Shop
• The Beatboxer
• eCopyright