The North Pool
PRAISE FOR THE PLAYS OF RAJIV JOSEPH
GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES
“Gruesome Playground Injuries finds a fresh way of expressing human vulnerability, and two individuals’ struggle to understand their need for each other. Joseph takes risks . . . that pay off emotionally.”
—EVERETT EVANS, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
“Make[s] us feel life’s brevity and fragility . . . there’s something paradoxically life-affirming about the sensitivity with which playwright and players perform this haunting ode to self-destruction.”
—CHRIS KLIMEK, WASHINGTON CITY PAPER
“A provocative dark comedy.”
—OLIVIA FLOREZ ALVAREZ, HOUSTON PRESS
“Layered with quirky humor and poignant intensity—a crash course in growing up, getting hurt, and the healing power of love.”
—GWENDOLYN PURDOM, WASHINGTONIAN
ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER
“Joseph’s observant, pitch-perfect script seems modest at first but is really quite ambitious, dealing ruthlessly . . . with the fragility of happiness, the tragedy of impulsiveness and the tenuousness of hope.”
—ANITA GATES, THE NEW YORK TIMES
“Terrific . . . Joseph’s carefully modulated play slowly reveals darker edges to these characters.”
—JASON CLARK, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“[Joseph] begins with a quirky comedy about origami experts and deftly transforms it into a melancholy reminder that close friends make the worst messes. His journey from one extreme to the other . . . is surprising and specific, pulling honest insights out of unusual situations.”
—MARK BLANKENSHIP, VARIETY
“Rajiv Joseph is one of the most refreshing new playwrights I’ve ever encountered . . . Animals Out of Paper is one of the most satisfying new works I’ve seen all year. Joseph is a fascinating voice in the world of theatre. He’s crafted a substantial play, funny and sad, down-to-earth and unpretentious, with a great deal of meaning . . . Joseph’s play is refreshingly genuine, and he’s a playwright to look out for.”
—DAVID GORDON, NYTHEATRE.COM
BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
“No ordinary play. I’m tempted to call it the most original drama written so far about the Iraq war, but why sell the work short? The imagination behind it is way too thrillingly genre-busting to be confined within such a limiting category . . . Bengal Tiger marks the breakthrough of a major new playwriting talent.”
—CHARLES MCNULTY, LOS ANGELES TIMES
“The writing is beautiful . . . the pacing is taut and thrilling.”
—LAURENCE VITTES, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“Quite magnificent.”
—STEVEN LEIGH MORRIS, LA WEEKLY
“Though set amid the throes of the U.S. incursion, it’s less an Iraq War play than a heavily metaphorical musing on life’s purpose in a godless universe.”
—BOB VERINI, VARIETY
THE NORTH POOL
The North Pool
Copyright © 2013 by Rajiv Joseph
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Joseph, Rajiv.
The North Pool / Rajiv Joseph.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-5937-6498-2
I. Title.
PS3610.O669N67 2013
812'.6--dc23
2012040728
Cover design by Nina Tara
Galley design by meganjonesdesign.com
SOFT SKULL PRESS
An imprint of COUNTERPOINT
1919 Fifth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
www.softskull.com
www.counterpointpress.com
Distributed by Publishers Group West
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CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that all materials in this book, being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States, the British Empire including the Dominion of Canada, and all other countries of the Copyright Union, are subject to royalty. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio and television broadcasting, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. The stock and amateur performance rights in the English language throughout the United States, and its territories and possessions, Canada, and the Open Market are controlled by The Gersh Agency, 41 Madison Avenue, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10010, Attn: Seth Glewen. No professional or nonprofessional performances of the plays may be given without obtaining in advance the written permission of The Gersh Agency and paying the requisite fee. Inquiries concerning all other rights should be addressed to The Gersh Agency.
For Giovanna Sardelli
CONTENTS
PRAISE
PRODUCTION HISTORY
CHARACTERS
SCENE 1
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
The North Pool had its world premiere on March 13, 2011, at Theatreworks Silicon Valley in Palo Alto, California. Giovanna Sardelli, Director; Erik Flatmo, Scenic Design; Tanya Finkelstein, Costume Designer; York Kennedy, Lighting Design; Daniel Kluger, Sound Design; Vickie Rozell, Dramaturge; and Robert Kelley, Artistic Director.
KHADIM ASMAAN: Adam Poss
DR. DANIELSON: Remi Sandri
The North Pool had its East Coast premiere on July 29, 2012, at Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Giovanna Sardelli, Director; Brian Prather, Scenic Design; Amy Clark, Costume Designer; Clifton Taylor, Lighting Design; Daniel Kluger, Sound Design; and Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director.
KHADIM ASMAAN: Babak Tafti
DR. DANIELSON: Remi Sandri
CHARACTERS:
DR. DANIELSON, male, middle-aged, white
KHADIM ASMAAN, male, eighteen, Middle Eastern
TIME:
2007. Just before spring break.
PLACE:
A public high school in America.
SCENE 1.
The office of a vice-principal at a public high school. Modest and simple. A map of the world hangs on the wall. A desk with a chair behind it, and a smaller one in front of it.
Behind the desk, a large cardboard box.
Three muted tones are heard. The voice of Vice-Principal Danielson comes over the public address system.
DANIELSON (V.O.): Good afternoon students and faculty and happy Friday. This is Vice-Principal Danielson here to wish you all a safe and happy spring break and also with a few announcements. School grounds close today by 4 PM. Please vacate the premises by then.
Join me in wishing good luck to our Lady Tigers as the girls’ volleyball team travels to the regional semifinals over the break. Go Lady Tigers; be super.
As the announcement continues, Khadim enters wearing a backpack.
DANIELSON (V.O.): Also, special congratulations to the Speech and Debate Team who placed fourth overall in the City Forensics Tournament this past weekend. Way to go team.
Remember: School Pride is Self Pride.
Have a great spring break, people. Be safe. Safety comes first.
A moment later, Dr. Danielson enters. Khadim’s back is to Danielson. Danielson stares at Khadim for a long moment.
DANIELSON: Can I help you?
Khadim turns and looks at Danielson.
DANIELSON: Can I help you with something?
KHADIM: They told me to come in here.
DANIELSON: Who did?
KHADIM: They told me you wanted to see me.
DANIELSON: Name?
KHADIM: Khadim.
DANIELSON: Khadim. Right. Khadim. Sorry about that.
The mind. When you’re my age? The mind just . . . whsssp.
Khadim.
Khadim . . .
KHADIM: Asmaan.
DANIELSON: Khadim Asmaan. Righto.
There he is.
How we doing?
KHADIM: Fine.
Danielson sits.
DANIELSON: Afternoon announcements.
KHADIM: Yes, I heard.
DANIELSON: It’s part of the job. Afternoon announcements. The voice from above. Epilogue to the school day. A recap. A “stay tuned for another edition” type thing.
Part of the job.
KHADIM: Yeah.
DANIELSON: So here you are.
Thanks for coming in like this.
KHADIM: I kind of have to, right?
DANIELSON: (smiles) I suppose you do, don’t you?
How’s everything? How are classes?
KHADIM: Good.
DANIELSON: Good?
KHADIM: Yeah, you know. The same old same old.
DANIELSON: Same old same old.
KHADIM: Yeah.
DANIELSON: Yeah.
(beat) How are you liking Sheffield High?
KHADIM: It’s cool.
DANIELSON: I know that it can be difficult coming in in the middle of an academic year.
(beat) How are your folks?
KHADIM: My folks?
DANIELSON: Your parents.
KHADIM: What about them?
DANIELSON: I’m just asking how they are.
KHADIM: I don’t know. Why do you want to know?
DANIELSON: Oh, I’m just asking.
To be polite.
KHADIM: They’re fine.
DANIELSON: Good!
Listen, you’re probably wondering why I’ve asked you to come in here this afternoon.
Khadim shrugs.
DANIELSON: Of course. Natural that you’d be wondering that.
The school bell rings.
DANIELSON: There’s the bell.
Happy spring break.
KHADIM: What?
DANIELSON: It’s officially spring break!
(beat) So, again, that begs the question: Why are you sitting in the vice-principal’s office when you should be going home and having fun with your friends?
KHADIM: Yeah. I mean, Dr. Danielson, is there a problem?
DANIELSON: Have you made friends since you’ve come to Sheffield High?
KHADIM: Friends?
DANIELSON: Yeah, you know. Have you been able to make friends? You seem like a popular guy, although what do I know? I’m just the vice-principal. But it’s important: High school is more than just books and classes. It’s a social construct.
KHADIM: Yeah.
DANIELSON: Yeah?
KHADIM: Yes sir.
DANIELSON: No, I mean, yeah it’s a social construct or yeah, you have friends?
KHADIM: What?
DANIELSON: I’m not trying to be a tough guy, Khadim. You certainly don’t need to call me “sir.” That’s my dad’s name, you know what I mean?
So: You’ve made friends here.
KHADIM: I have some friends.
DANIELSON: Good. I know it’s hard to be a new kid. And it can be difficult when you have a different background.
KHADIM: You mean coming from private school?
DANIELSON: Has that been different?
KHADIM: Than the private school? Than Eagleton Academy?
DANIELSON: Yes.
KHADIM: Yeah. Much.
DANIELSON: Is that right?
KHADIM: There’s three thousand kids here.
DANIELSON: 3,478 to be exact.
KHADIM: And at Eagleton there were like one hundred.
DANIELSON: 117 to be exact.
KHADIM: Wow, Dr. Danielson. You know your facts.
DANIELSON: I’m a numbers guy, Khadim. I can’t help it. When I was in high school I was embarrassed by it. Sometimes I’d pretend I didn’t know the answer when I knew it. Sometimes it feels so awkward to be smart, to be precise. I can’t believe I acted that way, but when we’re younger, sometimes the pressures of everyone around us compel us to act outside of our character.
KHADIM: Dr. Danielson, why am I here?
DANIELSON: Right. I just get chatty. You’ll have to excuse me. Why are you here. Why is Khadim sitting here in the vice-principal’s office.
KHADIM: Yeah.
DANIELSON: Well, let’s think for a moment. Maybe you could tell me.
KHADIM: Tell you what?
DANIELSON: What do you think? Considering there should be a reason. Have you done anything lately that would warrant me calling you in here for a chat?
KHADIM: No. I don’t think so.
(beat) No! What?
Danielson refers to some papers.
DANIELSON: Well, how about eighth period this past Tuesday.
KHADIM: Yeah?
DANIELSON: You have French with Madame Friedman.
KHADIM: Yeah.
DANIELSON: But this past Tuesday you weren’t in her class. You have an unexcused absence.
KHADIM: This past Tuesday?
DANIELSON: I understand that eighth period is the last class of the day, and that sometimes it can be tempting to break work early, but that doesn’t make it right. We may be a big public school, but we keep our records straight.
KHADIM: This past Tuesday?
DANIELSON: That’s right. There was a fire drill near the end of eighth period. It says here: You were present in class before the fire drill, but not there afterwards.
KHADIM: There was a fire drill . . .
DANIELSON: Yes there was.
KHADIM: Everyone left school for the fire drill! I just went home. It was the last class of the day.
DANIELSON: I’m not here to debate the rationale of your absence, although if your parents want to excuse you from this class, then that’s fine. Can you get your parents to call in for you right now?
KHADIM: No. But . . .
DANIELSON: Khadim, I just want to make something clear: I’m not here to harass you. It’s tough being a student, especially a new student to a big public school like Sheffield. But, with a big school, there are strict rules that always apply. It’s how we keep order.
KHADIM: So that is it? What do I get? Detention?
DANIELSON: Yes, you get detention.
Khadim stands up to leave.
KHADIM: Okay. I understand. I will do detention. When do I do it?
DANIELSON: Well, how about right now? Detention is usually ninety minutes, but being that it’s spring break, what about you hang here for an hour and you and I can get to know each other?
KHADIM: Um . . . okay.
DANIELSON: Terrific.
Khadim awkwardly takes off his backpack and sits down.
KHADIM: Do you want to stay here an hour after school?
DANIELSON: Of course I don’t want to, but I do my job. I do what’s asked of me. It’s pride of work. Pride of work is pride of self. That’s what I always say.
Awkward beat. Danielson looks at some papers on his desk. Khadim looks around the room.
KHADIM: Can I ask you something, Dr. Danielson?
DANIELSON: Of course.
KHADIM: Are you a real doctor?
DANIELSON: I’m a Ph.D.
KHADIM: What’s that?
DANIELSON: It means I’m a Doctor of Philosophy.
KHADIM: So, you’re like a philosopher?
DANIELSON: Well, in a way, I suppose you could say that. Yes, I’m sort of like a philosopher.
KHADIM: That’s cool.
How much do you make?
DANIELSON: What?
KHADIM: How much money do you make?
DANIELSON: Well, Khadim . . . in this country, it’s actually not polite to ask people how much they earn.
KHADIM: Oh. Sorry.
DANIELSON: But I make around seventy thousand dollars a year.
KHADIM: That’s really good.
DANIELSON: But it’s pride of work that brings pride of self. Not some price tag. Okay? Always remember that.
KHADIM: I will, Dr. Danielson.
DANIELSON: So tell me, what do you think of life at Sheffield outside of classes?
KHADIM: Outside of classes?
DANIELSON: I don’t know. Socially. Or in student activities.
Are you involved in any extra-curricular activities?
KHADIM: Not really.
DANIELSON: What about student government? We just had an election. Did you vote?
KHADIM: Did I vote?
DANIELSON: In the student election?
KHADIM: Yeah. I did.
DANIELSON: That’s good.
KHADIM: Yeah.
DANIELSON: 2,103.
KHADIM: What?
DANIELSON: 2,103 students here in this school didn’t vote in the school elections. Out of 3,478 students.
KHADIM: Wow. You really know your numbers, Dr. Danielson.
DANIELSON: What do you think about that?
KHADIM: About what?
DANIELSON: About the fact that nearly two-thirds of the student body doesn’t care about school elections?
KHADIM: I don’t know. That seems fairly natural, I suppose.
DANIELSON: Natural?
KHADIM: I mean, the student government doesn’t really do anything, right? The decisions they make don’t really affect our lives at all.
DANIELSON: Student Government is in charge of prom. If you want a good prom, you better know who your president is. Or maybe that’s not important to you. Maybe you don’t care about your prom.
KHADIM: My prom?
DANIELSON: Some classes have their proms downtown in the city center. Some classes have their proms in the gym. The choice is with each class.
KHADIM: What is prom?
DANIELSON: What is prom?
KHADIM: Yes.
DANIELSON: Are you asking me what prom is?