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Probe

electricity

A scientist's brain probe unleashes surprising thoughts in two young men – from a knowledge of dead languages to a secret hatred.

A 4-minute play, performed at the Lyric Studio Hammersmith as part of a Spread the Word project.

Extract from Probe:

AVA: Shall we get on? I’ve got a lot of subjects to get through today.
We’ll try you this time (to HECTOR).
(presses switch attached to HECTOR’s headset)

HECTOR: Lugete, o Veneres Cupidinesque,
et quantum est hominum uenustiorum:
passer mortuus est meae puellae,
passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quem plus illa oculis suis amabat.

AVA: I don't know what I hit then.

ED: What the fuck was that?

AVA: Latin.

HECTOR: I don't know Latin.

AVA: Well, it was in there. I can't get out what isn't already in there.

ED: Where’d you think he’d learn Latin? I went to the same school as him and there definitely wasn’t any Latin.

AVA: You’d be surprised what’s in your head. Let me try again, I’ll slightly reset this... OK. Are you ready?

(AVA presses switch on HECTOR)

HECTOR: I hate Ed.

(Pause. AVA and ED stare at HECTOR speechlessly)

HECTOR: I... I dunno where that came from.

AVA: Perhaps a... just a blip.

ED: But what...

AVA: We’ll press on. The mind throws these things up. Don't worry about it. (She makes a note)
Now! Let's try again. Sit a bit stiller, perhaps.

HECTOR: Your equipment's not working, you know. Something wrong with it. I'm serious. You need to take a look at it.

AVA: It's working fine.

(ED is still staring silently at HECTOR.)

AVA: Look. (she goes to press switch on ED again, but he takes his headset off)

ED: No. Do him again.

HECTOR: No, man...

ED: Do him!

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About

Emma Payne is a writer based in London. She has written for theatre, television and radio, and published in a number of magazines you've never heard of. This is her stuff. You can contact her
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