[Read] Hot Desk Extract: Bek Schilling - Contiki

As part of The Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowship program, Bek worked on their first full length play, Contiki. Contiki is a cutting-edge Australian black comedy thriller following the perilous travels of two twenty-somethings and a band of Contiki tour-goers. The play interrogates the toxicity of parasocial relationships among young adults and explores what happens when we’re given too much agency around people we barely know. What happens when the person you thought you knew the best turns out to be someone completely different? And what if you’re stuck with them on the other side of the world.

This scene is early on in the play. Our protagonist Dani and her bestie Leah make their way on to the tour bus for the first time, jetlagged and nervous, where Dani is reintroduced to Tom, the nomad, and meets our final character, and Dani’s potential love interest, Lou for the first time.

 

_{Image By Water by Daniel Farò}

The girls make their way onto the tour bus. DANI takes a seat at the front of the bus and starts to put her headphones on. LEAH shoots her a look. 

DANI: What?

LEAH: I love you but we are not sitting at the front of the bus.

DANI: Why not? You know I get nauseous if I sit too far back.

LEAH: The front of the bus is where the dorks sit.

DANI: Yeah, because we all have motion sickness.

LEAH: I’m sure a few more rows won’t hurt that much. There’s way more people back there to meet.

DANI: We’re going to be spending the next three weeks with most of those people, we’ve got plenty of time to get to know them. Plus, why do you care so much about “looking cool”? I thought we left all that hierarchy bullshit back in high school. We’re not 17 anymore.

LEAH: Exactly, we’re fun people who deserve to have a fun time with all our fun new friends.

DANI: Did you forget to pack your thesaurus or something?

LEAH stares at DANI with her best puppy dog eyes.

DANI: Alright! We can sit further back. BUT not too far. And if I throw up I’m telling everyone you were the one who took a dump in the bus toilet. Then we’re both disgusting.

LEAH: Deal.

DANI stands and joins LEAH as she walks a few rows back in the bus. They

approach TOM, who is standing in the aisle chatting to LOU.

TOM: Hey! You guys made it.

LEAH: Yeah, it was a mission. She is the heaviest sleeper I know.

DANI: It’s a blessing and a curse.

TOM: (looking at LEAH) Well, I’m glad to see you…both!

Awkward tension hangs in the air. LOU clears her throat, and DANI makes eye

contact that lingers a moment too long. TOM realises his social faux pas.

TOM: Dani, this is Lou. Lou, this is Dani.

DANI: Hey/

LOU: /Hey!

DANI: Is this your girlfriend?

LOU stifles a laugh.

TOM: No! No-

LOU: Yowch, Tommo, little quick on the defence there.

TOM: We actually met on another tour in Croatia and ended up here. Hot tip for you guys, don’t get too drunk around these people and talk travel destinations because you will make plans and the tour guide will book them in on the spot.

LOU: You’re leaving out some key info there, mate. (LOU leans in to DANI and LEAH)

Don’t get too drunk around these people because you will end up in a holiday romance and then you’ll have to travel with the aforementioned lover-now-ex on the trip you drunkenly planned. (to LEAH) Watch out for this one, he’s worse than he looks.

TOM: Lou!

LEAH: Oh. Thanks?

TOM: Don’t worry, you’ll get used to her.

LOU: You’ll learn to love it. Some more than others.

LOU winks at DANI.

The booming voice of the TOUR GUIDE echoes through the sound system in the bus.

TOUR GUIDE VO: Alright, party people! Now that we are all here and accounted for, our first excursion can begin. We will be making our way to Monti for a classic Italian meal where you can get to know your fellow travellers over a glass (or five) of chianti or pinot grigio* from a local vineyard that has been producing beautiful wines for centuries.

*note: the wines should be pronounced with an obnoxious Italian accent, despite the Tour Guide being definitely not Italian

LEAH: Well, we should probably take a seat.

DANI: (jokingly) Safety first.

LOU: Wow, Leah mentioned you were a nerd but I had no idea.

LEAH: Lou!

DANI: You said that?

LEAH: I was kidding!

LOU: Don’t worry, I think it’s cute.

DANI: Oh. Sure. Thanks.

DANI and LEAH take their seats in front of TOM and LEAH.

DANI: (quietly) So, day one and you’re already telling people I’m a massive loser.

LEAH: (quietly) That is not what I said.

DANI: Well there goes our chances of being cool and hip and fun here. Wait, is that why you didn’t want to sit at the front?

LEAH: All I said to them is that you have been…in your shell after the breakup and that they might need to make a bit more of an effort to connect with you. But that it will be so worth it because you are the greatest friend they will ever have. Speaking from experience.

DANI: Okay that was actually very sweet. You are forgiven.

LEAH: I just want you to have fun here. You deserve it after everything Sa- she put you through.

DANI: Nice save. Alright I’m going to close my eyes now, or Mummy will puke.