K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 1

SOME FROZEN DEVOTION

by

Maneesha Arasu
K1458644

CHARACTERS:

EVAN BECKWITH, a dancer in his early 20s.

CAMILLE BAUDIN, a dancer in her early 20s, Evans best friend.
NATASHA SHOSTAKOVA, a principal dancer in her late 20s.
JAMES RYLE, a principal dancer in his late 20s.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 2

BLACK SCREEN

EVAN (V.O)
When I think about think about that last
show, its as though I see it in slow
motion.

FADE IN:

INT. THEATRE - NIGHT

It is a full house in the theatre, the audience is clearly

enraptured by the performance on stage.

EVAN (V.O)
The perfect night.

From a distance we see a male ballet dancer, performing his

solo on stage, his movements elegant and precise.

EVAN (V.O)
Halfway through the shows run, the entire
company like a well oiled machine.

We close in on the dancer, whose movements are getting

faster, he does three pirouettes in quick succession, as
though its building up to something.

EVAN (V.O)
Longtime friends, some family members in the
audience.

He leaps, body cutting though the air naturally, as though he

was born to do it.

EVAN (V.O)
The perfect night.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 3

He lands too hard on his way down. His left knee gives out,
his body slams audibly onto the stage. He doesnt move.

The music continues playing.

BLACK SCREEN.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

TITLE CARD:
12 MONTHS LATER

EVAN BECKWITH, (20s, handsome, athletic build) the same male

dancer, gets out of bed and rubs his knees to warm them up.
He begins his morning exercises.

He performs a series of stretches methodically, one after the

other, wincing every so often when he overextends his knee.

There is a soft knock on his bedroom door before it opens.

CAMILLE BAUDIN, (20s, slender, athletic build) another dancer

and EVANS best friend enters the room carrying two takeaway
cups of coffee. She sets the cups down on the side table and
sits on his bed.

CAMILLE
Hows the knee doing today, is it behaving
or is it acting up again?

EVAN
Stop talking about it as though its
sentient.

CAMILLE
Dont say it like that, youll hurt its
feelings.

EVAN
Youre ridiculous. And yeah its alright,
bit stiff today though.

CAMILLE
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Heh. Of course it is.

EVAN
Wow, really? Youre joking about this now?

CAMILLE
Its been long enough that I can joke about
it a little, surely. But youre right
darling, its unfair of me to say. Really
though, I haven't seen you for almost four
months.

EVAN
Thats what happens when you have to tour a
production. Is this the longest weve gone
without seeing each other?

CAMILLE
I think so. Inseparable since school,
remember? You were the perfect partner.
Probably the only person I trusted with
lifts back then, now that I think about it.

EVAN
Not anymore though.

CAMILLE
Youll heal, darling. Youre healing now.
In time this will all seem like nothing but
a bad dream.

EVAN
I can barely keep myself up sometimes, Cam.
Let alone lifting another person above me.
The bad days are really bad.

CAMILLE
Youll heal. I know you will. Youre too
good for the company to lose you before
you've even reached your prime.

EVAN
If I dance again, I risk my leg. I cant
afford for that to happen.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 5

CAMILLE
I know that, but youre not going to get any
better by shutting yourself in.

EVAN
Im not shutting myself in, its a
strategic retreat.

CAMILLE
Call it what you want, we both know youre
just being a shut in. How was the physio
session yesterday?

EVAN
Good, not great. Could have been better. Do
physiotherapists freak you out too, or is
it just me?

CAMILLE
Definitely not just you. Theyre just so

EVAN
Clinical?

CAMILLE
Yeah, and detached. Its freaky.

EVAN
Agreed. It might be a dancer thing. Maybe
its natural for us to be uncomfortable
around them. Having to see one always leads
to bad things.
CAMILLE
Thats a bit much, surely.

EVAN
Think about it.

CAMILLE
Youre being ridiculous and superstitious.
Its a medical thing. Thats all.

EVAN
Alright, fine. I might be overreacting.
Slightly.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 6

CAMILLE
Anyway, hows everything been since Ive
been away? Come, tell me.

EVAN
Its been alright. Ive just been doing a
few more teaching jobs on the side. Cant
exactly perform anymore.

CAMILLE
Im choosing to ignore your blatant
negativity. What else has happened besides
what I already know?

EVAN
In terms of what?

CAMILLE
In terms of everything! Hows Oscar?

EVAN
We broke up, Cam.

CAMILLE
What, why? You were going strong when I
left, no?

EVAN
He wasn't quite cut out to deal with a
broken boyfriend, among other things.

CAMILLE
(soft, angry)
Excuse me?

EVAN
(wearily)
His words, not mine. A lot of regrettable
things were said that night, Ill say that
at least.

CAMILLE
Ill end him, the bastard.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 7

EVAN
Doesnt matter. Thats not why we broke up
anyway.

CAMILLE
Why did you then?

EVAN
That might be my fault actually. In the
rush of it all, I may have forgotten to
tell him that I was bi, not gay.

CAMILLE
Oh, Christ.

EVAN
Yeah. We bumped into one of my exes that
happened to be female, and I obviously just
assumed that I had told him but apparently
I hadnt. To say the rest of the night went
badly would be an understatement.

CAMILLE
Youre an idiot. I mean, Im glad youre
broken up now after what he said about you
being broken or whatever, but youre a
complete wanker for not telling him.

EVAN
I tore all the ligaments in my left knee
and potentially fucked my career for the
rest of my life. There was so much going on
and wes barely begun seeing each other at
that point, it just slipped my mind.

CAMILLE
Alright, fine, Ill give you that. I mean
its a horrible thing to do but you didn't
really do it maliciously so why didnt you
just apologise to him and move on?

EVAN
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 8

I tried, but he went off about how I was

lying to him and how he thought that he was
just a phase to me.

CAMILLE
Youve known you were bisexual since you
were 13.

EVAN
Yeah, I tried saying that but he wasn't
having it. It spiralled into a massive
argument and then we sort just ended it.

CAMILLE
You don't sound massively disappointed
about that.

EVAN
Ive had time to get over it. Its fine,
honestly.

CAMILLE
Its not fine, but for your sake if nothing
else, Ill let it go.

EVAN
You still haven't told me what youre doing
here you know.

CAMILLE
I need a reason to come visit my best
friend in his time of need?

EVAN
You didn't know I was in need. Also, you
hate my place.

CAMILLE
I never said I hated it.

EVAN
Sorry yes, I think your exact words were,
Id rather die, cant we just meet at the
cafe near the studio or somewhere else?
Anywhere else.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 9

CAMILLE
Fine, you have a point.

EVAN
Out with it, Baudin. Whats going on?

CAMILLE
Unimportant, we have to go.

EVAN
Go where, exactly?

CAMILLE
We have to get to the studio.

EVAN
Why do you need to be at the studio today?
You cant have rehearsals yet, surely.

CAMILLE
Alright, alright. Come on, Ill explain on
the way, we have to get to there soon
anyway.

EVAN
Camille Baudin, why am I coming with you to
the studio?

CAMILLE
Because.

EVAN
(faking excitement)
I know! Im the cautionary tale youre going
to use to warn the new dancers of what
happens when you fuck up your jumps.

CAMILLE
No, you overgrown child. I have an
audition. Today.

EVAN
(bright, genuine)
Cam! Thats brilliant. Whats it for?

CAMILLE
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 10

Its for Giselle, the company has decided

that thats what were doing next season.
They need a Giselle. You don't have to do
anything but come with me, alright?

EVAN
Dont be an idiot, of course Ill coming
with you.

CAMILLE hugs EVAN tightly.

CAMILLE
Thank you. I know its going to be a bitch
for you to come into the studio, but thank
you.

EVAN
Theres not much I wouldn't do if you really
needed me to. You know that.

CAMILLE
Thank you.

EVAN
Of course. Now talk to me about the
audition. Whos on the panel?

CAMILLE
The usual faces, and Natasha and James.
Theyve come in as guest artists.

Evan
Of course they have.

CAMILLE
Its fine, didnt you all leave things on
good terms?

EVAN
If you call everything going to shit
because Nat left to go back to Russia and
join the fucking Bolshoi again good terms,
then yeah. Sure.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 11

CAMILLE
Ah. She took James with her?

EVAN
Yes. God, when the hell did they even get
back?

CAMILLE
After your injury. Everyone said they came
back for you.

EVAN
And yet I haven't seen either of them once,
since they left.

CAMILLE
You wouldn't know even if they did try to
see you. You were so out of it the first
few months after it happened. The only
people you saw were Oscar and I.

EVAN
I know.

He shakes his head as though hes physically trying to clear

it.
EVAN
Anyway, come on, youve got an audition to
get to. We should go.

CAMILLE
Are you sure? I wouldn't have asked if Id
known all of what happened.

EVAN
Dont be an idiot. Of course Im sure.

EVAN takes CAMILLES hand and pulls her up. He opens the door
and gestures for her to go first. CAMILLE exits, EVAN follows
and shuts the door behind him. He doesnt look back.

EXT. SADLERS WELLS THEATRE - DAY

K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 12

We see groups of dancers outside the building, some of them

having food, some smoking. Some are sitting on the pavement,
stretching out their legs.

The dancers outside visibly stop what theyre doing to stare

at EVAN as he passes them to go inside the building with
CAMILLE.

INT. STUDIO - DAY

EVAN drops CAMILLE off at the door. As they hug, he whispers

something inaudible in her ear. She smiles and straightens
her shoulders and walks into the room.

We see EVAN pacing outside as he waits. As the time passes he

eventually sits down outside the studio to wait for CAMILLE.
After a while, the door opens. Girls file out of the studio
one by one, most pausing to look at EVAN before they go. They
recognise him.

CAMILLE comes out of the room and heads immediately towards

EVAN, who gets up to hug her tightly.

EVAN
How was it, did it go alright?

CAMILLE
It did, it was good!
EVAN
Good, thats so good. Im so happy for you
babe.

CAMILLE
They don't know youre here. I think they
would have asked if they knew.

EVAN
It doesnt matter. Lets go. We can go get
drinks, my treat.

As he says this, the DOOR to the studio OPENS again. This time a
man and a woman come out.

The woman is NATASHA SHOSTAKOVA, (late 20s, petite, athletic

build) one of the current guest artists for the Royal Ballet. The
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 13

man is JAMES RYLE, (late 20s, tall, athletic build) the other
guest artist.

They both stop when they see EVAN. EVAN cant seem to look away
from them.

EVAN
Cam, you go ahead. Ill meet you at the bar
around the corner in 10 minutes.

CAMILLE looks at them a little uncertainly before nodding. CAMILLE

kisses EVAN on the cheek then exits.

NATASHA
Evan. What are you doing here?

EVAN
I could ask you the same question. Camille was
auditioning for Giselle. Im moral support.

JAMES
Its good to see you, Evs.

NATASHA
We were hoping that we would see you.

EVAN
But you didnt. You didn't try to see me.

NATASHA
You refused to see anyone.

EVAN
I would have seen you, both of you and you know
that.

JAMES
Dont.

EVAN
You know its the truth.

NATASHA
We came back here for you.

EVAN
You came back for yourselves!
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 14

JAMES
You cant seriously think that.

EVAN
How long have you been back? You didn't see me
at all, and then you stay on as guest artists
for the ballet instead. You haven't thought
about me once.

JAMES
You know thats not true.

EVAN
And yet what I said still stands.

JAMES
You could have come with us.

EVAN
Is that what youve been telling yourself? I
couldn't have come with you and you know that.

NATASHA
Hes right. James, we couldn't turn down the
offer. But he couldn't have come with us even
if he had wanted to.

JAMES
He could have. We would have made it work.

NATASHA
What, tell the Bolshoi theyll have their
principal dancers but only if they take a brand
new soloist as well? An untested soloist?

JAMES
We could have tried.

NATASHA
And compromised his entire career?

JAMES
His career is compromised now either way.

NATASHA
James. Dont.

EVAN
By all means, talk about me as though Im not
here.
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 15

JAMES
(ignoring Evan)
If we were here, it could have been prevented.

NATASHA
Would you have just danced his solo for him
then? Stop acting like a child.

EVAN
Look, what happened was terrible but it
happened. Whether or not you were here wouldn't
have changed that.

JAMES
Youre so sure of that.

NATASHA
Stop it. Evan, can you still dance?

EVAN
Not really. Im not exactly Onegin material
anymore.

JAMES
You could be. If you tried again.

EVAN
I dont think I really want to anymore.

NATASHA
You dont mean that.

EVAN
I think I do.

NATASHA
But, why? Youve always been a wonderful
dancer.

EVAN
You two are the face of the ballet, you would
die without it. I used to think I couldn't live
without it either.

JAMES
But the injury has changed your mind.

EVAN
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 16

Partly. I just don't know if its worth it

anymore. I had to put my life back together and
now Im finally at a place where I think I can
be happy.

JAMES
I never took you for the type to give up so
easily.

EVAN
Dont you dare come here and talk to me about
giving up. You left! Both of you left. I dealt
with things the best I could under the
circumstances.

NATASHA
Thats enough, the both of you. Youre grown
men. Act like it.

JAMES
Iapologise. It was unfair of me to say that.

EVAN
Its alright. I understand why you said it.

NATASHA
Still.

JAMES
Are you happier now at least, with him?

EVAN
Were not.. were no longer together.

NATASHA
Im sorry. I had thought

EVAN
Dont be. Its for the best.

JAMES
Will you come back? Theres a lot that needs to
be said. Things we need to tell you.

NATASHA
Weve missed you. Sometimes too much.

EVAN
(reluctantly)
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 17

Ill try. If Camille makes the cut, youll

probably see me around.

NATASHA
For what its worth, I didn't intend for things
to happen the way they did.

JAMES
Neither did I. I am sorry about it, more than
you know.

EVAN
Theres not much use speaking about it now. I
have to go, Camille is probably waiting for me.

JAMES
Tell her she did well today. She has nothing to
worry about.

EVAN
I will.

NATASHA
And you. Take care of yourself, please. Well
see you soon.

JAMES
Its a promise.

EVAN
I have to go.

NATASHA
Yes, of course.

NATASHA hugs EVAN, then kisses him on the cheek, she lingers
slightly longer than appropriate. She looks back at JAMES as
though shes trying to tell him something silently, then leaves.

JAMES
Youll see us soon, I promise you.
JAMES leans in as though to hug EVAN but then kisses him instead.
As he pulls away, he whispers something inaudible in EVANS ear.

EVAN watches as JAMES leaves, shaking his head a little in

disbelief.

EVAN
(fondly)
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 18

Ridiculous man.

EVAN checks his phone then turns to leave, hes late to meet
CAMILLE.

FADE TO BLACK

END
K1458644 Maneesha Arasu 19