ROOTS SCRIPT MY PARTS:

SCENE 5: Tame classical music. NETTLE walks around on her part of the stage. A
couple of the best photographs are hanging on the back wall. The rest are spread out
between the potted plants. NETTLE holds a wine glass and a small cheese platter in her
hands. A camera hangs around her neck. She stops at every photo an examines it
carefully.
BERRY BRAMBLE backs out onto the stage. He is focused on a certain photograph and
doesn’t realise NETTLE is behind him.
More walking.
The two finally bump into each other.
NETTLE Oh!
BERRY BRAMBLE I’m so sorry.
NETTLE (Presuming this is their meet-cute) Ohhh. Oh there’s no need.
BERRY BRAMBLE (pointing to her camera) You like taking photos I presume?
NETTLE Nope.
BERRY BRAMBLE scratches his head.
NETTLE I just find that wearing it like this is good for the neck. Strengthens it,
you know?
BERRY BRAMBLE Strengthens it?
NETTLE Relax, I’m just kidding. To be honest, I don’t know where that came
from. Yes, I really love taking photos, especially in black and white. Photos of flowers.
But at the right angle they come out looking like something else, you know?
BERRY BRAMBLE Like people?
NETTLE Yeah. The origin of something new.
They stand in silence for a bit looking at the photographs.
BERRY BRAMBLE I’m more of a landscape guy myself. Woodlands and stuff like
that.
NETTLE Oh that’s great! Fantastic really! Do you believe that trees are art?
BERRY BRAMBLE thinks for a bit.
BERRY BRAMBLE Possibly. Again, depends on the angle.
NETTLE Which is…?
BERRY BRAMBLE Well, on one hand trees are the definition of science. Cells
forming tissues, tissues forming organs, organs – well, they make up the tree as we see
it. But on the other hand, there is something…improvised in all of it. The intertwining
of branches, how every leaf is of a slightly different colour. It is art, but very scientific
art.
NETTLE Yes, very scientific art.
NETTLE turns on her camera. Takes a photo of the nearest potted plant at a convoluted
angle. Shows it to BERRY BRAMBLE.
NETTLE How’s that?
BERRY BRAMBLE Looks like a robot or something.
NETTLE Exactly.
She then continues to take photos.
BERRY BRAMBLE Hey, are you doing anything after this?
NETTLE I don’t think so.
BERRY BRAMBLE Then…
NETTLE Sure, yes, whatever. Sorry, I didn’t really let you finish your sentence.
BERRY BRAMBLE I think you got the gist of it.
NETTLE I think I did.
Blackout.

SCENE 8: NETTLE and BERRY BRAMBLE are seated on the bench. They are in a park.
Before the main dialogue begins, we see them animatedly talking about something.
NETTLE giggles. BERRY BRAMBLE shrugs his shoulders with a wide smile.

NETTLE     So tell me more about that horrible encounter you had with the DOP.

BERRY BRAMBLE   Oh, you’re embarrassing me now.

NETTLE     Am I?

BERRY BRAMBLE   A bit, yeah.

NETTLE     Well, you seem to like it.

They study each other’s faces. For a moment, it almost seems like something’s going to
happen.

BERRY BRAMBLE   About the DOP, I was too pushy about it, you know? Didn’t give
him a break. You see, I was a waiter in that restaurant they were shooting at and, well, I
guess my put-on extroversion played into it.

NETTLE     So what did you do?

BERRY BRAMBLE   Let’s just say he was surprised I knew so much about him.

NETTLE     Oof, creepy.

BERRY BRAMBLE   Yes, creepy.

NETTLE     How did he react?

BERRY BRAMBLE   Asked me for a glass of wine.

NETTLE     Oh…no! No way.

BERRY BRAMBLE   When I came back with it, my hand was shaking so bad that I
sort of, kind of, basically spilled it all over him.

NETTLE     What an introduction!

BERRY BRAMBLE   Yup, could be worse though. Like if he actually found out who I
was. I never told him my name, so if I ever come across him again I’d say a fake
moustache will do... Plus, film isn’t really my thing I think. Too much…movement.

As he’s saying this NETTLE moves up closer to him if only by an inch.

NETTLE     You live nearby?

BERRY BRAMBLE (quietly)       In the Grove actually.

NETTLE     And…the whole ‘Berry’ thing means…?

BERRY BRAMBLE   I’m sort of an inbetweener, I guess. But I don’t believe that
names make us who we are and…well, it’s stupid to think there are better or worse
people just because some are weeds and some are flowers. What I mean is…you can
always find flowers in a group of weeds and weeds in a group of flowers. You don’t
have to belong to a certain group to be a decent person.

NETTLE     I love you…r outlook on life.

BERRY BRAMBLE grows visibly awkward but also very humbled.

BERRY BRAMBLE   Didn’t you say you have to go home in a bit? Something to do
with…

NETTLE     Yes, I was planning to edit a few photos I took last week, but it’s fine. I
can do that whenever.

BERRY BRAMBLE   You sure?

NETTLE     Yeah, I’ve got plenty of time. The competition deadline’s tomorrow
evening.

BERRY BRAMBLE   That’s…barely any time at all.

NETTLE     I’m okay. I promise. Wanna go for a walk?

BERRY BRAMBLE   Are you sure?

NETTLE     Oh come on!

BERRY BRAMBLE   Nettle, I’m serious.

NETTLE     I’m serious too.

They get up from the bench, walk upstage, then back, around the bench, offstage. In a
few moments NETTLE returns but it’s been three hours since we last saw her.

NETTLE (with an inhale)  Oh…my…god! Oh my god! Oh my god! The workshop is

working! Insane. (Pacing around) Insane, insane, insane. Does he like me? Yes. Most
certainly. No mistake there. Do I like him? Oh course I do! It was so random! A random
poster on the ground, a random encounter, and suddenly my life is the best it’s ever
been!

The way he looked at me.

The way he said my name.

And I’m going to his house tomorrow.

NETTLE lowers down onto the bench.

NETTLE     Right, photo editing.

She yawns.

NETTLE     A fifteen minute nap never killed anyone, has it?

NETTLE curls up on the bench. We watch her fall asleep for a bit.

Blackout.

NETTLE is still asleep on the bench.

Blackout.

NETTLE is still asleep on the bench.

Blackout.

Colourful lights illuminate the stage and Froot fades in.

NETTLE rises from the bench. She is still dreaming. BERRY BRAMBLE walks onto the
stage in slow motion. He freezes centre-stage. NETTLE skips over to him and adjusts
his hands and head to her liking. He is now in the position of the David statue.

DANCE NUMBER.

BERRY BRAMBLE disappears as the dance continues.

NETTLE goes back to her bench and ends the dance curled up on it.

SCENE 11: NETTLE is waiting for BERRY BRAMBLE in the garden. She methodically 
waters each of the plants. Then she sits down on the bench, stands up, sits back down
but in a different spot. She stands up, walks around the bench, drums her fingers on the
back of it.
BERRY BRAMBLE finally arrives.

NETTLE     Hi!

He gives her a small wave.

BERRY BRAMBLE   Did you get your photos submitted?

NETTLE     What photos?

BERRY BRAMBLE   For the—

NETTLE     Oh yeahhhh. (Poorly masking the truth) Yeah that’s crossed off the list.

BERRY BRAMBLE   Oh, I’m so proud of you! Tackling that procrastination isn’t easy.

NETTLE (looking away)    Yep, a mammoth task.

BERRY BRAMBLE   Will we head then?

NETTLE     Yes! Wait, no! I… I have something to tell you first.

BERRY BRAMBLE lowers onto the bench.

NETTLE (pacing)  Okay. So. God, I’m nervous! The thing is… Sometimes I get
obsessed with people – nope, wrong direction! I know we’ve only talked twice, and it
wasn’t for long even, but I feel like I know everything about you, you know? And it
makes me sad when you’re not there… Basically, I really like you and I was wondering
if you might possibly feel the same way?

BERRY BRAMBLE   I’m sorry, Nettle.

NETTLE     I said I like you.

BERRY BRAMBLE   I know. I do too but…not in that way.

NETTLE     You don’t? But I was sure we had our meet-cute at the photo exhibition.
It was all planned, all intentional, like the universe made it happen. Is it because I’m a
weed, is that it? We were meant to be together!

BERRY BRAMBLE (entertained by the idea) So it was written in the stars?

NETTLE looks pretty upset at this point. She goes to sit at one side of the bench facing
stage right. BERRY BRAMBLE sits at the other side of the bench facing stage left.

NETTLE     It seemed so perfect to me. Nettle and Berry – both grow on the side of
the road. Both are tough. Both get trampled on from time to time…

BERRY BRAMBLE   I’m really sorry that I led you on.

NETTLE swerves around.

NETTLE     Don’t say that! It’s not true! I’m the one who made things up!
BERRY BRAMBLE turns to face her.

BERRY BRAMBLE   I really like you as a person though.

NETTLE (humbled)   Thanks.

NETTLE turns back around.

NETTLE     But what’s wrong with me then?

BERRY BRAMBLE   There’s nothing wrong with you.

NETTLE     Well, obviously there is. Maybe I’m too intense, or…I don’t know,
maybe I’m bad at reading signals…or it could be that I’m just very-very unlucky. Most
of the time I actually feel like a blob of green squished down by a construction fence,
you know? Not anything spectacular, anything worth looking at. The scary thing is…
nobody’s ever reaffirmed this. I just thought it up and believed in it. And though I try to
think differently it always comes back to this. It just does.

BERRY BRAMBLE   I get it. I’m kind of like that too. I don’t think you focus on
yourself enough. But neither do I so who am I to—

As he’s saying this, NETTLE turns to face him.

NETTLE     You think so?

BERRY BRAMBLE   Yeah, I do. Wouldn’t have said it otherwise.

NETTLE fiddles with her camera.

BERRY BRAMBLE   I know you haven’t submitted those photos yet. So go on. You
still have time if you run. Right now.

NETTLE     They’re not that good.

BERRY BRAMBLE   You’re doing the thing. Assuming and believing.

NETTLE     Do you think I should try?

BERRY BRAMBLE   Of course I do.

NETTLE     And you don’t mind skipping on the film night today?

BERRY BRAMBLE shakes his head.

NETTLE     A hundred percent certain?

BERRY BRAMBLE   Two hundred.

NETTLE     Okay. (She is bubbling with excitement) See you later then! I’ll let you
know how it goes! NETTLE hurries offstage. BERRY BRAMBLE waves her off and
leaves the opposite way.