Redfin Script
A Modern Transformational Myth
by E.J. Gold
BK290
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"Redfin and Rainbow" is a comedic script that takes place in the depths of a fish tank. Two fish, Redfin and Rainbow, have been together for a long time, until one day the tank falls into darkness.
Redfin, the more thoughtful of the two, starts to reflect on the change and adjust to the new sights. Meanwhile, Rainbow, the more gluttonous of the two, is tearing into a sack of garbage and causing chaos. As the water in the tank begins to evaporate, Rainbow becomes hysterical, while Redfin tries to reason with him.
The script uses the scenario of living in a fish tank depending on unknown outside providers for survival and trying to deduce a dimension outside one's conscious awareness as an analogy to explore man's relationship to his life and question the actual role he plays in reality.
Briefing Doc
Main Themes:
The search for meaning and purpose beyond the mundane: The play follows two fish, Redfin and Rainbow, who live a seemingly idyllic existence in a tank. However, Redfin experiences a vision of a "higher dimension" that shatters his previous understanding of the world and sets him on a quest to escape the confines of the tank.
The nature of reality and perception: The play explores the idea that our perception of reality is limited by our senses and conditioning. Redfin and Rainbow's journey to the higher dimension suggests that there may be more to life than we can perceive with our ordinary senses.
The role of consciousness and the "machine" of the body: The play uses the concept of the "machine" to represent the physical body and its automatic functions. Redfin and Rainbow discuss how the machine can be tricked into waking up to a higher state of consciousness.
The power of language and thought: The play emphasizes the importance of language in shaping our perception of reality. Redfin and Rainbow invent new words to describe their experiences and insights, highlighting the limitations of existing language in capturing the fullness of their newfound awareness.
Key Ideas and Facts:
Redfin's vision of the higher dimension: Triggered by a temporary blackout in the tank, Redfin experiences a vision of a vast and complex world beyond the walls of the tank. This vision leaves him with a profound sense of dissatisfaction with his previous life and a yearning for something more.
The concept of the "machine": The play uses the term "machine" to describe the physical body and its automatic functions. Redfin and Rainbow discuss how the machine can be tricked into waking up to a higher state of consciousness through practices like meditation and self-observation.
The importance of self-awareness: Redfin and Rainbow's journey highlights the importance of becoming aware of our own limitations and conditioning. By observing the "machine" of the body, they learn to identify and challenge the automatic patterns of thought and behavior that keep them trapped in a lower state of consciousness.
The search for escape: Redfin and Rainbow's ultimate goal is to escape the confines of the tank and reach the higher dimension. They explore various methods of achieving this, including blowing up the tank and manipulating the machine through language and thought.
Important Quotes:
"The ordinarily mirror-like walls of my universe, up until the time the sun went out, had always held me in their comfortable limiting grip and confined my vision to the interior of this tiny boxlike world." - Redfin (Act I, Scene I)
"There is an enormous machine over there that keeps circulating the water around and around and around..." - Redfin (Act I, Scene I)
"If it doesn't make sense . . . it doesn't make sense!" - Redfin (Act I, Scene I)
"My mind leaps and races and bounds past anything expressible in words, into a world beyond words, thoughts and images..." - Redfin (Act I, Scene II)
"We'd have to trick the brain somehow." - Redfin (Act I, Scene II)
"I envision vastly greater relatives of the tank somewhere out there . . . my mind races outward over lakes, seas, oceans, rocking and reeling with the sheer immensity of it all." - Redfin (Act I, Scene II)
"We don't have names for these things. Our culture doesn't consider these ideas, so the words for them don't exist." - Rainbow (Act II, Scene II)
"I'm going to do something about this right now! ... I'm not sure. I had thought of blowing up the tank." - Redfin (Act I, Scene VII)
"I'd use the sensations of the machine itself to sense the sleeping state of the machine." - Redfin (Act II, Scene V)
Overall Impression:
"The Redfin Script" is a thought-provoking and humorous exploration of the human condition. Through the journey of two fish trapped in a tank, the play challenges us to question our own assumptions about reality and to seek a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. The play's use of dialogue, characterization, and symbolism effectively conveys its complex themes in an engaging and entertaining way.
Note:
Purchase price includes royalty-free performance rights for amateur productions. For professional theatrical productions please contact the publisher for the royalty payment schedule.