THREE STUDIES FOR A CRUCIFIXION read performance script...
Music: organ drone Spotlight; a microphone on the edge of the stage. On the floor next to the microphone stand/lies a bottle with body oil, an empty leather pouch and a director chair. Above the microphone, from the ceiling hangs a naked light bulb. Five minutes: darkness and organ drone. A large wall projection of the left panel of Francis Bacon’s Three Studies for a Crucifixion starts to materialise on the wall behind the stage during these five minutes Bo enters, wearing dark trousers with a leather-strap, dark jacket, necktie, white shirt and glasses. Bo positions himself behind the microphone. Tattooed Naked Man (Jacob Ohlin) enters the stage; his body has been powdered with talcum powder. He positions himself on the right side of the microphone, where two kidney-shaped metal bowels stand; one contains human hair, the other 1 litre of blood. He sets fire to the hair in the metal bowl with a match. Another tattooed Naked Man – the Whip Man (Johan Adolphi), enters the stage from the auditorium. The Whip Man positions himself directly behind Bo. Bo takes off his glasses, takes the leather-strap from his trousers and gives it to the Whip Man, takes his clothes off, and puts them on the director chair. A stage hand takes away the clothes. Bo takes off his cock rings and puts them in the leather pouch which is placed on the chair. The music/organ drone fades out, when Bo is completely naked. Silence. Foreskin pulled á la greque. Bo stands still, non-active, provocative. Bo smears the body oil all over his body, in his anus, masturbates slowly, dreamy, pleasurably, pulls the foreskin back: cock-head visible, lies down on his back with his legs drawn upwards towards his body, shows the audience his anus, starts to masturbate, the Whip Man strokes the anus with the leather-strap, the strap wanders over Bo’s cock, belly and chest up towards his mouth, Bo sucks the strap. Bo rises to his feet and continues to masturbate while reading. a special version of his text The Miracle. Bo moves to the left side of the stage during reading. Sits down on the chair, places his right leg over the left. Caresses himself, spreads the legs, masturbates pleasurably and continues to read. The organ drone returns. Rising slowly, reaching its full power when the reading is finished. Bo rises from the chair, walks towards the audience, provocatively; his cock is erect. In the meantime the Whip Man leaves his station and walks over to Bo, strokes him with the strap. Bo falls down to his knees, licks the Whip Man’s scrotum, sucks his cock, caresses him. The Whip Man walks around Bo and starts to whip him with the leather-strap. The Whip Man puts the strap around Bo’s throat when he reaches the section of the text where the soldiers and the Miracle leave the Leper. The organ drone fades to a whisper. Bo ejaculates during the reading. Collects the sperm in his cupped hand, licks up it up, and smears some of it over his body. At the same time the Naked Man (Jacob Ohlin) stationed by the kidney shaped metal bowls, pours the blood into his mouth, and lets it flow, slowly in a rivulet over his chest down to his feet. Lights out. Total darkness. Act 2 Music: the organ drone has increased in power and is empowered by a harsh piano cord. Projection: Francis Bacon’s Three Studies for a Crucifixion, mid panel. Spotlight lights up the bed placed on the middle of the stage. The bed is made with white sheets, pillows and blankets. Rows of light bulbs have been fastened to the bedsteads, which are lit as soon as Act 2 begins. Martin lies naked (with the exception of a suspensor with dried bloodstains on it) in the bed. Upon Martin’s stomach lays an intestinal canal filled with faeces. At the head of the bed stands the Executioner (Mikael Oretoft) dressed in a white protection overall, a pair of plastic gloves and a green face mask. Behind the Executioner stands a small table. On the table stands/lies: ten containers of blood containing 5 litres, a plastic tube with a funnel, a sponge drenched in vinegar. The Executioner rinses his hands with the sponge. The Executioner inserts the plastic tube into Martin’s mouth. The Executioner pours the blood from the container down into the funnel; the blood runs through the tube into Martin’s mouth. Martin inserts his right hand into the intestinal canal; kneads it, gently, sensually. Martin releases the blood from his mouth, it pours out into bed, undramatically. When each litre of blood has been consumed the Executioner walks over to the bed and rinses Martin’s mouth with the sponge. When 2 litres have been consumed the actions starts to become more intense and violent; Martin vomits and spits out the blood, which spurts in every direction. Martin kneads the intestine canal more and more violently until it bursts and the faeces pour out into the bed. To conclude the action, the Executioner rinses his hands with the sponge. The Naked Man follows the course of events, he walks over to the bed by the end of the act, takes Martin’s right hand, kisses it, kneels and remains in this position during the rest of Act 2 and during the whole last act. During the whole second act Bo and the Whip Man continues to act. Mutual masturbating, kissing, caressing. Meditative, dreamy, non-active. When Martin’s act becomes more intense and violent, they start to copulate. After the sex act is over the Whip Man rises to his feet, lights a cigarette, spills the ashes over Bo. Lights out. The music stops. Act 3 Music: Bo’s pre-recorded voice reads his text Revolt in the Kasbah, an overwhelming noise collage accompanies the reading which reaches its climax when Bo’s voice fades out. Projection: Francis Bacon’s Three Studies for a Crucifixion, right panel. An intense light lights up Martin’s lifeless body in the bed, the Executioner faces the wall behind the bed. Stillness. The Whip Man leaves his place at Bo’s side, walks over to the bed’s left side, takes Martin’s left hand into his, kneels and remains in this position during the rest of the act. The Whip Man and the Naked Man smears their faces, chests and arms with the “holy” communion – blood, flesh, faeces. Finally they bury their faces in the bloody sheets and blankets of the bed. Stillness. Bo rises to his feet, walks over to the bed and lays down upon Martin, chest to chest, and remains in this position until the end. Stillness. Lights out. Music stops.
