It was a wedding anniversary, visit to psychiatrists’ office, and bureaucratic red tape at the Pattaya City Expats Club meeting on Sunday, September 9. All performed in skits by Pattaya’s own amateur theatre group, Pattaya Players who have been treading the boards since 2008.
Pattaya Player Doug Campbell began by briefly describing the three skits that their members would be performing in the following order: “The Anniversary,” “Hello Goodbye,” and “DMV.”
First up, “The Anniversary” was a scene set a table with a wine bottle and filled wine glasses where an upmarket couple were celebrating their first year of marriage; congratulating themselves at their wondrous achievement of solving all the typical problems that most couples take years to sort out and how far ahead of most relationships.
However, as the evening progressed, some wrinkles began to appear with being about taking out the garbage as their appeared to be a distinct difference between the two on when and how one should ask the other to take out the garbage. The husband stood his ground that he should not have sole responsibility and pointed out that he hated the garbage and, anyway, it was jointly created, so it should be jointly dealt with, especially by her. The wife articulated a variety of creative ways of ignoring it and how they could both avoid taking responsibility for it, even to the point of moving into the garage and just let it build up as normal in the house. Neither were going to back down on this one!
The argument was interrupted by a “wish you well” phone call, to which they both thanked the caller gushing with replies of how happy they were, then the argument resumed and soon realized the impasse was seemingly insurmountable. This bickering and sniping at each other suddenly made them realize that they had discovered this looming marriage wrecking disaster was a boon as it came sooner in their marriage as most couples don’t get to this point for six or seven unsuspecting years. Then their attitude switched to self-congratulation on how lucky they were to have the benefit this revelation now and they started rejoicing as they would never need to endure the agony of spending several years getting to the breaking point like so many of their friends. It ended with “lawyers in the morning it is then” and great they were so mature with a “night night, kiss kiss.”
Next came the players for “Hello Goodbye.” Set in a patients’ waiting room at the local psychiatrists’ office where a lady is reading a magazine. A man arrives, takes a seat and also takes a magazine, but peers at the lady to her apparent annoyance. The man gradually plucks up courage and says “hello Sue” which freaks Sue out at not only the approach, but he knew her name. As the skit progressed, she learns that on a previous visit, he had heard her name called out. She then tries to guess his name, eventually learning it was David, none that she had guessed. They both became more relaxed as their anxieties drifted away and they discussed what if they were friends; they both ran through all the scenarios of going on holidays, shopping for gifts, eating out, living in a romantic apartment with some pets and being really happy. The skit ended when Sue was called to see her doctor with David saying, “Goodbye” and Sue saying “Hello.”
The final skit, “DMV” was set in Sydney, Australia, in the Department of Motor Vehicles, although this could apply to any government office anywhere unfortunately. It begins with the lady clerk sitting at desk number 7 and being approached by Angus seeking a resolution to his dilemma. As the skit develops, Angus has a problem. He took the driving test and received a temporary license, which has now expired without his receiving the permanent one. His initial inquiries elsewhere reveal they do not have him in the computer system as having completed the driving test. To sort things out, he was sent to desk 7.
Initially he was somewhat ignored by the clerk. She responds to his offer to wait by saying, “No, No, carry on I can multi-task.” Angus then gave a detailed and lengthy account of the issue to the still inattentive lady. Finally, she snaps “OK, so what’s the problem?” “In One sentence.” Angus more briefly re-explains the problem and that he had been sent to Desk 7, being assured it would all be sorted out! Despite assurances from Angus that she would be wasting his and her time, she painstakingly rechecked his details into the computer and then exclaimed that there was no record of him. She then says, “So how did you get here with no license then” with his response that he took a taxi. As the skit develops there is some shouting, but eventually a few remedies were discussed, none of which were of any help as the one to retake the driving test was flatly rejected by Angus. The final one was by the clerk was “why not leave Sydney, Brisbane is quite nice.” And Angus replies, “Actually not a bad idea” as he left.
Upon completion of the three skits, Doug encouraged all to come and see Pattaya Player’s upcoming “Murder Mystery,” which will be at their usual location in the Eastern Grand Hotel on October 5th and 6th. The meeting then concluded with the MC Judith Edmonds bringing everyone up to date on upcoming events followed by the Open Forum where members and guests can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand.
After the meeting, member Ren Lexander interviewed Pattaya Players member. To view the video, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epVhW6MQER4.
Learn more about their activities or to subscribe to their weekly newsletter, visit www.pcec.club.
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