Examples of Introductory ‘why we are here’ section from Helium
showing the development of the text.
Version 1 220610
Written by Harry Wilson, section highlighted in yellow was taken from an article written by Tony Fitzpatrick in 2007 found on the website of Washington University in St. Louis http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/10754.aspx
Sarah: Hello…
Laurie is inflating some Helium balloons over there. We’re going to talk to you tonight about Helium.
Laurie: Before it’s too late.
Sarah: Laurie!
Laurie: What?
Sarah: There’s no need to scare them
Laurie: Well its true.
Sarah: Unfortunately, Laurie is right. According to Lee Sobotka of Washington University, St. Louis. The largest Helium reserve in Amarillo Texas is likely to have depleted in the next five years. So I would kindly ask that you are entertained by our presentation this evening. If you don’t enjoy it then it will have been a waste of this precious gas. Thank you.
Laurie: Sarah.
Sarah: Yes Laurie.
Laurie: Do we have enough balloons yet?
Sarah looks at the area DSL.
Sarah: No let’s swap.
Sarah starts inflating balloons.
Laurie: (Sheepishly to the audience) Hi…
Sarah: I think we’re ready for our first presentation now.
Version 2 120710
Sarah: We are here tonight to share some of our favourite things about Helium before its to late. It is impossible to recycle the Helium we will use during the performance, so we really hope that you enjoy what we’re doing.
Laurie really loves the French film ‘Le Ballon Rouge’or ‘The Red Balloon’. Earlier he described the opening sequence from the film and he might return to this again later.
These are some of his favourite things about the film…
Version 3 200810
Sarah: The element that lifts things like balloons, spirits and voice ranges is being depleted so rapidly in the world's largest reserve, outside of Amarillo, Texas, that supplies are expected to be used up within the next five years.
Laurie lets go of a balloon.
Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable. helium is a rebel, a loner, and it does not combine with other atoms.
Laurie releases another balloon.
Helium is the most Noble of gases, meaning it's very stable and non-reactive for the most part. When we use what has been made over the approximate 4.5 billion of years the Earth has been around, we will run out.
Laurie lets go of the final balloon. Silence.
Laurie: Which… is why… we’re here.
Laurie and Sarah join each other centre stage. Laurie puts his arm around Sarah.
Sarah and I would like to tell you a few of our favourite things about Helium. Now as Sarah said Helium is non- renewable and irreplaceable, and will eventually run out… Unfortunately… in this show we can’t recycle any of the Helium we will use, but we do think it is necessary in order to give you a true sense of the amazing properties of this gas. But we really do hope you enjoy it.
Sarah will now do a short demonstration about Helium, which I have kindly agreed to help out with.
Version 4 300810
Sarah: Helium is running out.
This is a fact.
The world’s largest reserve of Helium, outside Amarillo, Texas, is running out of gas.
The element that lifts things like balloons, voice ranges and children’s spirits is being depleted so rapidly that supplies are expected to be used up within the next five years.
Helium is the most Noble of gases, meaning it's very stable and non-reactive. It is a rebel, a loner, and it does not combine with other atoms.
Laurie releases another balloon.
Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable. When we use what has been made over the approximate 4.5 billion of years the Earth has been around, we will run out.
Laurie lets go of the final balloon. Silence.
Laurie: Which… is why… we’re here.
Laurie and Sarah join each other centre stage. Laurie puts his arm around Sarah.
Sarah and I would like to take this opportunity while we can to tell you about, and demonstrate for you, a few of our favourite things about Helium. Now as Sarah said Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable, and will eventually/ run out
Sarah: In five years/
Laurie: In this show, as you can see, we use real Helium. Now, recyling Helium is a complex, difficult, expensive, and high emissions process – that’s part of the problem really. Unfortunately this does mean that we can’t recycle the real Helium that we are using for this show for you tonight. So of course that means we really want you to enjoy it, and we’d just ask that you really go with us
Sarah nods, looking at audience
Just really try to commit, really give it some as an audience. If you’re feeling a bit sleepy, or still thinking about the last show you just saw, or secretly wishing you were out in the bar then perhaps now is the time to maybe just think about raising your game. Because otherwise, it really has been a bit of a waste.
Sarah: Thanks Laurie
Laurie: And so with that in mind, Sarah’s going to kick things of with our first demonstration, which I’m going to help out with. OK? Sarah.
Version 5 300810 edits by KH
Sarah: Helium is running out.
This is a fact.
The world’s largest reserve of Helium, outside Amarillo, Texas, is running out of gas.
The element that lifts things like balloons, voice ranges and children’s spirits is being depleted so rapidly that supplies are expected to be used up within the next five years.
Laurie lets go of a balloon.
Helium is the most Noble of gases, meaning it's very stable and non-reactive. It is a rebel, a loner, and it does not combine with other atoms.
Laurie releases another balloon.
Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable. When we use what has been made over the approximate 4.5 billion of years the Earth has been around, we will run out.
Laurie lets go of the final balloon. Silence.
THE FOLLOWING BIT I’VE CHANGED A FAIR BIT, IN A WAY WE DIDN’T QUITE DISCUSS, SO JUST SEE IT AS A SUGGESTION. THE AIM IS TO MAKE IT LESS APOLOGETIC, AND MORE A CALL FOR THE AUDIENCE TO GET ON BOARD, IN A KIND OF HUMOUROUS WAY. I THINK I QUITE LIKE IT, BUT DOES IT RISK BEING TOO ALIENATING? FEEL FREE TO CHANGE IT BACK OF COURSE - KH
Laurie: Which… is why… we’re here.
Laurie and Sarah join each other centre stage. Laurie puts his arm around Sarah.
Sarah and I would like to take this opportunity while we can to tell you about, and demonstrate for you, a few of our favourite things about Helium. Now as Sarah said Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable, and will eventually/ run out
Sarah: In five years/
Laurie: In this show, as you can see, we use real Helium. Now, recyling Helium is a complex, difficult, expensive, and high emissions process – that’s part of the problem really. Unfortunately this does mean that we can’t recycle the real Helium that we are using for this show for you tonight. So of course that means we really want you to enjoy it, and we’d just ask that you really go with us
Sarah nods, looking at audience
Just really try to commit, really give it some as an audience. If you’re feeling a bit sleepy, or still thinking about the last show you just saw, or secretly wishing you were out in the bar then perhaps now is the time to maybe just think about raising your game. Because otherwise, it really has been a bit of a waste.
Sarah: Thanks Laurie
Laurie: And so with that in mind, Sarah’s going to kick things of with our first demonstration, which I’m going to help out with. OK? Sarah.
Version 6 060910 developed in rehearsal with LB and SB
Sarah: Helium is running out.
This is a fact.
The world’s largest reserve of Helium, outside Amarillo, Texas, is running out of gas.
You may be familiar with Helium from such things as birthday parties, fun fayres, silly voices and childhood memories. But supplies are expected to be used up within the next five years.
Laurie lets go of a balloon.
Helium is non-renewable, so the earth won’t make any more. And irreplaceable, so we can’t make any more. When we use what has been made over the last 4.5 billion years, we will run out.
Laurie lets go of the final balloon. Silence.
Laurie: Which… is why… we’re here.
Laurie and Sarah join each other centre stage. Laurie puts his arm around Sarah.
Sarah and I would like to take this opportunity while we can to tell you about, and demonstrate for you, a few of our favourite things about Helium. Now as Sarah said Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable, and will eventually/ run out
Sarah: In five years/
Laurie: In this show, as you can see, we use real Helium. We haven’t
been using any Helium in rehearsals. Now, recycling Helium is a complex, difficult, expensive, and high emissions process – that’s part of the problem really. Unfortunately this does mean that we can’t recycle the real Helium that we are using for this show for you tonight. So of course that means we really want you to enjoy it, and we’d just ask that you really go with us
Sarah nods, looking at audience
Just really try to commit, really give it some as an audience. Because if you weren’t here then it would be a waste.
Sarah: Thanks Laurie
Laurie: And so with that in mind, Sarah’s going to kick things of with our first demonstration, which I’m going to help out with. OK? Sarah.
Sarah: Helium is running out.
This is a fact.
The world’s largest reserve of Helium, outside Amarillo, Texas, is running out of gas.
You may be familiar with Helium from such things as birthday parties, fun fayres, silly voices and childhood memories. But supplies are expected to be used up within the next five years.
Laurie lets go of a balloon.
Helium is non-renewable, so the earth won’t make any more. And irreplaceable, so we can’t make any more. When we use what has been made over the last 4.5 billion years, we will run out.
Laurie lets go of the final balloon. Silence.
Laurie: Which… is why… we’re here.
Laurie and Sarah join each other centre stage. Laurie puts his arm around Sarah.
Sarah and I would like to take this opportunity while we can to tell you about, and demonstrate for you, a few of our favourite things about Helium. This presentation is a celebration. It is also a chance to grieve. Now as Sarah said Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable, and will eventually/ run out
Sarah: In five years/
Laurie: If you could just pass that round. As you can see, in this presentation we use real Helium. Recycling Helium is a complex, expensive, and high emissions process. Unfortunately this does mean that we can’t recycle the real Helium that we are using tonight. So of course that means we really want you to enjoy it, and we’d just ask that you really go with us. Because if you weren’t here it would have been a waste.
Sarah: Thanks Laurie
Laurie: And so with that in mind, Sarah’s going to kick things of with our first demonstration, which I’m going to help out with.