Dr. Goldenball with Love Never Dies Twice |
List of Plays |
A Comedy Sketch by William Armstrong |
Braun walks across stage, stops, points gun at audience, and fires. Stage lighting turns red. Braun exits. Option 1 - A circular spotlight searches the darkened stage and then expands to fill the entire bare stage. Option 2 - Stagehand rushes on stage with a hoola hoop and moves it around. Lights up. Miss Manypunny is standing holding some file folders. Braun enters and tosses his hat toward a nonexistent hat rack. The hat falls to the floor.
BRAUN
Manypunny, what happened to your rack?
Manypunny looks down at her bust line and then bends over to pick up Braun's hat. In doing so, she aims her rear end at James.
BRAUN (continues)
... and your seat? Everything's bare in here.
Manypunny gazes dreamily at Braun while fondling his hat.
MANYPUNNY
Oh, James, not everything. [sigh]
BRAUN
I know what you're thinking, Manypunny, but it would violate the British Secret Service dress code.
Manypunny glides up to Braun and speaks in a soft, romantic voice.
MANYPUNNY
Oh, violate! James, violate!
EM
[calling from the next room] Buffalo's-heaven, if you can cut short the banter...
BRAUN
[to Manypunny] Duty calls. Another time, perhaps.
Manypunny sighs as Braun walks through an imaginary maze of many nested doors to reach Em's office. Manypunny exits.
EM
Come in, buffalo's-heaven.
BRAUN
Did you call me buffalo's-heaven? Why? Why not double-oh --
EM
Sorry, we can't use that other name. It's a trademark owned by some guy named Broccoli or Brussels' sprouts or something. And your name is Braun, James Braun.
BRAUN
Alright, I'll do it -- for the lawyers -- but answer me this: If police are "the long arm of the law", what body part do lawyers represent?
EM
Assuming that's a rhetorical question... I'd ask you to take a seat, but it looks like someone already has.
BRAUN
All the furniture is missing!
EM
Nothing gets past you, does it?
BRAUN
Where is everything? Have we been burgled?
EM
No, it's the budget cutbacks. We had to sell off everything. And would you please drop the phony Scottish accent, buffalo's-heaven?
BRAUN
Did that sound Scottish to you? I was trying to do the Queen's English.
EM
The queen's voice is much higher than yours. Try Jamaican for a change.
BRAUN
Ahl right, mon.
EM
Anyway, I'm working to get our funding back. I have an appointment on the 9th at 8 AM with the P.M. and 7 M.P.'s to discuss MI6's empty coffers.
BRAUN
You sold off everything? Even our secret files?
EM
Yes, at a Scotland Yard sale.
BRAUN
How could you let outsiders take all of our files!? Isn't that a security breech?
EM
We've got all sorts of breeches during this crisis. That's why I've called you here.
BRAUN
You want me to fill your breeches?
EM
Thank you, no! We've got another super villain out to rule the world, and this time, he's bought up all of our secret files.
BRAUN
Has my cover been blown?
EM gives Braun a long skeptical look trying to decide if he meant that last comment as a sexual innuendo. Eventually she continues...
EM
I'm not going to touch that line, but, yes. Between this security leak and the 20 blockbuster movies about you, the evil Dr. Goldman knows that you are a secret agent. Well, I guess it's not a secret anymore, so now you're just an agent. Well, come to think of it, you've never been much of an agent, either. You're more of a ruthless killer and womanizer and --
BRAUN
Okay! I get the idea. I can't believe that Dr. Goldman would turn out to be a super villain. He was my pediatrician as a child.
EM
He was a pediatrician as a child?
BRAUN
No, I was a child. He was a pediatrician.
EM
You must be thinking of a different Dr. Goldman. This man is a maniac bent on world domination who got his degree from the Close-Cover-Before-Striking School of Mad Science.
BRAUN
It has to be the same man. The reason that I can withstand any torture now is because of the pain and suffering I endured in Dr. Goldman's office.
EM
Well, you probably won't recognize him. About two years ago he was in a terrible accident (something to do with yo-yos and ant farms), and he underwent extensive reconstructive surgery. He needed a dozen prosthetic limbs and organs. A dentist did the work. Instead of silicone and plastic, the dentist substituted gold.
BRAUN
So, you want me to butt heads with this villain?
EM
Buttheads?
BRAUN
Butt -- heads.
EM
No, buffalo's-heaven, I want you to neutralize him, [with Swarzenegger accent] terminate him, [with stooge Curly Joe accent] moidellize him, [with Jackie Gleason accent] send him "to the moon", [back to normal accent] kill him. Understand?
BRAUN
Perfectly. Send flowers to his widow.
EM
Let me have your pistol. We're replacing your Walther PPK with a Water peewee-K.
Em exchanges guns with Braun. Braun gets a little water pistol. He squirts the water pistol at nothing (in profile), and then at the audience.
BRAUN
I never had such a small gun.
EM
So I'm told.
BRAUN
What am I going to do with a water pistol?
EM
Q got that little cutie on the Q. T. from QVC. He had a suggestion about it.
BRAUN
A Q tip?
EM
You might say that. I wouldn't, but you might say that. Q was going to fill it with acid, but the acid keeps melting the guns. For now, just fill it with hot sauce from Taco Bell. Not the regular hot sauce, the one they call "Fire".
Braun fires the squirt gun at Em's face in an instinctive reaction to the command "Fire".
BRAUN
Oops, sorry. It was just a gut reaction to that word.
EM
What word? Do you mean "Fire"?
Braun fires the squirt gun at Em's face.
EM (continues)
You do that one more time, and I'll fi-- [pause] ...give you your walking papers. Let me have that.
Em snatches the gun from Braun and squirts him. Then she hands the gun back to Braun.
EM (continues)
Now, put that away! You don't have a license to squirt.
Braun stuffs the gun into his pocket.
BRAUN
Do you know where Goldman is hiding?
EM
He's in the book, under "Mad Scientists".
EM dismisses Braun with a wave of her hand. Lights dim. All exit. Manypunny, wearing a seductive outfit, enters to center stage. Braun returns wearing a tuxedo T-shirt.
BRAUN
Manypunny?! [almost whispering] Are you working undercover?
MANYPUNNY
I'd get under the covers with you any time, James. But, no, I don't work for British Intelligence anymore.
BRAUN
What happened?
MANYPUNNY
They couldn't pay my salary, so EM laid me off. [touching Braun's chest seductively]
I would have preferred it if you had laid me off.
BRAUN
So what are you doing here?
MANYPUNNY
I work for the evil Dr. Goldman now. My first job is to seduce you.
BRAUN
Hmm, well, now that we're on opposite sides, I don't see any reason why we can't have a cheap, meaningless affair.
MANYPUNNY
Oh, James, James!
Braun sweeps her into his arms and sways wildly back and forth to suggest a passionate encounter. Two stage hands rush in holding up a blanket that completely hides the two. They hit the blanket a couple of times and make cooing sounds. Finally, stage hands exit, the two part, still breathing heavily. Each of them pretends to smoke a cigarette.
MANYPUNNY (continues)
Now I'm supposed to kill you, James.
BRAUN
I understand. You have a duty to your employer, even if he is a Godless, unwashed, commie pink-o bed-wetter.
MANYPUNNY
Oh, James, I love it when you talk about "bed". You know I could never hurt you.
BRAUN
I'm not so sure. That contortion thing you did with your back a minute ago kind of strained something.
MANYPUNNY
That I could do, but I could never kill you.
BRAUN
I hope you realize that now I have to kill you. The problem is that all I have is my squirt gun filled with hot sauce.
Manypunny pauses, undecided. Then she continues soberly.
MANYPUNNY
I'm not going to touch that line.
BRAUN
I'm really sorry, Miss Manypunny.
MANYPUNNY
Oh, James my love, now that I'm a Braun girl, call me Glitterpuss.
BRAUN
Gutterbliss?
MANYPUNNY
Glitterpuss!
BRAUN
Of course. How were you supposed to kill me?
MANYPUNNY
Dr. Goldman told me to shoot you between the eyes.
BRAUN
Then you must have a gun. Why don't you give it to me, so I can kill you?
Manypunny hands a nasty-looking hand gun to Braun.
MANYPUNNY
You're so clever. Here you go. At least I'll die a happy woman, a complete woman.
BRAUN
Dr. Goldman will hear the shot and think that you have completed your assignment. Now, after I fire the shot, I want you to go straight back to MI6 HQ and see EM PDQ. You see?
MANYPUNNY
But how can I do that? I'll be dead.
BRAUN
Don't be silly, Glitterpuss. I'm just going to shoot into the wall. Now run along.
Braun swats Manypunny on the bottom as he ushers her off stage right. Then he casually shoots one shot upstage left. A brunette woman sniper, mortally wounded, staggers out from some hiding place near where Braun aimed his shot. She stumbles into Braun's arms.
BRAUN (continues)
Who are you?
SNIPER
I'm a sniper. I was supposed to kill you if Glitterpuss didn't have the nerve to do it. I was the back-up.
BRAUN
Alright, back up.
Braun walks the dying sniper backwards off stage right. He holsters the gun and walks toward stage left in mime fashion (not really moving). Dr. Goldman appears from stage left (christy-walking* like he's standing still) as if Braun were entering his lair. Scenery can also be moved from stage left for effect. Goldman looks up in surprise.
DOCTOR
I thought you were dead.
BRAUN
I'm not dead, Dr. Goldman.
DOCTOR
Drat! I can never tell with you British. Well, Mr. Bondo --
BRAUN
Not Bondo -- Braun, James Braun.
DOCTOR
How did you get past my assassin?
BRAUN
She fell in love with me.
DOCTOR
Was she the emotionless brunette?
BRAUN
No, blonde, game blonde.
Goldman shrugs and walks to a small liquor cabinet.
DOCTOR
Can I make you a drink?
BRAUN
No, I'd rather remain a secret agent and God's gift to women.
DOCTOR
What I meant was: can I make a drink for you?
BRAUN
Oh, of course, a vodka martini.
DOCTOR
A vodka martini. I'll give it whirl with my gold finger.
BRAUN
Whirled is not enough. I like it shaken, not stirred. Where did you get that hickey?
DOCTOR
Oh, that was from the last spy who investigated me, the spy who loved me. She was on her majesty's secret service, disguised as a tennis player in Moscow, but she never once scored -- at least not on the tennis court. She came from Russia with "love". Get it? "Love" means zero score in tennis.
BRAUN
I prefer baseball. The sound of the bat like thunder, ball racing toward the bleachers. Baseball diamonds are forever.
DOCTOR
I'd heard about your bad puns, but you must have a poetic licence to kill. Well, I don't need a license. I'm the man with the golden gun.
Mad scientist approaches Braun menacingly (with golden gun).
BRAUN
Doctor, No! You're scaring the living daylights out of me.
DOCTOR
I say, "live and let die".
BRAUN
I'd rather die another day.
DOCTOR
Tomorrow never dies.
BRAUN
Never say never again, because you only live twice.
DOCTOR
No, Mr. Braun, You're going to have a view to a kill ...for your eyes only.
BRAUN
You're the one with the golden eye.
Both men pause as if at a loss for what to do next.
DOCTOR
How are we going to work Octopussy and Moonraker into this bit?
BRAUN
I think we just did.
DOCTOR
Well, like I said, I'm going to kill you. I became a doctor so that I could kill people legally.
BRAUN
What a coincidence. I became a spy so that I could kill people legally.
DOCTOR
Isn't that against international law and the rules of decency?
BRAUN
Britannia waives the rules.
Braun whips out the gun he got from Manypunny and points it at Goldman.
DOCTOR
Ha! Is that the gun I gave your "girlfriend"? It only had one bullet in it, the bullet that was supposed to go between your eyes. Now I'll have to waste a solid gold bullet on you, Mr. Bummed.
BRAUN
Braun, James Braun.
Braun suddenly delivers a roundhouse kick to Goldman's hand and knocks the gun to the floor. A slapstick karate fight ensues. Face slapping, foot stomping, tripping, tooth spitting, eye poking, butt kicking, hand chopping, faking right hitting left, etc.
Goldman trips Braun.
BRAUN (continues)
Hey, that's not fair.
DOCTOR
It's the ancient oriental art of Trip Ping.
BRAUN
I've never heard of it, and I'm an expert in every form of Martial arts.
DOCTOR
Do you know Art Marshall, my insurance agent?
BRAUN
No, but I know karate ...and 8 other Japanese words. I'd guess that a mad scientist bent on world domination would have a tough time getting insurance.
DOCTOR
Couldn't be any worse than a double-oh secret agent.
BRAUN
Tell me about it! Try getting auto insurance when you trash about three cars per movie. Even that little gecko hangs up when I call.
DOCTOR
Right, the only way to do it is to waive the comprehensive coverage and just go for the liability and medical.
BRAUN
Oh, don't get me started on medical insurance.
Goldman stomps on Braun's foot.
BRAUN (continues)
Hey, I wasn't ready. You bad guys always fight dirty. I'm amazed that heroes, such as myself, ever succeed at all.
DOCTOR
Stop complaining. You have one thing I'll never have.
BRAUN
What's that? Charisma? Charm? A 23-inch --
DOCTOR
[interrupting] No! No, you have scriptwriters -- those pasty-skinned weasels who've never had a 'life' so they live out their fantasies through guys like you. Well, I've solved that problem. I don't follow the script.
Goldman catches a nasty-looking laser rifle tossed in from off stage and levels it at Braun.
DOCTOR (continues)
This is the end, Mr. Braun.
BRAUN
I'm sure the audience will be grateful for that.
Goldman fires the weapon at Braun. A ping pong ball pops out instead of a deadly laser beam.
BRAUN (continues)
Controlling the script isn't enough, Goldman, if your opponent has an "in" with the prop mistress. How would you like to die? ...sucked out of an airplane? swallowing a CO2 cartridge? being ground up by a snow blower? buried in mud? ...or the ever-popular fatal explosion?
DOCTOR
You're the one with a scriptwriter. Surprise me.
Em, Manypunny, and sniper jump out and yell "Surprise!" They are wearing party hats. They twirl noisemakers and blow party blowers. Goldman clutches his chest and staggers toward Braun.
DOCTOR (continues)
I've never been guest of honor at a surprise party. I don't think my heart can take it. Argh!
Goldman falls over, dead. He produces a lily from nowhere and holds it on his chest as he lies dead. Braun takes his pulse and looks at his watch.
BRAUN
Either this man is dead or my watch has stopped.
Braun mimics Groucho Marx tapping an ash from his cigar. Braun crosses to the women. They pose around Braun like a typical 007 movie poster. Lights outs.
NARRATOR
Filmed at Pinebox Studios, London. All rights reserved. No animals were harmed during the making of this film.
A puppeteer with a weasel puppet appears in a spotlight at center stage.
WEASEL
I disagree. Weasels everywhere have suffered irreparable psychological harm being compared with scriptwriters.
NARRATOR
Right, well, except for that, no animals were harmed. James Braun will return in The Spy Who Mooned Forever.
Blackout. End of sketch.
* Christy-walking: a coined word for a method of moving sideways without appearing to be walking. It means to shuffle sideways by alternately moving ones toes then ones heels together while shifting body weight. "Christy" comes from the skiing term "stem christie" where the toes are angled in (like a snowplow turn) and brought back to parallel.
Copyright © 2004-2007 William Armstrong
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