Lavaropas: Scene 1

Lavaropas


Scene 1


Set in a small laundrette on a small side street just off the infamous tourist-infested rambla. On the back wall there are 2 tiers of 3 dryers, and to the far right on the wall there is a seemingly complex payment machine, mapped out by uncertain diagrams and codes. There is something resembling a breakfast bar dividing the dryers from the washing machines and chairs – 4 washers left and 2 larger washers right. 2 sets of 3 chairs facing each other centre stage. Small bench next to door which is far right. The sound of a single washing maching moving into spincycle. Lights up on a solitary traveller (Quinn) in his late 20s, empty rucksack under his feet, unkempt beard and dark rings under his eyes- he is semi-hidden behind an apple mac laptop screen. Irritable fingers type anxiously. He doesn't even glance up as Jane arrives. She is also in her late twenties, white enough to be a tourist for sure. She heaves her full red ikea bag onto the floor next to machine 3 on the left hand side, shoves the dirty washing indiscicrimately inside and fumbles inside her handbag for her laundry card -cash might be simpler but using the card is 15% cheaper. She can't find it and in growing frustration she moves over to the bench by the door where she unhesittingly tips out the contents of her bag and triumphantly moves to the payment machine a the back with the card key. She prods away at various buttons, returns to machine 3, does some more prodding and finally the machine lights up -27 minutes to go – and the water begins to run. Jane signs, picks her book off the floor, where it fell in the bag-emptying venture – and after retrieving lip-balm and tishues from under the bench she settles on the chair opposite Quinn -who has continued to type frantically since she entered – and opens her book – an argentine play called Little Red Riding Hood.