Act II – Scene 6

Comfortably Numb

Setting – Hotel room, 1968 and Surrey, England, 1948.

(The stage is still dark as background music from the last song is heard. The TV and chair are brought out again and PINK enters and sits in it. Door knocking is heard.)

PINK's MANAGER (offstage VO): Time to go! Time to go!

(The lights come on to PINK in his chair. He is unconscious and barely breathing. The background music stops as PINK's MANAGER, the HOTEL MANAGER, and the DOCTOR enter.)

PINK's MANAGER: Fuck me! He's gone completely off the bleedin' twist!

HOTEL MANAGER: My room! This is the most luxurious suite in the whole damn hotel and he's torn it apart!

(PINK's MANAGER walks up to PINK and grabs his shoulders.)

PINK's MANAGER: You vicious bastard! You never liked me, did you?

DOCTOR: He's unconscious. I'll have to take a look at him.

(The DOCTOR moves PINK's MANAGER away and gets on PINK's level as the music starts. The DOCTOR prepares his things and examines PINK.)

DOCTOR:

Hello?

Is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me.

Is there anyone at home?

Come on, now,

I hear you're feelin' down,

Well, I can ease your pain,

And get you on your feet again.

HOTEL MANAGER: The boy's an asthmatic.

PINK's MANAGER: Asthmatic?!

(PINK's MANAGER walks over to the DOCTOR in protest. The DOCTOR disregardes te outburst. He turns to PINK's MANAGER.

DOCTOR

Relax!

PINK's MANAGER: No! He's an artist!

(The DOCTOR disregards him and turns back to examine PINK.)

DOCTOR:

I'll need some information, first,

Just the basic facts.

Can you show me where it hurts?

(The DOCTOR addresses PINK and the two MANAGERS.)

There is no pain, you are receding,

A distant ship smoke on the horizon,

You are only coming through in waves,

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying.

(The three freeze in place as PINK begins to sing. Enter KID PINK slowly, holding and petting a dead rat in his arms.)

PINK:

When I was a child,

I had a fever.

My hands felt just like two balloons,

Now I've got that feeling once again,

I cannot explain, you would not understand,

This is not who I am,

I have become comfortably numb.

(Enter WINIFRED as a guitar solo begins. She walks over to KID PINK and he shows her the rat and she scolds him inaudibly, directing him to throw the dead rat away. Exit WINIFRED while KID PINK still holds the rat.)

PINK:

I have become comfortably numb.

(Exit KID PINK. The DOCTOR pulls out a shot.)

DOCTOR:

Ok,

Just a little pinprick,

There'll be no more,

(The DOCTOR injects the shot into PINK's arm. He is immediately knowledgeable of it.)

PINK:

Aaaahh!

DOCTOR:

But you may feel a little sick.

(Exit HOTEL MANAGER. The DOCTOR and PINK's MANAGER try to help PINK up.)

DOCTOR:

Can you stand up?

I do believe it's working…good.

That'll keep you going for the show.

PINK's MANAGER:

Come on, it's time to go.

(PINK is staggering while the others help him walk.)

DOCTOR:

There is no pain, you are receding,

A distant ship smoke on the horizon,

You are only coming through in waves,

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying.

(The DOCTOR, PINK's MANAGER, and PINK exit as PRE-TEEN PINK enters, petting the dead rat, staring at the audience.)

PINK (offstage VO):

When I was child, I caught a fleeting glimpse,

Out of the corner of my eye,

I turned to look but it was gone,

I cannot put my finger on it now,

The child is grown,

The dream is gone,

(PRE-TEEN PINK dangles the rat by the tail and drops it into the orchestra pit, or if there is not one, exits while still dangling the rat.)

I have become comfortably numb.

(A guitar solo plays as the lights change different colors and PINK enters again. Enter THE WORMS, who encircle PINK, who is afraid. The four pick PINK up and carry him offstage, and as the song ends, the quickly bring out FASCIST PINK. Black out. The TV and chair are taken offstage.)