Experimental formatting- Chinese screenplay

Edited 4th May 2006: a sloppy English translation has been appended to this post.


序幕
人物：陈一维，Tracey，大厨师，餐厅顾客
场景：某餐厅之bar

（餐厅顾客少。一维在bar内的洗碗盆洗杯子。Tracey在对面与他聊天。）

Tracey：你是从马来西亚来的是吗？
一维：对，靠近首都吉隆坡。那么你呢？
Tracey：我来自中国。
一维：中国哪一部？
Tracey：四川。

（厨房双门打开，大厨师升出上半身。）
大厨师：（对着一维，摆手叫他过去）来，来。有空就教你点东西。

（一维把杯子冲干净，双手抹干，跟大厨师入厨房。Tracey继续洗杯。）

大厨师：现在不忙就可指给你看怎么准备铁板鱿鱼。（拿出个木板， 到火炉，从旁拿一个铁钩，便用钩把炉上烧着的铁盘托到木板上。在铁盘上落些生洋葱，加些食油。从炉上拿起蜗。）如果很忙的话，我就把煮好的料倒在碗里。你要准备铁板然后把料倒上。最后加点酒上去，就好了。

（大厨师把蜗里的鱿鱼倒上铁盘，然后加上米酒。盘里啥了一声。）
（一维从厨房拿出铁板鱿鱼和一盘白饭，摆在客人桌上。）

一维：Your sizzling calamari and a steamed rice.
客人：Looks good. Thank you.
一维：Enjoy your dinner.

（一维回到bar边站。Tracey还洗着杯子。）

Tracey：今天是你第一天在这里工作？
一维：第二天。昨晚我也有来。
Tracey：你以前有在餐馆做过吗？
一维：没有。这是第一次。
Tracey：哦，那么以前做什么种工？
一维：近来都没有做工。
Tracey：（吃一小经，从洗碗盆望上）哇，好幸福呀！
一维：（不知如何回答）Errrr…

（两人静一阵。Tracey洗杯，一维注意着顾客们。）

Tracey：（想想后）读书时不用打工都瞒爽的。。。
一维：那是真的。时间多，压力也少。
Tracey：还可以参入各种学会和活动。
一维：对呀。

（两个客人从前门进入餐馆。）

Tracey：（把头轻轻地向前方点一点）有人到。

（一维拿两本菜板，去欢迎顾客。）

（序幕终）


***


Prologue
Characters: Yee Wei, Tracey, Head Chef, restaurant customers
Scene: A restaurant
Language: Chinese/Mandarin

(There are very few customers in the restaurant. Yee Wei is at the bar’s sink washing some glasses. Tracey stands across the bar.)

Tracey: You are from Malaysia, is that right?
Yee Wei: Yes, close to the capital Kuala Lumpur. Yourself?
Tracey: I’m from China。
Yee Wei: Which part of China?
Tracey: Szechuan.

(The kitchen’s double doors open and the Head Chef leans out.)

Head Chef: (To Yee Wei, waving his hands to invite him over) Come, come. I’ll show you around while we have time.

(Yee Wei finishes cleaning the cup, dries his hands and follows the Head Chef into the kitchen. Tracey takes over washing the remaining cups.)

Head Chef: Now that we’re not busy I’ll show you how to prepare a sizzling calamari dish.

(The Head Chef reaches for a wooden tray, heads towards the gas stoves and grabs an iron hook from a side counter. Using the iron hook, he manipulates the steel dish on the burner and puts it on the wooden tray. He then adds some raw onion pieces, a dash of oil and removes a wok from the main stoves.)

Head Chef: If we’re busy, I will pour the cooked calamari into a bowl here. You’ll have to prepare the hot plate and pour the calamari onto the dish. Finally, add a dash of cooking wine, and off you go.

(The Head Chef pours the calamari into the heated dish, and adds some wine. They make a noisy hiss as each ingredient contacts the hot metal.)
(Yee Wei brings the dish of sizzling calamari and a plate of rice to a customer’s table.)

Yee Wei: Your sizzling calamari and a steamed rice.
Customer: Looks good. Thank you.
Yee Wei: Enjoy your dinner.

(Yee Wei returns to the bar’s side. Tracey is still washing glasses.)

Tracey: Is this your first day here?
Yee Wei: Second day. I worked yesterday night too.
Tracey: I see. Have you worked in any other restaurants in the past?
Yee Wei: No. This is my first.
Tracey: Oh. So what kind of work did you do before?
Yee Wei: I haven’t worked in recent times.
Tracey: (Surprised, and looks up from the glasses) Wow, how fortunate!
Yee Wei: (speechless) Ermm…

(They keep quiet for a while. Tracey continues washing the glasses, Yee Wei keeps an eye on the customers.)

Tracey: (after some contemplation) It must be nice to not have to work while studying…
Yee Wei: That’s true. You have a bit more time and less stress.
Tracey: And you can join the activities of carious clubs and groups too.
Yee Wei: Yup.

(Two new customers enter the restaurant.)

Tracey: (Nodding gently towards the front of the restaurant) Customers.

(Yee Wei grabs two menus and goes forward to greets the new customers.)

(End Prologue)


Personal