Dorothy Burnham walks onto stage. The audience bristles with anticipation.
Item #: SCP-8730
Object Class: Euclid/Uncontained
Special Containment Procedures: The show must go on.
Description: SCP-8730 is Dorothy Burnham, a retired actress and current Foundation agent. SCP-8730 is the sole individual capable of performing SCP-8730-1.
SCP-8730-1 is an altered copy of Euripides' "Medea". SCP-8730-1 has been restructured to incorporate a mise en abyme structure.
SCP-8730-1 must be continually performed so as to halt the ongoing XK-Class "Curtain Close" Scenario.
Addendum: Performance Transcript
SCENE 1
Burnham, playing Medea, limps onstage, screaming about a monster following her. She begs for help, before proceeding into a brief diatribe, lamenting Jason's betrayal.
Burnham pauses, waiting for a response. She proceeds to go silent for 15 seconds.
Burnham expectantly awaits the arrival of her co-star, he does not appear.
Burnham looks around confused.
90 seconds elapse.
Burnham decides to break character, looking around. She proceeds backstage, finding no-one. She returns to the stage and apologizes to the audience. They laugh.
Burnham sighs and closes the curtains.
END SCENE
SCENE 2
Burnham returns backstage as the first interlude progresses. Burnham is unable to locate any other actors, but finds the director, J. Campbell.
They perform the following dialogue:
Burnham: What the fuck is going on?
Campbell: The show.
Burnham: Where is Joel?
Campbell: He couldn't make it tonight.
Burnham: It's a two man act!
Campbell: Not anymore. There's been a recast. We'll make it work. Trust me.
Campbell hands Burnham a sheet. She reads it.
Character
Actor
Medea
Dorothy Burnham
Jason
Dorothy Burnham
J. Campbell
Dorothy Burnham
Dorothy Burnham
Dorothy Burnham
Burnham looks up, opening her mouth to speak, but discovers that Campbell has dissapeared.
She spends several minutes looking for him, but fails.
END SCENE
SCENE 3
Burnham emerges onto the stage. She looks around, dizzy. The audience has doubled in capacity. The exit doors are no longer visible.
She takes a deep breath, and orates the following diatribe:
Burnham: I don't know what's going on. I really don't.
Burnham: I don't know why the others thought they were better than you, that their time was more important, because they're not, and it's not.
Burnham: I don't know why they stood you up.
Burnham: I am afraid. I am nervous. I can admit that now. I am scared of all of you. How you don't murmur, don't react. Like this is just some fucking play. Laughing when you think you're supposed to laugh. Crying when you think you're supposed to cry.
Burnham: I'm not sure you even know what those feelings are.
Burnham: Do you?
Burnham: It doesn't matter. You paid good money to come here. I owe you something. I owe you a show.
Burnham sighs.
Burnham: You're gonna get one. Even if I have to read every line, dance every dance, weep every tear.
Burnham swallows.
Burnham: You're gonna get a show.
Burnham takes a deep breath.
Her leg breaks violently in half.
END SCENE
SCENE 4
Burnham is backstage. She attempts to call emergency services to obtain treatment for her leg.
The call fails to make a connection. Before Burnham can press the 'end call' button, the camera app opens.
She attempts to close it, but only succeeds in activating the front-facing camera.
She presses the power button to turn the phone off, it does nothing.
The camera starts to record a video.
Burnham throws the phone away.
END SCENE
SCENE 5
Burnham emerges onto stage, flustered. She takes a deep breath and begins to act, indicating the switching of roles via physically moving between two spots.
Over the next hour, Burnham grows increasingly tired and overwhelmed. Her words begin to slur together, frustrating her.
As the play draws to a close, Burnham's words become unintelligible.
The audience does not react.
Burnham at last finishes, moving to center stage, and taking a bow.
The audience does not clap.
Burnham closes the curtains, and proceeds backstage, yet, upon passing the threshold, Burnham finds herself back onstage.
Burnham performs the following line:
Burnham: So that's how it is.
Burnham recites the first line of SCP-8730-1, restarting the performance.
END SCENE
SCENE 6
Burnham is curled in the fetal position on center stage. She has been performing the play for over 700 consecutive hours.
She is crying. Due to the cold temperature of the room, the tears do not evaporate.
As Burnham cries, a puddle begins to form, spreading across the stage.
Burnham's clothes become soaked through. She does not appear to notice.
The stage fills, the water only held in place by a small lip at the edge.
A single teardrop escapes the lip and falls off stage.
The audience claps.
END SCENE
SCENE 7
Burnham awakens backstage at a metal table.
Another version of her enters, Agent Burnham.
They perform the following dialogue:
Agent Burnham: I'm special agent Burnham, SCP Foundation.
Burnham fails to recognize that Agent Burnham is, in fact, her.
Burnham: What's going on? Can you get me out of here?
Agent Burnham: No, Ms. Burnham, I can't. But I'll do you one better. I'm gonna help you save the world.
Burnham buries her head in her hands.
Agent Burnham: Are you familiar with the structure of mise en abyme?
Burnham: Not really.
Agent Burnham: Good.
Recognition dawns in Burnhams eyes.
Burnham: Are you…?
Agent Burnham nods, and stabs Burnham's arm with an amnestic needle.
Agent Burnham performs the following line:
Agent Burnham: It's time for another round, Ms. Burnham.
Burnham looks up at Agent Burnham, panicking and in pain. She screams at the top of her lungs.
Agent Burnham gently removes the needle.
Burnham, terrified, begins to run.
Agent Burnham produces another needle, and begins to walk after her.
Burnham, playing Burnham, limps onto stage, screaming about a monster following her.
END SCENE