The audience comprise a broad cast of celebrated professionals and assorted students....
Background music plays so that gentle strains can be heard
as the audience take their seats
The empty stage has a large screen backdrop
with the following image prominently displayed
Once the audience have settled into their seats, the lights dim throughout the auditorium and someone 'unknown as yet' steps out grinning....and wearing an unusual outfit....
"Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening, and thank you all for attending!"
Laughing she continues by first looking towards her feet and then explaining, "Well I couldn't decide what to wear, in fact... I've got to be honest, there's a number of 'changes' planned to occur during the evening. So to assist me with this......."
At this point a full length mirror is brought out on stage between the screen and the speaker and arranged so it's facing the audience.
The speaker thanks the person who brings this out (by name) and explains the 'prop' to the audience....
"You know what women are like?"
(apologetic smile) "Phew..... okay...... "
The speaker now explains to the audience, "Now.... Some of you may have already noticed there are a number of cameras strategically arranged around the theatre (the speaker encompasses by gesture). This is so we can provide spontaneous reactions to the presentation .... with 'live' images on the large screen behind me (indicates). If you feel the need to wave Please try to keep the motion restricted (demonstrated with a swift, short, happy smiley 'reveal' wave to camera) whenever you see yourself on screen.
(With this she half turns toward screen as the original image replaces the 'live feed' and, as if she's never seen the image before - takes a good long hard look before turning slowly back to face the audience - she says....)
"That's very interesting, I don't suppose anyone in here has a clue who or what that means?"
(takes another look towards it....... then - dragging her attention away - proceeds)
"Right .... Now..... in order to proceed, I'm going to need two happy volunteers - a man and a woman. Now, you'll be relieved to know, for the purpose of this demonstration I don't need a couple or any complex mathematical codes solved.
This is easy stuff, we're talking child's play.
However, Both volunteers need to be highly intelligent, independent and imaginative thinkers.
They don't need to have a (laboured to rapid digit counting) computational, psychology - any other 'ology - or law degree to appreciate the basic principles involved within this next demonstration.....you are still allowed to volunteer if you do. but more importantly they must have been capable of reading and writing from ....about the age of 7 and ....also feel comfortable having a spontaneous chat with a stranger in front of the rest of us... let me think,.... Yes...okay, ...it doesn't matter if they're married or single, okay?"
"So, would anyone who's confident admitting to being both intelligent and independent please stand up now"
(cameras scan the audience)
Eventually a couple of people are selected and two separate volunteers step forward to shake hands with the speaker who explains to the audience.....(as two large boxes are brought out and set beside each of the volunteers at the front and either end of the stage)
"Perception,".... "There are a number of pre-set conditions that I need you to keep in mind throughout for the purpose of being fair and equal during this demonstration....
First and most obvious is that, there are other people watching from varying distances (indicating the audience).
You're allowed to move around the area you're in, but ..........
(to be continued)
.
