Six characters perform an oscillation of repetitive actions, dialogue, and prop-based tomfoolery in an open plan gallery. The goal is to elicit broad associative themes. As the onslaught of performative stimulus becomes normalized through repetition and duration, the characters become allegorical and relatable. A personal reading may come into focus. The characters in this piece are Trolley Fornicator, Holiday Bragger, 5 Year Old Picasso, Teenager, Free Spirit, and Treadmill Vacation. The performance lasts twenty minutes and cycles twice through Default Actions, Variation #1, Default Actions, Variation #2. The piece ends abruptly with all characters moving into a line at center stage and bowing to all sides.

Default Actions: Two shopping carts move in and out of each other like sex, pulled by the Trolley Fornicator and Holiday Bragger. The sound is metallic and incessant. 5 Year Old Picasso sits on the floor with an inflatable palm tree, drawing with crayons on paper. 5 Year Old Picasso is in fact a large man in Batman underwear and a small T-shirt. Free Spirit wears a white Hazmat suit and swims in place atop a large stretched blue jean canvas that is face down on the floor. Teenager sits at the edge of the space playing “Fortnite” on a Nintendo Switch with a Ripstik at their feet and an AK-47 rifle on their lap. Treadmill Vacation walks in place balanced by a geriatric walker with a small table attached to it. They pick up sheets of paper from the table and admire the printed landscapes, slowly moving the images past their head in profile to replicate passing through that environment. Once the print is past their periphery it is dropped on the floor and another print is picked up and enjoyed the same way. Once all ten pictures have been used, Treadmill Vacation rolls around and picks up the paper prints from the floor, organizes them onto the table, and repeats.

Variation #1: Free Spirit stands, retrieves a suitcase, and puts on a blank face mask. 5 Year Old Picasso moves his palm tree to the shopping carts. Trolley Fornicator and Holiday Bragger lift the blue jean canvas upright, revealing a naive painting of suns. Standing in front of this backdrop, they brag about the places they’ve traveled, often cutting each other off and beginning a new story about a new destination. 5 Year Old Picasso takes happy snap photos with a disposable flash camera. Free Spirit walks intently through the space with the rolling suitcase, stopping briefly here and there to look slowly left and right. After three minutes all performers return to their default actions.

Variation #2: The Teenager stands and places the Nintendo Switch on their chair. They ride the Ripstik around the perimeter of the space, aiming the AK-47 rifle at Free Spirit. Free Spirit has risen from swimming in place and is dancing, jumping, and flailing throughout the gallery while making the noises of a gun and bombs with their mouth. After three minutes, exhausted, Free Spirit and Teenager return to their default actions.