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tsaurus
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Posted: Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 09:08 pm |
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For those who were interested enough to read more, here is the second scene. This completes the first half of the play.
Again, apologies for the odd formatting - some of the stage directions have reset themselves to lower case for no apparent reason - Hope you can see through the untidiness to the play beneath.
I have tried to attach a zipped version of the original WORD file - if it works, it might be a more convenient way of viewing the text.
without further ado.....
ACT I SCENE 2: 10am Tuesday.
CHLOE IS CLEARLY NERVOUS. MARCUS AND MARY (AS 'THE CHILDREN') ARE SITTING CROSS LEGGED ON THE FLOOR QUIETLY PLAYING A GAME OF SNAKES AND LADDERS. THE DOORBELL RINGS, THE CHILDREN EXCHANGE A NERVOUS LOOK. CHLOE PAUSES, NOT WANTING TO APPEAR TOO EAGER, THEN GOES SLOWLY OVER TO ANSWER THE DOOR. AS EXPECTED, IT IS DAVID)
CHLOE: David.
DAVID: Chloe.
CHLOE: I use Betty now. Here.
DAVID: As you wish. Betty.
CHLOE: You’d better come in. (PAUSE)
DAVID: It has been a long time.
CHLOE: Almost three years.
DAVID: Since the accident.
CHLOE: I didn’t think we would see you again.
DAVID: No?
CHLOE: I heard you had moved. Australia.
DAVID: That’s right.
CHLOE: How is it? Good?
DAVID: Very good.
CHLOE: What brings you back here?
DAVID: Some business. Things to resolve.
CHLOE: Have a seat.
DAVID: Thank you.
CHLOE: Drink?
DAVID: Too early for me.
CHLOE: I meant tea or coffee.
DAVID: No, I’m fine thank you.
CHLOE: I hope you haven’t come all this way to see her? She won’t see you, you know.
DAVID: How do you know?
CHLOE: She won’t see anyone … out of context. Just a moment – children, run off and play somewhere else, will you. Go and play on the porch, it’s nice outside, but stay close in case Mommie needs you.
OBEDIENTLY THE CHILDREN PICK UP THEIR GAME AND LEAVE THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR
DAVID: Jesus. This is worse than I thought.
CHLOE: Don’t judge me, David. Not now, you have no right.
DAVID: I’m not judging you, Chloe.
CHLOE: Betty.
DAVID: I’m not judging you. I just want to see him.
CHLOE: She won’t see you.
DAVID: Won’t, or you won’t let him?
CHLOE: Won’t.
DAVID: I assume he’s in?
CHLOE: Of course. She never goes out.
DAVID: This is some place you have here.
CHLOE: Thank you. It’s authentic, or as authentic as we could manage, from the photographs.
DAVID: It must have cost a fortune.
CHLOE: Money is not a concern.
DAVID: With the insurance, I suppose not.
CHLOE: Blunt as always.
DAVID: But true.
CHLOE: Yes, the insurance paid for this. It’s neither a secret, nor is it an embarrassment.
DAVID: Good. Good for you.
CHLOE: It’s all for her.
DAVID: Is it?
CHLOE: Of course. It has taken a long time, but things are better now, more stable.
DAVID: You call this… charade stable?
CHLOE: It was the only way. You weren’t here, David. You didn’t have to deal with it.
DAVID: I wanted to be there, it was you who blocked me out, remember? Just like you are doing now.
CHLOE: Blocked you out? You ran off to the other side of the world.
DAVID: I went away because I had to. I couldn’t deal with it.
CHLOE: Exactly, you couldn’t deal with it. I was the one who stayed and dealt with things, you have no right to come here and upset things now.
DAVID: All those months, with him in a coma, not knowing if he would ever come out of it. You even stopped me from visiting him – remember? Telling the hospital that only family were to be allowed to visit him, to sit with him.
CHLOE: I had to do that. It was a media circus, every damned paparazzi journalist wanted to visit her to get a cheap story at her bedside.
DAVID: I was no journalist … I was his lover.
CHLOE: Says you.
DAVID: I was. You know it.
CHLOE: We only have your word for that. As far as I knew, you were her dentist and that was all.
DAVID: You know that’s not true.
CHLOE: Isn’t it?
DAVID: We had been seeing each other for three years.
CHLOE: I’ve heard all this before.
DAVID: Exclusively. He had wanted me to move in, asked me many times. I wouldn’t – preferred to keep it discreet. Didn’t want the limelight of being Henry Horn’s live-in lover. Damn, I wish I hadn’t been so reticent. I should have moved in, then you’d have to believe me.
CHLOE: Whether I believe you or not is immaterial. It doesn’t matter whether your story is true. What matters is that I was the one who was there for her.
DAVID: Him, dammit, HIM.
CHLOE: She lives exclusively as Joan Crawford now – there was nothing I, nor anyone else, could do about that. Psychotic role fixation, that’s what they said, it’s how it is, not my choice. There is no Henry Horn in this house, David. There is no ‘him’. If you had a partner named Henry Horn, then that’s all in the past; that person does not exist any more.
DAVID: Because you won’t let him exist. It suits you to play this game. It has given you some perverse point to your existence, hasn’t it?
CHLOE: I think you had better leave.
DAVID: Not without seeing him.
CHLOE: She won’t see you. If she sees anyone out of context she becomes confused. We learned that the hard way in the early days.
DAVID: Let me see him.
CHLOE: You really think I have a choice, don’t you? That it’s me who is stopping you seeing her? Don’t you understand, it could be dangerous for her to see anyone from the past – especially if it was someone close? If you really loved her, David, you would leave now.
DAVID: I came all the way over here to see him. I’m not leaving until I do.
CHLOE: Then I’m afraid you had a wasted journey. Why now, David, after all this time?
DAVID: There was an article, in a magazine.
CHLOE: That’s why we have to keep the press away. Damn them, they just never give up. Why can’t they just leave her alone, there is no story here. What lies did they print this time?
DAVID TAKES A FOLDED MAGAZINE ARTICLE FROM HIS POCKET AND HANDS IT TO CHLOE
DAVID: See for yourself.
chloe: How the hell did they get photos inside the house? That last damned Christina, I had a bad feeling about that one from the start. I should have trusted my intuition. (READS FROM THE ARTICLE)’a virtual prisoner in his own home’, lies, lies, lies.
david: I had to come and see for myself. It doesn’t look like lies at all.
CHLOE: He is not a prisoner.
DAVID: Then let him decide for himself who he wants to see.
CHLOE: And if you do see her, will you go away.
DAVID: If he wants me to, yes.
CHLOE: And if I said I wanted to be there, while you were with him?
DAVID: I have no problem with that. There are no longer any secrets. Anyway, if you were there then we wouldn’t have any disputes over what was, or wasn’t, said, would we?
chloe: This will not be good for him, David, you know that? You are not doing him any favours.
david: I will see him. I’ll agree to your terms, but I will see him.
CHLOE: Then so be it, but you will have to be someone.
DAVID: Sorry?
CHLOE: You can’t be yourself, you can’t be from his past, you have to be from her present.
DAVID: You mean play a character?
CHLOE: Yes.
DAVID: I’m not an actor.
CHLOE: You don’t need to be an actor – but you have to be in context.
DAVID: I can’t do this.
CHLOE: You must.
DAVID: If it’s the only way.
CHLOE: It is. You will be …..(THINKS) Clark Gable. We’ve never had Clark Gable come to visit.
DAVID: I don’t look anything like Clark Gable.
CHLOE: Doesn’t matter. Be him. Here, let me…
CHLOE SEARCHES AROUND TO FIND AN EYEBROW PENCIL AND DRAWS A CLARK GABLE MOUSTACHE ON DAVID ALA "GONE WITH THE WIND" - SHE IS PLEASED WITH THE RESULT
chloe(cont): There.
DAVID: This is silly.
CHLOE: It is not silly, it is necessary. Just a bit of context makes all the difference.
DAVID: Is there anything I need to know?
CHLOE: Only that Clark Gable had an on-off affair with Joan Crawford for many years beginning when they made “Possessed” together in 1939. Louis B. Mayer, studio chief at MGM, tried to put a stop to it by blackmailing Gable, telling him he wouldn’t get more work if continued to see Joan, but that didn’t stop them. They were lovers for many years. There’s no telling where in the story we’ll come in. And don’t expect to stay in one time, don’t expect consistency; consistency is relative. Just go with the flow, best to let Joan set the agenda.
DAVID: I’m really unsure about this, about what I’m doing.
CHLOE: Then don’t do it, leave now, your choice.
DAVID: I can’t do that, Chloe.
CHLOE: Then be Clark Gable. (beat) We need to fill the children in, so they know what’s going on.
chloe goes to the front door and calls, obediently, mary and marcus enter from the front porch almost immediately. by now chloe has stopped being obstructive and is clearly caught up in her role of making the scenario happen)
CHLOE(CONT): Children, this is Mr Gable. He’s come to meet Mommie. He’s one of Mommie’s oldest friends.
MARCUS: Pleased to meet you Mr Gable. (he holds out his hand. david is clearly bemused, he hesitates then decides to play along and shakes hands)
CHLOE: That’s Christopher, Joan’s adopted son. And this is Christina (MARY CURTSIES)
DAVID: Nice to meet you, Christina. And how old are you…. children?
MARCUS: Mommie decides that.
CHLOE: Mr Gable has come to meet with Mommie.
MARCUS: I thought he was a friend of Mommy’s before the accident. (to chloe and suddenly ‘adult’) Are you sure this is wise?
CHLOE: No, I’m not; but it is necessary. Now be a good boy, run along and tell Mommie she has a visitor.
marcus – back to being ‘christopher’ - runs upstairs, unlocks the bedroom door and disappears inside
CHLOE(CONT): Christina, look after Mr Gable while I prepare Mommie’s cocktail.
chloe exits to the kitchen. there is an uncomfortable silence.
MARY: Can I get you anything, Mr Gable?
DAVID: No, thank you, I’m fine.(pause) Is she really fixing him a cocktail at this time in the morning?
MARY: Don’t worry, it’s not alcoholic, just juice and stuff, Mr Gable.
DAVID: Just drop the ‘Mr Gable’ – at least while it’s just us. I’m David, OK?
MARY: Mary. But when she comes back, it’s Christina, OK? I need this job.
DAVID: You been here long, Mary?
MARY: No. Actually, I just started yesterday.
DAVID: Answer me truthfully, doesn’t this all seem just too weird to you?
MARY: After three years at drama school, trying to master Beckett when you know that you’ll only get ads – if you’re lucky - nothing seems weird. I was lucky, landed a deodorant ad, spent three days with wet armpits being chased by a giant spray can. Now that was weird – but it paid the rent for six months.
marcus appears on the balcony, he leaves the door unlocked and comes down the stairs
MARCUS: Mommie’s just finishing her face. She’ll be right down. She’s very excited that you are here, Mr Gable.
DAVID: Well, I’m excited to see her too, Christopher. It has been a long time.
chloe comes back from the kitchen with what appears to be a dry martini, olive and all
MARY: Mommie’s coming right down.
CHLOE: Good, we’re all ready. Now I must insist, Mr Gable, that you take your lead from me. If I indicate that you must leave, then please do so immediately. Understood?
DAVID: I understand, Chloe. Don’t worry, I will play by your rules.
Henry makes a big entrance in full jc regalia and swoops down the stairs. from the moment he appears he makes a show of taking charge of proceedings – however, we are aware that chloe is the one orchestrating the situation. henry hesitates slightly, almost impercepibly, when he sees david, but the mask never slips.
HENRY: Hellloooooooo. Mr Clark Gable, sorry to keep you waiting. I trust that Betty here made you comfortable.
DAVID: Quite.
HENRY: And I do hope that the children were not too tiresome. They are darlings, really, but sometimes it can be a bit much if one isn’t used to it.
DAVID: No, no, they were fine.
HENRY: Children, have you introduced yourselves properly to Mr Gable?
marcus: Yes, Mommie.
HENRY: Good.
DAVID: Miss Crawford, I…..
HENRY: Now, Clark, please… ‘Miss Crawford’ after all we have been through together, how many pictures is it now?
DAVID: You tell me.
HENRY: You joker – acting like you don’t remember. Well, it’s three, three, Clark darling, and I remember each and every one of them. Vividly. Every scene, every detail. I still think that “Possessed” is one of the best movies I’ve ever made – which makes it one of the best movies that has been made, period, don’t you? And what are you working on now, Clark darling? Some ghastly pet project for that beastly Mayer? – horrible man. I made him what he is today, you know that. I made those dreadful scripts work, and some of them were truly dreadful… dross. But I elevated them, from dross to art. And how did he thank me? By giving all the decent scripts to that awful woman, that’s how. Well, it doesn’t take too much imagination to guess how she got the good roles, does it? Certainly wasn’t onscreen talent, that’s for sure. Suffice to say that we should not be discussing it in front of les enfants.
MARCUS: I know what that means, Mommie, ‘les enfants’, it means ‘the children’, doesn’t it? It means us.
HENRY: Yes it does, darling. How very clever you are. Far too clever, I sometimes think. Little piggies have big ears, don’t they? Now play quietly, Mr Gable and I have a lot of catching up to do.
MARCUS: Yes, Mommie.
MARY: Yes, Mommie.
HENRY: Betty, some refreshments I think. (chloe hands her the cocktail) And one for Mr Gable, don’t be forgetting our guests.
CHLOE: Mr Gable said he didn’t want one, Ma’am.
HENRY: Nonsense. Of course he wants one. Since when has Clark Gable not wanted a drink? And you wouldn’t make me drink alone, would you Clark? It would be so ungallant of you.
DAVID: No… I….
HENRY: Then go along and fix a drink for Mr Gable.
chloe exits to the kitchen somewhat reticent to leave henry and david unsupervised
HENRY(CONT): Now, to what do I owe the honour? You were very naughty not calling ahead. You almost didn’t catch me, I have a script meeting at the studio today.
DAVID: I wanted to see you again.
HENRY: That’s delightful.
DAVID: To see how you were doing. I’d heard rumours.
HENRY: Oh, you mustn’t believe everything you read, they make it up, most of it. Surely you of all people know that, the things they’ve said about that wife of yours. How is she by the way?
DAVID: …she’s fine.
chloe enters with a martini for david
CHLOE: Your drink, Mr Gable.
DAVID: Thank you, Betty. Joan was just asking about my wife.
CHLOE: Would that be Miss Lombard, Sir?
HENRY: Of course it is, ninny. Honestly, they spend half of the day reading celebrity magazines and then they don’t even have the good grace to remember any of it. Of course, I admit that Mr Gable has had so many wives that it is sometimes difficult to keep count, this would be number…?
CHLOE: Four, miss?
HENRY: I’m sure Mr Gable knows how many wives he’s had, Betty.
DAVID: Four.
HENRY: Four wives and not yet forty – are you going for some sort of record, Clark? Now come and sit yourself down, you are making the place untidy. Christopher, come over here and do your poem for Mr Gable.
MARCUS: Must I, Mommie?
HENRY: Yes, you must. Now, come on, be quick about it.
everyone listens politely during the recitation – david finds it acutely embarrassing
MARCUS: The TopsyTurvey World
If the butterfly courted the bee,
And the owl the porcupine;
If the churches were built in the sea,
And three times one was nine;
If the pony rode his master,
If the buttercups ate the cows,
If the cat had the dire disaster
To be worried, sir, by the mouse;
If mamma, sir, sold the baby
To a gypsy for half-a-crown;
If a gentleman, sir, was a lady-
The world would be Upside Down!
If any or all of these wonders
Should ever come about,
I should not consider them blunders,
For I should be Inside Out!
HENRY: Bravo! Christopher, darling, bravo! Bravo! And now, Christina, your turn.
CHLOE: I should take the children for their nap, Miss, they’re looking tired.
HENRY: Nonsense, Betty. Christina, your brother has just done brilliantly, now it’s your turn to show that the women in this family are equally talented.
MARY: But I….
HENRY: No ‘buts’ – you will sing your song for Mr Gable.
MARCUS: Mommie…
HENRY: Christopher, be quiet.
MARY: (deciding that a tantrum is her only way out of the situation) I won’t do it. I won’t.
HENRY: Don’t you start that, my girl. You will do it.
MARY: I won’t, I won’t.
CHLOE: Madam, if I could…
HENRY: Keep out of this, Betty. Christina, now!
MARY: No.
HENRY: Don’t use that tone with me, young lady.
MARY: I won’t do it, I won’t.
HENRY: Then you will stand over there in the corner until you change your mind. (mary reluctantly goes over to the corner as indicated) that’s it, right in the corner. No, face to the wall. Now you can stay there and consider what it means to disobey your parents. Right?
MARY: Yes.
HENRY: Yes, what?
MARY: Yes, Mommie… dearest.
HENRY: That’s better.
MARCUS: Mommie, I don’t think Christina meant to make you angry.
HENRY: Don’t defend your sister, Christopher. She has to learn how lucky she is, how much more she has than most children. You understand how lucky you are don’t you, Christopher?
MARCUS: Yes, Mommie.
HENRY: Now run along and tidy your room.
MARCUS: Yes, Mommie. I love you, Mommie.
HENRY: I love you too, darling – now, go.
marcus exits upstairs
HENRY: I’m really sorry about that, Clark. Sometimes they embarrass me so – I put so much effort into them, trying to show them the right way but at times like this I wonder why I bother.
DAVID: No harm done.
HENRY: Except to my nerves. Betty, be a darling and fetch me my tablets will you? The white ones, no the blue ones, no the whi … Oh, what the hell, bring me both of them and they can sort it out between themselves.
CHLOE: Are you sure you….?
HENRY: Why does everyone keep questioning me in my own house! Just bring them to me.
chloe exits, again reluctant to leave david and henry alone. MARCUS ENTERS FROM upstairs. he remains on the stairs watching the ensuing scene through the bannisters. he switches on his pocket tape recorder.
DAVID: (pause) You know who I am, don’t you?
HENRY: Of course I know who you are… (beat) Clark, darling – what an absurd question.
DAVID: Is it, is it such an absurd question?
HENRY: Now you are just confusing me. Are you sure you aren’t on something? Mind you, I wouldn’t blame you with some of the terrible scripts you have been getting. You really must learn to put your foot down, take control – don’t let them push you around, they need you. (chloe enters with two bottles of PILLS and a glass of water on a tray) Talking of being on something – my saviour. (henry takes PILLs from both bottles but refuses the water) – Oh, forget that, they need a kick start. (HE WASHES DOWN THE PILLS WITH THE REMAINS OF HIS MARTINI. DAVID LOOKS ALARMED. THERE IS AN AWKWARD SILENCE) And what are you up to now? Something thrilling, I’m sure.
DAVID: I moved. To Australia.
HENRY: To Australia?
CHLOE: (to david) Clark Gable.
DAVID: Yes.
HENRY: That’s a little extreme, isn’t it?
DAVID: I needed to get away.
HENRY: Now that I can understand, but Australia?
DAVID: It was a chance for a new start. You should try it.
chloe is clearly uncomfortable with the way the conversation is heading
CHLOE: Mr Gable, you said to remind you that your car was waiting outside.
henry: Of course, Mr Gable’s car is outside, what a ridiculous thing to say, he doesn’t need reminding. Of course, I do know why you’ve come visiting, this is not just a social call, is it?
DAVID: I just wanted to pay a call, I hadn’t seen you for so long.
HENRY: Oh come on now, Clark, you know you can’t lie to me. Look me in the eye, come on, in the eye and tell me this is just a social call. Clark Gable doesn’t just call on people for no reason. Actually I know why you are here, Clark, so don’t lie to me.
DAVID: You do?
HENRY: Of course I do. I have my sources. I may appear to live a sheltered existence here, but I know what’s going on in the world.
DAVID: Really?
HENRY: Yes. And between you and me, it’s about time too. The lifetime award from the academy. Lifetime? Makes it sound like it’s all over for me, doesn’t it? Well, they’ll see twenty years on when they have to give me a second lifetime achievement award. That is why you are here, isn’t it?
DAVID: Well….
CHLOE: Yes, that’s why he’s here, Joan, to tell you that you are going to be honoured. Sometime soon.
HENRY: And what do you know about it?
CHLOE: Nothing. Just that Mr Gable let it slip before you came in.
HENRY: Oh, Clark, you bad boy. No use trusting you with secrets that you don’t want sharing with the whole of Beverly Hills.
MARCUS: Oh Mommie, a lifetime achievement award, that’s fantastic. Right Mr Gable?
DAVID: Right.
CHLOE: No-one is more deserving, Joan. You were a star in the silent movies and you are still a star today.
HENRY: My God, woman – you make me sound as old as Methuselah. But I will say, there aren’t many of these so called stars of today that can claim to have headlined movies for King Vidor. We must have a toast. Champagne, Betty, quickly, and bring some Pepsi-Cola for the children – we must all drink a toast. My honour from the academy would mean nothing if it wasn’t for the success of my family. You, darlings are the most important thing in my life, more valuable than any old award. Come on, Betty, quickly – the champagne.
chloe exits to the kitchen
DAVID: Henry, you have to drop this façade. I left, yes I left – I was wrong. I want it to be like it was.
HENRY: Like it was, darling – things can never be like they were, we must always move forwards. I do hope she hurries with the champagne before we lose the moment, timing is everything.
DAVID: Yes it is and now is the time to drop this and begin living again. We could make a start together.
HENRY: What? You mean another movie? I don’t think Warners would let us. They think we’re trouble together.
DAVID: You know what I mean.
MARCUS: Mommie, tell us about the old days in the movies, I love it when you tell us about the old days.
HENRY: Mr Gable is trying to tell me something.
MARCUS: But, Mommie.
MARY: Yes, Christopher – come and play.
HENRY: Leave your brother alone, Christina.
MARCUS: (TO MARY) But this could be really dangerous, you don’t know.
DAVID: Henry…
HENRY: Why are you calling me that – ‘Henry’
DAVID: Because it’s your name.
HENRY: Oh, you do say some silly things. Ah, here comes the champagne and not a moment too soon. Right, a glass for everybody. Christina, open the Pepsi for your brother. There we go.
THE PEPSI BOTTLE FIZZES OVER THE CHILDREN’S CLOTHES. FROM THIS POINT UNTIL HIS EXIT, HENRY’S HYSTERIA BUILDS TO A CRESCENDO THOUGH IT MUST STILL BE UNCLEAR HOW MUCH IS GENUINE AND HOW MUCH A CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ACT
HENRY(CONT): Oh my God, what have you done? Clumsy, clumsy girl – it’s everywhere, all over your dress. Betty, quickly, some towels – quickly – if it soaks in we’ll never get the stains out. Quickly, come on, don’t just stand there.
MARY: I’m sorry, Mommie.
HENRY: Sorry! You think that will make everything right, do you? Well, let me tell you, young lady, ‘sorry’ doesn’t clean the stains out of the carpet or out of your beautiful dress. You just take everything for granted, I give you so much and you just treat it like so much trash. Ungrateful, ungrateful girl. Go and find yourself a clean dress immediately – go on, find something clean. (EXIT MARY. TO CHLOE WHO IS SCRUBBING AT THE CARPET) Don’t just scrub it woman, you are scrubbing the stain in deeper - blot it! Blot it! Clark, I’m so sorry, this really is unforgivable. Blot it! Like this.
mary enters with two dresses on hangers
MARY: (IN AN EFFORT TO DISTRACT AND APPEASE) Mommie – which do you prefer, the yellow or the pink, I like the pink one.
HENRY: (DEEP VOICE) Come over here!
MARCUS AND CHLOE FREEZE AS THEY REALIZE WHAT MARY HAS DONE, MARY AND DAVID ARE OBLIVIOUS.
HENRY: Come here NOW. What are these?
MARY: My dresses, I….
HENRY: Not the dresses, imbecile. The hangers – wire hangers! What have I told you over and over and over …. (HE RIPS THE DRESSES FROM THE HANGERS AND BEGINS TO BEAT MARY WITH THE HANGERS ON EACH WORD. MARY COWERS AND SCREAMS, MARCUS HAS SEEN THIS SCENE BEFORE AND WATCHES WITH DETACHED ENJOYMENT. DAVID AND CHLOE TRY TO RESTRAIN HENRY) No … More…. Wire…. Hangers…. EVER.
DAVID: Henry, stop it, what are you doing, Henry?
HENRY: Why do you keep calling me that? Is everyone insane You understand me? No … More…. Wire…. Hangers … No … More…. Wire…. Hangers.
EVENTUALLY THEY SUCCEED IN HOLDING HIM. THERE ARE TEARS STREAMING DOWN HIS FACE. HE IS SPENT.
Why won’t anyone listen to me, I only try to do my best for all of you and this is what I get. Why? Why? Why?
CHLOE: Come on now, Joan, time to rest. Come with us.
CHRISTOPHER AND CHLOE SUPPORT HENRY AND LEAD HIM OFF TO HIS BEDROOM LEAVING DAVID AND MARY ALONE.
DAVID: Are you all right?
MARY: I think so. I wasn’t prepared for that.
DAVID: You haven’t seen the movie? Wire hangers, it’s a bit of a thing.
MARY: Obviously.
DAVID: Let me ask you something – do you really think he believes this whole thing, that he’s not just acting?
MARY: I don’t know.
DAVID: You’re an actress, surely you can tell acting when you see it?
MARY: Sometimes it’s hard to tell.
DAVID: But it’s not even good acting – it’s a cheap charade, a game.
MARY: I suppose it’s not hurting anyone.
DAVID: Really? Says the girl who has just been beaten half to death with a coat hanger.
MARY: Point taken.
DAVID: I want him back, Christina.
MARY: Mary.
DAVID: Mary. I want him back, I want him with me. Help me.
MARY: There’s nothing I can do, I’m new here.
DAVID: Just let me have access to him – that’s all I need. She guards him so closely.
MARY: I can’t.
CHLOE ENTERS FROM THE BEDROOM.
CHLOE: She’s calmer now, she’s resting – Christopher is reading to her. I think she’ll sleep soon. Stupid, stupid girl – wire hangers. Jesus, I think we’ll have to go through the whole business of finding a new Christina again if the agency keep sending idiots.
DAVID: (TO CHLOE, REFERRING TO MARY) Aren’t you going to ask if she’s OK?
CHLOE: No. I don’t care if she’s OK. She’s paid for this sort of thing not to happen. (TO MARY) Now clean up the rest of this mess and then make yourself look decent. (TO DAVID) You have seen for yourself. Now go. I can’t believe you tried that stunt – calling him ‘Henry’ – what the hell do you think you were doing?
DAVID: I was trying to make contact with the man I used to know. The man I love.
CHLOE: Loved.
DAVID: Love – why do you think I came back?
CHLOE: I don’t know what your agenda is, David, and frankly, I don’t care. I just want you out of our lives. You’ve just seen a man who is sick and if you really loved him you would just go away and leave him alone.
DAVID: I’ve seen a man who is trapped in a weird game.
MARY HAS FINISHED TIDYING AND EXITS TO THE GREEN ROOM TO CHANGE HER DRESS.
CHLOE: Is that what you think?
DAVID: Of course it’s a game and he’s enjoying it too. You could see he was setting traps for us, watching us squirm, he’s obviously enjoying it. If he really was deluded you would have had him committed years ago.
CHLOE: Why? Do you really think he would be better in some sort of institution, some hospital?
DAVID: He would be properly cared for.
CHLOE: And you think he’s not cared for here? His every whim is catered for.
DAVID: And that’s what’s keeping him ‘ill’ – can’t you see that? It’s not real, none of it is real.
CHLOE: I’ve dedicated my life to caring for my brother….
DAVID: Oh, don’t come the martyr, Chloe – it doesn’t wash with me. Before the accident you rarely saw him, we both know that. This charade is as much for your benefit as his, it gives you some … some point.
CHLOE: You know nothing.
DAVID: I know that I knew a man who was living a real life with all the ups and downs that go along with that. Now he’s trapped in a fantasy, not of his own creating, but of yours.
CHLOE: So he’d be better off as a sad old drag queen than as a Hollywood movie star?
DAVID: He was not a drag queen – he was an actor who played female roles, there’s a profound difference but I wouldn’t expect you to appreciate that. But – YES – he’d be better off as anything rather than playing your sick little games.
CHLOE: You know nothing.
DAVID: I know dysfunctional and this is off the scale.
CHLOE: You should leave.
DAVID: Oh I will, when I’ve had my say.
MARY RE-ENTERS IN A CLEAN DRESS AND STANDS BY THE GREEN ROOM DOOR LISTENING
CHLOE: And that’s just it, isn’t it? You knew exactly how you were going to react before you ever came here. Can’t you see he’s happy? You can’t face that, can you? That he might just be happier now than he was when he was scrabbling for second rate work and carrying on a sordid little affair with the local closet dentist?
DAVID: I want him to come with me, to live a real life.
CHLOE: David, this is getting tiresome. Stay away from me and my family. As far as I am concerned you will never, ever see Joan again. EVER. Understand? Christina – see Mr Gable out – I’m going to check on Mommie.
EXIT CHLOE UPSTAIRS TO BEDROOM
MARY: You’d better leave.
DAVID: I will.
MARY: Wednesday afternoon, after two, she will be in town for at least a couple of hours. If you were to come by than I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to stop you getting to see him.
DAVID: Thank you…Chr…. Mary.
MARY: Now go.
DAVID LEAVES THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR. MARY CLOSES IT BEHIND HIM AND LOCKS IT. SHE STANDS WITH HER BACK TO THE DOOR WONDERING IF SHE HAS DONE THE RIGHT THING. MARCUS APPEARS ON THE LANDING.
MARCUS: Christina, Mommie wants to see you now.
BLACK-OUT.
Attachment: HD Act 1.zip (Downloaded 1 time) Last edited on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 09:51 pm by tsaurus
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Mary Alice
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Posted: Thu Jul 24th, 2008 01:23 am |
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It's too strangely interesting to notice if there are "flaws!" Next!?
Mary Alice
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spiny norman
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Posted: Thu Jul 24th, 2008 05:38 pm |
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okay, i'm still liking it but i'm a bit torn - the situation is so ludicrous that i thought you were going to go all crazy & outrageous but now we are in a very serious place - is this the best thing for henry? is the sister keeping him prisoner? & so forth - so it feels a bit unsettling. but perhaps this is what you're after. the camp of the wire hanger scene juxtaposed with the straight question of the "sanity of the situation" scene.
so i guess what i'm wondering is - overall, is this meant to be a campy, queeny play or something more? is henry playing a real jc or the "mommy dearest" version of her? b/c the "mommy dearest" version is not a "real" version (in my mind) - it's a cartoon version. refering to her as "mommy" & not "mother" or "joan" or "miss crawford" indicates that you're being wacky but at the same time, i get the feeling that you want us to take the situation more seriously. does that make sense?
the adults dressed as children & playing children would be great fun to watch.
i have to say it reminds me (in a good way) of a "saturday night live" skit in which gilda radner played christina as her mute, disturbed girl character & clark gable visits at christmas & as per "mommy's" instructions, brings christina some raw meat as a present instead of the pony he was going to bring.
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dresdenkiss
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 01:28 pm |
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This has definitely kept me interested. It leaves me wanting to see more, and I'm also interested in seeing a response to Spiny's questions, which I think could provide wonderful insight into everything.
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