Thursday, September 23, 2010

Beth Bauler - 9/22/10 - The Question

The Question

Characters:
Sally – a young girl (about 8 or so) who has been diagnosed with a serious illness.
Richard – Sally’s father. Richard supports Sally’s medical needs financially, but doesn’t always know how to be there for her emotionally, and sometimes wishes he didn’t have the extra burden.
Friend – Sally’s imaginary friend that Richard cannot see and hear, which causes Richard and Friend to speak over each other's lines occasionally. Friend can either be male or female, and can be played by an adult, but should act like a child. Friend wears a doctor’s coat that is too big for him/her, especially at the sleeves where it hangs lower than his/her hands. The outfit is fitted with a plastic stethoscope, and he/she carries a small, colorful clipboard with fake charts and graphs.

(Sally and Friend enter. Sally hangs upstage, leaning against a corner of the wall of the kitchen. Richard is already in the room, opening the refrigerator to grab a drink.)

SALLY
Hi Dad.

RICHARD
Hey Sally. How are you feeling? Darling. (His words are strained and he stretches some of his vowels as he speaks, e.g. ‘Hey’ becomes ‘Heeeeey’.)

(Friend smirks in the background as Richard speaks.)

SALLY
I’m alright.

RICHARD
Alright? Only alright? Is something wrong? Uh…do you need me to call Dr. Goldstone, or do you need –

SALLY
No Dad, I’m fine. Just tired.

RICHARD
You sure?

SALLY
Yes. Cross on daisies.


RICHARD
You sure? You look…well, tired.

SALLY
Dad – I said cross on daisies.

RICHARD
Okay. Let me know if you need something.

FRIEND
(Excited, as though asking for a trip to an ice cream parlor.) Bring it up! Bring it up!

SALLY
Actually – Dad? I wanted to talk to you about something.

RICHARD
What is it now?

SALLY
(Short Pause.) Well . . .

FRIEND
Tell him! Tell him!

RICHARD
I don’t have all night. (Pause.) I’m – I’m listening Sally, what is it?

SALLY
It’s – it’s kind of hard to -

RICHARD
Try.

FRIEND
Tell him! Just like we planned!

SALLY
I – want to I go off my meds.

(A long pause. Friend begins to bend knees, half-hopping up and down in anticipation.)

FRIEND
Ugh! Why does he take so long to answer? It’s like he needs double the time of any other human being to respond!

(Sally gives Friend a quick glare.)

RICHARD
Sally.

(Pause.)

FRIEND
Argh! Out with it (*) already!

RICHARD
*Sally – do – do you know – do you understand what you’re asking?

SALLY
I . . . I thought so, I –

RICHARD
If you go off your prescriptions you – you might die. I know it’s painful and it hurts, but – do you realize the consequences? (Pause.) Why do you want to go off?

SALLY
Well –

FRIEND
Shhhhhhhh!!! Don’t tell! You promised not (*) to! If you tell, I – I won’t be your friend anymore! I’ll stop visiting you, and I’ll visit all the other kids from your grade instead – I’ll even play with Tina Dorsky, even though I know how much you hate her!

RICHARD
*Sally, you have to tell me. Why do you want to stop?

SALLY
(After Friend finishes.) I – I just do.

RICHARD
Sally, this is a big decision you’re making. I can’t let you make it alone. If you can’t explain to me why you want to stop your treatment, I don’t know if I can let you.

FRIEND
Oh blah blah blah – he’s so full of shit. He can’t make you not stop.

SALLY
Shit?

RICHARD
What! Where did you hear that word?

FRIEND
*Oooops . . .

SALLY
*Um….Dr. Goldstone?

RICHARD
Dr. Gold – young lady, we will finish this discussion. Right now I want you to…to…go to your room!

SALLY
But –

RICHARD
Go to your room!

(Sally turns to go, and Friend follows her.)

FRIEND
Well, at least you didn’t have to explain why!

(They exit. Richard turns back to the fridge for his drink, but just stands in front of the closed door. Lights down.)

1 comment:

  1. Notes from Roy:
    This is a good scene with good character interactions, and an interesting theatrical device of portraying the imaginary friend.
    The fact that the friend is costumed as an play doctor is a very revealing touch.

    The scene gives us a good expression of the nature of the dilemnas that we were introduced to in the monologues. Richard is doing his duty, but there's a palpable sense that he wants to get out of the room and doesn't how to act or talk to Sally due to her health problem. His "What is it now?" response to her need to talk shows us a little of the impatience and frustration. Meanwhile, her friend's sarcastic attitude gives us insight into her emotions, and her perception of herself as somewhat invisible, and under the control of others.

    I'm interested in how these scenes fit together, and what order you might conjecture them in at present.

    Roy

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