Play #108 - Finding the Way by Natalie Bates
Zoe has brought her friend Lauren home for Thanksgiving but when they get there, things are a little different. It seems that Zoe's parents have found enlightenment... or at least her father Dan has, and he's brought her mother Dorrie along for the ride. No more leather or meat or milk or eggs or non-organic wine... there is a meditation garden out back and they'll be eating soybeans, squash, kale and tofurkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Dorrie tries to explain this lifestyle change to the girls, who are amazed, and Zoe seems unconvinced. But when Dan takes Lauren out to look at the meditation garden, Dorrie explains that he had been going through a difficult time at work and with his health, and that this experience of meditation and philosophy seems to have made him feel better, so she figures they should all go along with it. When Dan and Lauren return from the garden, Lauren feels brave enough to make the big announcement that was the apparent reason for this trip: Zoe and Lauren are in love and hoping to get married soon. Dan is appalled by this revelation, so Dorrie shoos the girls out of the house and lays down the law: love is love, and if he can't handle that, he'll be meditating out of his behind. He sneaks out to meditate as Dorrie celebrates with the girls... and pops open a little of the foie gras that Lauren brought.
It's a cute little play with a nice juxtaposition of a lifestyle revelation that is absolutely a change, versus one that is not... and the relative acceptance that comes with each. Dan expects everyone to just roll over and deal with his newfound respect for whales, and his spiritual guide Vida, but cannot deal with what is fundamentally true about his daughter... not to mention the great news that she found love. And it was nice to see Dorrie come back to herself from the submissive person she had allowed Dan to make her into... even if it does mean eating foie gras...
Zoe has brought her friend Lauren home for Thanksgiving but when they get there, things are a little different. It seems that Zoe's parents have found enlightenment... or at least her father Dan has, and he's brought her mother Dorrie along for the ride. No more leather or meat or milk or eggs or non-organic wine... there is a meditation garden out back and they'll be eating soybeans, squash, kale and tofurkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Dorrie tries to explain this lifestyle change to the girls, who are amazed, and Zoe seems unconvinced. But when Dan takes Lauren out to look at the meditation garden, Dorrie explains that he had been going through a difficult time at work and with his health, and that this experience of meditation and philosophy seems to have made him feel better, so she figures they should all go along with it. When Dan and Lauren return from the garden, Lauren feels brave enough to make the big announcement that was the apparent reason for this trip: Zoe and Lauren are in love and hoping to get married soon. Dan is appalled by this revelation, so Dorrie shoos the girls out of the house and lays down the law: love is love, and if he can't handle that, he'll be meditating out of his behind. He sneaks out to meditate as Dorrie celebrates with the girls... and pops open a little of the foie gras that Lauren brought.
It's a cute little play with a nice juxtaposition of a lifestyle revelation that is absolutely a change, versus one that is not... and the relative acceptance that comes with each. Dan expects everyone to just roll over and deal with his newfound respect for whales, and his spiritual guide Vida, but cannot deal with what is fundamentally true about his daughter... not to mention the great news that she found love. And it was nice to see Dorrie come back to herself from the submissive person she had allowed Dan to make her into... even if it does mean eating foie gras...
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