The Open Door

Play #111 - The Open Door by Hana Mironoff

16-year-old Vera is drawing when Mr. Frampton arrives, having been referred here by his sister for a nice rest to settle his nerves. She shows him her drawing of her aunt, which is apparently quite unsettling, and begins to explain to him why the doors to the garden are open so late in the year: it seems her uncle and cousin and their dog died a tragic death three years ago, lost in a big while out on a hunting trip. And her aunt, unable to deal with the loss, leaves the door open as late as she can each day, hoping that they will return. Some nights, she says, you can even still hear them singing an old song. When Vera's aunt comes to greet Mr. Frampton, she sends Vera to fetch him tea , and tells him what lovely hunting weather they are having. She suggests that her husband can take him hunting during his visit. Mr. Frampton is visibly disturbed by this conversation, outlines his many illnesses, and sweats profusely. When he hears an old song wafting in the doors, it is all too much for him and he dashes out...just as Vera's uncle enters, fresh from a lovely day of hunting. He wonders about the strange man who just rushed out, but Vera explains that he is terrified of dogs because of a night he spent hiding in a grave from some fierce dogs. Finally, when the aunt discovers Vera's drawing, she explains matter-of-factly that Mr. Frampton was taking up drawing as part of his therapy. And they all settle in to tea.

This play is based on a short story, and it's really pretty delightful. I love the image of the board rich girl creating her own entertainment out of the people who surround her.

Snow White Zombie

Play #110 - Snow White Zombie by Brenton Lengel

Okay, I know I said I was reading 365 plays by women... but this one has zombies. My hands are tied.

Also, it has recently struck me that I am very well versed in the plays of contemporary women writers, but not so much with the menfolk...so I will probably throw a few dudes in the mid from time to time. Ah...token dudes for a change!

Anyway...

It's 28 days after the zombie Apocalypse has come to Snow White's forest, and things aren't going too well. Prince Charming fights his way through the zombie hordes. So does Rapunzel...who seems to be quite the badass. When Prince Charming finds Snow White sleeping he kisses her and she awakens. Rapunzel points out the problem with that particular behavior at this point in time. But it seems Prince Charming tends to turn his charm on any woman in eyesight...possible zombie or not. Snow White wakes up all grateful, idealistic, and clingy. Rapunzel rolls her eyes and tells Snow White she can have him. But when the zombie wolves begin to advance, Snow White goes off on her own with hatchet in hand. Prince Charming gets distracted by Sleeping Beauty...who is also a zombie. He, of course, fails to notice this until Rapunzel saves him from being eaten with a well placed headshot. Good thing he's so charming!

I found this play really fun! The prologue would be such a fun exercise in stage violence. And pretty much any time you put a zombie in a story, I'm there.

Pussycat

Play #110 - Pussycat by Katharine Clark Gray

As Rachel hurries to an appointment, she passes a man who calls out "pussypussypussy," so she sprays him with pepper spray. It turns out, however, that Jeffrey was attempting to get a kitten out from behind some garbage. He is concerned that Rainy, as he calls her, has been attacked by a dog, and he wants to get her out to make sure she's alright. Rachel calls 911, trying to get help for the man she nearly blinded, and also trying to get out of there as fast as she can. But eventually, she gets pulled into the kitten drama as well, and they work together to try to rescue poor Rainy.

I love cats, and would definitely be the person on the street in a bathrobe and slippers trying to get the kitten out of the garbage, so I feel for Jeffrey in this play, and Gray does a good job with Rachel's evolution from reactionary and self-involved to invested in the kitten. It's not a terribly exciting play, but it's not a bad example of two different people coming together either. And if that coming together is over a kitten... well... that works for me!

Pieces

Play #109 (Make-up #22) - Pieces by Lezlie Revelle

Claire is working on a puzzle when she is startled by the arrival of her husband John. John has been on deployment and wasn't scheduled to be back for another month. She can tell there is something strange about his return, but he brushes off her questions, trying to get her to enjoy the little time they have together. He helps her finish her puzzle (which is missing pieces) by putting a polaroid of her into the hole in the puzzle. Then, as there is a knock on the door, he has to leave, but he sort of disappears, and I got the feeling that this knock was the visit from an officer to tell her her husband had died.

It's a cute little script with some nice couple dynamics, and I'm kind of a sucker for that magical last goodbye trope.

Finding the Way

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...

The Mousetrap

Play #107 - The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie

Okay, I have actually read this play before, but I figured I would post about it anyway, since I did re-read it today in preparation for directing it in the fall.

Mollie and Giles have inherited a large country home, and have decided to open a bed and breakfast, and this is their first weekend, so Mollie wants everything to be perfect. Of course, the weather is not cooperating, as there is a terrible blizzard raging outside. Still, the guests do appear one by one: an eccentric young man named Christopher Wren, a judgmental lady named Mrs. Boyle, a jovial former military man named Major Metcalfe, a tough young woman named Miss Casewell, and a mysterious (and unexpected) man named Mr. Paravicini. As they all talk, information comes out about a recent murder in London. Then, when Inspector Trotter arrives, he informs them that the murderer left this address at the scene of the crime, and they believe that his next target will be one of them. And thus unfolds a classic whodunnit. I won't go into who dies and who did it, but I will say that I HATE the ending of this play. After the big climax where they confront the killer, there's this scene where everything is explained (which is fine), but the final lines involve a burning pie in the kitchen... which just totally deflates any sense of suspense there may have been over the course of the play. I get the desire to return to normal, but come on, Agatha! Help a sister out here! Suddenly we're supposed to be in a sitcom? <sigh>

At any rate, the play itself has some potential. It will be performed in October, so we're hoping to get a bit of the Halloween crowd on our side. And it really is important to me to find a way to create a genuine sense of menace and suspense... so that's my goal! And now... back to the analysis!

The Jennifer Bourne Identity

Play #106 - The Jennifer Bourne Identity

Jennifer is the perfect housewife. She is skilled and quick and hyper-attentive to any need that her family might have. Her husband Rob is a little less in-touch with things, but she keeps him on track. However, this morning she starts to wonder how she managed to get so good at all these things: cleaning and multi-tasking and wrapping amazing packages for children's birthday parties. It's supposed to feel sort of like the Bourne Identity - I don't remember learning all these amazing skills... how did I get like this? Rob tells her there was once a time when she could relax like he does. He tries to get her to sit on the couch and zone out in front of the TV, but she finds it too unstimulating. She can't leave her busy life like that anymore.

I can't quite tell what I think about this play. I think if it were played very tongue in cheek it could work, but if it's played too earnestly, then there's a sort of "mother as pinnacle of womanhood" angle that is unappealing to me. I think it might be intending to make fun of that idea, but it may have ended up supporting it? I'm not sure. I would want to see it to get the real vibe.