This Is A Play
This Is A Wild poster
BY DANIEL MACIVOR
Staged in April 2007 @ Memorial Hall, UNB, Fredericton, NB
CAST/CREW
Older Female Actor – Julie MacDonald
Female Actor – Marissa Robinson
Male Actor – Matthew Spinney
Composer (Voice) – Tom Goud
Director – Scott Shannon
Technical Director – Nicholas Cole
Stage Manager – Andrew Jones
This show was staged as part of an evening of
2 one-act plays by MacIvor; it was followed by
Wild Abandon: The Study of Steve.
Re-staged in April/May 2010 with
a slightly different cast/crew.
Daily Gleaner promotional photo
A Stranger Amoung Us
The stranger, Joey played by Male Actor, has just arrived in town trying to solve a family mystery.
Male Actor
“I enter with conviction! I take up a position stage right. I am sick with embarrassment, not only did I trip on my first big cross but now I am not in my light. I find my light.”
Older Female Actor
“Silence. A long silence. A very long silence as I stand here holding a bowl of soup for no good reason other than for you imagine what a good-hearted, folksy and simple person I am.”
Giving the bowl of soup.
She gives him the bowl of soup. He takes the bowl of soup. And she is out of there, leaving Male Actor stranded: “She wasn’t supposed to give me the bowl of soup.”
Female Actor.
“I try to think of something happy. I remember last night at the director’s apartment, his beautiful eyes, his manly hands, that look in his eyes. I know that he loves me and we will be together forever. Silently I dedicate my performance to him.”
Blackout!
As Joey and Sissy slowly move into a kiss, the Female Actor playing Sissy calls for “Blackout.” (THEY are closer to kissing.) “Blackout!” (THEY are almost kissing.) “BLACKOUT!” (Blackout.)
The denouement.
“Fascinatingly, the scene begins in the middle of an argument.”
3 actors sharing their final thoughts.
Female Actor: From behind our backs.
Male Actor: Each of us.
Female Actor: Produce.
Older Female Actor: A lettuce.
Female Actor: A lettuce.
Male Actor: A lettuce.
Older Female Actor: And in this strange, almost surreal gesture there is some kind of clarity.
Female Actor: And inexplicably for a moment.
Older Female Actor: Each of us.
Female Actor: Each of us.
Male Actor: Even me.
Older Female Actor: Seems to understand.
ALL: Something.
3 actors holding lettuce.
Older Female Actor: And as the lights fade.
Female Actor: I think about Uta Hagen.
Male Actor: I think about Russell Crowe.
Older Female Actor: I think about Jack Daniels.
ALL: Because we are actors.
Older Female Actor: And this.
Female Actor: This.
Male Actor: This.
Older Female Actor: This is a play.
