HE AND SHE A Long One Act Play by JOHN MONTELEONE CONTACT: e-mail: writing@johnmonteleone.com PO Box 2723 Sag Harbor, NY 11963 IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PRODUCTIONS STUDENT CLASS PROJECTS If this is for a student class project you may use this text or sections of it free of charge but I want to know that you're doing it for my resume and would love a video tape of the production, and/or quality rehearsals. PRODUCTIONS OF ANY KIND OR LEVEL You may read and use this text-based script for considering work but if you want to produce my work as a student, amateur or professional production you must purchase scripts from me online and pay royalties per performance. __________________________________ Copyright 1997 by John Monteleone All Rights Reserved Registered with WGAE HE AND SHE was first performed at the Dowling College Performing Arts Center, Oakdale, Long Island, New York on October 23rd, 1987. It was produced as a workshop production by The Actors' Workshop Theatre Company and was Directed by the author. The play has since, been rewritten. The originating cast was as follows: HE Keith Fadelici SHE Patricia Byrne NOTE: This play explores the struggle for individuality while maintaining a relationship. The struggle must grow in intensity and never cease even when exhaustion occurs. The actors must find within themselves their own struggles, express them fully and to their absolute limits. The play must run continuously without an intermission. The actions using furniture or costume pieces as the play progresses work directly with the language to create a metaphorical image. The actions stated must be adhered to. However, the actors are welcome to find new, additional actions, costumes, etc., that are imaginative and bring out the meaning of the moment and theme of the play. I encourage this. CHARACTERS: HE - A man. SHE - A woman. TIME: The present SET: A suggestive room. Black behind it. A bed center. Flowered bedspread. A large stuffed chair down stage right. The stage left area must be completely bare so that when the lights on the chair and bed fade out, and the actors are lit in this area, the furniture will disappear. The set is dramatically lit. The lights dim out very slowly. Pause, for a long moment in the dark. Lights come up very slowly in a pool, highlighting the man and the woman. Both stand facing the audience on either side of the stage and both wear body suits to match their natural skin color. There is a long silence between them. They begin. HE Hello. SHE (pause) Hello. HE Nice weather. SHE Yes...very. HE Dark though. SHE Very... HE Endlessly. SHE And here? HE Hmmm? SHE Here. HE Yes. We're here. SHE I thought so. HE I'm glad we agree. SHE (pause) Yes. Pause. HE What's your name? SHE Hmmm? HE Your name...what is it? SHE Oh...SHE! HE I always like that name. SHE Thank you. I was named for my grandmother. HE Not for you? SHE (pause) After her. HE I see. Which one? SHE Both. HE MMMMM. Pause. SHE And yours? HE I never knew my grandmothers. SHE No. Your name. HE Oh, I'm sorry...HE! SHE Very impressive. HE I was named for my father and his and his and his and... SHE I always like that name. HE I didn't. It never seemed to fit completely. SHE What? HE What? SHE Fit what? HE Who I was. SHE Oh. And who are you? HE I've only seen half the picture. SHE Of what? HE Me. SHE I...see. SHE What do you do? HE Do? SHE For a living. To live. HE Oh. I thought you meant who am I. SHE No. What do you do? HE I have a position. SHE Doing what? HE I work. Pause SHE What do you do? HE Do? SHE For a living. To live. HE Oh. I thought you meant who am I. SHE No. What do you do? HE I have a position. SHE Doing what? HE Work. SHE Fascinating. Pause. HE Everyday...on like that. Pause. HE Well...time flies. SHE Yes. HE Rapidly. SHE I know. It's already our fifth date. HE Amazing how quickly time has passed. SHE Yes. Pause. SHE (starting as a joke) Well, now that the small talk is over with. HE (catching on and playing) Now that the ice is broken. SHE The cat's out of the bag. HE We've warmed up a little. SHE Gone through the ropes. HE Outta the hole. SHE Felt out way around. HE (abruptly and sharp) NOT YET! SHE (seriously) I'm sensitive. Don't rush me or think of me as easy. HE (seriously) You either. Pause. SHE Well, now what? HE Excuse me? SHE Now what do we do? HE What do you suggest? SHE Go out. Fool around. Fall in love. Have babies. Struggle. You know. The usual. HE (uneasy) I'm not sure I'm ready for that. SHE I am. I'm looking to fulfill my visions. HE And what are they? SHE To be happy. HE Yes. What do you see? SHE Security. A home. Furniture. Jobs. A lawn. Trees. Insurance. Bank accounts. Credit cards. HE Really? SHE Yes. HE How coincidental. SHE What? HE That's what I see! SHE You do? HE Yes. How unique! SHE What color car? HE Red. SHE Sports? HE Yes. SHE How many kids? HE Two point five. SHE One boy, one girl...one... HE Two point five. SHE What credit cards? HE You know. SHE MACYS? HE YES. SHE BLOOMINGDALES? HE YES. SHE A AND S? HE YES YES. SHE STERNS CITIBANK SEARS? HE YES YES YES! SHE VISA? HE WHY NOT. SHE AND MASTERCARD? HE AMERICAN EXPRESS BABY! SHE OH YES YES YES YES YES...CARTE BLANCHE!!! HE WILL YOU MARRY ME? SHE OH YES... They embrace. HE I love you. SHE I love you too. (pause. Concerned) HE Yes, what is it, what's the matter? SHE What kind of car? The make? HE American. SHE What bank? HE One with a safe. SHE What kind of fencing? HE Picket. SHE (ecstatic) OH DARLING, I'M SOOOOO HAPPPPPYYY. HE AND SO AM I. He picks her up in his arms and swings her around. They kiss. He puts her down. HE Time flies. SHE Time flies. HE Our home. You like it? SHE (with her arms out dancing through the room) Oh, I am the world. HE (joking) And who am I? SHE You're the world too. HE How can that be? SHE We're both the world. They embrace and gaze into each others eyes, madly in love. HE You're so beautiful. Your hair. Your eyes. Your lips. Your scent. So beautiful. SHE I love you. HE I love you. SHE (letting go) Oh, it's so wonderful. Just as I imagined it. HE Just as they said it would be. SHE It's a wonderful house. HE I know. SHE I love you. HE I love you. SHE I love you. HE I love you. HE I love you. SHE I love you. HE I love you. SHE I love you. HE I love you SHE I love you. HE (pause) Time...sure flies. SHE (pause) Yes. HE I...love you. SHE Time...flies by so quickly doesn't it? HE Yes. SHE Love me? HE Course. They stand looking at each other blankly. HE We have to do things. He crawls onto the bed on all fours. HE If I kneel on it, it feels different then when I lay on it. All my discoveries up to this point in time have turned me into another kind of animal... A more sophisticated creature... MAN! He lifts up the covers and peeks underneath. HE LOOK HERE! Another world. As I look underneath, I have the feeling of safety. It takes me out of that cold, lonely, dangerous, primitive space. She notices the bed. HE (ignoring her) Verrrry interesting. Dark. Warm. (pause) It's a different dimension then being on the outside of the bed covers. The primitive stuff is becoming a vague memory. Everything natural is a blur. I feel safer. More secure. What would happen if I went underneath? He begins to move under the covers from the top of the bed. SHE I wonder who's sat in this chair? Before. She sits in the stuffed chair. SHE Ahhhhh, this really feels nice. HE I 'm beginning to feel as though I've always been here. Born here. Raised here. All this comfort. I don't everwant to come out. SHE How many different positions, people have assumed in this chair? She begins to explore different physical poses and positions in the chair. Very large physical and facial expressions. HE There's more to explore. But all that I really want to do is rest. Sleep. He explores the bed under the covers. We see a huge, snake like lump moving slowly around the bed. She continues to explore the physical and facial positions in the chair. SHE How many different types of people sat in this chair? HE This is me now. I am part of the bed. SHE What they felt? HE I am becoming a bed. SHE Why they were here? Sitting? HE I am the bed. I'm not me anymore. I've changed... SHE Who they were? HE A completely different person. SHE If this was their whole existence? HE A new man. A contemporary man. MODERN MAN! SHE If they felt free, more alive, or just lonely and stuck? HE Where do I go from here? Just solve the same old problems? There's nothing left to do, but review myself. SHE How long they sat in this chair? HE I want to get out. SHE If they thought this was all they'd ever need? His head pops out of the covers by the foot of the bed. The audience sees only his head as he faces out toward them. HE I've lost my orientation again. SHE If they wanted to get out of this chair and move around the space, or stay here forever? HE I remember the outside. Being outside when you were just inside. In the warmth. SHE But now that they are so comfortable in this chair, wouldthey ever want to take another risk, and stand up? Or just give up and act content. HE In the comfort. Of everything. Inside the organization. Inside the order. Where everything is in its place. SHE slowly begins to stand up. She must go through the fear of change, dealing with the unknown. SHE If they stood up, they would feel weight. Pressure. From their own bodies. They would feel the responsibility of balancing themselves on their own two feet. I wonder if it would be worth it to them, to go through all of that? It would be so much easier to sit, and remain seated. SHE, is halfway to standing. Fearfully, SHE, sits back down, slowly. HE Then you step outside, back into the earth. Ground. Solid. Vacant. Alone. Pause. HE There's this feeling. Something dangerous and wild. Surrounding you on all sides. It speaks to you. You feel alone with something. You feel it through your bones. Back to a far away time inside of you. It's alone and vast and powerful. Serene and violent. Uncivilized. Raw. You want to hide from it. HE, is very frightened. SHE I've gone through all the motions In this chair. I even stood up once, in this space. Now I have nothing to do. No other possibilities, but to repeat myself. Pause. She begins to repeat the physical and facial positions. The actress must work physically with the following speech, not taking away visually from the monologue HE speaks. HE You look inside again. Where there's order. Where everyone is fitting in. Responding to each other in specific, accepted, identifiable ways. Acting. He watches her in the silence. HE I'm bored. SHE This one's new. She swings around, and hangs her legs over the top of the chair leaning backward, her head hanging upside down towards the audience. HE You're just finding louder means of expressing the same thing. You're still in the same chair. SHE What about this one? She stands on her head in the chair. HE You're still in the same old place. Same old thing. She creates more absurd physical and facial positions in the chair, standing on her head. SHE I'm trying to make sense out of this. What's happening to us? It makes no sense. HE What makes sense? Does staying in a bed, or a chair when you feel confined by it, make sense? SHE Big talker! Mr. Know It All! All mouth and still under the covers. HE My heads sticking out. SHE Just a fling. Ninety percent of your body is still under the covers. I almost stood up. HE But you sat back down again. So what. Big deal. SHE I tried first. HE Only your perception. SHE I'm fed up with this repression. HE I'M REPRESSED! I'M STUCK! I'M A SLAVE. SHE SHUT UP. Oh how, how could I have existed this way? HE Maybe it was just a by-product of evolutionary necessity. SHE I'm not going to take it any longer. I'm disgusted with this slavery. She makes a huge movement with her leg. HE HOLD ON! She stops with her leg mid air. HE BE CAREFUL! (pause) I'm feeling fear... (proudly) ...but I won't admit it. As you moved your leg just then, that intentional, decisive move of your leg, I felt threatened. My position here, was threatened. If you move too quickly and stand up on your own, I may have to go back under the covers. Pause. They look at each other in terror. SHE O.k., I'll go slow. But I'm getting up. That's definite. She moves the leg in a slow and timid way. SHE How was that? HE I don't know. I'm... I'm losing my bearings. I was in control a minute ago and now I feel like mush. SHE I still feel stuck in this chair. I'm feeling certain reservations. My rear end is satisfied with the comfort it has. It's afraid to work with my head. It's frightened to stand up and feel all that pressure again. HE (in torment) I feel our relationship is changing too fast and I'm not prepared for it. SHE I feel like I'm not afraid anymore. And I'm beginning to take myself seriously. HE I can't let you stand up while I stay here like this. Diffused. I hate myself when you're progressing and I'm not. Why is that? She begins to test herself in the chair. Preparing to stand. SHE (pause) I don't know. Why are you asking questions? HE All these years I was a hunter and now I'm here under cover. He goes back under the covers. HE (whining and confused) It's here somewhere. I'll need it to compete. But... But I'm not sure...I.... I'm not sure... I can anymore... Something's happening to me... He pops his head back out toward the audience. HE I feel angry now. (smiles) But I won't admit it. SHE And if you don't admit it? What if you can't get out from under that repression? HE I don't know... I'd have to vent my anger. I'd become violent. Slam a table. Yell at the employees. Become indifferent to important events. Drink to forget. SHE And if that's not enough? HE Do worse, more uncivilized things. Things you hear on the news everyday. SHE I thought this was healthy. Staying here. In all this comfort. I thought we had it all under control. Things like that wouldn't happen if we developed a community in a civilization. HE IT'S DISCOMFORT THAT'S CAUSING ALL THAT! SHE Shouldn't all this comfort give us more freedom to discover who we are? Who we can be? HE Who knows. Who cares. I'm getting bed sores. How the hell would I know? I'm not a kid anymore just trying to make it to Friday night. I don't care! You hear me? I SAID I DON'T CARE! Not anymore. I could care less about problems. About your feelings. It's not my problem. It's the world. It exhausts me. Right down deep into the center of my bones. Even thinking about it kills me. All I care about now, is me. Your hear me? ME! Me, and getting out. SHE Could it be our war, or is it just the repression? They both become progressively disoriented, exhausted and confused. Both continue to writhe in the chair and on the bed. HE I feel like everything's shifting. I thought I knew who I was. I thought I was me. I thought you were you. But now I can't tell. Now that your feet are on the ground and my heads out from under the covers, things are different. SHE Are you a woman? HE I don't know. I'm lost. SHE You're a man, aren't you? HE I...I think so... You're a woman. Right? ARE YOU A WOMAN? SHE What are you saying? HE ARE YOU A WOMAN? SHE Yes... wait... yes...I am. HE Are you sure? SHE Yes. HE Then I must be a man. Who the hell can tell anymore. SHE How long has it been? HE Long.... Centuries.... SHE Is it curable? HE The length? SHE No the memories. HE Who remembers. SHE It's getting clearer. HE Nothings clear. NOTHING! SHE What are you saying? HE I'm not sure. SHE Are you saying we're losing ourselves? HE I don't know what I said. Weren't you listening? SHE I was looking... HE But not listening. SHE No, not hearing. HE What's the use. Who knows who anyone is anymore. HE Where ... am I? SHE Where are we? HE Who ... am I? SHE Who are you? Pause. HE Who are you? Pause. SHE Who am I? I knew once. I knew who I was. I remember remembering. HE I... I... yes... I, that rings a bell. I.... me... I ... am...I am ... me. SHE Confusion, anger, frustration, fear...? HE I think so. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. No. SHE (yelling) WELL WHICH IS IT?! ----------------------------------------------------- TO READ THE REST OF THIS PLAY CONTACT THE PLAYWRIGHT CONTACT INFORMATION IS AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE. I used to have the full text on the site but too many people used them without paying fair royalties etc. MS Word Fully Formatted version of this play is available for production after payment for scripts and royalties are made. Student Productions can purchase the script.