promised play

This is my final project for my class
our job was to adapt one or more of our works for the stage
I chose to adapt a little of all three...

enjoy



(Stage is dark. We can here scratching and movement in the darkness. We begin to hear the old man moaning, maybe mumbling but nothing coherent. Lights begin a slow fade up. We can see center stage, Old Man. He lies in the bed. He is attempting to get out of the bed. We then begin to hear the sounds of a television. Lights up slowly on Woman stage right. She sits in a rocking chair with her back to us. She faces a small television. The sound from the TV should be distorted, but every now and then a word or phrase can be clearly heard.)

Television
Next Up, William Shatner dances the Tango…

Man
Bill? Bill! I’ve got to get… HELP! I need to get… Hey! Hey! Isn’t there anyone? Okay… I can.. if I (moving legs and trying in vain to get them over railing) If I just… no… noooo… Bill pleeease!

Television
Do you feel an uncomfortable itch?

Old Man
Yes!

Television
Have you tried Vagisil?

Old Man
What? I can’t understand you?

Television
Vagisil is the… for you…

Old Man
You are not making sense! (trying to remove railing) Who put this… son of a bitch… gate here. Where is the latch on this gate! BILL!

(from offstage we can hear the voice of a nurse and young man. Their voices should be heard as if they are muffled or distorted in some way.)

Nurse
You must try to change his diaper 3 times a day.


Young Man
Yes, yes. We do… I do.

Old Man
Who are you? What? What do you want me to…

Nurse
How is his appetite?

Young Man
Oh. He’s good. He eats well.

Nurse
He needs a lot of fluids. Fluids will help him with his bowels.

Old Man
Shit. Shit.

Nurse
He has constipation, I understand?

Old Man
Shiiiiit!

Young Man
Yes. Badly.

Nurse
You should give him a mild laxative in the morning and two stool softener pills daily. And have him drink lots of fluids.

Old Man
I want a goddamned vodka and tonic!

Young Man
Yes we will. I will.

Old Man
With three olives… I said OLIVES!

Nurse
He has fourth stage Alzheimer Disease. You have to be very careful when feeding him. Keep him upright and only allow him to take small sips when he drinks. This will reduce the possibility of aspiration. I’ll be back in three days. Any questions?


Old Man
Yes! Where’s my fucking drink?

Young Man
No. No, thank you.

Nurse
Goodbye Mrs. Roberts!

Old Man
(sings to himself, still trying to get out of the bed) God bless you please Mrs. Robinson…

Woman
(Doesn’t turn around) Oh? Thank you. Thank you for coming.

(Young man enters onto stage. Lights up on a chair. He sits in the chair.)

Man
Oh god. This is… shit, shit… just get me… give me… Bill? Mom! Oh help… help me… I got to go… I got to… please

Young man
Dad? (When young man speaks to Old Man it should sound like it is coming through a distorted microphone. Like the voice of an extra terrestrial.) Dad?

Old Man
NO! Don’t… let me… oh GOD. (looks at young man) BILL!

Young Man
Bill is dead dad.

Old Man
Shut up! NO! Mommy!

Young Man
And your mother… I never knew her. I’m your son.

Old Man
You’re my horse Bill… help me. I’ve got to get… a fucking vodka and tonic with three… lilies… lollipops…

Young Man
Dad, just relax. It’s night. It’s time to go to sleep.


Old Man
OLIVES! Bill?

Young man
Dad, you are home now. We took you home from the hospital.

Old Man
Horse portal?

Young Man
This is your room.

Old Man
Hey! Bill! Can you get me a vodka?

Young Man
Dad? I’m your son. Brad.

Old Man
Brad?

Young Man
Yes.

Old Man
Brad. Can you get…

Brad
Yes?

Old Man
Get… Get … Get…

Young Man
(reaches out his hand to touch his father’s arm.)
It’s me, Brad. (he touches the old man’s arm and there is a flash of light and an electric drill sound. Old Man screams as lights go dark. After the scream lights go up on Old man. He is riding his bed as if it where a horse. Pillows become the horses head and body. He is no longer sick. He is younger now, about 35

Old Man
Get up in there! (clicking with his tongue) Wooooe. Easy girl, easy. I’ve been riding horses since I was 3 years old. I swear it. There’s this old black and white photograph we have… from 1938. There I am, up on old Bill. Dad’s arm is extended and supports my body so I won’t fall. My face… what a face! The eyes, and the smile… something like this (He makes a face.) Horses made life so much more… well, just more, I guess. If you know what I mean. (sees young man who has been watching him the whole time.) Hey there little man.

Young man
(He is now 6 years old. His voice is no longer affected) Hi Daddy!

Old Man
You wanna get on board? (dismounts and holds out sheets as reins for the young man)

Young Man
I’ll fall off!

Old Man
What? (starts to pet pillows as if it is the horse’s head) You hear that, Bill? You think you’d let my son fall off? This is my son Bradly. He comes from a long line of horsemen. Way back to the Mayflower!

Young Man
I do?

Old Man
Why he’s an American Horseman. Would you let a real American Horseman fall? (moves horses head from side to side) How bout I sit you up there?

Young Man
Okay. (Old man helps young man onto bed. Young man looks afraid. When he is on horse) Can we call this horse Mayflower too?

Old Man
Giddyup! (There is a sound of a cracking whip the “horse” bucks and the young man screams in delight. Lights go to black. The young man’s scream becomes the old mans scream and the lights come up on the old man in his bed and the young man touching his arm.)

Young Man
It’s only me. Your son, Brad, Remember? Oh Dad. I wish I could… help… could make it better. Do you want some food? Are you hungry? I’ll get you some food. (exits)

Old Man
(As Old Man speaks the Woman goes to television, crouches and turns volume down. As man calls out she turns and begins to move downstage. She remains crouching the whole time… eyes forward… but nearing level with the Old Man) NO!! I want to die… I want to DIE. PLeeeease! Let me…. Get me… I want… help…. MOM!



Woman
I am not your mother. (as woman speaks her voice sounds like an angel’s)

Old Man
Who?

Woman
You don’t want to die.

Old Man
Die?

Woman
No. You don’t want to die. Who will feed the horses if you’re gone?

Old Man
I.. I.. I…

Woman
(she stands and begins to move closer to the man) Sweetheart… It’s me.

Old Man
Oh! (He stretches out a hand.) I can’t believe… it’s been a long time.

Woman
I’ve been here all the time. You’re home dear.

Old Man
I am? It’s you..

Woman
Yes…

Old Man
You

Woman
Yes

Old Man
Mommy!

Woman
I am not your… she was a beautiful woman.… I’m… I’m an old woman. I’m your wife.


Old Man
My life?!

Woman
Wife

Old Man
I’m married?

Woman
For 48 years.

Old Man
What the hell did I go and do that for?

Woman
Don’t you (old man still stretches out his hand) remember? We have a son… and our house… and (she touches his hand and lights out. Lights come up on the two of them. They are sitting at opposite sides of the bed. It is their wedding night. They are both shy. They are much younger.)

Old Man
You’re shaking

Woman
(Her voice no longer sounds like an angel’s) Yes.

Old Man
I could come over there (starts to stand)

Woman
No! … just… give me a minute… I… I’m sorry, but I never…

Old Man
Of course.

Woman
Mom, she never talked about it.

Old Man
Yes.

Woman
Your Dad?


Old Man
No.

Woman
Oh. So neither of us know…

Old man
My brother George told me.

Woman
George!?

Old man
Well… yes. He… Dad and I don’t talk much. Oh… and the horses.

Woman
You… talked to the horses?

Old Man
No.. no.

Woman
(shocked) You didn’t…? With the horses!?

Old Man
What? Oh NO! I wouldn’t… No. We breed horses.

Woman
Oh that sounds…. I don’t want to think… that sounds…

Old Man
The mare… she stands there… shaking… no sort of shivering. And we bring out the stallion. He’s ready to go. His Chest is all puffed up. There’s a crazy fire in his eye. We walk him by her a few times… he’s shivering too.. no he’s… his muscles are quivering. It drives him crazy to be so… so close to her… but he can’t… feel her yet. (Old man moves closer to the center of the bed)

Woman
And the mare? What does she do?

Old Man
She watches… waits. Stares at him… every minute move he makes she sees it with those big dark horse eyes of hers. She’s watching… and sort of breathing.

Woman
Then what?

Man
Well, he’s ready… her scent (he smells the woman’s neck) drives him insane… he can harldy… hold himself back… we take him to her… she is ready… he rears up in the air… his great front hooves touch her back (Old Man’s hands touch the womans shoulders and bring her in closer to him) She tenses up a little… but just for a moment… then she kinda relaxes. He is ready… she is ready…

Woman
It sounds

Old Man
He enters her

Woman
Horrible!

Old Man
It’s not. It’s not horrible. It’s beautiful.

Woman
Doesn’t it hurt? The mare I mean…

Old Man
(whispers) I will never hurt you (lights down. Lights up on Woman and Old Man. He is holding her hand as before. He is kissing it.)

Woman
I love you (Suddenly he bites her hand as the son enters with a plate of food.) Ow! Damnit! Damn you (she nurses her hand.)

Young Man
He is hungry Mom.

Old Man
Mom? Mommy.

Woman
I am not your mom!

Young Man
He doesn’t know what he is doing…

Woman
I am your wife! (She quickly goes back to TV.)

Young Man
Mom! Don’t go… I need your…

Old Man
Mommy, don’t go I need!

Young Man
I’m your son Dad. Brad. I brought you some food. Are you hungry? (Old man shakes his head.) Here … I have to get you ready first. (Young Man goes to bed to get Old Man ready. He must fluff and pile the pillows to get Old Man to sit upright. He should try several ways. Each time the old man should slide to one side… or the other… or lean forward to far… finally Young Man finds a way to get Old Man upright. He then begins feeding.) It’s lasagna. Here have a bite. (Young Man feeds Old Man using a spoon. Old Man clamps down on spoon) Okay dad. Give me the spoon back. (They fight over the spoon for a moment… then son gets spoon out of mouth) You have to eat the lasagna… Is it good? It’s pasta, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce… you know… with spices and stuff (Young man gives old man second spoonful again they have a fight over the spoon) We always used to have this at special occasions. Christmas and Easter… Do you remember (another spoonful goes to mouth… this spoonful is a little early… Old Man hasn’t swallowed the last yet… but takes the new amount of food anyway.) We loved this lasagna together… Mom would make it (gives old man another spoon) we would laugh and drink soda and eat lasagna (another spoonful, now old man is chewing furiously to keep up) Everybody loved it… all the family raved (another spoonful) everyone had seconds (another spoonful) everyone (another spoonful) ate (another) ate it (this time when Young man forces spoon into Old Mans Mouth, Old Man begins coughing. The cough is deep. Pieces of food should fly every where. As He cough woman should again come down stage) Dad? (Young Man looks at plate, then at spoon. He continues to look at them as Old Man continues to cough)

Old Man
(the cough should build to a climax, almost as if the Oln Man is near choking to death. As the Woman arrives at the bed, the old man should suddenly stop coughing. He should lick his lips and swallow any food remaining in his mouth.) Mhhmmm

Woman
You like that?

Old Man
Yes, more…

Woman
You want more?




Old Man
More… mommy (Woman goes to Young Man and retrieves the dish and spoon. She then daintily takes the spoon and holds it up to the Man’s mouth. He eats it. A smile appears on his face.) If you like it that much, I’ll make more next week)

(lights out)