Thanatron by Carolyn Gage
ACT I
SCENE 1
The curtain is closed and the preshow lighting is still on. There is
the sound of laughter and squealing from offstage. Suddenly CAITLIN
bursts onto the apron. She is about twelve years old, and she is
wearing soccer clothes. Someone has obviously been pursuing her, but
she has escaped. She runs to center stage, turning triumphantly stage
left. She is getting away with something she is not supposed to do.
DANI enters quietly from stage right. DANI is a very attractive
Italian,working-class butch, somewhere in her mid-to-late thirties.
She wears a tux and looks very dapper. DANI crosses her arms patiently
and waits for CAITLIN to see her.
DANI: Well, go on. You're out there now. What are you gonna do?
CAITLIN: I'm going to do your speech.
DANI: Oh, you're gonna do my speech?
CAITLIN: Yeah.
DANI: Well, go ahead.
CAITLIN: (Imitating DANI's pose.) Hello, everyone. I'm Dani
Lazeretti. (She looks at DANI.)
DANI: Yeah, that's my name. Go on
CAITLIN: (Imitating DANI.) And I wanted to tell you a little bit about
our play tonight. (She pauses.) It's an amnesia play (She breaks
down giggling.)
DANI: Yeah, it's an amnesia play, and
CAITLIN: (To DANI.) I forget what comes next. (She breaks down
laughing again.)
DANI: Yeah, well, I'll show you what comes next. (She jerks her
thumb in the direction of the wings. CAITLIN shakes her head
defiantly.) Oh, you want me to carry you? (She starts to cross toward
CAITLIN, but CAITLIN takes a kung fu stance.)
CAITLIN: Ki-a!
DANI: (Turning to the audience.) You teach 'em self-defense, and
this is what you get. (She turns back suddenly to CAITLIN, catches her
off-guard and gets her in a hammerlock.) Ha! What you gonna do now?
Hunh? Or did you "forget?" (CAITLIN stands on DANI's feet.) Ow!
(CAITLIN weasels out of the hold.)
CAITLIN: Let me finish!
DANI: Okay.
CAITLIN: Let me do your hands.
DANI: What?
CAITLIN: Like this. (She moves behind DANI, taking DANI's hands
behind her and making it look as if her arms are DANI's.) Okay, go
ahead.
DANI: Okay Like I was saying-(CAITLIN begins to make effeminate
gestures with her arms.) Hey, I don't do that (The hands begin to
buff their nails in an ultra-feminine fashion.) And I don't do
that (The hands begin to apply make-believe lipstick.) And I
definitely do not do that! Okay, that's it (DANI spins around and
gets her in another hold. CAITLIN is shrieking with laughter. DANI
lowers her to the floor and sits on her. CAITLIN is laughing and
pretending to be hurt at the same time.) So, now, where was I?
CAITLIN: Ow! Dani, ow! Ow!
DANI: (Remembering.) Oh. So, this is a play about child abuse.
(CAITLIN tries to drown out DANI.) Hey! Shut up! You gonna be good?
(CAITLIN shuts up and nods.) Okay. (DANI releases her and wraps her
arms around her.) So this is a play about forgetting, because these
days there's too many things to remember, and it's easy to forget
what you've forgotten, and not remember to remember. (To CAITLIN.)
Isn't that right? (CAITLIN starts to speak.) Shut up!
CAITLIN: (Wriggling out from under her.) I wanna say (She turns and
looks at DANI.)
DANI: Yeah? You wanna say-what? Now, you got everybody lookin' at
you, and what are you gonna say? Nothing. (To audience.) See? That's
what she's got to say-Nothing.
CAITLIN: I want to say that Dani thinks this play is about her, but
it's not.
DANI: Oh, and who is it about?
CAITLIN: (Huge grin.) Me!
DANI: Oh, yeah? And is that how come you're gonna miss your
entrance? You know what time it is, "Star?" Yeah, I think you
better go get in your place. You're on first, you know.
CAITLIN: No, Who's on first. What's on second, I Don't Know is
on third-
DANI: Don't start with me
CAITLIN: (Bud Costello.) I'm telling you. WHO IS ON FIRST.
DANI: (Lou Abbott. The following exchange is very rapid.) I'm asking
you-who's on first?
CAITLIN: That's the man's name!
DANI: That's who's name?
CAITLIN: Yes.
DANI: Well, go ahead and tell me.
CAITLIN: Who.
DANI: The guy on first.
CAITLIN: Who.
DANI: The first baseman! Now, will you get outta here! (CAITLIN runs
off, as DANI swats her butt. CAITLIN turns to get her back, but DANI
shows her the watch. CAITLIN exits. DANI turns toward the audience.)
Ya know, it's true. The play really is about her. But don't let
her know I told ya. (To someone in the wings.) Is she ready? (To
audience.) We're gonna go now. Remember, don't tell her I told ya.
(She exits into the wings.)
BLACKOUT
END OF SCENE
ACT I
SCENE 2
The curtain opens on the living room of an upper-middle-class home. It
has been lavishly decorated with balloons and streamers for a
going-away party, and a large "Bon Voyage" sign hangs from the
bannister of a staircase leading up left to the upstairs bedrooms. The
door to Caitlin's bedroom is visible at the top of the stairs. The
front door is downstage right. There is a coat tree next to it.
Upstage right is the door to the basement stairs. Upstage left is the
entrance to FRANK and MOLLY's bedroom. The entrance to the kitchen
is down left, in front of the stairs. There is a large sofa with an
end table center stage, and, to the left of it, a bar has been set up
for the party.
A few seconds after the lights have come up, the front door opens and
CAITLIN enters carrying a soccer ball and her daypack from school. She
freezes at the sight of the decorations. Angry, she sets the ball down
and kicks it into the bar. Then she takes a toothpick from the bar and
pops a cluster of balloons. She runs upstairs into her room, slamming
the door behind her. A few seconds later, MOLLY's voice is heard
offstage.
MOLLY: (Offstage.) Danielle ? Danielle, is that you? (MOLLY enters.
She is a woman in her late forties. She wears a pale green semi-formal
gown that is only partially zipped in back. She is putting in her
earrings.) Danielle ? (She sees the soccer ball, picks it up, and
crosses to the stairs.) Caitlin…? (Mounting the stairs.) Caitlin,
it's Mummy. (Pause.) I've got your ball. (Knocking softly on the
door.) Do you want to talk, sweetie?
(Just then the front door opens and DANI enters. She is carrying two
large paper bags filled with liquor for the party. DANI makes a
dramatic entrance, singing the chorus from some popular song. She's
dressed in her finest and this is a party night. She executes some
fancy dance moves on her way to the bar, unaware that MOLLY is
watching her.)
MOLLY: Oh, Danielle, I'm so glad you're here.
DANI: I've got the booze.
MOLLY: Oh, thank you for picking it up. You remember everything!
DANI: That's my job. (She crosses to the bar and begins to take the
bottles out of the bags. MOLLY turns back toward her daughter's
door, hesitates for a moment, and then sets the soccer ball down in
front of it. She crosses down to DANI.)
MOLLY: I am so glad you're here. I have been going out of my mind
this afternoon.
DANI: I've been out of mine for years.
MOLLY: (Looking at the bottles.) How much did it come to?
DANI: (Holding out the receipt.) Here's the receipt.
MOLLY: (Looking at it.) Oh, Danielle, would you mind if Frank paid
you? I can't remember where I've put my checkbook. I can't
remember anything today.
DANI: No problem.
MOLLY: (Handing her back the receipt.) Can you remember to give this
to him? I'm afraid I'll forget. (MOLLY stoops to remove the
remnants of the popped balloons.)
DANI: (Seeing the back of her dress for the first time.) No problem.
Would you like me to zip you up?
MOLLY: Oh, I forgot! (DANI starts to zip her up.) Are you sure
you're comfortable doing this?
DANI: (Smiling.) Zipping your dress?
MOLLY: (Flustered.) No, I mean tending bar for the party tonight.
It's certainly not part of the housekeeping job.
DANI: Hey, I was a bartender for ten years. (DANI starts setting up
the bar.)
MOLLY: I know, but that was before (Self-conscious, MOLLY doesn't
finish her sentence. DANI looks at her.)
DANI: Before I stopped drinking? Is that what you mean?
MOLLY: Yes.
DANI: You think I can't do a good job sober?
MOLLY: (Flustered.) No! That's not what I meant at all. I mean
DANI: You mean you're worried I'm gonna drink if I'm around the
stuff.
MOLLY: That was tactless of me, wasn't it?
DANI: Naw. You care. That's nice. Say, where's my buddy?
MOLLY: Caitlin's up in her room.
DANI: (Yelling.) Hey, Caitlin!
MOLLY: She's not going to answer.
DANI: Why not?
MOLLY: Because she's mad at me. She came home from school and locked
herself in her room. Danielle, would you try to talk to her?
DANI: If she won't talk to you, she's probably not going to talk
to me, either.
MOLLY: I think she will. She worships the ground you walk on. (Without
looking up, DANI beams.) Do you know what she said to me the other
day? She said, "I want to be a lesbian when I grow up, so I can be
like Dani." Wasn't that sweet?
DANI: (Suppressing a laugh.) Sweet.
MOLLY: She thinks the sun rises and sets in you. We all do. I don't
know how we all managed before you came to work for us.
DANI: What's she upset about?
MOLLY: I think it's the party, and I'm afraid she's planning to
stay in her room this evening. Frank is really going to be upset if
she does that. It's supposed to be a big family gathering. Mama flew
in from Texas last night, and Thomas drove up from the city this
morning. Biff is taking time off from his classes. If Caitlin stays in
her room, it' going to throw a damper on everything. It seems that
Caitlin is just looking for excuses to lock horns with her father
these days. I can't stand the tension between those two.
DANI: You want me to talk her into coming to the party?
MOLLY: I want you to help her see how selfish she's being.
DANI: Maybe she's mad because you're leaving.
MOLLY: Oh, I'm sure she is, but that's very selfish of her.
DANI: I don't know that it's selfish. Maybe she's just afraid
you're never coming back. (MOLLY looks at DANI. DANI shrugs.) Maybe
all you have to do is reassure her that you are.
MOLLY: But I'm not.
DANI: Not what?
MOLLY: Not coming back.
DANI: What?
MOLLY: I'm not coming back. (Pause.) Didn't Frank tell you?
DANI: Tell me what?
MOLLY: Frank was supposed to talk to you about it.
DANI: He asked me if I would bartend for your going-away party. He
didn't say you weren't coming back. Are you getting a divorce?
MOLLY: (Shaking her head.) That is so like Frank. I'm sorry,
Danielle. I thought he told you.
DANI: Does this mean he's getting custody of Caitlin?
MOLLY: I'm not divorcing.
DANI: But you're not coming back?
MOLLY: (Cheerfully.) I'm going to die.
DANI: What?
MOLLY: I'm going to kill myself. Well, it's an assisted suicide,
actually tonight, at midnight-
DANI: You are going to kill yourself? No, I don't believe it.
MOLLY: (Brightly.) Well, I am. Frank and I have been talking about it
for some time, and we've explained our decision to the family, and
they're all supportive-except Caitlin.
DANI: You are going to kill yourself tonight?
MOLLY: In this room, actually. I wanted to die at home with all my
friends and family.
DANI: No, this is some kind of joke.
MOLLY: Frank was supposed to tell you.
DANI: And your husband is going to let you do this?
MOLLY: Danielle, you're not understanding. This is what I want.
DANI: Why?
MOLLY: Because I think I have Alzheimers.
DANI: You think? What do you mean, "you think?" You're standing
here as healthy as I am-
MOLLY: I cant' remember things.
DANI: Shit! I can't remember things either. Nobody can. That's
normal!
MOLLY: I didn't used to have this problem.
DANI: Maybe you used to remember shit that wasn't important. Maybe
some things are good to forget-
MOLLY: Danielle, I appreciate your concern. Really. But I've given
this a lot of thought, and it's what's going to be best for all of
us.
DANI: For your family?
MOLLY: I'm just going to get worse, and it could get very expensive.
Biff's still in college, and Emily goes in two years, and then
there's Caitlin. I don't want to be the cause of my children not
getting an education.
DANI: But you don't even know that there's anything wrong with
you.
MOLLY: (Looking at her watch.) Danielle, I feel awful about this,
because I can see this has upset you, but I have so many things to do
to get ready-
DANI: But-
MOLLY: Danielle, if you don't want to tend bar, I understand. I
really do. I thought Frank was going to tell you. You don't need to
stay if you're not comfortable.
DANI: You're going to kill yourself, and you're having a party?
MOLLY: I didn't want it to be a big secret, and I felt if the whole
family was involved, it wouldn't seem like I was abandoning them.
DANI: But you are! Caitlin's the only one with any sense, locking
herself in her room. Talk about selfish! Jesus Christ! How much more
selfish can you get?
MOLLY: (Frightened by the verbal violence.) I had no idea you would
take it this way.
DANI: Jesus Christ! She's twelve years old! Do you know how much she
needs you? Well, I do! I know because that's when my mother left me.
Just left the house one day and never came back. How's that for
abandoning? But, you know what? At least I got to pretend she was
coming back. At least I didn't know she was freakin' dead! At
least she wasn't offing herself in the freakin' living room while
everyone sang "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow!"
MOLLY: Danielle, I've really got to go. Frank can tend the bar. He
won't mind.
DANI: Frank can go to hell! Your own husband-
MOLLY: Excuse me, Danielle. (She exits into the downstairs hall,
almost running.)
[End of Extract]