A Structural Theory of Drama

The characters exchanged role, initial to final.

The figure has high symmetry except, but the figure being small, the difference is significant.

Ruby’s matrix displays the relationships between the characters and their political support. It can be said that they derive their power from their groups. Thus the political power relationships can be talked about as the foundation for interpersonal dominance. Ethics connects to politics. 

In the following chart, ‘1’ indicates a positive personal relationship to the political group. 

John’s family and real estate can also be brought in as support for the Professor. Carol makes allies of them all. The symmetry is similar to the figure above.

The characters exchange relationships, initial to final. The female role, at first submissive, finally conquers the male.

The matrix does not illustrate the richness of the play but perhaps its resonance.

Using only the initial and final states, the matrix could illustrate the precipitous fall of the professor, who holds onto his dominance until he is utterly defeated.

If Carol is initially scored as in control of herself, the play has additional asymmetry. The actor playing her part would be in charge of her certainty.

John loses everything: his job, his freedom, the deposit on the house, possibly his wife and child. 

Carol achieves victory, although she suffers physically and emotionally from the battle. 

Carol wins more support from her Group. 

Two characters begin with formal cordiality and end in familiar hatred. 

Neither character wavers in their self-interest. The question is their effectivity. 

Carol helps John down the staircase of his destruction. 

Reversibility: Carol offers to retract her claim before the Tenure Committee. John sees the price that he must pay for the restoration as a profound loss.

He refuses and commits an irreversible crime. 

Questions 

Can the play be measured in another way? 

The John claims to value his intellectual freedom.

Honor? It seems like a duel, at times, ending in dishonor. 

Sexual dominance.

It's about hunting. 

The following chart identifies dialogue illustrating attempts to seize control of the conversation.

John defends Carol from her guilt/confession.  

Carol offers to defend John from the committee.  

Carol claims injury several times but these actions are included as Accusations. 

Coding was problematic: 

Every line in the play attempted to seize control. 

Time division was arbitrary. Cut into scenes. 

Carol exhibited more opportunities to seize control of the conversation (47 to 33)

Carol displayed more variance in her operations from beginning to end

Carol displayed  less variance independent of time.   

Carol attempted to dominate the conversation 47 out of 80 times. 

The frequency of attempt was about once per minute. 

By identifying a dozen or so dominance-techniques that the characters used to try to seize control of the conversation, the reader can speak about the pacing, tension, morality, changes, and poetics of the play.

The very limited cast contributes to the simplicity.

The pacing of the play arises in part from the frequency (about once per minute) with which the dominance-techniques are applied. The play can be scored like a boxing match, counting the hits delivered.

There is tension: Who will win? Because the characters take their hits so well, the winner is not obvious until the end.

At the end, John has lost and he discontinues his effort.

Characters want to dominate the conversation and each other. Game-like. Barbarian.

Post-Modernity: There are no absolute rules.

The play can be talked about as if:

1. John determines the rules

2. Carol learns the rules from John

3. Carol beats him at his own game

While not appearing explicitly in the play, morality might be talked about as though it were lurking behind the play, that the play was a cautionary tale. The reader should approach this cautiously, as this is not in the play itself and is the reader’s idea.

Dialogue does not call attention to itself.

Clean and simple. Without ornamentation. Like a building whose every part holds up the building. No gingerbread. Neither Victorian nor Baroque.Modern but not post-modern.  

Each line is driven by the desire to dominate.

John loses everything.

Desperate men do what they must to get the objects of their desire. 

The characters themselves become mere objects, steps in the maze of obstructions and opportunities for advantage. Everyone wants the good sales leads.  

It seems to be an analogue of hunting.

Interpretative drama can be a lab for postmodern experimentation.

Construct a chart with a character per row and column.

Eliminate characters whose relationships with the other characters do not change with respect to initial state.  

Choose a state to measure: Love/Hate, Respect/Disrespect, Reward/Steal, Give Pleasure/Give Pain

Code the initial and the final states

Calculate the amount of change per character

Total rows and columns

Make inferences based on the totals and changes

Initial: at first appearance of the character

Final: at last appearance of character

Loves: wishes the beloved to succeed in life

Self-Love: Will the character sacrifice himself for the benefit of another? Is the character suicidal?  

There is a severe loss by the end of the play.  From initial to final, there is a 33% loss of love.  

Hamlet is the least loving character.  

Polonius is the most loving.  

The Hamlets love the Polonians most of all. 

The Polonians love themselves more than they love the Hamlets.  

The Polonians love the Hamlets more than the Hamlets love themselves.  

The Hamlets love themselves least of all.  

At first, Hamlet can have no objection to his uncle marrying his mother.  Henry VIII married his brother's widow, Kathryn. 

Hamlet seethes with anger over the usurpation of his throne by Claudius.  

With Claudius and Gertrude sleeping together, there could be another claimant to the throne. Claudius might trump Hamlet.  

Hamlet's chastisement of Gertrude after the mousetrap scene is designed to drive her from her marriage bed and deny Claudius an heir.  

Claudius tries to prevent the marriage of Hamlet to Ophelia. Hamlet's son might claim the throne.  Claudius is glad Ophelia died and is glad that Hamlet killed Polonius.  His enemies are taking care of each other.  There is much hatred in the family. 

The Ghost's tale gives Hamlet cause to do something about Claudius.  

Polonius works for the king; that is his job. However, the grandson of Polonius might become king if Hamlet and Ophelia married. Polonius tries to channel Hamlet's trifling with Ophelia into a marriage with her cooperation.  Is Ophelia pregnant?  

Polonius brings the madness of Hamlet to the attention of Claudius and Gertrude, diagnosing the disease and prescribing a cure.  

Hamlet and Claudius detest the self-serving and ingratiating Polonius. 

Hamlet detests Ophelia's complicity in the schemes of Polonius.  She wants to be queen and needs the use of Hamlet.  

Polonius views the prospect of Claudius and Gertrude producing an heir as a race.  He rushes the marriage between Hamlet and Ophelia.   Laertes has an avuncular interest in a nephew on the throne.  Gertrude has everything she wants, is amused by Polonius,  and would like Ophelia as daughter-in-law, a grandchild, and a child of her own.  

Hamlet and Ophelia were intimate but he suspects her of betrayal.  She works in her own interest.  

Ophelia loses much with Polonius: his protection and her reason to be at court.  

Laertes will not inherit his father's position as the king's councilor.  

If Ophelia is pregnant, she may not be able to go to the nunnery and her marriage prospects fall further.  She has lost everything.  When she has nothing more to lose she mocks of the king.  Her suicide can be contemptuous: the world is not good enough for her.  Claudius is glad she is out of the way.  

Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes are self-sacrificing. 

Hamlet is suicidal.  

Ophelia commits suicide.  

Claudius and Polonius are hedonists. They love themselves from beginning to end. 

The hedonists (40) are in more loving relationships than the stoics (28).  

Not counting their self-love, 36 and 24.  

Gertrude changes from hedonist to stoic.  

Reversibility in structure provides symmetry and conservation.  

In comedy, people can fall in and out of love again and again.  

In the old days, marriage was irreversible and thus could become tragic.  

Death is irreversible.  

Birth is reversible by death.  

Is death reversible by birth?  

All six characters die.  

Each researcher may generate their own rules.  

Even using the same rules, different researchers can derive a different set of values for the relationships.  

Each researcher may measure a different metric:  Love, Respect, Fear. 

Each researcher may view a different production or read a different edition of the text.  

Hamlet's final hatred of Claudius is certain. Hamlet kills Claudius with the poisoned sword. 

Clearly, after Hamlet discovers the poisoned sword, he detests Laertes and tries to kill Laertes, although they forgive each other as they die. I still code them as non-Loving finally. 

Self-love: Claudius loves himself above all. He conspires twice to have his wife's son killed. He chooses not to save his wife from poisoning. 

Ophelia refers to Hamlet's love letters early and so I code Hamlet as loving her initially, although perhaps not at first appearance of Ophelia.

Hamlet treats Polonius with increasing disdain and eventually kills him. 

Barnardo, Horatio, Marcellus, the Ghost, Fortinbras, Balderic, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern do not change in their relationships with any of the other characters during the course of the play and so are left out. 

Universal conditions such as 'Everyone loves everyone' or 'There is no such thing as Love' disallow variation and are therefore useless in this analysis. 

For totals, I add Loved and Is Beloved, which gives a better picture of the character's relationships. If the Is Beloved were not added, a character who does not love at all but is loved by all would have a total of zero. 

Why does Hamlet kill Polonius?  The action results in his deportation and the entire accidental machinery of the pirate chase.  Hamlet loses control after killing Polonius and does not regain control until his return from England.  The murder gets him out of town so that he can return for Ophelia's funeral.  

• Claudius has already sent for Rosencrantz and Gildenstern. 

• Hamlet has been swindled out of his kingdom.  

• Hamlet fears that Claudius and Gertrude might produce an heir and further displace Hamlet.  

• Claudius does not want Hamlet to marry Ophelia; they might produce a child and displace Claudius.  

• Claudius assumed the throne by murder: the way down for him is steep and deep. The chasm is without mercy.  

• Gertrude wants Hamlet to marry Ophelia and produce a child.  Gertrude wants to be queen of the house. She is pleased to be rid of Hamlet Senior. Despite all the praise lavished on the conveniently dead, he was not the party animal she has discovered in Claudius. She is satisfied with the results.  Or she could have child with Claudius, thus hedging her bet.  

• Polonius wants to be the father or grandfather of a king. In the Brevity scene, Polonius leads the Royals toward a conclusion.  Hamlet is mad with love and Ophelia is the cure.  Therefore Hamlet should marry Ophelia. Gertrude plays up to Polonius, approaching him while reproaching him, more teasing Claudius than Polonius, while Claudius glares at the possibility.  Laertes could be king if Hamlet succeeds Claudius and then dies.  

• Hamlet toys with Ophelia.  She could be useful but she is working for her father and brother. Hamlet is her chance to be queen. Hamlet is aware that he has a child coming and he can play the card whenever he wishes.  

• In the bedroom scene, Hamlet's tries to poison the sexual relationship between Gertrude and Claudius.  He has given them some more time by not killing Claudius.  By killing Polonius, he gives Claudius an excuse to send him away to be killed.  

• In Ophelia's last scene, she has lost her father and protector. Hamlet holds her distant: she will not be queen. She has nothing. She has blood on her white dress and is vengefully glad to be rid of the baby.  She is more marriageable without a child.  She had not given it a name. Gertrude is hurt by the loss while Claudius can afford to act stoic.  

Hedda’s environment is claustrophobic: her social world is closing.

Her best marriage prospect is Tesman; while not at all interesting, he is at least safe and she will have social opportunity. She abandons the open possibility of adventure for relatively closed safety.

However, Tesman’s position at the university is not assured and he must cut back on expenses. No coach with a driver? Not even a saddle horse? She is trapped in the rural manor house.

No, she cannot be queen of the house: Tesman’s Aunt Julianna is first in Tesman’s limited affections and now that her sister has died, Julianna will stay with Hedda and Tesman.

Her safety in the house is threatened by Commissioner Brock, who wants her as his toy. She is able to keep him at arm’s length.

No, she may not go to the party. It is for men only and their riotous behavior. She must stay at home with her even more socially deprived friend.

She sees her friend Luvborg as the soul of adventure and notes the heavy fee he must pay for his freedom. He is shunned and condemned, at war with disgrace.

Perhaps, she thinks, all freedom is doomed to self-destruction. She provides him the cause and the means of his destruction, incidentally providing Brock with the ammunition for sexual blackmail and her world shrinks further.

She cannot even talk about it. She conceals her anguish from the others. Occasionally an aside suggests her inner thought.  Death is an irreversible process.

View from the Bridge

In this play by Arthur Miller, we see the disintegration of the American family, a theme Miller as well as Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill  and Sam Shephard have explored.  

The play can be talked about as a set of relationships centering around Eddy, the father.  His wife and niece must listen to him and his word is nearly absolute.  

Eddy displays his physical strength, neighborhood status, and generosity.  

Beatrice is the glue that keeps the family together, even to the point of bringing her cousins from Sicily to live with her immediate family.  She is perceptive, heedful, accommodating  and tries to get everyone else to share her virtues.  She also keeps the stories and aphorisms that illustrate the laws.  

Katherine is Beatrice's orphaned niece, on the threshold of womanhood, bright and ambitious but still under the guardianship of her uncle who acts as her father.  

Marco, the older of the two brothers is protective of his family, sending money back to his wife and children in Sicily, as well as protecting his brother against the increasingly patriarchal Eddy.  

Rudolfo is the romantic, artistic, younger brother who catches the eye of Katherine and brings him in conflict with Eddy.  Marriage between Katherine and Rudolfo threatens to legitimate their relationship, which is detestable to Eddy, legitimate or not.  Rudolfo never comes to Eddy to ask Eddy for the Katherine's hand in marriage.  Is something is broken in the ritual?  

The play can also be talked about as a set of relationships between three sets of laws.  Family law, given by the father, neighborhood law, upheld by the immediate community, and the national laws represented by the federal immigration officials.  

The federal law is enforced by arrest, imprisonment, deportation, and the courts.  

Family law is enforced by the father who can banish anyone from his household.  

Neighborhood law is enforced by shunning and violence.  Generally, family law is at the bottom as it must defer to neighborhood and federal law.  Neighborhood law occupies an intermediate level.  

It is part of the neighborhood and the family law to ignore the federal law but of course cannot directly challenge it, given its power.  

Conflict on the family level arrives with the merger of two families (without ceremony or ritual) as Beatrice, Eddy's wife, invites two of her cousins, brothers, to live with them.  Eddy must be generous to the undocumented immigrant .  One must not snitch to the police.  That is the neighborhood law.  

Eventually, the father, in his madness and pride, ignores neighborhood law and, in an attempt to prevent the marriage of Katherine and Rudolfo, snitches on the brothers to have them deported.  Eddy insults Marco, who feels obliged to defend his honor, a fight ensues, the neighborhood finds out that Eddy has snitched the brothers out, even his family abandons him, and Eddy is killed in the fight.  

Eddy's complaints against Rudolfo

• Eddy gave Rudolf the roof over his head, food off Eddy's plate, and a blanket from Eddy's bed.  

• Rudolfo has tried to deceive Eddy regarding Rudolfo's relationship with Katherine.  

• Rudolfo has tried to deceive Katherine into marrying Rudolfo so that he can stay in the country.  

• Rudolfo is ungrateful, disrepectful, and selfish.  

Beatrice's attempts to reconcile and facilitate

• Retells the story about what happened to the immigration snitch.  

• Tries to get Eddy and Katherine to talk to each other. 

• Eventually tries to get Katherine to move out of Eddy's house and out of his juridiction, expecting that to defuse the situation.  

• Tries to get Eddy to apologize to Marco to defuse their enmity.  

• Tries to psychoanalyze Eddy, that his waning interest in her is projected on to Katherine, thus getting to the root of Eddy's angst.  Katherine and Rudolfo are second cousins.  

The Greek Play

View from the Bridge corresponds with some Greek plays.  

Prologue: The Lawyer character tells some of the back story and points out the set of laws that they all must heed.  

Chorus: The neighbors, in their support and withdrawal of support from Eddy, represent the greater mass of the people whose power must be taken into account.  

Incest: The six main characters are all related by blood or by marriage.  Beatrice suggests that Eddy's love for Katherine is unnatural.  

Death of the monarch (family monarch in this case) leads to disintegration of the wider community (family in this case).

In a drama, assume that the characters are the elements and assume one or more relationships between the characters. The relationship can be loves/hates, dominates/submits to, etc.  

For each relationship, list the characters twice in a column, once labeled for initial state and once labeled for a final state.

List each character in a row.

Code each relationship, character-to-character, once for the beginning (or first appearance) and once for the end or last appearance. Include the characters’ relationship with themselves.

Identify characters that do not change and eliminate them from the matrix.

For each character, total the number of Loves and Is Loved, initial and final.

Calculate the amount of change per character and in total for the play. Expect that tragedy will have a net loss.

Assume that the characters each have an objective that only one character can achieve. For example, there can be only one king or a man can have only one wife.

Assume that there are a small number of techniques that the characters can use to further these objectives. The techniques can be vulgar, such as flattery, bribery, or threats of force.

For each character, list the techniques in a column and mark a ‘1’ for each occurrence of that technique in all the lines or beats in the play.

List nouns as elements and verbs as operations.  

You won't know where it will take you.  

Knowing what will happen means less reason to do it.  

Art is not necessarily the manifestation of a plan nor imagination's slave, remembered and then jotted down.  

Art is not necessarily a delivery service for philosophy, politics, or art.  Let the pack mule throw off his burden and dance for us! 

Art might not so much as map these topics as make them unnecessary, to include, exceed, evolve, and obliterate them. 

Comedy is a food-fight.

Tragedy is a fight to the death.

In either case, the author’s job is to provide ammunition.  

The characters must be resourceful with respect to intelligence and persistence. The characters must stay in the running to be eligible for the increasingly high stakes. No one is going to help you. No one has time.  

Plot is not a member of the structure, nor is premise, theme, opposition, or the author or his ideas. 

The well-adjusted character is useless. They stay out of trouble. Drama is the collision of obsessed characters, the intersection of their hungers. Characters take risks.  They are willing to go to extremes.   Characters kill.

By their operations, characters attempt to influence each other to advance their individual causes. 

It is the exposure, by means of the operations, that we in the audience see character and establish our participation in the production, our relationship with the characters, and our investment in the outcome.  

Characters move toward their objectives. They drive relentlessly around, over, and through the opposition.  

A player reaches for an object, trying to possess it exclusively, but the object is illusive.  The player experiences tension. 

Characters raise the stakes of the game they are playing.   Character drives tension.   

If a state of tension is an anti-objective, one that is to be avoided, then tension is part of the structure.  

If tension is an overlay then tension is not a part of the structure. If  the writer is brought into the structure, the play inherits all the objectives of the author as well as those of the characters.  

As tension can be an overlay, so can irony, climax, and other techniques of exposition. The human preference for the dualistic in art can be implemented structurally by coupling an action with its opposite, thus making the process reversible. 

The audience is convinced by irony.  

The dramatist creates something out of nothing with irony. With contrast, order apparently arises from chaos.

Exposition is the provision of interpretation for the benefit of the audience. Exposition is the relationship between the production and the audience.

The audience can be viewed as an element in a larger structure that includes the production, the house, the promotion, and critics.  

As each character raises the stakes, at some point they risk breaking the rules. The rules can include the law and subsequent punishment, which can defeat their quest for their objectives.  

Climax is an expected event in the relationship between audience and character.  

The restricted set of operations the players can perform convincingly on the audience closes the production, closure being fundamental to structure.  

Physical violence is difficult to stage realistically. Fight scenes on stage are seldom convincing. The climax can be achieved when a character approaches physical violence. Will he strike? He gets louder and more physical, approaching closely, menacing. You don’t know what he’s going to do.

The play should end swiftly after the climax. Count the bodies and briefly expose the new equilibrium.

The structure does not have a purpose. It has only its elements and operations.  It is as blind as an amoeba.  

In drama, each character has an objective, which is generally self-indulgent.

The author may choose to design the story as an example of that kind of behavior.  The author might also make an aesthetic or philosophic judgment and set his characters to the task of illustrating his views.   The author takes risks before a sophisticated audience that has had much experience with plays, movies, and TV drama.

In both cases, the drama threatens to open up into an expression of the author's opinions, ceasing to be dramatic.  The characters lose their autonomy.  They are directed in their behavior by off-stage forces.  

Theme is the thinnest shadow of drama.

When I say anything, I’m advised to consider all my critics, dead and alive, and everything they might say.  This includes grammarians, philosophers, sarcastic politicians, stubborn barroom disputants, the man on the street, scientists, science fiction buffs, the man about town, parents, school teachers, as well as my very own personal choir of superegos in their incessant cacophony of praise and chastisement.  

Additionally, I must be wary of nihilists, anarchists, democrats, monarchists, republicans, protestants, catholics, animists, in short, members of every possible tribe, committee, posse, discussion group or lynch mob with an opinion and, much more importantly, the force to impose it.  

Madmen and the very young, the disenfranchised, the ancients and those stuffed away far into the future, all the unheard, must be brought in, heard, and their pronouncements registered.  

Lastly, I must watch ever-vigilant with respect to the lone wolf and his singular genius lightning-striking out of a clear, blue sky with his concise incision.  

All these considerations must be packed efficiently into every word-choice, inserted carefully into every paragraph, appended clause-like onto every sentence, prepended to every noun, adverb on adjective, on and on, until the monolith is bullet-proofed into majestic immortality.  

Only then may I publish my modest thought.  

Each time a new character is added, the total number of relationships that require illustration in the script increases: 2(n+1)**2 - 2(n)**2, 2((n+1)**2 – n**2) being loving and loved, and the matrix square.  

More generally, the additional number of relationships to be illustrated: m((n+1)**p – n**p)

where

n is the number of characters,

m the number of states per dimension (the number of values of the relationship, minimum 2),

p the number of dimensions,

If the matrix is cubic, such as when wealth or power is added independently to love, the complexity becomes harder to manage.  At some number of dimensions, data entry becomes daunting and analysis forbidding.  

Possible dimensions

A loves B, A is loved by B.  Two states: True, False.  

A has power over B, A is powered over by B

Adding the author adds more than a single character.  Your entire choir of superegos tags along.  Not only does every critic hover over your shoulder as you dab judiciously at the words, but also several versions of yourself, some providing the continuous accolade you crave, others scourging your self-esteem with comments so personal only you can understand.  And don’t forget the legions of distractions and their camp-followers.   In a few cases, weather is an issue.  

Art must be there, in the play.  Everyone says so.  Some will claim they saw him anyway, even when he had no lines nor even appeared onstage.  Perhaps he lurked in the dressing room or wandered the lobby or posed as homeless with his hand out on the street.  Others will say they didn’t see him at all, in spite of the glorious lines.  Art could cartwheel around the stage and they'd miss it.  Just be cute.  Sit on the couch neither watching TV nor reading, neither speaking nor listening, defending yourself against all charges with a haughty patience.  

Political parties add huge new squares, unless you think the party speaks with one voice, which it does not.  

Audience.  Generally assumed to speak with one voice, although thought to be different from city to city and certainly from size to size.  Remember that crowds can get mean.  

Characters who pursue their own objectives using their own resources are empowered individuals.  

This is consistent with method-acting and with views of the individual as an independent entity.  

Actors play to the audience.  That's why actors play. 

The relationship between audience and production might be more interesting than either.  

The relationship between the audience and the cast is closed.  There are certain things that theatre-goers will not pay to witness. 

Theatre-goers are well rehearsed in entry and exit, laughing and crying, being startled and being bored.  There also known to make cunning comments over wine and cheese in the lobby.  

Structurally, politics is a system of groups of humans who operate on other groups. Each group is a system of individuals who operate on each other. The individual consciously acts as an agent of a larger group, representing his interests.

Practical politics can be thought an extension of pre-historic troop-behavior of council, debate, and consensus. In the oldest of times, there were no kings but only speakers.

Modern politics includes the king as concept, as a virtual person, someone you never meet, whose public relations effort precedes him.

The concept of sacrifice is the nucleus of order and disorder in politics. The group requires the sacrifice the individual is loath to make. Sacrifice is tied to our ability to conceptualize. Sacrifice is fundamental to the Bible, Bhagavad Gita, Koran, and the Tao.  Sacrifice is the test of the claim of altruism.  

A political drama can take as its structure the neophyte political agent, still wet behind the ears, dripping with self-indulgent ideals. And now he must sacrifice something to demonstrate his loyalty to the group.

Many tragic dramas can be modeled as confrontations between an individual and representatives of Law.  The barbarian encounters the wall.  

Law and History: These three periods can have similar distance from Law.  

Ancient: PreLaw

Sacrifice of self for community, language, culture

Modern: Law

Classification as solution

If the operations of a structure can be influenced from outside the structure, for example from another structure, the operations can be turned on, turned off, increased or decreased in frequency or amplitude.  

Operationally, a structure might be dormant. Like a gene, it can be turned on.

Structures can be cross-coupled. They can turn each other on, in which case there needs to be a governor to keep them under control. Saturation might be the governor.  

Operations within a structure might influence other operations. The possession-operation might excite the sexual-operation and vice versa. The distinct structures composing the individual persons might influence each other, mutually exciting.  

In addition to choirs of advice, the superego keeps all memory, including recent flashes that have proved useful lately in placating or deflating the persistent hunger of the libido. Supplied with the memories of hot stoves and unrequited love, the superego keeps a handy set of ploys and bribes that have blunted the insatiable and self-destructive demands of the id. The superego is a repository of experience abstracted into ideals, cautionary tales, and other templates of behavior.  

Adapted to present circumstance, the ego is the current version of the history of bruises that masks, protects, isolates, and connects creature with environment. The ego personified appears in court, judged and judge.  Both institutions crave a peek under the mask.

Of the three, any may fire anytime. Or not. Each is highly autonomous but none is overwhelmingly influential. Each has its own set of fantasies. They communicate with the pleasures and pains of the body and derive an ad hoc algebra of experience that is intermittently undermined, supported, or amended by any. Generally the ego and superego conspire to suppress the id's outrageous and ill-timed demands. Theatre can be talked about as one of the algebras of experience, whose elements are the characters and the objects of their desire. Each character under magnification reveals his underlying triad resembling a pair of parents holding their child, his hand outstretched for the object of desire.

Obviously, one of the three can get impetuous and seize the body, ordering it about; even the body may seize the body. Even events in the environment, outside of the triumvirate dividual, might compel the body to go there and do that. But each entity in the structure, in leadership, is subject to attack or reinforcement from the others and to head-on collisions with reality, which tend to log significant experience in the superego's memory, associating theory and what actually happens.

A single seat of consciousness might reside in any of the three or in the changing relationship with each other, a logical argument whose resultant fires the body into action, commanding the limbs to move and the brain to think. Most simply: A vote carried by at least two, with the possibility of usurpation.

Perhaps a judgment of individual consciousness is merely a convenience, a legal fiction, existentially unnecessary. Presumably the structure would change and so the idea of the change would have to track the actual change to be reliable.

The other, as a single object, is an over-simplification but might be useful earliest in the career of the human infant, before learning of many others, very much like you, that you are one of their others. A consciousness functioning in this kind environment can navigate adaptively on a variety of levels. A large part of the other is the culture and all its inherited committees, constitutions, histories, and sciences, which are more or less imprinted on the superego's encyclopedia, all set to music. It is unrestricted compared to the closed individual.

The other, as a single object, is useful in modeling the closed person who has everyone classified, preferring a policy of instant defense. It is difficult for him to share in the traveling harmonies resonating in social relationships. The closed person may seek complexity, solution, and spontaneity within himself. Or even to open up all at once, at an odd time, bringing in the sun, and then wrapping himself up again in his long cloak to mutter on home and keep his dream. The paranoid schizophrenic, the megalomaniac, the narcissist, even the single-minded, have reduced the entire universe in all its detail to a single object that must be controlled, possessed, eliminated, or retained. In that case the struggle, the operations of the character-elements, are internal. He might attempt to quiet the inner advice, deny the ravenous hunger, or drop his mask.

The other can not be possessed for long. It is the other. It is the domain of facts and the immense field of what actually happens with all its innumerable detail and its nearer personalities. The world will always exceed its description, attempts to reduce the world to a single point, a sum, a joke, a system of equations, a possession notwithstanding.

The other might imprison the individual, who is closed in from the outside. Naturally uninhibited, wishes to escape. But the body might be limited in what it may do. The character may attempt to open or close, awaken or quiet, eliminate or retain the other. The domain at play includes structural elements outside the individual. The struggle is external, the world.

And of course no one is purely open or closed. We know these terms from personal experience, which is supposed to inform our choir of advice as to its song list.

Existential angst notwithstanding, does the creature have a real need for self-consciousness, however named? The autonomous firing of passion, memory, and mask accounts for the adaptability and variability of the structure. Its physical existence is justified by its physical success. When coupled to the body and to other personalities in the real environment, a set of harmonic exchanges occur between and within individuals. Effort is made to achieve mutually desired objectives and results are tested in conversation.

There are ways to talk about something without name or depiction. One might think there might be someone home. What is done obscures who has done it.

The audience, as voyeur, might think someone is behind the door, rattling his chains. In addition to what the character is going to do next, the voyeur might make inferences about what lies beneath the mask, especially ideas of the form "...how the character really is...".

With all creatures that flee harm, individual fear is amplified by the species fear invested in us long ago. In spite of the insistent cravings of the id, it's about much more than you.

Hedonism is the science of the Self.

The Self is a collection of masks and a mask-maker.

The mask-maker is playful.

The mask-maker is coy. The mask-maker can be seen briefly as she discards one mask for another. An attempt to see the mask-maker reveals another mask.

Masks are made of material delivered by the culture to the mask-maker, even in infancy.

Gender is a mask.

The mask-maker is greedy for participation and reputation, power and pleasure.

Political discourse is a chorus of masks, even within one person. Any person can have a political discussion with himself. The masks just start talking.

To the impartial observer, political discourse between many Selves is not much different from a discussion within one Self. When involving two or more persons, the personalities appear to dissolve into each other. That is to say, one mask of one person might appear to be between two masks of another. It becomes difficult to say who is who.

The solution (many collections of masks juxtaposed with each other) is not necessarily harmonious. The solution can be chaotic.

Law is the science of the Other.

The Law is, of course, the resultant of many Selves, each a resultant of many masks.

All resultants are fictions.

Law, as an abstraction, is cast and conservative. Immutable.

Law, as expressed, is a collection of the utterings of masks and as such is gratuitous, random, chaotic, Self-serving, and paradoxical. After all, people express Law. People are collections of masks. The expression of Law is political discourse.

Law tries to limit the playfulness of the Self.

Law includes what we normally call science, which is a collection of expressed topics including physics and mathematics. These Laws are thought to be absolute. One cannot violate the law of gravity. But of course these Laws are resultants of collections of masks.

Law includes what we normally call law, that is civil and criminal law, as well as morality, which is extra-legal law. They are thought by some to be absolute. One can (but may not) violate these laws.

The relationship is more interesting than the elements.

The Self craves discourse. The Self plays in political discourse. The Self is driven into discourse by instincts for reputation and fraternity, a hunger for recognition, and curiosity regarding most any activity. Seeing and being seen. The young mask-maker learns new masks in discourse.

The attempt to draw a boundary between Self and Other is a rich field of discussion, endlessly folding back on itself, trying to close down and solve the problem, or open up and admit new solutions, becoming an agile traverse between opposition to conjunction and back again, playfully. The masks jockey for position, reputation, and influence.

The mask-maker attempts to manage her reputation, trying to do good while playing, trying to integrate personal goals with communal goals, mixing business with pleasure.

The intersection between private and public is the most exciting and dangerous of situations. The stakes are high. The greatest glory jostles intimately with ignominy. The mask-maker must call up all his art. Other masks elect some to high office. Others are crucified. Most are ignored.

The paradox of barbarism versus civilization can be expressed in the theorem:

Law attempts to contain Self and Selfishness.

Law can be transformed into barbarity as the container (a collection of Selves) asserts its selfishness, acting in its own interests.

The theorem is fundamental to the Freud/Lacan model of the human psyche.

The observer is really just another collection of masks.

It is impossible to merely observe. The observer juxtaposes her masks with those of the observed.

The impartial observer is a fiction.

The observer positions himself, with respect to the observed, as an outsider, voyeur, assuming a distant and lonely post unnatural to the Self, who hungers for participation.

After some delay, in triumph, the observer returns to the larger discourse with her tales.

After the initiation and all its mask and pretence and its excuses and its laughter, steps forth the Dividual, as it is, unaccommodated, strength and weakness apparent in their brutality and failure, ordinary, classified, and utterly rejectable.

In detail, the Dividual is a chaotic network of associations, nodes being the reverberating memories of collisions between its ravenous instincts and particular physical events.  

Sometimes reverberating nodes resonate.  

Instinct drives the associations, transforming energy, transmitting across the network, and causing physical movement.  It must lunge toward the object of its desire. The Self is merely one of the nodes in the network of memory, only a few being necessary to survival.

The Dividual exists within a larger social network of other Dividuals.  The Dividual's nodes can be points of contacts, past or present, with other Dividuals.  In fact, most of the collisions that produce memory are social collisions.  Thus there is no real difference between memory and experience.  

In this model, we share memory and experience, which are propagated throughout the supernetwork of Dividuals.  

The Dividual might return again and again to an idea of the Self, or the idea of Self, as a node, might fire again and again.  

Structuralism succeeds in positing plausible analogues to human systems.  It accounts for some variation and autonomy.  

In the sense of a predictor of human behavior, structuralism fails because humans tend to open structures they discover.  

When we understand ourselves, we change who we are.  Our behavior is no longer predictable.   

The very success of the understanding eventually leads to a new structure. In as much as we succeed in understanding ourselves, we escape that understanding. The structure is no longer closed and not being closed, it is not a structure. 

Thus our self-understanding creates a limit without creating a border. We are limited by our ignorance and obey our discoveries about ourselves until we become aware of the discoveries. We become free by knowledge.

For example, in abandoning authority and tradition, we’ve raised the individual to new heights, creating a simultaneous culture of isolation and cooperation. People are more isolated than ever and groups have become awesomely powerful, not because of a pyramidal domination but because of a new mode of yielding up the power of the individual, a new mode of social existence that uses individuality to the groups’ advantage. 

At the same time there is a great cooperation welling up within humanity. The stability of the planet’s biosphere, including the human’s who are taking responsibility for it, depends on the cooperation. Does it require the sacrifice of the individual?

The isolated individual can barely see this opening up of cultural possibility. In future times, after the next great, traumatic, transformational wave of change, our generation will be looked at, if regarded at all, as selfish, self-self-interested, and closed.

Most artistic and technological accomplishments are passed along rather anonymously.

Any endeavor is about managing complexity. Writing a play often means inventing relationships between characters. The characters themselves can be very complex.

Structural analysis abstracts to identify certain kinds of features that indicate the underlying structure of the data being observed.

Other methods of dramatization consist of an agenda of do’s and don’ts. But where do they come from? Or intuition? How do you get it?

Objective: Ensemble, write a 10-minute character-driven play 

Time commitment: 4 hours

Materials: ream of paper, white board, markers, copy machine, tables, chairs, pens/pencils

List Monosyllabic first names

Dan

Doris

Gwen

Rob

Pete

Paul

Jim

Jill

Moderator chooses first 3 characters with a unique first initial

Dan

Gwen

Rob

List possible social roles

Yuppies

Hippies

Homeless

Addicts

Gay

Farmers

Members elect 1 social role

Yuppies

List possible mutually exclusive objectives

Money

Reputation

Dominance

Sex

Members elect a single objective (through-line)

Money

List possible techniques that each character could use to satisfy the objective

Flattery

Bribery

Force

Murder

Alliance

Deceive

Write Beats

Each member anonymously writes a single unit of dialogue on 1 page: (1 hour)

Clearly Label: A tries to ___(technique)____ B, satisfying the objective (money)

Dialogue

Stage directions

Clearly Label: Succeeds/Fails

Repeat with new technique

Repeat with new technique

Edition

Moderator collects all sheets

Photo copy all collected sheets

Distribute copies to all members

Independent edition (1 hour)

Eliminate or resolve beats that are not clearly Successes or Failures.

Eliminate or combine beats that are similar with respect to characters and techniques.

Eliminate or strengthen beats that do not satisfy the objective.

Identify 1 beat where the action approaches physical violence.

Move violent beat to the end of the script.

Members volunteer their results

Moderator chooses 3 resultsCast and read 3 results (1 hour)

The scripts can be developed further using the following procedures.

Character-Relationship Matrix

Construct a character-by-character matrix that lists the change in relationship between each pair of characters from start to finish.

Check that evidence of each change is actually in the story.

Time-Matrix

Construct a time line for the story for each character.

Enter the start and finish relationships from the Character relationship Matrix.

Itemize each point in the timeline between start and finish where the relationship is under pressure to change.

Check that each instance of change is evidenced in the script.

DAN

Not a complete surprise.

GWEN

You saw it coming.

DAN

There were signs.

Knock on the door.

Gwen opens the door.

GWEN

Robert. Come in.

Gwen stands next to Robert, between Dan and the door.

ROBERT

How you doing, Dan.

DAN

I’m fine.

ROBERT

Kind of a spring, right?

DAN

Hey, that’s life, right?

GWEN

Why put it off any longer?

Gwen and Robert move closer together, between Dan and the door.

DAN

That’s pretty much it.

ROBERT

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

DAN

Well I suppose I should get philosophical about this.

ROBERT

Dan, you’re so understanding.

GWEN

I told you he would be, Robert.

DAN

Well, I mean really, what’s the point in standing in your way? You’ve made up your mind.

ROBERT

No point at all.

GWEN

We have made up our mind.

DAN

What do I stand to gain, besides making things hard for you?

GWEN

Exactly.

DAN

And besides, what could I do about it?

ROBERT

Nothing.

GWEN

We’re not even married.

DAN

I have to stand aside.

GWEN

You’re being so good about this.

ROBERT

You said he would be. Dan, we’ll stay in touch.

DAN

Thanks. That’ll help. I’ll get a hotel room. They take care of everything.

GWEN

What about your things?

DAN

I can get my stuff together pretty quick.

GWEN

It’s true. He travels very light.

DAN

There’s always storage.

ROBERT

I’ll help you move. It’s not a problem.

GWEN

That’s so kind of you, Robert.

Gwen looks at the table.

DAN

What about the credence table?

GWEN

Oh that. Well, you can take it.

DAN

But you really liked it. Remember?

GWEN

I want you to have it.

ROBERT

Credence table?

Gwen gestures to the small table.

GWEN

That’s what we always called it.

DAN

Gwen, that’s what the lady called it.

GWEN

You should take it. You paid for it.

DAN

It was a steal. Anyway, you found it.

GWEN

I want you to have it.

DAN

Won’t hear of it. I know how much it means to you.

GWEN

Robert, what do you think?

ROBERT

I think Dan should take it.

DAN

Absolutely not. It’s her table.

GWEN

Robert, help us out here. Tell us what to do.

ROBERT

Cut it in two? That way each of you could not take the other half.

GWEN

I’ll take it.

DAN

Settled. Done. That’s it. I’m going to step out for a while. Make some calls.

ROBERT

We’re still friends, Dan.

DAN

That’s a big help.

GWEN

I hate to see you staying in some strange hotel.

DAN

The more expensive ones are quite nice.

GWEN

You know, I don’t see a big rush here. We have the extra room. Robert, don’t we owe Dan a little something? Some transition at least? I feel like I’m driving him out.

DAN

Under the circumstances, staying would be pretty awkward. I couldn’t. I’d feel like I was imposing myself on you.

GWEN

Not at all. He wouldn’t be imposing at all, would he, Robert?

ROBERT

No. It wouldn’t be awkward at all. .

GWEN

I mean, we’re all friends.

DAN

We are.

GWEN

The tickets!

ROBERT

What tickets?

GWEN

Creed!

DAN

Gwen loves Creed. You can have them. You can take her.

ROBERT

I’ll buy them off you.

DAN

You hate Creed.

ROBERT

I can stand them. I mean, Gwen wants to go.

GWEN

Why don’t we all go.

ROBERT

Sure. I’ll get another ticket. For myself.

DAN

They sold out Tuesday.

GWEN

Maybe someone canceled.

ROBERT

I’ll give them a call.

GWEN

They’re expensive.

ROBERT

I’ll put it on my card.

GWEN

Robert, your card.

DAN

What.

GWEN

It was declined this morning.

DAN

This morning?

GWEN

At breakfast.

DAN

I see. At breakfast. You two. Well Robert, if you can’t afford it, I’ll ...

ROBERT

I can afford it. It’s nothing.

DAN

I just want to help. They don’t come to town very often.

ROBERT

Never mind. I’ll take care of it.

DAN

I’ll just phone it in. I mean, your job.

ROBERT

Never mind about my job.

DAN

You work very hard. I wish they appreciated what you do.

GWEN

He just started.

ROBERT

Well they don’t.

DAN

Bussing all those dishes...

ROBERT

I said layoff. We can’t all be in charge. Mr. Corporation.

GWEN

It’s really great seeing you guys working things out so well.

ROBERT

Mr. Haircut. Mr. 401K.

DAN

Sorry I offended you, Robert.

GWEN

Why don’t we all go to the concert together? Just to prove how well we get along. How civilized we are. Okay, Robert.

ROBERT

I said I would.

DAN

Fine. We’ll go. We’re being inconsiderate of Gwen. Arguing.

GWEN

That’s right.

DAN

You have to have a perfect track record with Gwen. She deserves the very best.

ROBERT

You’re right about that.

DAN

You’ll go nowhere fast with a reputation for dishonesty.

ROBERT

Dishonesty? What are you saying.

DAN

I shouldn’t say.

ROBERT

About what? That I can’t be trusted? On what grounds. Because you’re a loser you got to blame me.

DAN

The gap in your resume.

ROBERT

That was years ago.

DAN

Two years ago.

GWEN

Robert loves children.

DAN

Children.

ROBERT

That’s right. I want to have kids.

DAN

I know Gwen always wanted a child.

GWEN

I do.

DAN

I think you should.

GWEN

I will.

DAN

It’s that time of life for you.

GWEN

We’re going to travel.

ROBERT

Yeah. We’re getting out of this place.

DAN

Robert, you don’t like the city?

ROBERT

This dump? No place for a family.

GWEN

I can’t say it hasn’t been an education.

DAN

One says these kinds of things. Robert, I just want her to be safe.

ROBERT

Why wouldn’t she be safe?

DAN

Those missing 18 months. Drugs? Jailhouse?

ROBERT

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

DAN

I know what I don’t know.

ROBERT

So what. It’s in the past.

DAN

Does Gwen know? .

ROBERT

Sort of. I mean I was going to tell her.

GWEN

Robert doesn’t need to prove himself with me.

DAN

He already has, it seems.

GWEN

People grow. They learn things. I’m not seeing a problem here.

DAN

Might even be ready for Gwen.

GWEN

What do you mean?

ROBERT

Yeah, what?

DAN

She’s going to put you through some stuff.

ROBERT

Like what.

DAN

Maybe I should just keep quiet.

ROBERT

What did you mean by that?

DAN

Never mind. I just had one of those thoughts.

ROBERT

About Gwen. What were you going to say?

DAN

Robert, you’ll be in my shoes.

ROBERT

Gwen and me, we’re forever.

DAN

How do you think I picked her up?

ROBERT

Picked her up? You jerk.

DAN

This is where I came in.

ROBERT

You fucking jerk. Just because she’s leaving, you got to cause trouble.

DAN

She’s going to feed you to her children.

ROBERT

She doesn’t have any.

DAN

That’s the other reason she wants you. Robert, I don’t want to disillusion you.

ROBERT

Of what?

DAN

Now that we’re getting things out into the open, Robert, I just think you should be informed. Do you really think that Gwen wants to settle with you, the children, mortgage, the boat, dogs and cats.

ROBERT
Well, we haven’t talked detail yet. Gwen and I, we left a lot of things open.

GWEN

We did. It’s so early for that.

ROBERT

There’s so much we don’t know.

DAN

And what do you want to know, Robert?

ROBERT

I want to know if you can keep your mouth shut for two minutes while I ask her a question. That was the end. Right? Of you and Dan?

GWEN

Right. Correct.

ROBERT

That’s what you told me this morning.

GWEN

That’s what I said.

ROBERT

We’re still on the same page.

GWEN

Yes, we are.

ROBERT

Just like I thought when I came in the door.

GWEN

Right.

ROBERT

Sorry I got so excited.

GWEN

It’s okay. I understand.

DAN

So,what did you two do this morning?

ROBERT

What’s it to you?

DAN

Until 20 minutes ago, Gwen and I were still together.

ROBERT

We went over to my place for two hours of heavy breathing.

DAN

She looks pretty fresh for all that.

GWEN

We talked.

DAN

Talking again.

ROBERT

About commitment.

DAN

I’ve heard of that.

GWEN

How you were incapable. Of commitment. I think you are.

DAN

And Robert?

GWEN

He was already there.

DAN

Already where?

GWEN

Committed.

DAN

Not the nuthouse again.

ROBERT

No, to a relationship, stupid. Don’t play dumb, Dan. It doesn’t suit you.

DAN

Already committed to a relationship? With her?

GWEN

Immediately.

DAN

That’s fast. And, Gwen, how about her?

ROBERT

Of course she did.

DAN

Really? What did she say?

ROBERT

Like she said. You couldn’t. I already did. End of story.

DAN

And what did she actually say she would do?

ROBERT

She said she could.

DAN

But did she?

ROBERT

Did she what?

DAN

Did she actually commit herself to a relationship with you.

ROBERT

Not in so many words. Not this morning.

DAN

In any words?

ROBERT

No. I guess not. No. She didn’t. I mean we’re just talking.

DAN

That’s what we do.

ROBERT

But just now she did. Dan’s out, right?

GWEN

Yes.

ROBERT

And you’re with me now?

GWEN

Yes.

DAN

Her enthusiasm is overwhelming.

ROBERT

Gwen, I’ve felt strongly about you for a long time. But I held back. Now I’m very, very happy that we’re finally, finally together.

GWEN

Me too.

DAN

Perfectly clear.

GWEN

Dan, you don’t have to understand the future. You can take chances.

DAN

Lucky me.

GWEN

Life would become predictable.

DAN

Unlikely.

ROBERT

Let’s not waste any more time.

DAN

A year here and a year there; it adds up, doesn’t it Gwen?

ROBERT

The world doesn’t revolve around you.

DAN

It doesn’t even include you.

ROBERT

What are you talking about?

DAN

What she’s thinking.

ROBERT

So tell me.

DAN

‘Which of these boys do I want?’

ROBERT

You’re crazy.

DAN

Not certifiably.

GWEN

Robert, he’s right. And I’m choosing you.

ROBERT

And if you want, no strings.

DAN

Perfect. Yet another no-strings relationship for Gwen.

ROBERT

And if she wants, we can take the next step.

DAN

Excellent. That’s exactly what I said.

ROBERT

So what went wrong?

DAN

She wants to play with you now.

ROBERT

You’re concerned about me.

DAN

You’re my friend.

ROBERT

Sure.

DAN

Friends are the only real choices you have.

GWEN

What a nice thing to say.

DAN

What about you, Robert? Why are you just a bus boy?

ROBERT

Waiter. I’m waiting tables starting Monday, just like you said.

DAN

That can change.

ROBERT

For personal reasons? You know better than that, Dan. Besides you need me. Julie’s leaving. That’ll leave you without a head waiter. And she’s taking Mark and Cynthia with her. And why are they leaving? Because the place is so fucked up. That’s why.

DAN

I do everything I can to make that place run.

ROBERT

Except show up.

DAN

I have meetings.

ROBERT

With who.

DAN

Vendors. Prices change all the time. I have to negotiate.

ROBERT

That’s why you asked me to wait tables. You can’t get anybody.

DAN

Yeah. I’m pretty desperate, Robert.

ROBERT

Maybe I could take Julie’s place.

DAN

I can replace her anytime. Besides, you don’t go from bus to head. It doesn’t work that way.

ROBERT

It’s not working at all, from what I see.

DAN

I have to manage the kitchen.

ROBERT

The chef does that.

DAN

The chef works for me.

ROBERT

I get along better with the chef than you ever did.

DAN

And the bar and the front of the house.

ROBERT

They all hate your guts.

DAN

And all the vendors.

ROBERT

Where the money changes hands. Tell me more. Tell us how you pay for that car on your wages.

DAN

I’m working with Julie. She’s going to stay.

ROBERT

You turn the bids over to Mitch.

DAN

She has some legitimate issues. She works hard. I’m pulling for her.

ROBERT

The bids themselves or your choices.

DAN

I have to add value. I’m not a messenger.

ROBERT

So you choose the vendors?

DAN

What is this, an audit?

ROBERT

You’re very friendly with the produce and beverage guys.

DAN

The landlord, the city, there’s a thousand things.

ROBERT

The hiring and the firing.

DAN

There’s that. Interviewing the candidates. That’s very important. Hiring the wrong person is very expensive, Robert.

ROBERT

Mitch kicks your ass.

DAN

He respects his employees.

ROBERT

No he doesn’t. He just closes the door for his little talks. He left some bruises last time. Friday. Dan put in one of his rare appearances and ran right into Mitch. Dan went into serious alliance-building mode all day after that. Friday. That’s when Julie gave notice.

DAN

Robert, I don’t blame you. I think she’s cute too. Although she can turn it off.

GWEN

I can move it around too.

DAN

If you can keep her sexually happy, she handles well.

ROBERT

You’re talking about Gwen?

DAN

There are ways to lay her out. Then she’s all yours.

ROBERT

I don’t think you do your homework.

DAN

But, if you don’t control her, she’ll control you.

ROBERT

I resent you talking about her that way.

DAN

She can’t say ‘goodbye’. She has to say ‘good riddance’. Yeah, and the clock keeps ticking, doesn’t it Gwen?

ROBERT

More free advice. And worth every penny.

DAN

We could share.

ROBERT

Share what?

DAN

Gwen. You and I.

ROBERT

What are you talking about.

DAN

She’d love it.

GWEN

So, you want to share me with Robert.

DAN

We’re friends, after all.

GWEN

Fine. Let’s start now.

DAN

Right now?

GWEN

Immediately.

Gwen removes an article of clothing.

Dan, if you’re feeling a little shy, you can just watch.

ROBERT

I’d like it if Dan would watch.

Dan stands up.

DAN

I don’t think. I’m going out for a while.

GWEN

Dan, you really do care.

DAN

Robert has so much to offer a family. Good hair. Good job.

Robert moves toward Dan.

ROBERT

Why should I put up with you any longer?

DAN

Consider the alternatives.

ROBERT

One of the alternatives is to kick your fucking ass.

DAN

Why don’t you?

Dan moves toward Robert.

ROBERT

I stick up for myself.

DAN

Bravo.

ROBERT

I’ve had enough of you. Dan, we’re going to settle this right now.

DAN

She’ll like that.

Robert moves toward Dan.

DAN

I’ll have him put back in a cage if he touches me.

ROBERT

You don’t rattle me.

DAN

You don’t look rattled.

GWEN

I love how you two work things out. So manly.

ROBERT

Know what you problem is, Dan? You never take people at their word.

DAN

They say so many things.

GWEN

Why don’t we all just sit down for a while.

 

Scene 2

Plant on the small table in front of window is larger.

Chair in front of plant with space to walk between chair and plant.

Robert is dressed in a tee shirt and Levi’s.

Dan adjusts his tie.

Props:

Foam football.

Small glass.

ROBERT

Last of the bourbon.

DAN

I won’t miss it.

ROBERT

I hated every drop.

DAN

Is that yours?

ROBERT

What.

DAN

There. That thing.

ROBERT

The glass.

DAN

Would you mind taking care of it.

ROBERT

It’s just a glass.

DAN

Look, I cooked the entire meal, did the shopping, and I’m not going to going to do all the cleaning up. Pick up after yourself. You agreed. We’re expecting a guest.

ROBERT

All right. I’m picking it up. Right now. I’ve got it. See?

DAN

A thousand congratulations for your kind consideration.

ROBERT

Don’t mention it.

DAN

I won’t.

Quietly.

ROBERT

She’s been talking ‘balance’. Lately.

DAN

She’s used the word.

ROBERT

And ‘backup’.

DAN

She works in a bank. What do you expect. They all talk that way.

ROBERT

You work in the ‘hospitality’ business. What’s that make you.

DAN

I’m just saying your occupation conditions your language.

ROBERT

What a bunch-of-crap excuse for not sticking up for yourself.

DAN

I’m a general manager of a successful restaurant.

ROBERT

I heard you were waiting tables.

DAN

I cover from time to time. Like when people like you don’t come to work.

ROBERT

You’re hanging on by your fingernails. That’s what I hear.

DAN

You should talk. You never got beyond bus boy.

ROBERT

I’m getting a real job. I’m going into technology.

DAN

Sure you are.

ROBERT

I wouldn’t work in that dump again if they paid me. Which they never did. Not really.

DAN

I’m thinking about getting a new car.

ROBERT

Good for you.

DAN

You barely have a place to live.

ROBERT

You got a clown job. Clown car. Clown.

DAN

If you’re not caught up in seven days, I’m moving you out.

ROBERT
No you won’t.

DAN

I’ll replace you with someone who can hold up his end.

ROBERT

Make your move.

Dan turns away.

DAN

Plant gets treated better than us.

ROBERT

Best seat in the house.

DAN

Gets to enjoy the view.

DAN

Just between you and me, I’m for taking a picture of that weed and tossing it.

ROBERT

Not a weed.

DAN

It’s going over.

ROBERT

I can’t allow that.

DAN

There are substances you can pour in there.

Robert approaches Dam.

ROBERT

If anything happens to that plant, I’m coming after you.

DAN

Just write the word ‘plant’ on a piece of paper and hang it on the wall.

ROBERT

Touch that plant and you’re going out the window. 3 floors.

DAN

I’m real scared of you.

ROBERT

You better hope you land in the bushes.

DAN

And you’re just another bump in the road to anyone with a car.

ROBERT

Don’t talk like that in my own house.

DAN

Your house? How about coming up with some rent for a change.

ROBERT

I’m still owed respect.

DAN

I’ll pay when you pay. I’m going to tell her to move it.

ROBERT

I got to see that.

DAN

I’m going to tell her like I’m telling you. Face to face. No bullshit.

Robert approaches Dam.

ROBERT

You’re not telling my wife anything.

Dan approaches Robert.

DAN

I’ll tell my wife anything I want.

GWEN

I’m almost ready.

Gwen enters.

DAN

You look terrific.

ROBERT

Terrific? What are you talking about she looks great.

GWEN

You guys get along so well.

DAN

Here, Gwen, won’t you sit down.

ROBERT

That dress looks so good on you.

GWEN

Where would I be without you? I think about it sometimes but I can’t imagine.

DAN

Hungry? Want something to eat?

ROBERT

Back rub? Starting with your toes?

GWEN

I love my life.

DAN

I’m thinking about getting a new car.

ROBERT

Me too.

GWEN

You are so primo.

Gwen embraces them both.

GWEN

Please. Go sit down.

ROBERT

So this guest of yours.

GWEN

I’m so much looking forward to you three getting acquainted.

DAN

What is his or her name?

GWEN

Do you want to spoil my surprise?

ROBERT

Of course he does. Jerk.

GWEN

Teamwork, guys. Sacrifice. Trade short for long. Remember. Keep trying. It’ll work.

ROBERT

I’m with you on that. All the way. Whatever it takes.

GWEN

I know you are. That’s great. You’re so dynamic.

ROBERT

That’s true.

GWEN

You’re a human dynamo.

ROBERT

And modest too. Don’t forget that.

GWEN

Don’t you think it’s time to soften up a little? Accommodate?

ROBERT

Of course. Great idea.

GWEN

I admire flexibility as well as strength. You know that.

ROBERT

I do.

GWEN

This is the experiment. Robert, I want you to operate without collisions or loud noises for a while. Three weeks.

ROBERT

I am like so totally with you on this.

GWEN

And I want you to pick up that temp job you were offerred.

ROBERT

But it’s like minimum wage. You have to talk to people you hate on sight.

GWEN

Gets your foot in the door, Robert. You can work your way up quickly. I know you. Dynamo. You can do it.

ROBERT

All right. If my wife wants me to take the job, I take the job. It’s that simple.

GWEN

And I want you to be very extra special nice to Dan.

ROBERT

That’s easy. He’s my friend.

DAN

We’re buds.

ROBERT

Bros.

GWEN

Let it show. Prove it to me.

DAN

Prove it to me, Bobby.

ROBERT

What ever you say, Gwen. I’m there. Why didn’t I think of that myself?

DAN

Why indeed.

GWEN

We wouldn’t want to lose Dan, now would we?

ROBERT

That would be terrible.

GWEN

Where would the team be?

ROBERT

The team would be like losers.

GWEN

I want what you want. You know that.

ROBERT

I do.

GWEN

Then you’ll try.

ROBERT

Much more than try. It will be done.

GWEN

And Dan, you I can’t imagine living here without you.

DAN

Don’t even try. Can’t be done.

GWEN

I need to know that you know.

DAN

I know. I know.

GWEN

I need a favor.

DAN

Name it, lady. If it can be bought, stolen, created, or killed, it’s yours.

ROBERT

He’d take candy from a pretty strong little kid for you.

GWEN

I think that Robert needs more of a container. Don’t you think.

DAN

Now that you mention it, you’re right. He does. More boundary for Robert.

GWEN

He could use a border, a line-not-to-cross, a fence, not a wall, but more symbolic, like a pact or a promise. Don’t you agree?

DAN

Contract maybe?

GWEN

Too legal.

DAN

I couldn’t agree more. He’s too all over the place.

GWEN

With his energy.

DAN

Spilling everywhere.

GWEN

Not that his energy is bad.

DAN

No no no. It’s good energy. But there’s so much of it.

GWEN

We want you to be safe.

DAN

I’m safe.

GWEN

Wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable in your own house.

DAN

That would be terrible.

GWEN

Dan, force as well as agility.

DAN

I got it all for you, baby.

GWEN

Muscle as well as brains. Put more out. You are manly man. I want to see more.

DAN

I am your man. Count on it.

GWEN

Excellent. Where would I be without you?

DAN

I’d be there anyway.

GWEN

Our guest tonight is very very special to me. This is big. Could be a huge step up for me.

DAN

We want that.

ROBERT

We do.

GWEN

If it’s good for me, it’s good for us.

DAN

You are so right.

ROBERT

I am like 100,000 percent with you on this.

GWEN

Well what a nice chat we’ve had.

DAN

Well there is one thing. The plant?

GWEN

The plant.

DAN

I’m thinking that it’s too close to the window. Somebody could fall. It’s dangerous. Somewhat.

GWEN

Dan, we can talk about the plant anytime you want. Listen. I’ll be in my room. At the doorbell, introduce yourself. Robert first. Then Dan. Then announce the arrival of our guest in a loud voice, no not loud exactly, but boldly and clearly. With dignity. I’ll hear and after a few seconds, time enough to glance in the mirror once or twice more, and then I’ll make my entrance.

DAN

We are ready.

GWEN

Did I tell you how important this is to me?

ROBERT

You did.

GWEN

You guys are great.

ROBERT

You pussy-whipped jerk.

DAN

Me? You backed right down about that temp job.

ROBERT
You were going to tell what’s what.

DAN

Like you really stuck up for yourself.

ROBERT

Mr. Big Shot General Manager. Mr. Covering up for the Hungover Waiter, Mr. Dangerous Dan in the Lions Den.

DAN

Drop dead, creep.

ROBERT

How do you do? I’m Robert.

JACK

Hi. Where’s Gwen.

DAN

And I’m Dan.

Dan extends his hand.

JACK

This is Gwen’s house isn’t it?

ROBERT

She’ll be out in a minute.

DAN

I didn’t catch your name.

JACK

She’s here, isn’t she?

DAN

Yes she is.

ROBERT

Gwen, our guest is here.

Pause

GWEN

Just a second.

ROBERT

So, how do you know Gwen?

JACK

We work together. Then we ran into each other at a party. We fucked like monkeys right away.

ROBERT

So you’re into animals?

JACK

You the butler?

ROBERT

I’m a project manager.

JACK

Project managers are not managers. They don’t hire. They don’t fire. I won’t have them around me.

DAN

You know, the woman is married.

JACK

She tells me lots of jokes.

Robert restrains Dan.

DAN

Let me tell you something real funny, pal.

JACK

You the chauffeur?

DAN

I’m the general manager of a very successful restaurant.

JACK

I’ll bet they’re real scared of you down there.

ROBERT
Who do you think you are?

JACK

You’re about to find out.

Gwen enters.

GWEN

Jack!

JACK

Look at this, wrapped up all nice and pretty for me. Yeah.

DAN

I didn’t catch his name.

GWEN

This is Jack.

ROBERT

How do you do, Jack.

GWEN

Hope you had a chance to get acquainted.

DAN

We’re very pleased to meet you.

GWEN

This is going to be so much fun.

JACK

Need some help in the kitchen?

GWEN

Dan, could you mix a martini for me? The good scotch for Jack. Neat. Triple.

JACK

Hey, make that a double-martini for her. Might improve my chances.

ROBERT

So Jack tells me you work together.

GWEN

He’s my uncle. That’s what I call him. He’s on the same level as my boss’s boss. My boss has to go to his meetings. I only hear about them. The meetings.

JACK

I’m very important.

ROBERT

Uncle Jack.

DAN

How utterly familiar.

GWEN

CEO material.

ROBERT

You’re in marketing.

GWEN

He is marketing.

JACK

I drive a team of market analysts.

DAN

Tie up those monkeys and show them your whip.

ROBERT

Did you know he’s into animal husbandry?

JACK

Chains. Death threats. What ever it takes. The data drives sales. When I talk to the VP of sales, he listens. I’m going to have his ass too.

ROBERT

I bet they love to work for you.

JACK

They’re lined up around the block to work for me. I got resumes falling off my desk into the trash. If you can’t take names, kick ass, and screw people, you don’t belong in business.

GWEN

Isn’t he neat?

ROBERT

I’d like to be just like him.

GWEN

Ruthless and charming. I love that in a man.

JACK

There are people that hang on my mercy. If I do nothing, they die.

Gwen takes center stage.

GWEN

Jack, tell me, how would you describe the perfect husband.

Jack approaches Gwen.

JACK

That’s easy. He’d have the perfect wife.

GWEN

But why would the perfect wife want him around? Being so perfect, herself?

JACK

Well, for one thing, he’s perfectly cool. Plus he can protect her. Provide. Buy her stuff. Big house. Car. Make it happen. That what he does. Saves people.

DAN

Saves people.

JACK

Saves their fucking ass. Or not.

GWEN

Guys, what do you think?

JACK

Let’s dump these jerks. There’s a way hot band at Foley’s.

GWEN

Dan made dinner for us.

DAN

What were you saying, Robert? Identify the problem first?

Dan and Robert begin to circle Gwen and Jack.

ROBERT

That’s done.

DAN

Then methodologies?

ROBERT

Identify methodologies to get the ideas flowing.

DAN

I can think of a few methods.

ROBERT

Then identify the risks.

DAN

Not quantify the risks?

ROBERT

Identify and then quantify. That’s cost.

DAN

Then the benefits.

DAN

Cost and benefit.

ROBERT

Simultaneously.

DAN

Lose the tradeoffs.

ROBERT

What’s left is the answer.

JACK

What are they talking about?

GWEN

They’re just playing.

JACK

Playing what.

ROBERT

Multi-criteria decision making.

JACK

Decide what?

ROBERT

So, Jack, you work out?

JACK

What?

DAN

You look like you’re in pretty good shape.

JACK

Are you guys gay?

DAN

Weight-lifting?

JACK

What’s it to you.

ROBERT

Tennis? Football?

JACK

I don’t play games.

DAN

Boxing? Martial arts? Fencing?

ROBERT

Marksmanship? Guns?

DAN

Do you shoot, Jack?

JACK

I take care of myself, if that’s what you mean.

ROBERT

How about a game of…

DAN

Nerf football!

GWEN

Oh, guys. Come on.

ROBERT

Tournaments daily. Monthly playoffs. Prizes.

DAN

Very expensive prizes.

Dan takes the QB position and passes to Robert

Robert tries to dodge around Dan.

Dan tags Robert.

GWEN

Not in the house you two.

DAN

Impossible to get around the QB.

ROBERT

Never been done.

GWEN

If you break anything, I am going to be so mad.

Robert takes the QB position.

Robert throws a hard one.

JACK

Ever been to the Endup? Wild crowd down there. You’d love it.

DAN

Give me something to work with.

ROBERT

Little Danny wants it nice and easy.

Robert throws another hard one, this time shooting it by Jack, who follows it with his eyes.

Dan retrieves the ball.

DAN

Playing with yourself again.

Dan tosses it back to Robert.

ROBERT

The chair is the decision point.

DAN

The receiver’s only chance.

Robert throws another hard one.

Jack attempts to catch it but misses.

DAN

Which way will he go.

GWEN

Watch the plant.

DAN

No one’s ever touched the window frame. That’s the goal.

Dan retrieves the ball.

Dan tosses it back to Robert.

DAN

Receiver doesn’t have to take the pass. Come on, buttwipe. Throw me something I can use and we can both play.

ROBERT

You even scare that plant and you’ll have one less of the only thing you think you got.

DAN

Show me how it’s done.

Robert throws gently.

Jack tries to catch the ball but misses.

DAN

You can pick up a loose ball.

Jack gets the ball and makes for the window.

ROBERT

Monkey in the middle.

Dan chases Jack.

Dan pushes Jack.

Robert trips Jack.

Sound of breaking glass.

Jack falls through the window with a long fading scream.

Distant thud.

Dan and Robert rush to the window and assume expressions of horror.

ROBERT

He missed the bushes!

DAN

Bummer.

GWEN

The plant!

ROBERT

I tried to save him.

DAN

He tripped over the plant.

GWEN

You guys. I had plans.

DAN

It was an accident.

GWEN

I hear a siren.

DAN

Not our fault.

Gwen turns away from Dan and Robert.

GWEN

I could say it was an accident. Couldn’t I?

ROBERT

Yes. You could.

GWEN

I suppose that might be worth something to somebody.

DAN

We, I would be devoted to you.

ROBERT

Dan will buy you a car. Won’t you Dan.

DAN

What are you going to buy?

ROBERT

I’ll make breakfast in bed. For a month.

GWEN

For a year.

DAN

For two years. For both of us.

GWEN

Cops are coming.

ROBERT

Two years. You got it.

ROBERT

You pushed him.

DAN

You tripped him.

ROBERT

You’re a goddamned liar.

DAN

I’m going to kick your ass for that.

ROBERT

I don’t think so.

DAN

Are you a betting man?

Knocking at the door.

Dan and Robert rush to the window assume expressions of horror.

Gwen answers the door

Cop enters.

DAN

He tripped over the plant!

ROBERT

I tried to save him!

Gwen nods.

Lights down.

 

DAN wants GWEN

ROBERT wants GWEN

JACK wants GWEN

GWEN wants (Dan and Robert)

GWEN rejects JACK

DAN rejects ROBERT

ROBERT rejects DAN

DAN rejects JACK

JACK rejects Dan

ROBERT rejects JACK

JACK rejects ROBERT

(Dan and Robert) want GWEN

(D+R+G) reject JACK

If DAN eliminates ROBERT, GWEN rejects DAN

If DAN eliminates ROBERT, DAN gets GWEN. (DAN has to be shown this is false)

If ROBERT eliminates DAN, GWEN rejects ROBERT

if ROBERT eliminates DAN, ROBERT gets GWEN. (GWEN has to be shown this is false)

if (Dan+Robert) eliminates J, (D+R) get G.

if JACK eliminates (D+R), JACK gets G.

if z is the object of desire and w is the object of loathing…

x gives z to y: x wants y

x protects y against w: x wants y

x gives w to y: x rejects y

x protects w against y: x rejects y

____________________________________________________________________

Jim Strope