Char in a Barrel by Robert Cory

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This Play is the copyright of the Author and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent

Full-length socio-political drama

Single set

The entire action of the play takes place over an eighteen-hour
period.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

DARREN O'CONNOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54, husband.

HANNAH O'CONNOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, wife.

GRAVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .early 60's.

SCHUMBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .early 70'S.

AMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-ish.

KELLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mid 40'S.

ROSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . black, early 60's.

RAPHAELLA SORTIZ . . . . . . . . . . . . heard, never seen.

CHAR IN A BARREL

ACT II

SCENE 1

(AT RISE: The following morning. DARREN is standing, hands clasped
behind his back, gazing out window, curtains half open. HE's
professionally dressed, a crimson tie pulled loose. His suit coat
draped over back of executive chair. On his desk, a lone file
folder.)

AMBER
(Over intercom.)
Mr. O'Connor…
(Pause.)
Mr. O'Connor?

DARREN
Yes?

AMBER
Your wife's here.
(Pause.)

DARREN
I'm in a meeting.
(Pause.)

AMBER
Mr. O'Connor?
(Beat.)
She's on her way.
(Three quick raps on the door. Door opens. HANNAH pokes head in.)

HANNAH
(Looking around.)
Darren?

DARREN
Don't you have a busy day?

HANNAH
(SHE enters, closes door softly. SHE's professionally dressed, plain
but not unattractive.)
Got my motions filed. Had Julie cancel my lunch and afternoon
appointments.)
(Pause.)
This the meeting you were in…last three times I called?
(Pause.)
Want me to leave?
(Pause.)
Good morning to you, too.
(Looking around office, takes
a couple cautious steps in
his direction.)
D'you see my new shoes?
(Beat.)
Nordstrom had a sale Sunday. They're perfect with this outfit,
don't you think?

DARREN
(Glances in her direction.)
I'm sure they are.

HANNAH
Have any coffee?

DARREN
On the table.

HANNAH
(Helping herself to coffee from sterling silver set. Coughs.)
Got a minute?

DARREN
Do I have a choice?

HANNAH
Just had to see this.

DARREN
How'd you get past the law?

HANNAH
They're too busy with traffic…crowd control.

DARREN
No. Inside. Out in the hall.

HANNAH
Charm. Photo I.D. Last name like…O'Connor.

DARREN
Did you get a look?

HANNAH
(Sipping coffee.)
You kidding? They got roadblocks, detours…barricades everywhere.
It's a circus out there. All acts performing at once. And people
still coming…trying to get a look.
(Beat.)
I had to park six blocks away.
(Pause. SHE sits down at conference table chair.)

DARREN
So, you packed a lunch?

HANNAH
What's that supposed to mean?

DARREN
They want to be entertained.

HANNAH
They're sick.

DARREN
They're bored. Starved for the real thing.

HANNAH
Don't tell me this is some sort of publicity stunt?

DARREN
Hardly.

HANNAH
Thought you'd have a ringside seat.

DARREN
(Drawing curtains open all
the way.)
Was up there for over an hour.

HANNAH
Mom called this morning. They were all watching live coverage over
morning coffee.

DARREN
All?

HANNAH
They're in Palm Desert visiting friends. Thought I told you.
(Pause.)

DARREN
Arguably one of the world's great Mulligan Mecca's.

HANNAH
The world's what?

DARREN
Mulligan Mecca's. Wealthy, seventy year old men with drop-dead
gorgeous, 20-something wives.

HANNAH
What are you talking about?

DARREN
Golf humor. You wouldn't—

HANNAH
Mom talked Daddy into looking at condos there.

DARREN
Did you tell them "hello" for me?

HANNAH
They asked how you were doing.
(Pause. Inspecting nails.)
I didn't know what to say.
(Long pause. Rubbing arms.)
There some logical reason you keep it so cold in here?

AMBER
(Over intercom.)
Mr. O'Connor?

DARREN
Yes?

AMBER
The Herald wants to know where they can set up.

DARREN
Where's Mac?

AMBER
Don't know.

DARREN
Kelly?

AMBER
Not sure.

DARREN
Thought we quarantined the plague in the east banquet room.

AMBER
Sir?

DARREN
The media. Didn't we earmark the east banquet room for all media
set-ups?

AMBER
Already jam-packed, sir. Out of electricity outlets.

DARREN
There a conference room open?

AMBER
I'll check.

DARREN
Find McKenzie for me!

AMBER
I will!
(Pause. Over intercom.)
Darren O'Connor's office. How can—

DARREN
Wrong line, Amber!

AMBER
Sorry, sir.
(Pause.)

HANNAH
(Glancing around.)
D'you pick the carpet?

(DARREN moves near credenza.)

DARREN
You haven't been here since we remodeled two years ago.

HANNAH
Was never invited.

DARREN
(Opening wall panel door.)
Care to see the conference room?

HANNAH
Not really.

DARREN
(Closing panel door.)
Private bath over there…big screen, High Definition TV, VCR, DVD-CD
player…there, next to the wet bar. Fireplace. New phone system. Some
other…technical upgrades.

HANNAH
Fireplace? Afraid Santa wouldn't find you otherwise?

DARREN
It's just for show.

HANNAH
A captain without his flagship is like…what?
(Beat.)
An idiot without a village?
(Pause.)
TV work?

DARREN
Leave it off.

HANNAH
Any new developments?

DARREN
If there were, I'd know.

AMBER
Mr. O'Connor?

DARREN
Yes…

AMBER
Can you talk to CNN? They're on Line 3.

DARREN
No!
(Pause.)

HANNAH
Want to talk to me?
(Warming up her coffee.)
Think she'll jump?

DARREN
(Moving on to desk.)
Don't know. I'm surprised she's held out this long.

HANNAH
Think she's serious?

DARREN
Yes.

HANNAH
Why's that?

DARREN
She's acrophobic.
(Briefly displays folder.)
In her file. Can't climb on a step stool without feeling
lightheaded.

HANNAH
And now she's perched on a ledge…sixteen stories up?
(Pause.)
She leave a note?

DARREN
Police have it.

HANNAH
Did you see it?

DARREN
Yep.

HANNAH
And…

DARREN
Can't say.

HANNAH
Why not?
(Pause. HE steps over to the wet bar.)
You in it?
(Pause. SHE rises, arms folded, drifts over to the window.)
Darren? You in it?
(HE pours himself a drink.)

AMBER
(Over intercom.)
Mr. O'Connor?

DARREN
What is it?

AMBER
Sorry to interrupt, but, Captain Walenta with MDPD is on line one.

DARREN
D'you find Mac?

AMBER
He's on sixteen.

DARREN
Put 'em together.

AMBER
Yes, sir.

DARREN
No more interruptions.

AMBER
Yes, sir.

DARREN
If Graves or Schumble calls…put them through.

AMBER
Roger that, sir.
(Pause.)

HANNAH
Ooo…Abbot an' Costello. Calling in an air strike all the
way from the Big Apple?

DARREN
They were scheduled in here yesterday. Weather held them up.

HANNAH
Bringing their golf clubs, just in case?

DARREN
On their way to San Juan…to ink the Prada Beach deal.

HANNAH
(Pause. Gazing out the window.
HE downs his drink.)
You know, scatter a few floats around out there, you'd think it was
Mardi Gras or something.

DARREN
This ain't New Orleans, Hannah!

HANNAH
Beg your pardon. Here it would be…what? Fountain of Youth? Cuban
Missile Crisis? Painted toenail of the South? Little Havana? Better
yet…Cuban Epistle Crisis.

DARREN
Cuban what?

HANNAH
Epistle. As in letter. As in suicide note.
(Turns away from window.)
You said she left one, right? You—

DARREN
Am I on the witness stand here, counselor?

HANNAH
Should you be?
(Pause. HE puts fresh ice cubes in his glass.)
Pre-occupied as hell. Holed up in your cushy little command bunker.
The damage control clowns heading south via corporate jet. Just
knocked down a double Irish whiskey. Fixing another and it ain't
even high noon in Paradise yet.
(HE starts to pour another but thinks the better of it.)

DARREN
The Persian word for enclosed garden.

HANNAH
What planet you on?

DARREN
You wouldn't understand this if I—

HANNAH
(Over to desk. Drapes his suit coat over her shoulders.)
Channel 4 News called her a disgruntled employee. Part-time
housekeeper. Despondent over being fired. Fired for what?

DARREN
(Moving over to conference table.)
Stealing food from the pantry. Kelly caught her red-handed.

HANNAH
(Sitting in his chair at desk.)
What? A ham sandwich? A bag of chips?
(Pause.)
What was in the note?
(HE sits down, pours coffee.
Pause.)
D'you put a copy in here?

(SHE starts to open file folder on desk.)

DARREN
(Notices. Springs to his feet.)
Hey! That's none of your business!
(Spills coffee.)
Gawd…dammit!

HANNAH
(Hesitates opening file.)
What's she to you, Darren?

DARREN
(Hastily swipes at spill.)
Nothing!

HANNAH
Going to make me wait for next week's National Enquirer?
(Pause.)

HANNAH (CON'T)
Better yet, maybe we should go the deposition route? I hate
surprises.
(Pause. HE moves toward window, wiping pants with cloth napkin. SHE
inspects file folder.)

Raphaella Sortiz. Pretty name.

DARREN
I loaned her some money.

HANNAH
Loaned or gave?

DARREN
Boyfriend got her pregnant. Drop—

HANNAH
Pregnant? Possible double jeopardy.
(Beat.)
Could I pick her boyfriend out of a line-up?

DARREN
Let me finish, please!

HANNAH
By all means.

DARREN
She dropped out of school. No health insurance. Her step dad's
disabled. Mother works two jobs.

HANNAH
Lots of brothers and sisters at home?

DARREN
Six, I think.
(HANNAH opens file.)
Believe what you want. It's all there…in her file.

HANNAH
Feel sorry for her?

DARREN
She was a damn good worker.
(Pause.)

HANNAH
Ho…lee…shit! This her?

(HE turns toward HANNAH. SHE
displays open file towards him.
HE moves toward her. SHE lays file back down.)

Looks like a Miss Universe contestant.

(HE snatches up file.)

[end of extract]

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