The Dialogue by Chris Wind
CHARACTERS:
Axiothea (15-25 yrs) onstage and offstage
Lasthenia (15-25 yrs) onstage and offstage
NOTES:
Axiothea and Lasthenia, dressed in togas, sit at the back of Plato's
Academy. They are trying to pass as men because women are not allowed
in school. Axiothea is furtive, trying to be inconspicuous; Lasthenia
overcompensates and opts for a macho swagger; she sports a beard. And
pink running shoes.
Their dialogue consists of notes being passed back and forth, their
content performed by the offstage Axiothea and Lasthenia as the
onstage Axiothea and Lasthenia read (or write?) the notes.
***
AXIOTHEA: (tersely) Lasthenia, your beard is slipping.
Lasthenia rummages in her toga and finally takes out a primer sized
pencil with an oversized Mickey Mouse tip on it (or some other such
silly thing). Then she looks. foolishly, apologetically. at
Axiothea—who gives her some paper. (This is not the first time.)
She writes a note and passes it back.
LASTHENIA: (delightfully flippant) Why thank you.
Lasthenia straightens her beard, looks at Axiothea for an approving
nod.
AXIOTHEA: Did you get the mathematics done?
Lasthenia grimaces, smiles for a moment (thinking of Axiothea being
with her last night), but mostly shows frustration.
LASTHENIA: No. And I tried so hard after you left last night. I
worked at it for another two hours. It's just not clear at all. Can
you help me again tonight?
Axiothea pauses, thinking of her evening commitments, then responds.
AXIOTHEA: (happily) All right—I should be able to get away.
Lasthenia kicks up her feet as she writes this one and passes it with
a flourish.
LASTHENIA: (exuberantly) Wonderful!
Axiothea looks around nervously, perhaps moves away a bit.
AXIOTHEA: (again tersely) Lasthenia, please be more discreet here at
the Academy. People will begin to notice us.
LASTHENIA: Well maybe it's time they did. I get so angry—none of
the other students have to pass notes. They speak freely to each
other whenever they have something to say. Which is all the
time.
AXIOTHEA: None of the other students have soprano voices. Or pink
running shoes.
Lasthenia peeps over the desk edge to look endearingly at her pink
shoes (she holds her feet in turned out ballet first position in the
air). She then sighs.
LASTHENIA: None that we know of. Haven't you wondered about that new
student?
(jerks her head to the back.) The one who sits over there—never says
a word—also has a beard.
Lasthenia strokes her beard and it almost comes off—she fixes it
quickly, her face saying a goofy 'oops'.
Axiothea turns discreetly to look, then quickly turns back to face the
audience again.
AXIOTHEA: Plato has come in.
They follow Plato with their eyes as he walks to the front of the room
(that is, to the back of the audience); they also look a few others
who come in and sit down, Lasthenia nudging Axiothea with querying
eyebrows to take a good look at a few…
LASTHENIA: See that's the problem with this disguise. Not only does
it cut us off from the men, it cuts us off from each other too.
AXIOTHEA: (a bit bored, as if she's been over this again and
again—but with herself as well as with Lasthenia, also feeling the
frustration Lasthenia feels) But otherwise we couldn't be here, and
we'd be even more cut off. (getting angry) Now please! If Plato sees
us, he'll think we aren't paying attention, and I'd hate to offend
him!
Lasthenia sits still then, almost pouting. Then she remembers an
exciting thought.
LASTHENIA: Do you think he's going to continue with the concept of
justice? I was thinking about that on my way here this morning. And
I think the problem is that we associate justice with goodness. Look
what happens if we don't do that: something can be just without
necessarily being good.