SCENES FROM LIFE:
A SHORT PLAY

AT THE HAIRDRESSER - PART 3


SCENE: A SMALL HAIR SALON. HAIR STYLIST PEGGY IS EATING LUNCH. CLIENT 1 ENTERS. ANOTHER CLIENT, STELLA, IS SITTING ON A COUCH, HER HEAD COVERED WITH HAIR DYE


PEGGY
Hi! Be with you in a sec. Just finishing lunch. First time I'm sitting down all morning


CLIENT
No problem. I'm not in a rush


PEGGY
What's it like outside, now?


CLIENT
Better than the last time I was here. Remember it was free-zing?


PEGGY
That was when that lady had a car accident, no?


CLIENT
Uh-huh. Did you ever find out what happened?

PEGGY
Neh. We just watched out the window 'til the car was towed away.

(turns her head to face MARY, another hair stylist, who is reading a fashion magazine)

But we would have known had MARY gone to find out, like I asked!

MARY
It was cold out. Why couldn't someone else go? Like Peter over there

(PETER, another stylist is trimming a male client's hair)

PETER
You talking to me?

MARY
You're the only guy with the name Peter here

PETER'S CLIENT
Hey - that's my name, too!

MARY
Seriously? Go figure!

PETER'S CLIENT
Neh. Just kidding

(PETER & his client laugh)

MARY
Ha-ha... stupid and more stupider think they're funny. Whatever...

PETER'S CLIENT
Hey! I'm a customer. I deserve respect!

PETER
Don't mind her. It's probably "that" time of the month. You know what I mean

(Peter and his client laugh)

MARY
How did you guess? Wanna share a tampon? I got an extra one

PETER
You are one weird chick...

MARY
You are one sexist pig

PEGGY
Moving right along. Did anybody watch the wedding?

(STELLA's eyes are glued to a small TV set on the wall)

STELLA
Isn't she beautiful? They look like such a happy couple

PETER
Give them time. They just got married

STELLA
So cynical at your age! Young love is wonderful!

MARY
The only love that Peter has is for himself

(Peggy and Mary laugh together)

STELLA
You like her dress? I think it's too plain. A royal princess...

PEGGY
...she's not a princess, Stella...

STELLA
She's not a princess?? Then what is she?

MARY
She's a plain person, like you and me

STELLA
But...she married a Prince! That's gotta make her something special

MARY
I'm sure she is, at least to William!

STELLA
Are you sure?

PEGGY
Mary's right. She's a commoner

STELLA
She's common? She doesn't come from a nice family?

PEGGY
No - I mean - of course she does but she's just not a princess

STELLA
I dunno...I think she is

(few seconds of quiet as everyone stares at the TV screen)

STELLA
(cont'd.)
What you think of her veil? I think it's not fancy enough

PEGGY
Well - it's...okay

MARY
It's plain but very classy. Suits her nicely

PETER
(high pitch, feminine voice)
Well - I personally think it should have had - you know - more flowers and pretty things? Oh and those hats the guests wore - they made such a statement! Yuck!

PETER'S CLIENT
Oh I couldn't agree with you more

(they both laugh out loud together)

MARY
Like I said, small things amuse small minds

STELLA
I'm dripping

MARY
What?

STELLA
I'm dripping. I think the dye is ready to be washed

MARY
(checking her watch)
Oh yeah - you're right. Move over to the sink?

STELLA
(glancing at the TV)
Her dress could have been fancier. A princess should have a fancy dress like she's an important person

PEGGY
Stella - she's not a prin... Forget about it...

SCENES FROM LIFE:
A SHORT PLAY

AT THE HAIRDRESSER - PART 3


SCENE: A SMALL HAIR SALON. HAIR STYLIST PEGGY IS EATING LUNCH. CLIENT 1 ENTERS. ANOTHER CLIENT, STELLA, IS SITTING ON A COUCH, HER HEAD COVERED WITH HAIR DYE


PEGGY
Hi! Be with you in a sec. Just finishing lunch. First time I'm sitting down all morning


CLIENT
No problem. I'm not in a rush


PEGGY
What's it like outside, now?


CLIENT
Better than the last time I was here. Remember it was free-zing?


PEGGY
That was when that lady had a car accident, no?


CLIENT
Uh-huh. Did you ever find out what happened?

PEGGY
Neh. We just watched out the window 'til the car was towed away.

(turns her head to face MARY, another hair stylist, who is reading a fashion magazine)

But we would have known had MARY gone to find out, like I asked!

MARY
It was cold out. Why couldn't someone else go? Like Peter over there

(PETER, another stylist is trimming a male client's hair)

PETER
You talking to me?

MARY
You're the only guy with the name Peter here

PETER'S CLIENT
Hey - that's my name, too!

MARY
Seriously? Go figure!

PETER'S CLIENT
Neh. Just kidding

(PETER & his client laugh)

MARY
Ha-ha... stupid and more stupider think they're funny. Whatever...

PETER'S CLIENT
Hey! I'm a customer. I deserve respect!

PETER
Don't mind her. It's probably "that" time of the month. You know what I mean

(Peter and his client laugh)

MARY
How did you guess? Wanna share a tampon? I got an extra one

PETER
You are one weird chick...

MARY
You are one sexist pig

PEGGY
Moving right along. Did anybody watch the wedding?

(STELLA's eyes are glued to a small TV set on the wall)

STELLA
Isn't she beautiful? They look like such a happy couple

PETER
Give them time. They just got married

STELLA
So cynical at your age! Young love is wonderful!

MARY
The only love that Peter has is for himself

(Peggy and Mary laugh together)

STELLA
You like her dress? I think it's too plain. A royal princess...

PEGGY
...she's not a princess, Stella...

STELLA
She's not a princess?? Then what is she?

MARY
She's a plain person, like you and me

STELLA
But...she married a Prince! That's gotta make her something special

MARY
I'm sure she is, at least to William!

STELLA
Are you sure?

PEGGY
Mary's right. She's a commoner

STELLA
She's common? She doesn't come from a nice family?

PEGGY
No - I mean - of course she does but she's just not a princess

STELLA
I dunno...I think she is

(few seconds of quiet as everyone stares at the TV screen)

STELLA
(cont'd.)
What you think of her veil? I think it's not fancy enough

PEGGY
Well - it's...okay

MARY
It's plain but very classy. Suits her nicely

PETER
(high pitch, feminine voice)
Well - I personally think it should have had - you know - more flowers and pretty things? Oh and those hats the guests wore - they made such a statement! Yuck!

PETER'S CLIENT
Oh I couldn't agree with you more

(they both laugh out loud together)

MARY
Like I said, small things amuse small minds

STELLA
I'm dripping

MARY
What?

STELLA
I'm dripping. I think the dye is ready to be washed

MARY
(checking her watch)
Oh yeah - you're right. Move over to the sink?

STELLA
(glancing at the TV)
Her dress could have been fancier. A princess should have a fancy dress like she's an important person

PEGGY
Stella - she's not a prin... Forget about it...

THE GOOD AND THE NOT-SO-GOOD UPDATE


"So Eleanor - tell us whether you submitted your revised and almost completely re-written play, "Old Soldiers" to the BBC International Playwriting Competition."


Missed the deadline for BBC International Playwriting Competition. It's so demoralizing. In spite of all my good intentions, that's as far as it got: good intentions. It couldn't be done - at least in time for this year. So what else is new but there's always next year. Even if nothing else, I'll have another play to submit.

It's not that the story line is weak but it requires a complete 're-think-through' and revisions that can't be made quickly. For example, in the re-write the opening has been changed to a bar (or pub) whereas in the short story, it was in Joe McKenna's apartment where he was alone with his thoughts and the occasional out-loud comment. It could work on stage but IMHO, not for radio.

Also added characters, Joe's friends and veterans, who meet at a bar/pub to toast another fallen old soldier - hence the name of the play. It's important to know why Joe et all feel the way they do. They are relics from another era who are suffering the ravages of old age. They are alone and in spite of their bickering, depend on each other for social inter-action and solace. Their medications require monetary output that they can't afford and their quality of life is limited.

Debating whether to introduce the character of Joe's landlady who does not presently exist and if so, whether or not she should be sympathetic or quite simply, mean. Also toying with the idea of adding a young boy or girl into the mix when Joe is in the park attending ceremonies. As they say: out of the mouths of babes, comes the real truth and clarity.

As stated - story is still in the revision/thinking things over, stage.

Meanwhile, went on the BBC site and read over a page focusing on writing a radio script, and another piece on hints for radio. Very helpful. Will print up the pages and keep them handy.


"Any good news to share with us, perhaps?"
Passed along my comedy play, "A Wedding!" to an aquaintance/actor/etc. for C&C and received a positive feedback. This was the first play I wrote and a personal favorite, although "Gin..." is funnier, again IMHO. This lifted my spirits although he suggested that I cut 10 pages.

Cut 10 pages??? Is that all???

This would mean I would have to consider yet another umpteenth re-write and I'm really not sure if I'm prepared to make a drastic change of this nature, at least not at this point. I'll think about it. Any positive feedback is an incentive to hang in but it gets harder. Perhaps the plays just aren't stage-worthy...then again, perhaps they are! Go know!

Meanwhile in order to keep my brain in a dialogue frame of mind, I'm going to start writing some more short pieces focusing on the adventures of Barbie and Ken and friends, and more scenes from life: a short playette. The latter are fun to write.

This best sums it all up: "If I write a new play, my point of view may be profoundly modified. I may be obliged to contradict myself and I may no longer know whether I still think what I think."
EUGENE IONESCO, Notes and Counter Notes