copyright © 1999 Mark Hansen

Six Angry Sketches
By Markamus Hansen

(Table & 2 chairs center stage. Fade up slowly on A & B who are talking already.)

A: Oong!

B: Ong?

A: Oong!

B: (Pause.) Ong?

A: Oong! (Shaping his mouth.) Ooooong!

B: (Pause.) Ong?

(Fade lights down. C sits on the table with a ukulele. Lights up. He plays a happy tune for a brief while, & when he is about to sing, the lights abruptly go down.)

C: Hey!

(Lights up on D sitting at the table. A enters. All their dialogue is dripping with sarcastic tones, & builds up to enraged shouting at the end.)

A: Sorry I m late.

D: Oh, that s fine. You know I d always wait for you.

A: That s so kind of you.

D: It s nothing, really. So, how was your day?

A: Perfect. There was not one thing wrong with my day. You?

D: About the same. I had a headache, but it went away.

A: You know the highlight of my day was?

D: No, I don t.

A: Spending this time with you.

D: Gee, you know just what to say, don t you?

A: I mean it.

D: Thank you very much.

A: That s quite alright.

D: You know, I really enjoy spending time with you. We really should do it more often.

A: I agree. Why don t we set a date?

D: I don t know. Why don t we?

A: Okay. How about this Saturday?

D: Six o clock?

A: Great.

D: Great. Well, I m sorry to cut this meeting short, but I really have to go.

A: So soon?

D: Pressing business engagement.

A: I understand. Saturday, then.

D: Saturday. Have a nice day.

A: You, too.

(D exits.)

A: What a pleasant chat.

(Lights down. Lights up on C sitting on the table, strumming the same tune, looking at the lights.)

C: (Singing.) Yesterday, I finally saw the light.

(Lights abruptly down.)

C: God Damn it.

(A & B are sitting at the table. A is laughing hysterically throughout B s monologue.)

B: What? What s so funny? No, what is it? What are you laughing at? Hey! I m talking to you! What are you Stop it! Tell me what you re What! What the f What the fuck are you laughing at? I asked you a question, asshole! Stop laughing, you cock! If If you don t stop laughing and tell me, I m gonna kick your fucking ass! What?!? What the fuck is so fucking funny?!? Just tell me! Godammit, fucking tell me, fucker!!

(A just continues to laugh. B finally exits. D enters.)

D: What? What? What s so funny? No, seriously, what?

(Lights down. C sits at the table. Lights up on him, arms crossed, looking up at the lights. After a moment, he picks up the ukulele, hesitates, and begins to play. Lights down.)

C: Screw this.

(He exits.)

-fin-

"SIX ANGRY SKETCHES" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

"Six Angry Sketches" debuted October 29, 1999.

Cast: A: Chris Stangl, B: Arlen Lawson, C: Jamal River, D: Aprille Clarke

Performed at Best of No Shame on December 10, 1999.


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