The Stage Play
Waking Cassandra, a three-act drama, is currently being developed as a part of the Road Less Traveled Productions Emanuel Fried New Play Workshop in Buffalo, NY. Please find a sample scene below.
The play is available from Amazon here.
The play is available from Amazon here.
ACT II
Scene 1
DURAND and VESPA sit in the parlor. VESPA is in
a deep hypnotic state. DURAND is putting a pocket
watch back in his vest pocket.
DURAND
Four... deeper and deeper... three... relaxed... two...
eyelids heavy... one. Vespasian, nod if you can hear
me.
VESPA nods.
DURAND (cont’d)
Good.
(to offstage)
Okay.
Enter MARY, LUCERNE, CONNIE, and AGATHA.
LUCERNE
Is he under?
DURAND
Quite. As it turns out, he is very susceptible to
hypnosis.
LUCERNE
Excellent! Perhaps now we can get somewhere.
MARY
What is this, exactly?
DURAND
Don’t answer that, Lucerne. Every time you open your
mouth more foolishness dribbles out.
LUCERNE
Is that what I keep getting on my vest?
DURAND
Hypnosis, my dear, is a novel clinical approach of
bringing about a state of semi-amnesia and focus. I
have used it with great success in the past. It can
allow the physician to see more directly into the
subject’s... that is to say the patient’s mind. Ah
ah! Not a word, Lucerne. None of your
hocus-pocus. If you utter a single syllable about that
kook James Mesmer or animal magnetism I will spit.
MARY
So, it’s a real treatment?
DURAND
Completely. If you would like we can stop down to the
university and I can show you the studies.
CONNIE
It’s fine, Mary. It’s worth trying.
MARY
He looks like he’s asleep. Can he hear us?
LUCERNE
Oh yes. But he won’t react unless he receives a prompt
from the hypnotist.
DURAND
The doctor! I am going to try and induce a
nightmare and then bring him out of it. Do not
worry! He will not be able to do anything without my
guidance.
MARY
I don’t know if I like this.
LUCERNE
Then leave.
CONNIE
I’m sure Doctor Durand will stop the procedure if you
become uncomfortable. Right, Doctor?
DURAND
Yes, of course, of course. Now, if everyone can just
be quiet, I will begin. Vespasian? I want you to go
to the place you go to in your dreams. Say ’yes’ if
you understand.
VESPA
Yes.
DURAND
You are asleep, comfortable. You have drifted into
sleep. What do you see?
The DREAM MAN appears. He is dressed as an
American WWII soldier.
VESPA
(In Japanese.)
<Otoko.>
DURAND
What?
VESPA
<Otoko o miru.>
CONNIE
What’s happening?
DREAM MAN
You did this.
VESPA
<Amerikajin da yo! Onegaishimasu! Watashi wa
Amerikajin da yo! >
DREAM MAN
I made a hell for you. They’re all in it already.
LUCERNE
He’s speaking Japanese.
CONNIE
What?
DREAM MAN
Your family is burning.
The DREAM MAN beings to move slowly and menacingly
towards VESPA, who starts to scream.
DURAND
Gillingham, when I snap my fingers you will awake
feeling refreshed with no memory of the nightmare.
DURAND snaps his fingers, but VESPA does not wake
up. He continues screaming.
Scene 1
DURAND and VESPA sit in the parlor. VESPA is in
a deep hypnotic state. DURAND is putting a pocket
watch back in his vest pocket.
DURAND
Four... deeper and deeper... three... relaxed... two...
eyelids heavy... one. Vespasian, nod if you can hear
me.
VESPA nods.
DURAND (cont’d)
Good.
(to offstage)
Okay.
Enter MARY, LUCERNE, CONNIE, and AGATHA.
LUCERNE
Is he under?
DURAND
Quite. As it turns out, he is very susceptible to
hypnosis.
LUCERNE
Excellent! Perhaps now we can get somewhere.
MARY
What is this, exactly?
DURAND
Don’t answer that, Lucerne. Every time you open your
mouth more foolishness dribbles out.
LUCERNE
Is that what I keep getting on my vest?
DURAND
Hypnosis, my dear, is a novel clinical approach of
bringing about a state of semi-amnesia and focus. I
have used it with great success in the past. It can
allow the physician to see more directly into the
subject’s... that is to say the patient’s mind. Ah
ah! Not a word, Lucerne. None of your
hocus-pocus. If you utter a single syllable about that
kook James Mesmer or animal magnetism I will spit.
MARY
So, it’s a real treatment?
DURAND
Completely. If you would like we can stop down to the
university and I can show you the studies.
CONNIE
It’s fine, Mary. It’s worth trying.
MARY
He looks like he’s asleep. Can he hear us?
LUCERNE
Oh yes. But he won’t react unless he receives a prompt
from the hypnotist.
DURAND
The doctor! I am going to try and induce a
nightmare and then bring him out of it. Do not
worry! He will not be able to do anything without my
guidance.
MARY
I don’t know if I like this.
LUCERNE
Then leave.
CONNIE
I’m sure Doctor Durand will stop the procedure if you
become uncomfortable. Right, Doctor?
DURAND
Yes, of course, of course. Now, if everyone can just
be quiet, I will begin. Vespasian? I want you to go
to the place you go to in your dreams. Say ’yes’ if
you understand.
VESPA
Yes.
DURAND
You are asleep, comfortable. You have drifted into
sleep. What do you see?
The DREAM MAN appears. He is dressed as an
American WWII soldier.
VESPA
(In Japanese.)
<Otoko.>
DURAND
What?
VESPA
<Otoko o miru.>
CONNIE
What’s happening?
DREAM MAN
You did this.
VESPA
<Amerikajin da yo! Onegaishimasu! Watashi wa
Amerikajin da yo! >
DREAM MAN
I made a hell for you. They’re all in it already.
LUCERNE
He’s speaking Japanese.
CONNIE
What?
DREAM MAN
Your family is burning.
The DREAM MAN beings to move slowly and menacingly
towards VESPA, who starts to scream.
DURAND
Gillingham, when I snap my fingers you will awake
feeling refreshed with no memory of the nightmare.
DURAND snaps his fingers, but VESPA does not wake
up. He continues screaming.