"I CAN EXPLAIN"
One Act Play
by Bruce Kane

Four friends participate in a dance of shifting romances, friendships and betrayals.

Copyright: Bruce Kane Productions 2009
All Rights Reserved
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This excerpt is provided as an example of the complete play and may not be performed or presented publically.

 

"I CAN EXPLAIN"
By Bruce Kane

TIME: Now
PLACE: Here
CHARACTERS:
Jim – Late twenties, insecure
Caroline – Also late twenties and equally insecure.
Scott – Thirty, self centered, shallow, overbearingly confident
Margie – Late twenties, cynical.
Caroline’s Shrink – Male off-stage voice
Jim’s Shrink – Female off stage voice

(Lights up on Jim and Caroline standing downstage facing directly out to the audience. They are talking to their unseen shrinks)

CAROLINE: Tell me something, Doctor... Where the hell are all these sensitive men I read about all the time?

CAROLINE’S SHRINK: What about Henry?

CAROLINE: What about him?

CAROLINE’S SHRINK: You said Henry was sensitive. That he wasn’t afraid to cry... To show his emotions.

CAROLINE: You’re right about that, Doctor. Henry was not afraid to cry. He also wasn’t afraid to borrow money, not call for weeks on end and leave with my cuisinart.

JIM: What is it with women these days, Doc? I swear, they’re all turning into men.

JIM’S SHRINK: Jim… Do you think you might have a problem with assertive women?

JIM: If a woman wants to have a career that’s okay with me.

JIM’S SHRINK: Then why did you break it off with Karen?

JIM: You mean the architect... Some architect... Couldn’t recognize a kitchen when she was in one.

CAROLINE’S SHRINK: Okay, Caroline. What about Peter? Peter was very supportive of your career.

CAROLINE: You bet Peter was supportive of my career. He loved it that I worked. Why not? He never did.

JIM: Can I tell you something, Doc?

JIM’S SHRINK: That’s what where here for.

CAROLINE: Please don’t take offense at what I’m going to say, Doctor.

CAROLINE’S SHRINK: You can say whatever you want.

CAROLINE: The thing is...

CAROLINE’S SHRINK: Yes...?

JIM: I’m not sure I want to continue these sessions.

JIM’S SHRINK: Oh?

CAROLINE: I’m having seconds thoughts about all this therapy stuff.

CAROLINE’S SHRINK: Money problems?

JIM: I’m beginning to think all this introspection is just a lot of navel gazing.

CAROLINE: It’s not the money... I just don’t see the point anymore.

JIM: You put all this energy into trying to figure out what’s wrong with you...

CAROLINE: And after months of talking and talking and talking...

JIM: You realize that there’s nothing wrong with you.

CAROLINE/JIM: It’s them.

JIM: You can be the most well balanced...

CAROLINE: Mentally sane...

JIM: Emotionally stable.

CAROLINE: Human being...

JIM: On the face of the earth.

CAROLINE: And you still ...

JIM: End up in a dead end relationship...

CAROLINE: With some thumb sucking.

JIM: Self involved...

CAROLINE: Sports addicted...

JIM: Mirror obsessed...

CAROLINE: Egocentric..

JIM: Orgasmically challenged...

CAROLINE: Son of a...

JIM: Bitch.

(Jim turns to exit and bumps into an entering Margie. Scott enters and bumps into an exiting Caroline.)

JIM: (to Margie) Well, hello.

CAROLINE: (to Scott,coyly) Hi.

(They all turn in different directions. Now Caroline bumps into Jim and Margie bumps into Scott)

MARGIE: (to Scott, sexy) Hi.

SCOTT: (to Margie, coming on) Hi.

(The characters weave in and around each other introducing themselves. The words are not directed at any particular character)

CAROLINE: (introducing herself) Caroline.

SCOTT: (ever the macho man) Scott

JIM: (gentlemanly) Jim

MARGIE: (breathlessly) Margie.

SCOTT: Drink?

CAROLINE: Lunch?

JIM: Coffee?

MARGIE: (invitingly) I’d love to.

CAROLINE: (to Margie) Oh God, don’t let me screw this up.

JIM: (to Scott) I think she likes me.

MARGIE: (to Caroline) Just don’t be so damn pushy, this time.

SCOTT: (to Jim) Go for it.

CAROLINE: I’m not pushy.

SCOTT: And I mean go for it.

CAROLINE: I’m assertive.

JIM: (to Scott) Women don’t go for that stuff, anymore.

CAROLINE: Anyway, men like women who are up front.

SCOTT: They say they don’t, but they do.

MARGIE: They say they do, but they don’t.

(Caroline crosses to Jim. Margie crosses to Scott.)

CAROLINE: (to Jim) It was amicable… as divorces go.

JIM: (to Caroline) We gave it a try.

CAROLINE: I know what you mean.

JIM: It just didn’t work out.

CAROLINE: I heard he’s seeing someone else.

JIM: I slept with her once after the divorce was final.

CAROLINE: (shocked) Really?

JIM: I wanted to see if it was really over between us?

CAROLINE: And?

JIM: It was… She got married the next day.

(The play continues...)

 

 

 

 

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