Chapter Eleven: Exercises
(A Play With No Name)
The play is presented in six short scenes. Three of these require no curtain, they are “French scenes,” and start and stop as one or another of the major characters enter or leave the stage. Two scenes end with the stage lighting fading to black, and the last scene is separated by a brief lowering of the lights and curtain.
The action occurs in November, 1947, in the evening of one day, late the next afternoon, and later that night. The last scene takes place six months later.
Dramatis Personae:
Tom, a young “G. I.” veteran, recently returned from Europe and World War II service in the army
Jack, Tom’s brother-in-law, a middle-aged civil engineer
Hardin, Jack’s father, 82 years old, a distinguished businessman and politician
Rose, Tom’s older sister, and Jack’s wife
All action in the play occurs in the same room, the kitchen of Jack and Rose’s home, wherein also live Hardin and Tom.
Scene One: (November evening)
Tom returns home from his afternoon classes at the local engineering college. He professes his unhappiness to Rose, how he hates the school, and his intention to withdraw and study art instead. Rose is understanding, but relates how strongly Jack feels about Tom’s becoming an engineer. Tom expounds on his love of art and his need to follow his dream of creative expression. Rose recounts the sacrifices Jack made during the Depression to support everyone in the family, and her doubt there is enough money to send Tom away to college.
Scene Two: (November evening, a few minutes later)
Jack enters and Tom tells him of his decision to study art. Jack first explains why Tom should not do this, then finally forbids it, based upon a lack of money. Rose attempts to find compromise and keep peace. Tom tells Jack that he knows Hardin has money set aside for him, and angrily leaves the kitchen.
Scene Three: (November evening, a few minutes later)
After Tom leaves, Rose relates to Jack that Hardin has had another episode of public drunkenness. Jack is distressed, and expounds upon the difficulty of dealing with his father, alluding to financial difficulties and the older man’s generally “burnt out” condition since his problems in the 1930s. Jack relates his weariness at being the center of a family that has undergone a great deal of distress, and the necessity of Tom not rocking the boat.
Stage lights fade to black.
Scene Four: (The next day, late afternoon)
Tom requests his money, supposedly held in trust by Hardin. Hardin explains that the financial problems in the late 1930’s have eroded the funds to nothing. Upon Tom’s vigorous protests that this is not possible, Hardin confesses to having resorted to embezzlement at the peak of the crisis, and squandered Tom’s money trying to recoup a bad investment, and to keep the embezzlement from becoming public. The old man begs for forgiveness, but Tom leaves him angrily. Hardin remains on stage, disconsolate.
Stage lights fade to semi-darkness.
Scene Five: (Later that evening)
Tom confronts Jack about the money, accusing him of knowing the old man had lost it, and that all his argument for the local engineering college was about covering for Hardin. Jack admits to knowing something was wrong about Hardin and the money, and explains the stress of trying to keep the family intact during all the hard times. But Jack still holds out for Tom becoming an engineer as a good future for him. Tom counters that he will go to art school no matter what; the strength of his dream will sustain him. He has not been as emotionally damaged by the Depression, and is not afraid of an uncertain future. A chance at happiness is more important to him than financial security. He will go, money or not; Jack tells him he is making a big mistake.
Curtain
Scene Six: (Spring, six months later)
Jack enters the kitchen, where Rose is examining a large crate. She reads a telegram to Jack that the crate contains a statue of a nude woman Tom has made and shipped to them. Jack mutters and moans about such nonsense, and what will they do with such a thing. Upon opening the crate, Jack looks in it and walks around it holding his chin in his hand. Rose asks what is he thinking about? He replies that he is thinking about how to build a pedestal for it in the garden so the neighbors can see it. He is obviously proud of the beautiful statue, and professes that he always thought Tom should study art.
Final Curtain
The play is presented in six short scenes. Three of these require no curtain, they are “French scenes,” and start and stop as one or another of the major characters enter or leave the stage. Two scenes end with the stage lighting fading to black, and the last scene is separated by a brief lowering of the lights and curtain.
The action occurs in November, 1947, in the evening of one day, late the next afternoon, and later that night. The last scene takes place six months later.
Dramatis Personae:
Tom, a young “G. I.” veteran, recently returned from Europe and World War II service in the army
Jack, Tom’s brother-in-law, a middle-aged civil engineer
Hardin, Jack’s father, 82 years old, a distinguished businessman and politician
Rose, Tom’s older sister, and Jack’s wife
All action in the play occurs in the same room, the kitchen of Jack and Rose’s home, wherein also live Hardin and Tom.
Scene One: (November evening)
Tom returns home from his afternoon classes at the local engineering college. He professes his unhappiness to Rose, how he hates the school, and his intention to withdraw and study art instead. Rose is understanding, but relates how strongly Jack feels about Tom’s becoming an engineer. Tom expounds on his love of art and his need to follow his dream of creative expression. Rose recounts the sacrifices Jack made during the Depression to support everyone in the family, and her doubt there is enough money to send Tom away to college.
Scene Two: (November evening, a few minutes later)
Jack enters and Tom tells him of his decision to study art. Jack first explains why Tom should not do this, then finally forbids it, based upon a lack of money. Rose attempts to find compromise and keep peace. Tom tells Jack that he knows Hardin has money set aside for him, and angrily leaves the kitchen.
Scene Three: (November evening, a few minutes later)
After Tom leaves, Rose relates to Jack that Hardin has had another episode of public drunkenness. Jack is distressed, and expounds upon the difficulty of dealing with his father, alluding to financial difficulties and the older man’s generally “burnt out” condition since his problems in the 1930s. Jack relates his weariness at being the center of a family that has undergone a great deal of distress, and the necessity of Tom not rocking the boat.
Stage lights fade to black.
Scene Four: (The next day, late afternoon)
Tom requests his money, supposedly held in trust by Hardin. Hardin explains that the financial problems in the late 1930’s have eroded the funds to nothing. Upon Tom’s vigorous protests that this is not possible, Hardin confesses to having resorted to embezzlement at the peak of the crisis, and squandered Tom’s money trying to recoup a bad investment, and to keep the embezzlement from becoming public. The old man begs for forgiveness, but Tom leaves him angrily. Hardin remains on stage, disconsolate.
Stage lights fade to semi-darkness.
Scene Five: (Later that evening)
Tom confronts Jack about the money, accusing him of knowing the old man had lost it, and that all his argument for the local engineering college was about covering for Hardin. Jack admits to knowing something was wrong about Hardin and the money, and explains the stress of trying to keep the family intact during all the hard times. But Jack still holds out for Tom becoming an engineer as a good future for him. Tom counters that he will go to art school no matter what; the strength of his dream will sustain him. He has not been as emotionally damaged by the Depression, and is not afraid of an uncertain future. A chance at happiness is more important to him than financial security. He will go, money or not; Jack tells him he is making a big mistake.
Curtain
Scene Six: (Spring, six months later)
Jack enters the kitchen, where Rose is examining a large crate. She reads a telegram to Jack that the crate contains a statue of a nude woman Tom has made and shipped to them. Jack mutters and moans about such nonsense, and what will they do with such a thing. Upon opening the crate, Jack looks in it and walks around it holding his chin in his hand. Rose asks what is he thinking about? He replies that he is thinking about how to build a pedestal for it in the garden so the neighbors can see it. He is obviously proud of the beautiful statue, and professes that he always thought Tom should study art.
Final Curtain
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