Next script on my script shelf:
Next play in my little unalphabetized pile of Samuel French plays is North of Providence
A Rhode Island playwright … this was one of his early successes. I think it’s a bit shrill and obvious – although I love his later stuff. Here, you can see him as a young playwright – turning up the heat on the characters, making sure the obstacles were in place – it has a bit of an artificial feel to it. Also – he fills his plays with Rhode Island references, which – naturally – I love. Here he goes a bit overboard – every other line has some reference to a RI landmark. It’s funny, I still love it – but it’s self-conscious. That’s what this play is, even though the writing is quite good: it’s self-conscious. It’s like Tennessee Williams’ first play – you read it, and you can see the later playwright there in embryo, you can see his themes, his concerns … but he’s a bit heavy-handed with the plot, you can see the puppet strings, etc.
The story of this play: Bobbie and Carol, brother and sister, in their 20s. They live in Providence, Rhode Island. Their father is dying of cirrhosis of the liver. They have a couple other brothers and sisters as well, but none of them are in the play. Their dying fahter was a son of a bitch. Bobbie lives at home with his parents still and is kind of a loser. He plays the Lotto, smokes cigarettes, and bums around. Carol has “gotten out”. She’s married, has a kid. The story of this play (it’s very short) – is this: Carol comes to the house to MAKE Bobbie go to the hospital to say goodbye to his father. She has HAD it. Bobbie is refusing to believe that this is it – “He’s been this close so many times before – what makes this one different?” Carol knows that this is it, and it is urgent – in her mind – that Bobbie come with her to the hospital. Of course the two of them end up fighting – and of course all kinds of old old stuff comes out. There’s a ton of baggage there. The main thing is: Carol was raped while she was babysitting when she was 16 and … Bobbie , who was supposed to have been babysitting with her, wasn’t there. The two of them have never discussed it. The rape destroyed the family. Bobbie and Carol’s dad had always thought Carol was perfect, called her Miss America – and after she got raped, he basically dropped her like a hot potato. His little girl was “ruined”. Bobbie has never forgiven himself for not being there. He has given up on life.
I’ll post one of the lighter passages of the script – because his dialogue really is quite good. You also totally get the sense of siblings in this excerpt. It sounds very real to me.
From North of Providence
CAROL. Anything out in the kitchen I can get for you? [He watches her put down pocketbook then looks back up at her]
BOBBIE. What?
CAROL. Anything out in the kitchen to eat?
BOBBIE. Probly something. Why don’t you go look. [Bobbie gives a slight nod of his head. Carol exits. Bobbie immediately picks up her pocketbook and takes out billfold. He removes the cash and stuffs it into his pocket. Upon putting back billfold, he finds gun. He looks to the dresser and quickly puts gun in his suit-coat pocket. Pause. Carol re-enters]
CAROL. [sandwich on plate] Need I tell you what baloney is made of?
BOBBIE. Baloney is baloney.
CAROL. Tony went to see Dad the other night. He said Dad told him that if he found out Tony voted for Reagan, he’d haunt him forever. [Pause. Carol is eating raisins] You ever see that girl … uh … the one who had tits that stuck out like canons, uh … she worked at Bess Eaton doughnuts.
BOBBIE. [eating] Cheryl.
CAROL. Who?
BOBBIE. Cheryl. [He puts down sandwich and looks around for large butt in ashtray]
CAROL. You smoke too much.
BOBBIE. Takes a man to face cancer. [Lights up]
CAROL. That’s sick. [A beat] Cheryl, right. You brought her to Karen’s wedding.
BOBBIE. Ann’s wedding.
CAROL. Who was that you brought to Karen’s wedding?
BOBBIE. I didn’t go to Karen’s wedding.
CAROL. You were too at Karen’s wedding.
BOBBIE. Nope.
CAROL. It was my wedding you didn’t come to.
BOBBIE. Where was Karen’s wedding?
CAROL. I couldn’t believe you didn’t come to my wedding. I was pissed.
BOBBIE. [puts shoes on] Where was Karen’s wedding?
CAROL. You went to all the other weddings but not to mine.
BOBBIE. I didn’t go to Jean’s first wedding.
CAROL. Nobody did.
BOBBIE. I went to Karen’s wedding?
CAROL. You were with some other fat girl. I can’t remember who but she was a blimpola, I remember that.
BOBBIE. Marsha?
CAROL. Fatter.
BOBBIE. Where was Karen’s wedding?
CAROL. Harp and Shamrock.
BOBBIE. That the one when Uncle Ritchie was doin the strip tease and his false teeth fell outta his mouth?
CAROL. That was Kathy’s wedding.
BOBBIE. At the Harp and Shamrock?
CAROL. Brunswick. [Beat] I was hurt you didn’t come to mine. My only brother an you couldn’t drag ya lazy ass to Seekonk.
BOBBIE. [putting sweater on] I was doin somethin. I forget.
CAROL. We were close Bobbie, me an you. Was always Carol and Bobbie. Like Donny and Marie cept we can’t sing.
BOBBIE. Donna Cotter.
CAROL. What?
BOBBIE. Donna Cotter is the one I brought to …
CAROL. Right, right. She had the legs that looked like they were upside down.
BOBBIE. [combing hair, putting on more aftershave] All you sistas married wops an I never said nothin about it.
CAROL. [on her own train of thought] We sort of … uh drifted apart … it was right after the …
BOBBIE. Stop! Don’t even talk about it.
CAROL. It’s all right now. I can talk about it.
BOBBIE. I don’t want you to!
CAROL. Too bad what you want!
BOBBIE. I don’t want to hear it!
CAROL. It was strange … well not too strange … [Bobbie is nervously going through ashtray again] I thought it was weird that — that you were at the trial the whole time an havin to listen to uh … the details.
BOBBIE. Do you have to bring this shit up? Huh? Do you have to bring …
CAROL. Yes! Talkin about it is what made it all better! It became thin an went away. It was back in another life!
BOBBIE. Let’s drop the subject.
Were can I get the whole play?
Click on the Amazon link at the bottom of the post.
Why is the script selling for $498???
Is that a typo??
ask Amazon or Samuel French. Probably rare and out of print. looks like there are used copies for reasonable prices.