Title: “One moment son, I’ll be right there”.
Author: Silvina Carrasco
6 Characters:
- Victoria: Busy mother. She is a rising writer so during her son’s childhood she has to dedicate a lot of time and effort to her work. In addition, she takes care of the household chores and his appearance. Therefore, time goes by without her being able to devote herself to her son.
- Son 1: This is Victoria’s son; a little boy of one and a half or two years old. Victoria leaves him in his crib at the beginning of the play. At the end of the play, when she leaves, she returns to look for him, but the child is already a young man and is not in his crib.
- Son 2: This is Victoria’s son in another stage of his growth. In this case it is a boy of about five years old.
- Son 3: Represents Victoria’s son in the adolescent stage. This is a boy of about fourteen years old.
- Flor: Victoria’s hairdresser.
- Voice-over: Reads the letter from Victoria’s son.
Introduction: In the scene we see simultaneously the passing of two lives: ahead, in the foreground, Victoria’s life; a mother who has activities to carry out continuously. In the background, at the edge of the back of the stage, the life of her son. Almost without text and without much relevance. At times the son calls her and the mother waits for a free moment to go and see him.
ACT I
Characters that intervene in this act: Victoria and Son 1.
Stage: The stage is divided into two parts according to its illumination. The front part will be where Victoria’s life unfolds and the back part will be where her son’s life unfolds. The front part is well lit and in the back part there is low lighting that barely lets you see what is going on. In the front: a table with papers everywhere and a laptop computer, chairs around the table (clothes on one of them), a trunk/toy chest obstructing the passage and toys scattered on the floor, a small closet and decorations that give a sense of home; in the back, at the far right of the stage: a crib with toys inside.
Victoria carries Son 1 in her arms and leaves him in the crib with his toys.
-Victoria: Wait for me here, sonny, as soon as I get undressed, I’ll come and get you.
(Victoria returns to the front of the stage; she arranges the toy chest in a place that does not obstruct the passage and begins to put the toys inside. Having finished this task, she begins to fold the clothes on the chair while going over a to-do list aloud)
-Victoria: Go get my coat, buy a present for Juanita… flowers?… chocolates?… Well, I’ll see later. Super: remember coffee, don’t forget coffee….
(A shout from Son 1 calling her is heard)
-(She continues folding the clothes) … Cheese for pizzas, invite Jorge to eat pizzas at the weekend (She takes the folded clothes and puts them in the closet), call the publisher, confirm the date of the presentation (She starts to arrange the papers on the table) My first published novel!
(Son 1’s call is repeated.)
-Victoria: (She makes a gesture to go to the crib) Yes, I’m coming (The phone rings. Victoria picks it up.) Friend, did you hear?! Yes, they are going to publish my first novel… Happy, imagine!… Yes, of course we have to celebrate… (Victoria sits down and gesticulates, pretending to continue talking on the phone).
ACT II
Characters taking part in this act: Victoria, Flor and Son 2,
Scenery: The same scenography as in the previous act with some variations: in the back there is no crib and in the front there is a large mirror and different suits and dresses on the back of one of the chairs.
In the place where the cradle used to be, Hijo 2 draws pictures on the floor. Go ahead, Flor combs Victoria’s hair.
-Victoria: Do you think so, Flower? I had thought of a more sober hairstyle.
-Flor: What do you mean, a lady in her fifties?
-Victoria: I don’t know, I just don’t want to give the wrong image; it’s the presentation of my second novel and I want everything to be perfect. I’m so anxious! there’s a lot of expectation because of how well the first one did and I don’t want to disappoint anyone.
-Flor: Don’t worry, it’s going to be perfect. You have dedicated the last five years of your life without a break to your career, you can relax now.
-Victoria: Yes, sometimes I would like to take a break but not everybody has the opportunity I have and I don’t want to waste it.
-Flower: Have you picked out your clothes yet?
-Child 2: Mom, look at the drawing I made for you.
-Victoria: Just a moment son, I’ll be right there.
(Victoria takes a dress from the chair and puts it on her body while she looks at herself in the mirror.)
-Victoria: What do you think of this one?
-Flower: Mmm, dress? it’s a bit informal. Maybe pants and jacket would be better.
Victoria: Like a fifty-something lady?
(Flor and Victoria laugh.)
-Victoria: (Picking up another outfit) How about this one?
-Flor: That one can be… Let’s see that blue one?
(Flower and Victoria are left choosing outfits)
ACT III
Characters taking part in this act: Victoria and Son 3.
Scenery: The same scenography of Act 1 with some variations: in the front part there is no longer the mess, the trunk or the toys and in the back part the crib no longer has toys but a letter and at the beginning of the act it is covered with a cloth.
Son 3 observes Victoria while she is writing concentrated on her computer.
Victoria: (While writing) ¨…requesting that the Portuguese translation of my last novel be revised, since the literalness of the translation affects the artistic purpose in some of its passages… ¨.
(Son 3 leaves the scene taking with him the cloth that covers the cradle, trying to make this exit as unnoticed as possible).
-Victoria: ¨…With no other particulars, I send you my best regards. Victoria. V¨
(Victoria closes her laptop)
-Victoria: I’m done! Now, off to rest.
(She goes to the crib)
-Victoria: I’m done, son, what do you want to do?
(Victoria looks confused, there is no one in the crib, only a letter. Victoria takes it and looks at it).
Voice-over: “Mom, I’m writing you from my new home. From here I hear about the good reviews your books receive. I’m an adult now and little by little I’m learning to live life. I know that when you have free time you will be sad that you were not part of my childhood and adolescence. It saddens me too because those are moments that can’t be recovered. Anyway, I will always be there when you need me. I love you, your son.
(Victoria, saddened, rests the letter on her chest)
THE END