Title of the play: “Dad, I crashed your car”
Author: María Gabriela Méndez
Topic: A conversation between a boy and his friend regarding a serious problem: I crashed my dad’s car while he was on a trip. They both plan how to tell his dad; then the father returns from his trip and his son must find the best words to tell him what happened.
Genre: Comedy
4 Characters:
- Narrator (Female Voice)
- Charles (The son)
- Henry (Charles’ Friend)
- Rafael (Charles’ Dad)
Act 1
Setting: For the first act, two simple scenarios that interact with each other will be formed; two telephones, a bed and a small sofa are needed. The second act will be on the couch stage.
Narrator: – Charles has crashed his dad’s car and has arrived home very worried because he doesn’t know what to do. His dad doesn’t get “so angry” easily, but Charles thinks this time will be different; he loves his car and doesn’t want even a scratch on it. Charles needs to talk to someone. His friend Henry is always there for him, and has never given him bad advice. Charles decides to call his friend at this time of great concern and distress.
Charles: (He enters the scene with a worried face and sits on the sofa in his house, rests for a moment with his hands on his head and then decides to call his friend Henry, dials the number and waits for Henry to answer the call).
Henry: (He enters his room and lies down on his bed, when suddenly the phone rings, which he decides to answer lying down looking at the ceiling, and with the other hand he throws a ball upwards over and over again) – Hello, Charles? how are you?
Charles: I’m… I’m fine, my friend… but my dad’s car is not…
Henry: (stops throwing his ball and sits on the bed) – And that? What happened?
Charles: I crashed it…
Henry: (laughs before saying something funny) – Bro, but you took too long, hahaha. You’re a lousy driver.
Charles: – No bro, it wasn’t my fault, I had to dodge a car and I crashed into a pole.
Henry: – And while at it didn’t you run over an old lady who was walking down the sidewalk, on her way home with her bags from the market? hahaha.
Charles: – There was nobody on the sidewalk. But stop joking and help me, I need some advice.
Henry: – Alright bro, I’ll stop joking, how can I help you?
Charles: I need to find a way to tell my dad.
Henry: – That’s easy, you tell him: Dad, I had an accident!!!, then you pause, and if he doesn’t die of a heart attack, then you tell him the details (Henry laughs mockingly).
Charles: – Bro, I really need your help seriously, you always have good ideas, but you are not cooperating.
Henry: – Okay bro, I have a better idea: I call him and tell him the following – Mr. Rafael, your son has had a very serious accident, unfortunately he has passed away…. Then I will make a pause to respect your father’s pain, and then tell him… No, it’s a joke, he just crashed the car and it is destroyed, fortunately Charles only had minor injuries, but he is going to be fine… Then I will make another pause, while your dad recovers from the previous news and gets used to this one, and finally I tell him. Excuse me, nothing really happened to Charles, and the car is not wrecked, but yous hould be thankful that he only hit a little bit against a street light pole, it will only be a couple of minor repairs.
-What do you think of my idea?
Charles: – Apparently you don’t want to help me, do you?
Henry: – I do want to help you bro, and I learned this from a psychological study I read on the internet: If you are given more serious news than what really happened and then you are told the real story, it will diminish its level of importance.
Charles: – Help me find a serious way to tell my dad.
Henry: – I think you should just tell him. But better wait until he arrives, and when he is calm, rested, at home, you tell him, and that’s it.
Charles: – You’re right Henry, anyway, he’s going to have to find out. And he will react the way he has to react.
Henry: – Cool.
Charles: – We’ll talk later then, I’ll let you know if you have to host me at your place, haha.
Henry: – Ok, hehehe, Bye.
Narrator: – And when the father came home… (There is a suspenseful pause)
Act 2
(Charles’ father arrives home and is greeted by his son, who decides to greet him, and help him with the suitcases. The audience sees the scene of the dad sitting on the couch, then the son fetches a glass of water for his dad, lets him drink some, and then…)
Charles: – Dad, how was your trip?
Rafael: – Fine son, a little exhausting but excellent, and you, tell me, how was it these days alone at home?
Charles: – At home it went well (Pause). Here everything is fine, as you can see.
Rafael: – Mmmmm, and the rest, I mean, in the street, since you only talked about the house.
Charles: (Takes some water, like someone who desperately wants to hydrate himself, and gets a little nervous): Well, the truth is that… (pause)
Rafael: – Did something happen? (The father shows an expression of concern and mild curiosity)
Charles: – Dad, the truth is that I crashed the car… (a pause, and continues) It wasn’t much, I just crashed it against a street light pole (Charles shows fear).
Rafael: (He looks very relaxed on the sofa and answers) – ah… ok… no problem… I’m going to rest, because the trip left me exhausted. (He leaves the scene)
Charles: (He looks surprised and looks towards the audience, expressing a sign of “if I would have known his reaction before, I wouldn’t even stress”)
END.