Synopsis
"Lily has been sentenced to a secure institution. A facility for convicted criminals for whom there is no prospect of ever being released. A place reserved for those who have committed the most heinous of crimes. And now, Samantha has received permission to visit Lily to conduct an interview. She is hoping to discover something. Not what Lily did or why, but to get beneath the skin of a killer. Is there more to her crimes? Is Lily ‘just’ a killer? Or is there something worse? Do crimes end at the conclusion of a trial? Or are Lily’s crimes the start of something bigger? Much bigger. Perhaps, eternal. For she has a secret. But then, so does Samantha.”
Cast
Lily: playing age is probably best suited to being 30’s - 40’s. She is false in presentation and controlling, articulate, quick-witted, intense. She is trying too hard. She has a definite air about her. She is constantly watching, listening, attending to every word. Very particular in what she says and what others say. She is the epitome of a person who lives and operates behind a mask. She is not what she seems. She wants to control the narrative and it’s direction. But when provoked, tested, she is explosive, unrestrained. There is a darkness to her which instills menace, foreboding. Whatever, whomever she really is remains unresolved. Is she ‘simply’ a mass-murderer, criminally insane and detached from reality, or is she something far more? No matter what she is, one thing is certain. She is the personification of evil.
Samantha: playing age is probably best suited to being the same as Lily, 30’s - 40’s. She is professional, calm, controlled. She is persistent in her questioning and her manner is of a person with an agenda which is not clear until well into the story. She is clearly not fazed by Lily and is more than her equal. The air of their exchanges is of a chess game in which the advantage passes and re-passes between them.
Use & Staging
As this piece is written to partner with other pieces by the writer, such as ‘Darkness Visible’ or ‘Hallowtide’ the setting is intentionally simple. The timing of the piece also makes it suitable for a Festival. Staging is simply a table and two chairs, nothing more. Some prop/device to give the impression of an intercom is situated on the table and which is only in-play at the end. The performance would suit an empty space, black-box/studio. The voices of the person she speaks with (Security) would need to be a pre-recorded SFX. Lighting should be as simple and stark as possible. Maybe a single (working) bulb for effect, suspended above the table. Costume is contemporary as it is present day. Lily (say) is dressed institutionally in a sweatshirt and pants. Samantha, smart casual or business dress. Minimal personal props (as indicated).
Running time: Approx 35 minutes.