THE STORY: L-PLAY is a fascinating study of style, character and rhythm. The play is written in twelve scenes. Each scene has a unique style and is a mini play in itself. The element that unites these pieces is that each scene title begins with the letter L. The scenes include: “Learner,” a young student struggles to gain the affection of his beloved through poetry; “Lunatic,” an isolated woman fights going mad, goes mad, and after circling the edge finds redemption; “Leaving,” a piece performed in masks in which a granddaughter seeks to find the secrets of her dying grandmother’s life; “Loser,” a small-town guy tries to get his best friend to hit on his girlfriend to test her loyalty. The final piece, “Life,” is primarily a dance where the primitive family of Ones encounters the Shoe who presents them with the terrible joy of life.
“…a curious, challenging, funny, and at times, mesmerizing evening of theatrical musings…refusing to conform to soothing, sentimental narratives. Ms. Henley’s brand of Southern Gothic humor—dark as a box of bittersweet chocolates—is enticing and deliciously impolite…” —Daily Hampshire Gazette.
Included in the collection
Three Plays by Beth Henley.
