A Film Short

Succession
by
Ken Bailey
October 16, 2008


An upscale sitting room. Woman #1 is seated on two-person sofa near Center Stage. To her right in a straightback chair sits Woman #2. Behind the sofa standing is Man #2. Seated to Woman #1’s left in a comfortable highback cloth chair is Man #1.

At rise Man #2 crosses upstage to a sideboard with a carafe of coffee and a few undisturbed small pastries. Man #2 pours coffee as Woman #3 enters Up Right. Woman #3 surveys room and crosses to sidebar where she takes an empty cup and places it on a saucer and Man #2 pours her a cup.

Suddenly a phone ring shatters the silence and Woman #3 drops her cup and saucer and it shatters on the parquet floor. Man #1 does not move. Woman #2 rises and crosses behind sofa to phone on table between Woman #1 and Man #1.

Woman #2
Yes?


Woman #2 hands receiver to Woman #1 as couple (mostly Woman #3) upstage deal quietly with mess on floor.

Woman #1
Yes?

Woman #1 listens without reaction except a brief moment when her eyelids open a bit wider.

Woman #1 (cont.)
Thank you for letting me know.

Woman #1 does not hang up but hands phone to Woman #2. Woman #2 listens and hears only a dial tone (we do not hear dialtone) and then hangs up receiver. Woman #2 crosses back to her straightback chair and sits. Everyone covertly studies Woman #1.

Silence.

Woman #1
(to Man #1)
Will I have to say something?

Man #1
When you’re ready.


Woman #1
Will you write something or some notes. I-

Man #1
I’ll take care of it.

Woman #3 has finished cleaning up her broken cup and saucer and the spilled coffee. Woman #3 moves down behind Woman #1 who somehow knows she is talking to her.

Woman #3
I know you are probably not hungry, but while I put these things away-

Woman #1
Oddly, I am. Maybe it’s my stomach.

Woman #3
What would you like?

Woman #1
Buttermilk

Woman #3
Buttermilk?

Woman #1
A cold glass if there is any.

Woman #3 starts to exit

Woman #1
And two of those finger sandwiches left from
the Ortega brunch. But not the tuna.

Woman #3 exits

Silence

Woman #1
Did he do something wrong that I’m not aware of?

Man #2
If he did, we weren’t aware of it either.

Man #1
He did Nothing Wrong.

Woman #1
Except this. This was wrong.

Woman #2 gets up to move to Woman #1

Woman #1
If you are planning to hug me, think again.

Woman #2 stops and then re-sits.

Woman #1
For the last seven years I have hugged, been hugged, kissed and been kissed by people my father would have crossed the street to avoid. (pause) In a few days it will all start again. Until then no hugs, no kisses - (smiles) I’ve known him for 32 years. He’s gone hunting with me, my father, my brothers, industrialists and heads of state and this is the first time (slightly serious) I’ve known him to get a kill on the first shot. (smiles) He would find that funny.

Silence

Phone rings. Woman #2 rises but Man #1 answers.

Man #1
Yes? A moment.

Man #1 holds receiver down.

Man #1 (to Woman #1)
It’s the Vice President.

Woman #1 rises to move to phone.

Woman #1
You mean President.

Woman #1 takes phone.

Woman #1 (cont.)
Hello Charlie.

FADE OUT