The Dollhouse


A Play in One Act

© 7:52PM Dec 30


[Open. A stage.

Right, one wall with door. On the wall, a ticking clock reading 11:45 and a calendar showing December. On the calendar, all the days are crossed off except the last, which falls on a Saturday.

Center, a table with three chairs. On the table, a DOLLHOUSE, partially constructed.

Around the table, THREE OLD MEN working steadily.

Up, MAN 1 has pieces of dolls, doll furniture, and the DOLLHOUSE to his Left, finished pieces to his Right.

Right, MAN 2 places finished pieces in DOLLHOUSE from pile Left of MAN 1.

Left, MAN 3 removes pieces from DOLLHOUSE, carefully cleaning them and taking them apart. He places pieces in pile Right of MAN 1.

All THREE MEN wear blindfolds.]

[Enter YOUNG GIRL, Right, closing door behind her. She stands by MAN 2.]

GIRL What are you doing?

MAN 2 Building a DOLLHOUSE.

GIRL Why?

MAN 2 Our PATRON wants it ready by twelve.

GIRL How is it going?

MAN 2 Poorly. I just can’t seem to get it right.

[GIRL unties blindfold form MAN 2. It falls away.]

MAN 2 Oh dear. This is far too empty to satisfy our PATRON.

[looks at clock] Oh dear, oh dear. [he begins to work frantically] Brother, could you help me with this DOLLHOUSE?

MAN 3 Yes.

MAN 2 Thank you. [MAN 2 runs out of things in his pile and begins picking up string and trinkets from the floor to place in DOLLHOUSE.]

[GIRL walks over to MAN 3.]

GIRL What are you doing?

MAN 3 Cleaning a DOLLHOUSE.

GIRL Why?

MAN 3 Our PATRON wants it ready by twelve.

GIRL How is it going?

MAN 3 Poorly. I just can’t seem to get it right.

[GIRL unties blindfold from MAN 3. It falls away.]

MAN 3 Oh dear. This is far too cluttered to satisfy our PATRON. [looks at clock] Oh dear, oh dear. [MAN 3 begins to work frantically] Brother, could you help me with this DOLLHOUSE?

MAN 2 Yes.

MAN 3 Thank you. [In his rush, MAN 3 begins to break the dolls and furniture, rather than taking them apart.]

[GIRL walks over to MAN 1.]

GIRL What are you doing?

MAN 1 Making stuff.

GIRL Why?

MAN 1 I like to.

GIRL How is it going?

MAN 1 Very well.

[The clock strikes twelve. MAN 2 begins throwing things into the DOLLHOUSE. MAN 3 begins smashing the walls of the DOLLHOUSE. MAN 1 continues making dolls blindly.]

GIRL May I have my DOLLHOUSE now? [She receives no response.]

[GIRL goes to calendar and crosses out December 31, then tears off the page. January is underneath. Girl exits through door, closing it behind her.]

FIN

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Rob Napier <NapierR@mps.bellhowell.com>
Tom Brady <tabrady@mindspring.com>
Last modified: Tues 6 May 13:10:00 1997 by tabrady