An Octopus's Garden
Stephen Bean
Genre: Drama
Cast size: 4
Duration: One Act
By Stephen Bean | Drama | One Act | 4f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
- Reviews
Mary is an over worked nurse, the daughter of a dysfunctional mother, the lover of a scrounging free loader who is only with Mary as long as the money lasts. The fact that Mary is in the bottom of a very deep rut isn’t helped by her habitual alcohol problem. We meet Mary when she realises that her life isn’t going anywhere and her dreams of going to live in ‘An Octopus’s Garden’ (her favourite song). are finally realised.
The action takes place in Mary’s small bed-sit flat. It is untidy. There is a single divan bed DSR; it is never neatly made up. There are various objects scattered on the floor (items of clothing, hair dryer, shoes etc…). A dressing table occupies CS. It is the type that has a mirror mounted at the back. It is angled in such a way that the audience can see Mary’s reflection. There are various items on top of the dressing table one of which is a small CD player. A small armchair is DSL. On a couple of walls hang pictures of sea creatures set in beautiful coral reefs etc…There are three doors. A door into the flat, a door off to the bathroom and a door of to the kitchen. The lighting is general indoor cover. The overall sense is that this flat is Mary’s world. Various other items may be used to dress the set. They are not used but may add to the impression that this is where she lives. (A small TV, computer etc…).
Some of the action takes place away from the flat which can be denoted by a change of lighting but using the same set. In the hospital. At the petrol station.
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