Facing the Face

Written by
Joseph Frost
written for the 2014 31 Plays in 31 Days Project
Play 16
Draft
8/18/14
Attic Scripts 2014
Joseph Frost
4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
atticsripts@gmail.com
A thick fog.
A figure stands far upstage. Unrecognizable.
A face is projected onto the fog.
FACE
Slowly appearing
through mist and fog
a figure
responsible
and terrible
The figure moves slowly to the side.
FACE (CONTD)
Guilty of existence
guilty of innocence
arriving
for once
for nonce
The figure steps forward. It is behind the projection of the
face.
FACE (CONTD)
Without face
and without a sound
prideless
without identity
and without
The figure waves strongly.
The fog disappears for a moment.
The fog re-establishes the projection of the face.
FACE (CONTD)
Hiding no longer
no longer hidden
the face is the give-away
the dead give-away
but the face can no more disappear
than the body cease
it is the face
it is the face
The figure passes through the projection. The face of the
figure is obscured.
FACE (CONTD)
Who can it be?
Who must it be?
To hide so thoroughly
to so thoroughly
so carefully
pretend not to exist
The figure turns to face the Face.
FACE (CONTD)
Who are you?
Who must you be?
The figure jumps into the fog.
The fog disappears for a moment.
The fog re-establishes the projection of the face.
FACE (CONTD)
You must not be
you are not you
obscured by the filthy air
lurking past the reach of light
cowering in shadow
risking darkness
The figure waves at the projection of the eyes.
2.
FACE (CONTD)
You hide from yourself
you hide yourself
you hide
hide
The fog re-establishes the eyes.
The figure waves at the projection of the mouth.
The eyes blink, and look to the figure.
The fog re-establishes the mouth.
FACE (CONTD)
I speak
that you cannot hide
I speak
that you cannot run
I speak
that you are seen
The figure again moves downstage, emerging through the
face.
The figure turns to face the Face.
FACE (CONTD)
You cannot run
you cannot hide
you are seen.
The figure kneels.
A moment.
Blackout.
End
3.