The Tell-Tale Heart (Adaptation)

Characters: The Old man

The Madman
The Madwoman
Police 1
Police 2

Act I

Setting: A Dark Precinct, a Chair and a Table.

Characters: The Madman

Police 1
Police 2

(The Madman is sitting in the chair, in front of the table, with his hands tied in his back.
Police 1 and Police 2 are standing behind the table, looking at the Madman. Police 1 takes
the case’s file.)
Police 1: (Reading the file.) Seventy-three years old man… Murdered by asphyxiation…
Dismembered… Confessed? (Looking angry at Madman.) Are you insane?!
Police 2: (Looking Police 1 with an unpleasantly gaze.) Isn’t that obvious? I mean, he most
have a mental problem... some nervous thing...
Madman: (Staring at them with a crazy gaze.) Yes, that’s true! Nervous, very, very
dreadfully nervous I had been and am! But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had
sharpened my senses, not destroyed; not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing
acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How,
then, am I mad? Hearken! And observe how healthily, how calmly I can tell you the whole
story.

Act II

Setting: An Old Room, a Bed.

Characters: The Madman

The Madwoman
The Old man

(The Old man’s sitting in the bed, reading.)

Old Man: (Lifting his gaze from the book.) When will be the breakfast time?!
Madwoman: (From the Background.) Wait a second, I’m coming!
Madman: (Enters Madwoman with a plate on her hands.) I loved the old man. He had never
wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. (The Old man looks
at the Madwoman with the vulture eye. Madwoman starts quivering with a crazy gaze.
Madman screams desperately.) I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! Whenever it fell upon
me, my blood ran cold. So, I decided to take his life, and thus ride myself of the eye forever.
(Madwoman leaves. The background goes dark. The Old man lies and covers himself with
the blanket. Enters Madwoman calmly with a turned off lantern in his hand.) I went every
midnight, and cunningly slipped the lantern turned off, and then my head. I shone the
lantern over him. (Turns the light on.) But he was all covered! No sight of the Evil Eye!
(Turns the light off.) So, I couldn’t do anything, for I didn’t hate the Old man; I hated his
eye. (The Madwoman leaves.) On the eighth night, I entered, so slyly that the hinges didn’t
even creak. I was so happy about my sagacity, that I fairly chuckled. (The Madwoman
laughs quietly. The Old man rolls on the bed.) I was cold. He heard me! I knew he did! So I
freeze there, but my luck was just going up. (The lantern falls over the floor.)
Old Man: (Lifting over the bed, crying scared.) Who’s there?! Identify yourself!
Madman: He didn’t lie down again. I heard him groaning with mortal terror. (The Old man
cries). He was scared to death. He wouldn’t lie down anymore. I waited. Long. But I had to
see him! So, I turned on the lantern and pointed it over his face. (Madwoman turns the
lantern on and points it at the Old man’s vulture eye.) It was open! Wide open!
Old Man: (Madwoman screams.) Who is it?! (Madwoman screams again and chokes the Old
Man with the blanket.)
Madman: How could I be mad, if I acted so carefully? (Madwoman rips the body of the old
Man.) I ripped off his legs and arms, and hid him under the floor planks. Amazed about my
wisdom I was and I am.

Act III

Setting: A hall. Three Chairs.

Characters: Madwoman
Madman
Police 1
Police 2

(The Madwoman is standing at the middle. A door-knocking is heard.)

Madwoman: Come in, please. (Enter Police 1 and Police 2.) What’s the matter, officers?
Police 2: We received a calling about shrieks coming out of this house.
Madwoman: Oh, yes! I’m sorry, I was having a nightmare!
Police 1: Isn’t this the house of a grandpa?
Police 2: Where is he?
Madwoman: He’s travelling on the countryside. He went to visit a friend. But, where are my
manners! Come in! Come in and check!
Madman: (On the background. Police 1, Police 2 and Madwoman go round the room.) I was
delighted! No human eye could ever catch me! I did a perfect job!
Madwoman: (Stopping.) Would you like to have a seat? I think you should be tired. (Police
1 nods. Madwoman brings three chairs, offers the police a seat, and then sits down.) How
has been your week?
Madman: (The other three keep talking.) I was so happy, that I led them to stay. I was
sure no one of them would catch me. (The heart-like beat starts. Madwoman stops talking.)
But, what’s this? Why don’t they listen to it? (The beat goes louder. Madwoman starts to
frighten.) Stop! Why are you torturing me?!
Madman & Madwoman: (Madwoman rises up the chair, freaked out. Both scream.)
Villains! Dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks! Here, here! It is the
beating of his hideous heart!