Script Family Drama :
Back story :
Chara is a recently divorced engineer who has 3 children and has difficulty supporting her family, always
working. She was on the verge of her breaking point when Eris, a Greek immigrant who is a model,
comes into her life, shouldering some of her responsibility. Unfortunately, he is incredibly lazy and
doesn’t appreciate the others efforts. He strongly dislikes that Chara constantly searches to get back the
life she had with her previous husband. Losing feelings, he decides to try to do marriage fraud and to get
her to sign a shared assets document to have access to her retirement funds and get his half in a divorce.
Chara just wants support having her life be that stressful and is slightly insecure knowing that she is past
her prime. Eris knows all of this and uses it to gaslight her.
Characters :
Eris :
Greek, rude, cheater, wants money from other, loved Chara but gone (just uses her for sex and money at
that point), ungrateful, freeloader, impatient, no hygiene but looks decent (goes gym), lazy, bipolar, Liar
In between contracts as a model
Wants to seal the deal with Charis to get her money (marriage fraud)
Chara :
Quebecois, recently divorced relationship (2 years ago ), kind, mother of 3, used to be rich (still is just
less), struggles with her time, has a ton of money for retirement. Cares a lot about her children,
paranoiac/scared of everything, sort of insecure
Works as head of engineering for the government (9-5), makes her look older than she is and stressed
Just wants support for her children and life (Eris knows)
Setting :
Post-Covid : Eris lost his job but isn’t looking for one
Condo in Montreal, gets home + going to living room
Raining, still snow and ice outside
MAIN ISSUE : Chara can’t trust Eris (with reason) but he keeps gaslighting her.
Scene opens :
It’s the weekend after Valentines day. Eris and Chara were driving home after eating out to the Palma, an
expensive restaurant. Charis is yelling at Eris because he almost ran over somebody getting home. Chara
keeps insisting that Eris is at fault even though he does not think so. They are walking up the stairs to
their apartment in Montreal.
Chara : You keep being dangerous even though you don’t need to. You’re always so uselessly impatient. I
swear one day you’re going to kill somebody!
Eris : Ahh, stop it, I wasn’t even THAT close to him, plus these bikers think they’re allowed to do anything
they want now.
Chara : That’s not a reason to try to kill them !
Eris : I told you to shut it, you and your overreacting are busting my balls right now.
Chara : No, I’m not gonna let this die down, it’s not the first time this happened. Just be more careful for
god’s sake. Look outside, it’s raining and the winter isn’t over. You can’t be driving so carelessly.
Eris (clearly exasperated): I know, I know, but, to be fair, if these fucking bikers stayed in their lane, the
streets would be way safer.
Chara : Oh please don’t start again, they’re allowed to get around how they want.
Eris : Look, I think you’re just stressed and need to relax. Today was nice right? The food was great and
we had a great time.
Chara : You mean you did, I had to pay and clean up after your mess. You eat like a pig you know that ?
Eris : Yeah, yeah I know.
Chara : But maybe you’re right, maybe I am too stressed. Work had been crushing and I just want to relax
right now.
Beat.
Eris : I mean the children are probably asleep right now.
Chara : Oh shut up you, it’s not the time. I mean relaxing relaxing, not that kind.
Eris : I was just suggesting.
Beat.
Eris : You sure you don’t want to ?
Chara : For fuck’s sake yes I’m sure. Can you stop, I don’t want to tonight. I just want to lay down and just
do nothing all night.
Eris : Alright, sorry, sorry. Just want to please you babe.
Chara : Then how about you go get a job instead of me doing everything. I’m tired of having to work on
Sundays. I want to see my kids instead of work work work.
Eris : I’ve been searching, I’m telling you I’m getting there. I found this girl who’s hooked on me I’m tell y-
Chara (with a slightly tied and annoyed tone) : You’ve been saying that for 6 months now. Just get one
already. I can’t be the only one contributing to our retirement fund forever. I wouldn’t complain if you
worked at Dollarama at this point.
Eris : Just trust me please
Chara : That’s the problem, I can’t trust you. I don’t feel safe when you’re driving, you keep lying to my
face, you talk with other girls. It’s like you don’t want to do anything with me.
Eris : No, babe I do trust me. Those are just contacts. I keep telling you, I’m going to get a job and they’re
my pass there. They’re with a modeling agency. I don’t think of them that way and I never will. You’re the
one and only and I don’t ever want to lose you.
Chara : If you say so.
Eris : Look it’s not my fault I’m so stupidly good looking. If the flies keep latching onto me I can’t choo
away every single one.
Chara : I’m sorry, I just- When I think of being alone again, I can’t help myself. After the divorce it’s been
hard.
Eris : I know, and I’m not gonna leave you like that douche.
Fast forward to later in the evening, both of them are drinking wine and relaxing on the couch watching
Netflix. Suddenly, a notification goes off on Eris’s phone.
Eris : Oops, let me get that.
Chara : It’s fine, I got it.
Chara looks at the text
Who the fuck is Emily ?
Eris : Oh, Emily, that’s the recruiter I was talking to you about. She’s about to get me on the new Calven
Clein project.
Chara : Is that why she’s calling you baby ?
Eris : Wait, let me look at that.
He takes a look at the phone and opens up their private messages.
I wouldn’t worry about that. She calls everybody at the agency ‘’baby’’.
Eris being slightly drunk, has difficulty with his reflexes. Chara steals his phone away from him.
Chara : Then what’s this ? ‘’When are you going to leave this bitch ?’’
Eris : Babe, I can explain. There’s just things you have to do to make it big sometimes. I needed a favor so
I had t-
Chara : ‘’I just need to get her to sign the shared assets document, it won’t be long.’’
Beat.
Eris : … I’m telling you it’s just business-
Chara : Is that why you keep asking about marriage ?
Beat.
Eris :…
Chara : After the divorce, I was barely holding on, taking care of 3 children while working endlessly, I just
needed help, a shoulder to lean on. I thought you were the one. We were going to rebuild what I had
even better.
Eris angry : You keep holding onto the past that’s exactly your problem. You can’t have back what you
had. The past is passed, move on already.
Chara : Do you think I don’t want to ? I just can’t ! I always have to work for all of this shit stay afloat.
Eris : You don’t understand. You’re the one making yourself work. We could just live in a slightly smaller
house with slightly worse things. We could be satisfied with that but noooo not for miss fancy. It’s gotta
be all expansive, the car, the house, the restaurant. You’re never satisfied with anything. That’s why your
husband left you and I don’t blame him.
Chara : I’m just trying to destress, take some steam off and make you guys happy!
Eris : You keep putting your standards on others, we’re perfectly fine with normal life. It doesn’t have to
be this way.
Chara : Says you. You just want me for my money anyways.
Eris : I want to be able to live how I want with a woman who deserves it. At first, it was you, but I realized
who you were. A sheep in wolf’s clothing, always the victim, but always the source of the problems.
Chara : Shut the fuck up, I just can’t with you right now.
She tries to walk away to call a taxi.
Eris (angry) : No, You come back here NOW.
Eris takes her arm as she goes away, seemingly gaining back his strength from his anger.
Eris : I did not spend the last 6 months with you for nothing, SIGN THE PAPERS.
Eris forces her back on the couch by pushing her but she trips on the side of the carpet and hits her head
on the corner of the coffee table.
The children come down and are in the doorway while Chara’s body lays on the ground unconscious.
End of play.
