From the showcase of The Script Accelerator at The Park Theatre I thought it would be fun to share the sequence from the play that we did on September 9th.
http://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/script-accelerator
Our gorgeous cast:
Nathaniel – Hamish Clark
Jasmine – Lucy Brown
Suzanne – Honeysuckle Weeks
Tom – Jonathan Hansler
The Man in the Dark – Martyn Stanbridge
THE SEQUENCE:
PAGES 28-45
ACT ONE
SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/janetdulinjones/Desktop/Even%20a%20play%20by%20J-for%20blog.doc
Even a play by J. Dulin Jones
Old friends, Suzanne and Jasmine re-connect after 15 years and decide to meet up for dinner with their partners. Within minutes, cracks in their relationships break wide open as well placed barbs and old wounds bring out their worst behavior. This rupture throws the couples into a moral abyss from which there may be no return.
The heading of the scene:
SCENE 2
Nathaniel and Jasmine’s Flat. Mid-moving in. July. Wednesday night.
The song plays from a Bose dock on an empty book case. Moving boxes are in piles; pictures lean against the walls. A Stickley chair broken in two is in the corner. A vintage Martin acoustic guitar on a stand. On the coffee table, four Grammy Awards. A large marble ashtray nearby. Bottles of Tequila and Triple Sec, Maldon salt, Ice. He salts the rims of the glasses.
Grocery bags on the counter. The dining table is set for 4, Stargazer lilies lie ready to arrange.
***We come into Scene 2 at the end of the dinner party at the home of Nathaniel and Jasmine. Their guests are Jasmine’s old school chum, Suzanne and Suzanne’s husband Tom.
Nathaniel has the dishes cleared off and in the washer.
NATHANIEL
I don’t suppose anyone wants pudding?
TOM
Pudding? We brought pudding actually. Some amazing cookies from “Baker & Spice.” And a nice bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape. Suz, where is it?
Suzanne moves to her bag. He goes for the bag, she snatches it from his hands.
TOM
Bloody hell, Suzanne. What are you doing?
SUZANNE
It’s silly I know, but, I, I forgot the cookies. I left them on the counter.
TOM
At the shop?
SUZANNE
Yes.
TOM
How did you do that?
SUZANNE
I —
TOM
— Well, give them the wine.
SUZANNE
— The wine?
JASMINE
She already gave it to me in the bedroom.
TOM
Why?
JASMINE
I don’t know. Why did you Suzanne?
Suzanne stares from Jasmine to Tom.
SUZANNE
So, so we could toast our friendship.
TOM
You drank the bottle of wine with Jasmine in the bedroom?
SUZANNE
Not all of it.
TOM
No wonder you got fucking sick. Here I was feeling all sorry for you. Poor little Suzanne, knocked on her back by two Margaritas. What the hell is wrong with you?
JASMINE
We only had a glass Tom. Don’t be so hard on her.
TOM
I’m not hard enough.
Suzanne reaches in her bag and takes out a box of cookies and hands it to Tom.
SUZANNE
Here. The pudding.
TOM
How lovely. Anyone want a cookie? They are delicious.
Tom opens the box and takes one, he savors it and holds it out to the women. Jasmine and Suzanne demur. He holds the box out to Nathaniel.
TOM
Join me, Nat?
NATHANIEL
(holding up his drink)
I’m sticking to liquid dessert. Keep my girlish figure.
TOM
If I keep eating these cookies I’ll put on two stone.
JASMINE
Come to a couple of my step and sculpt classes and you won’t be able to keep weight on.
TOM
I just might.
SUZANNE
You in an exercise class? That’s rich.
TOM
Why not?
SUZANNE
You hate being around sweaty, smelly people and germs.
(to Nathaniel)
Tom has an exercise room with all the bells and whistles in our ground floor. Pilates, rower, Bowflex —
TOM
And tennis. Don’t forget my tennis.
SUZANNE
I’m rubbish at tennis. My father said I had two left feet.
NATHANIEL
Jazz and I play tennis. I’m okay, she’s really good.
TOM
(to Jasmine)
We should play sometime. I belong to the Harbour Club.
JASMINE
I’d love to.
TOM
We’ve just submitted designs for their Canary Wharf site.
JASMINE
That reminds me, I meant to congratulate you on the job.
TOM
Job?
Suzanne looks to Jasmine. Jasmine avoids eye contact.
JASMINE
Suzanne told me about the additions to the Victoria and Albert that you’ll be doing.
TOM
You told her?
SUZANNE
She’s my oldest friend, they’ve already accepted the design.
TOM
Accepted is not a done deal. How could you do this Suzanne?
Tom grabs the bottle of tequila. Suzanne goes after him.
SUZANNE
It’s my job, too, Tommy. And we should be celebrating not fighting.
TOM
This is how things get jinxed.
Suzanne grabs the bottle, but Tom won’t let go.
SUZANNE
It isn’t! Tommy!
In the struggle he accidentally hits her on the cheek.
SUZANNE
Tommy!
TOM
Look what you made me do.
Suzanne stand in shock. Jasmine takes the bottle from Tom.
JASMINE
It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said anything. Suzanne did mention it was a secret. Let’s go to the sofa and sit. It’s all right. No one’s hurt.
NATHANIEL
Suzi, you need ice.
Suzanne, slightly dazed goes to the counter. Nathaniel takes some cubes from the ice bucket and puts them in a towel and hands it to her. She holds it to her cheek.
TOM
Nothing’s your fault, Jasmine. Suzi likes to tell everyone everything.
SUZANNE
I — I —
TOM
You think because you used your inheritance to set up our company you can do this, isn’t that it? You don’t “own” the company and you don’t “own” me.
SUZANNE
I was happy.
TOM
Happy? Thank God you’re not happy all the time, you’d be telling our secrets to “The Guardian” on a daily basis.
Suzanne sets down the ice.
SUZANNE
(turning to Nathaniel)
We’ve been terrible guests. I’m, I’m so sorry.
JASMINE
I’m sorry I set this off. Really.
Tom goes and puts his arm around Suzanne.
TOM
No, no — it’s a little tiff. I get hot under the collar sometimes. Our business is just so damn competitive. Really, we’re having a smashing time. You both are tops. Look I’ll —
(pantomimes sprinkling dust)
…sprinkle magic fairy dust and all will be forgotten.
JASMINE
What do you suggest we do to get back on track, Tom?
TOM
We should dance.
SUZANNE
Dance?
NATHANIEL
What?
Tom turns on the i-Pod set up, Sinatra’s “Witchcraft” fills the air.
TOM
Jasmine?
He leads Jasmine in a dance. Nathaniel gets a cigarette and walks to the terrace on stage left. Suzanne follows. Nathaniel lights up. Suzanne takes the lighter.
SUZANNE
It’s so heavy. It’s old isn’t it.
NATHANIEL
It was my father’s. It’s a 1938 Varga Girl Zippo. A recording engineer gave it to him when he was starting out in radio. He thought it was his lucky charm.
SUZANNE
(handing it to him)
Why?
NATHANIEL
The first night he had it, he went to a pub near the Strand and there was my mother sitting by herself at a table. Nineteen, a little girl trying to look cool with a cigarette in her hands. He lit her cigarette, she loved the lighter and the rest, as they say was history.
SUZANNE
It was easier, then, wasn’t it.
(glancing back to the room)
Look at Tom. I can feel his anger from here.
NATHANIEL
Let him get it out of his system.
SUZANNE
He’s so intense. Sometimes I get knots in my stomach.
NATHANIEL
Why? It’s your company too.
SUZANNE
And he hates being reminded. Tommy was the star at the firm where we met. I bankrolled the business and I have two accountants who keep a tight reign. Tommy hates that because he loves to spend. God he spends, he spends. But I want him to feel like a man.
They look back.
NATHANIEL
They’ll both get what they want for a little while tonight.
SUZANNE
What about you?
NATHANIEL
Me?
SUZANNE
Will you get what you want?
NATHANIEL
A good smoke and a drink. You?
SUZANNE
Sometimes I feel like I’m in the wrong story. And I can’t remember what the story was that I wanted to be in. Do you ever feel that way?
NATHANIEL
It’s called a nightmare, Suzanne. And I wake up from one daily. Anyone over the age of 10 has the same experience.
SUZANNE
Then it’s all fine isn’t it.
(a beat)
Let’s go in and get you that drink so your night is perfect.
The music continues. Tom and Jasmine dance off stage, Suzanne exits behind them. Nathaniel stays on stage and sits down to work on the broken chair. The music stops.
SCENE 5
Nathaniel and Jasmine’s Apartment. Later that night.
Nathaniel sits with the broken chair. A glass of scotch beside him. He has a syringe of epoxy and some wooden dowels on the floor. He works a dowel with a small ball-peen hammer. Jasmine, in a silk nightgown, enters.
JASMINE
Aren’t you coming to bed?
NATHANIEL
I’m trying to fix the chair.
JASMINE
Collect on the insurance.
NATHANIEL
I hate seeing something I love get destroyed.
JASMINE
It’s a chair.
(he’s silent)
It’s one in the morning. I’m standing here in my skimpiest nightdress and you’re on the floor with glue and bits of wood.
Nathaniel looks up at Jasmine. He starts to cry.
JASMINE (CONT’D)
Nathaniel, Jesus, what is it?
NATHANIEL
I loved this so much.
She kneels beside him and shoves the chair away.
JASMINE
Nat, you’re scaring me.
NATHANIEL
(taking her hand in his)
I love you so much.
He pulls her to him and kisses her. They rise, she leads him by the hand, then she releases her grip and exits. Nathaniel puts the hammer and dowels away. A light follows the Man in the Dark as he comes into the living room.
SCENE 6
NATHANIEL
We hadn’t had sex in about six months. It was great —
MAN IN THE DARK
Then you went to Wales the next day to hear a band?
NATHANIEL
Yes, for three days. I found a gem of band, three brothers from Freystrop, a speck of a town. I came back in great spirits. I felt like I’d got my mojo back.
MAN IN THE DARK
How was dinner with Tom and Suzanne the following week?
NATHANIEL
The curry was great. We took two appropriately expensive bottles of Priorat. Suzanne didn’t dare drink. Tom took us on a drive along the Thames in their Bristol series 6.
MAN IN THE DARK
A Bristol. They are rich.
NATHANIEL
Then we had drinks at Home House, closed the place down, in fact. Suzanne was the designated driver of course. Thank God. Otherwise we would’ve crashed on the way home.
MAN IN THE DARK
And friendship blossomed.
NATHANIEL
Grew like a weed. You know how weeds are, you whack ’em back with the strimmer and they just grow through the cracks. You can’t get rid of them.
MAN IN THE DARK
Sometimes they die off when you least expect it.
NATHANIEL
Yes. Sometimes they die off. Fucking weeds.
MAN IN THE DARK
“Language, Timothy.”
Man in the Dark puts his arm around Nathaniel and they walk off. Lights down.
LIGHTS UP
SCENE 7
Nathaniel and Jasmine’s Apartment. Three weeks later. Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” blares on the Bose system. The boxes are gone. Women’s designer cover the sofa. A Louis Vuitton weekender is on the couch. A tennis racket bag and a can of tennis balls sit by the edge of the sofa.
Nathaniel enters in a Zegna tux, a bounce in his step. A box with a crown of pink roses under his arm. He turns off the music. Jasmine comes from the bedroom with a toiletry case. She wears jeans and a D & G shirt. She looks up in surprise.
JASMINE
Jesus, Nat!
NATHANIEL
Sorry. The music. You didn’t hear me.
She stands still.
NATHANIEL
You’re not dressed?
JASMINE
Dressed?
NATHANIEL
For the black tie at Billingsgate. For The National Film School?
(she stares, he woos her)
We have a table? You were going to wear that amazing Herrara gown you wore to the Grammys?
(holding up the flower box)
I got you these to wear in your hair.
She takes the flower box and sets it on the counter.
NATHANIEL
We’re going to waltz in 90 minutes late at the rate your going.
JASMINE
Because I’m not going.
She sets down the toiletry bag.
NATHANIEL
What are you on about?
She picks up the tennis racquet to put into the tennis bag.
NATHANIEL
Is this charades? You’re going to play tennis instead?
JASMINE
Not tonight.
NATHANIEL
I’m sorry we had words this morning. I have a lot on my mind. I’m sorry I didn’t go to the shops and get food for supper last night.
JASMINE
You’re not taking care of me.
NATHANIEL
I’m doing my best. Hey, I have Robert Plant sitting next to you. He’s one of your heroes.
The zipper on the tennis bag sticks. Jasmine pulls hard.
JASMINE
He’s one of your fucking heroes. This is what I’m talking about. You do things for you, not for me.
(shoving the bag)
Fucking zipper.
He stops and takes the racquet from the bag.
NATHANIEL
Bloody hell, Jasmine. What are you doing?
JASMINE
I’m trying to zip this fucking bag.
NATHANIEL
Damnit that’s not what I mean and you know it. This morning we were on the same page, now I feel like we’re not even in the same novel.
JASMINE
I’m doing what I want to do, not what you want to do.
NATHANIEL
Are you, you leaving me?
JASMINE
Of course not.
NATHANIEL
Then what is it? You’re acting, you’re — Jesus, Jasmine, are you back on drugs? Tell me.
JASMINE
(yanking her arm away)
Christ Nat, I’m going away for the weekend with Tom.
NATHANIEL
Tom?
(laughing)
Suzanne’s Tom?
JASMINE
Laugh if it makes you feel better.
NATHANIEL
You’re running around with that fucking tosser!
(grabbing the racquet he whacks it against the butcher block)
Fucking Tom! Fuck, fuck, fuck!
He smashes it until it is a misshapen mess and he is spent.
JASMINE
That was your racquet.
NATHANIEL
Now it’s nobodies racquet.
NATHANIEL
You don’t like Tom. And people have affairs in back alleys, they don’t tell their partners.
JASMINE
You’ve been a different person since we got back. I don’t even know you anymore. And this, it’s, it’s a way to heal.
NATHANIEL
Who sold you that load of bollocks.
JASMINE
Tom.
NATHANIEL
Oh, he’s the master of healing is he?
JASMINE
Look at you. Look how nasty.
NATHANIEL
I’m nasty? He wants to fuck you.
JASMINE
More than you. You never take me or my emotions seriously.
NATHANIEL
Sorry? Flying home from France on a red-eye when you’d O.D’d, sitting by your bed for days, paying a small fortune to Hazeldon to get you well was anything but serious I guess.
JASMINE
You always throw that up to me like some badge of honor. I’m sick of hearing about how great you were.
NATHANIEL
You were on crack, Jasmine.
JASMINE
For three months. Years ago. You knew I was a wreck about moving to L.A. I was scared, insecure. It was no big deal.
NATHANIEL
It was crack.
JASMINE
You’re the addict, Nathaniel not me.
NATHANIEL
If that were true, Jasmine, then I’d be dead already. Because I guarantee you if I drank at the level I needed to in order to deal with your shit, I’d be dead.
JASMINE
Nice. Nice.
Jasmine picks up the bag, weekender and coat.
NATHANIEL
Jesus. I didn’t mean it. Christ, Jasmine. Don’t do this.
She walks out the door. Nathaniel kicks at the racquet and pours a glass of scotch. Lights dim. We hear an acoustic guitar play the opening strains of “Blackbird.”
SCENE 8
LIGHTS COME UP:
Jasmine and Nathaniel’s Flat. Two Hours Later.
The music continues. Drunk, Nathaniel sits on the floor, the broken chair beside him. His guitar, a beautiful vintage Martin, in his hands. He sings the song.
There is a knock.
NATHANIEL
(setting the guitar aside)
Jasmine.
He tries to stand but tumbles. Nathaniel rights himself.
NATHANIEL
Jazz, darling…
He stops. Suzanne enters with a Shopping bag. She wears an Armani suit. She takes in Nathaniel and the mess.
SUZANNE
The door was open.
NATHANIEL
What in the hell are you doing here?
SUZANNE
Why should we sit along being miserable? I figured you wouldn’t have eaten, so I thought, screw it, let’s be miserable together.
Suzanne sets down the groceries on the butcher block. Nathaniel fumbles for his mobile phone it’s not in his pocket.
NATHANIEL
I, I have to make a call.
He looks for his phone. She unpacks the groceries. She sees the rose crown and puts it on her head. Nathaniel sees his phone on the floor. He bends to get it and falls over.
NATHANIEL
Shit. Fuck.
SUZANNE
You okay?
NATHANIEL
No I’m not fucking okay. Christ. Suzanne can you just get out of here?
(seeing the roses)
And take those off, they’re for Jasmine, Goddamnit.
He pulls the rose crown from her hair and tears it to pieces.
NATHANIEL
Goddamn, fucking stupid roses!
He moves away and dials, he listens.
NATHANIEL
Phil, it’s Nathaniel.
(realizing)
You probably have your phone off. Jasmine and I had a bit of a tiff, I’m coming stag. I’ll be there in thirty.
Nathaniel puts his phone down and goes to the sink and splashes water on his face.
SUZANNE
You’re in no shape to go anywhere.
NATHANIEL
It’s why God invented Addison-Lee. I’m fine.
SUZANNE
You’re not. I’m not fine either.
Nathaniel lights up a cigarette with shaky hands.
SUZANNE
Tom is punishing me with Jasmine.
NATHANIEL
Punishing you? What did you do?
SUZANNE
I outshone him. We submitted two plans for the V & A, his and mine. Mine won. Tom hates to lose, especially to me.
NATHANIEL
So he’s fucking my partner to piss you off? That’s rich.
He stubs the cigarette in the ashtray.
SUZANNE
If he can have her, he’s better than you, better than me.
NATHANIEL
So you come over to seduce me as a booby prize? Get the hell out!
He sinks down on the couch. Suzanne sits next to him.
SUZANNE
She hurt you. She used to hurt me. My father adored Jasmine. She was everything I wasn’t; bubbly, easy, beautiful. He loved beautiful things.
NATHANIEL
You were children.
SUZANNE
But she’s still doing it. Stealing the things I love. She and Tom are so alike. They inflict pain like little bites, like a seagull, until they kill you off.
NATHANIEL
Suzanne, please, I’m tired —
SUZANNE
Have you seen a seagull kill another bird?
NATHANIEL
No.
SUZANNE
It’s slow and terrible. I was working at the firm where I met Tom. I was in the City in an old building on the 10th floor. A finch was sitting on the ledge of my window and I watched it eat bread crumbs I put out for it. The bird came every day, we had a little ritual. It was there, one morning that two seagulls honed in on the ledge and trapped it.
NATHANIEL
Jesus.
SUZANNE
I opened the window to shoo them away and one of the seagulls tore a chunk from my hand. I still have a scar, see?
(holding out her hand)
— blood went everywhere. They wouldn’t stop. They kept tearing that poor little bird to pieces. Everyone in the office was horrified. The finch was screaming, we were screaming. One of the architects grabbed a broom and swatted at the Seagulls, but the finch was dying. It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my life.
SUZANNE
I’m grown up now. I’m going to take what I want, too.
She kisses him hard on the mouth. At first he resists, then gives in. He grabs Suzanne and shoves her on the sofa. Lights go down. We hear the sounds of love making which are taken over by Clapton’s “Crossroads”:
LIGHTS COME UP:
SCENE 9
Morning. Nathaniel and Jasmine’s flat. The kitchen counter.
Clapton’s “Crossroads” plays. Hungover, Nathaniel, in tee-shirt and track bottoms, struggles with the Gensaco machine, it won’t work. He smacks it “Ouch”.
Suzanne comes out with wet hair. She wears track bottoms and a tee.
SUZANNE
Morning.
She wraps her arms round Nathaniel. The door opens. They pull apart. Jasmine and Tom enter.
JASMINE
Suzanne?
TOM
Suzi?
SUZANNE
Shit!
NATHANIEL
What are you doing here, Jasmine?
JASMINE
Me? What is she doing here?
Nathaniel turns off the music. Tom starts to laugh.
TOM
You just can’t let me do anything without competing can you?
SUZANNE
It wasn’t like that.
JASMINE
Jesus —
NATHANIEL
It, it just happened.
JASMINE
We were up front so you go sneaking around like school kids?
NATHANIEL
That’s not going to wash, Jasmine and you know it. And it doesn’t explain you waltzing in here this morning.
JASMINE
I forgot my inhaler. We were playing tennis and my asthma flared up.
NATHANIEL
You never forget your inhaler.
JASMINE
Well, I do, and I did.
She goes off to the bathroom. Tom stares at Suzanne, she holds his gaze.
JASMINE (O.S)
Fuck!
She hurries onstage holding a bottle of Alphapharf Shampoo in one hand, her inhaler in the other.
JASMINE
Bitch you used my Alphapharf shampoo.
SUZANNE
It was the only shampoo in the shower.
JASMINE
And my Jo Malone soap. Fuck. I don’t want you in my house.
NATHANIEL
You’re the one who left it.
JASMINE
For a hotel.
SUZANNE
You’re paying for a hotel? Which one?
JASMINE
Claridges.
SUZANNE
Claridges? It’s a thousand pounds a night.
TOM
So?
SUZANNE
(sinking to the couch, deflated)
You’ve never taken me to a hotel for a night in our entire marriage. We even spent our honeymoon at my parent’s estate in Brittignac.
JASMINE
This was not the plan.
NATHANIEL
Well it’s what you’ve got.
TOM
Hang on. Maybe this isn’t so bad.
SUZANNE
What?
NATHANIEL
No, it’s not bad, it’s disgusting.
Maybe we all need a break for each other.
SUZANNE
I don’t want a break —
NATHANIEL
— What the hell are you talking about?
TOM
Time apart.
NATHANIEL
Are you saying you want a separation from your wife?
SUZANNE
Tommy —
TOM
Christ no. Don’t be so conventional. Why be so definitive?
Tom walks behind Suzanne on the couch and puts his arm on her shoulder.
JASMINE
I don’t think I like where you’re going with this.
TOM
(sitting beside Suzanne as he speaks)
It’s perfect, Jazz. Everyone is taken care of. No one feels like a wallflower at the dance.
SUZANNE
I’m your wife, Tom.
TOM
And I want you to stay my wife. Don’t you see this is the way to keep us together?
JASMINE
This was supposed to be our fling.
NATHANIEL
I don’t want to be a party to any of this.
SUZANNE
Jesus, Tom —
TOM
You’ve already shown your true colors coming here to screw Nathaniel. You want this as much as I do.
NATHANIEL
This is like some seedy stupid wife-swapping nonsense.
TOM
Don’t go Jackie Collins on me, Nat. We take weekends off.
(to Suzanne)
I’ll take Jasmine to the country house —
SUZANNE
— No!
TOM
— and you and Nathaniel can have the city. It’s perfect.
NATHANIEL
I feel fucked up being in the same room with you.
JASMINE
Wait, Nathaniel, maybe he’s right.
NATHANIEL
This is what you want?
SUZANNE
I’m going to be sick.
Suzanne runs to the bathroom. Jasmine goes after her.
JASMINE
Don’t use my Egyptian cotton towels!
Nathaniel sits at the other end of the couch from Tom.
TOM
Suzi has to make the big show for attention.
NATHANIEL
She’s upset.
TOM
She’s always upset about something.
NATHANIEL
You’re sticking your dick in my girlfriend, I find that vaguely upsetting.
TOM
Get over it. You just fucked my wife.
Nathaniel lights a cigarette. Tom waves at the smoke. We hear the women O.S. A Beat. Jasmine leads a reluctant Suzanne with her into the room.
JASMINE
It’s decided.
SUZANNE
We’re going to take weekends off.
Tom rises and puts his arms around Jasmine and Suzanne and leads them off — they pass The Man in the Dark who enters. Nathaniel takes another drag on his cigarette.
SCENE 10
MAN IN THE DARK
People are tricky.
NATHANIEL
Tricky? They’re fucking train wrecks. I’ve done things I’d never entertained.
MAN IN THE DARK
Regrets?
NATHANIEL
What do you think?
MAN IN THE DARK
What about the woman you do love.
NATHANIEL
I don’t want to do this anymore.
MAN IN THE DARK
Am I mistaken? It looked that way to me, with Eliza, I mean.
NATHANIEL
None of that matters now does it.
A beat. The Man in the Dark goes to Nathaniel and taps his shoulder and moves around him.
MAN IN THE DARK
Have another cigarette. There’s no rush. What was it like to have permission to sleep with Suzanne?
NATHANIEL
At first, it was a release.
MAN IN THE DARK
Everyone needs sex.
NATHANIEL
Suzanne just wanted to please me. It was —
MAN IN THE DARK
Strange?
NATHANIEL
I was going to say flattering — at first.
MAN IN THE DARK
But?
NATHANIEL
How did you know there would be — of course you’d know there’d be a but.
MAN IN THE DARK
Yes.
NATHANIEL
She wasn’t Jasmine.
MAN IN THE DARK
I can understand that.
NATHANIEL
No, it was even worse.
MAN IN THE DARK
How?
NATHANIEL
I wanted to get my life back.
MAN IN THE DARK
The life before Tom?
Nathaniel lights up another cigarette and shakes his head “No.” He takes a big drag. He knows.
NATHANIEL
Before Jasmine.
The Man in the Dark puts his arm around Nathaniel and walks him off stage Lights down.
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