“False Hopes”

Barnes, David-Matthew (American playwright, director, writer, 1970-____), “False Hopes” a 20-minute drama in English, set in the break room of a corporate office, 2001,

3f

;  •  © 2001 by David-Matthew Barnes;  •  in David-Matthew Barnes’ False Hopes (Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.: Author, 2001); • script/rights available from Lulu Enterprises, 3131 RDU Center Drive, Suite 210, Morrisville, North Carolina 27560, U.S.A., www.lulu.com/dmbarnes; rights available through Nick A. Moreno, Literary Manager, 2221 West Giddings Street, Chicago, Illinois 60625, U.S.A., telephone 773-784-0344, fax 773-784-4530, e-mail nmoreno@davidmatthewbarnes.com; contact David-Matthew Barnes at www.davidmatthewbarnes.com. • Cited by Nick A. Moreno via e-mail April 5, 2001; Moreno says,

  §  Dramatis Personae Amy (f), 28, African-American, educated, career-minded, somewhat self-centered; Claudia (f), 32, African-American, introverted, barren, romantic, overweight; Nicole (f), 21, married, pregnant, gentle but firm.

  §  Synopsis “Amy chooses to have an abortion after discovering she is pregnant with the child of her married boss with whom she is having an affair. Claudia discovers that she will never be able to have children of her own. Nicole is pregnant with her first child but has recently realized that she is not in love with her successful husband.

  §  Comment “A powerful drama for women, set in the break room of a corporate office.  •  Claudia is a very simple woman and somewhat introverted. She shies away from large crowds and prefers to spend her time reading romance novels. She is a woman who is in love with the idea of love and quietly seeks compassion and comfort. Claudia has suffered from a weight problem since she was a child. Nicole is pregnant with her first child. She has recently realized that she is not in love with her successful husband. Nicole is direct, gentle but firm. She has convinced those around her that she is the epitome of the perfect wife. Amy chooses to have an abortion after discovering she is pregnant with the child of her married boss with whom she is having an affair. Amy is educated, career-minded and somewhat self-centered. She is fueled by ambition and dislikes those that do not have any. Amy’s exterior is somewhat cold and aloof and it is difficult for her to show emotion.  •  Received a world premiere in Chicago in January, 2000.  •  Barnes is also the author of six full-length plays.

  §  Themes abortion, choice, disillusionment, female bonding, infertility, infidelity, love, office romance, pregnancy.

See also David-Matthew Barnes’

• "Are You All Right in There?," a 23-minute teenage comedy-drama in English, set in the upstairs master bathroom of an American home, almost midnight, Friday, in spring, 1995, 1m2f
• "Baby in the Basement," a 15-minute drama in English, set in the basement of an old, abandoned warehouse in an unnamed American city, a night in March, present, 1m1f
• "Clean," a 15-minute comedy-drama in English, set at a bus stop in Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A., a Wednesday afternoon, 2002, 2f
• "Hour Glass," a 20-minute drama in English, set in the formal dining room of the Caulwells' home, somewhere in Connecticut, U.S.A., Saturday evening, on the brink of spring, present, 1m1f
• "I Ate Lunch Alone Today," a 25-minute comedy-drama in English, set in a modest one-bedroom apartment, New York City, April, 2002, 2m2f
• "Number 76," a 10-minute teenage Latino drama in English, set on a bus stop on a city street in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., a Sunday night in the middle of October, 1999, 1m1f
• "Stronger Than This," a 20-minute drama in English, set in a modest apartment in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A., a rainy night in March, present, 2m1f
• "Threnody," a 23-minute drama in English, set in a farm house in Central California, summer, 1989, 1m1f
• "Unrequited," a 15-minute comedy-drama in English, set in a high school supply room, during a high school dance, 2001, 1m1f
• "Wendy's Hurricane," a 15-minute drama in English, set in a studio apartment near a university in the city of Chicago, middle of January, present, 1m1f

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Page mounted April 5, 2001, and updated September 17, 28, 2003, February 26, March 1, 2004, by the Webmaster.

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