“Crocodile”
Steinour, Marcus (American playwright, October 17, 1930-____), “Crocodile,”
a 40-minute parable in English, set in a damp and dark prison, day
after day,
3m1f (+ 2 extras);
• © 1997 by Marcus Steinour; • script/rights
available from Marcus Steinour,
10535 Lincoln Way West, St. Thomas, Pennsylvania 17252, U.S.A., telephone
(home) 717-369-2827, e-mail steinour@innernet.net. Agent: Frank Pesci,
8311 Freemont Place, New Carrollton, Maryland 20784, U.S.A., telephone
301-577-6939. • Cited by Marcus Steinour, via ftp April 8,
1999; Steinour says,
§ Dramatis Personae Mel (m), demonstrator;
Camply (m), brother to Ruth; Hepp (m), rapist, killer of Melanie; Leah/Ruth/Melanie
(f), lover/sister/victim.
§ Synopsis “In this mythical time and place,
Mel is arrested for demonstrating against abortion. After trying to escape,
he is thrown in jail. His two cellmates constantly berate and brainwash
him, blaming him for turning into a crocodile. Mel is visited by Leah;
Camply is haunted by his sister Ruth; Hepp is haunted by Melanie, the woman
he raped and killed. At the climax, driven to distraction by the taunting
of Hepp, Mel loses control and chokes him. He realizes he is now on their
level and sinks to the floor in an agony of defeat. When the guards come
in, they find that all three men have turned into crocodiles.
§ Comment “‘Crocodile’ is a parable of evil
overcoming good. Forced into the wrong environment, the good man, represented
by Mel, gradually sinks to the level of the others. The crocodile itself
symbolizes the depths to which he succumbs. • One actress plays
all three women. • Shanan Estreicher wrote special music for
the New York production.”
See also Marcus Steinour’s:
-
“At Land’s End,” a 35-minute seniors
drama in English, set at the beach, vacation time, 1m1f
-
“The Red Line,” a 30-minute avant-garde play
in English, set in a subway car on the Red Line, anytime, 2m2f
§ Themes abortion, arrest, blame, brainwashing,
brother-sister relationship, cellmate, crocodile, defeat, demonstration,
escape, family, guard, haunting, jail, murder, myth, rape, taunt, transmogrification,
visit.
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