1 Act Play
I made this for class and I'm posting it here so my friend can review it. @.@
“Tattoo”
Marianne: Philip’s girlfriend. An immature, sweet woman who cares too much of what
others think of her. Loves Phil but thinks of herself first.
Philip: Marianne’s boyfriend. Usually kind, but tired and at the end of his patience after
Marianne refuses to marry him. Loves her but can’t understand her sometimes.
Tattoo Artist: An older man who tattoos people for a living. He doesn’t know the couple
but watches their conversation with mild interest.
[The scene opens on a deserted but pleasant street. There is an unlit shop stage right and a couple enters stage left. They walk in arm and arm, but then the woman pulls away..]
Marianne: I don’t know Phil, what will people say…
Philip: [sighs] Mary, they’re not gonna say anything.
Marianne: But I dunno…and tattoos are really serious…
Philip: That’s the point.
Marianne: But what if there’s talk? Sarah said-
Philip: We’ve been together for three years. We should be sealing it with something permanent by now.
Marianne: But-
Philip: People expect it that way, Mary. You do too. You just told me yesturday-
Marianne: Sarah said it sounded exciting. And I thought it’d be romantic.
Philip: Is it still romantic?
Marianne: Yeah, of course.
Philip: Then why do you have a problem with it now?
Marianne: [shifts] I dunno Phil, it…it just feels weird because it’s going to be permanent and all…
Philip: Look, it was your idea. And I can’t think of a better way to make it official. [pauses] Besides, you know…getting married.
Marianne: [nods guiltily]
Philip: Good. I’m glad we worked that out.
Marianne: [allows herself to be led to the tattoo parlor]
[The tattoo parlor is illuminated. An older, gruff man is seated inside cleaning. When Marianne and Philip enter, a bell jingles and he looks up. As soon as she passes the threshold, Marianne clutches Philip’s arm to get his attention.]
Marianne: [whispers]Phil, Phil wait, I don’t know. Are you sure I should do this? Is it going to hurt Phil? I really don’t want it to…will it hurt?”
Philip: No, no Mary it won’t hurt.
Tattoo Artist: [cleaning again] Yeah it will.
Marianne: Oh Philip, noooo, I don’t want it to hurt.
Philip: Why are you bringing this up now?
Marianne: You know how I get about just stubbing my toe! I don’t think I can do this.
Philip: What are you…you stepped on a tack last month! You were fine!
Marianne: But-
Philip: I had to clean up all the damn blood while you-
Marianne: But this is different!
Philip: Different?! How the hell-
Marianne: Sarah said it’ll be noisy!
Tattoo Artist: She’s right.
Marianne: See? I don’t want to do it!
Philip: [exasperated] You really don’t want to?
Marianne: [shakes head]
Philip: Fine. If we leave now and we can get back home before the game. [begins to leave]
Marianne: [hesitates] Wait!
Philip: [stops]
Marianne: I changed my mind.
Philip: Again?!
Marianne: Well…yeah. Yeah, I want to do it now.
Philip: For God’s sake Marianne, this is the last time! Are you going to get the tattoo?
Marianne: Yes. I’m sure.
Philip: [looks skeptical]
Marianne: I love you Phil. I want to do this.
Philip: [sighs] I love you too…[leads her over to the chair where she’ll get her tattoo] Let’s get it over with.
Tattoo Artist: [stops cleaning and begins preparing tools]
Marianne: [sits in chair] This isn’t comfortable…[fidgits]
Philip: There’s nothing I can do about that.
Marianne: Will you stand next to me?
Philip: Yes, Marianne.
Tattoo Artist: [tests tools and they make a buzzing noise]
Marianne: Oohhh, will you hold my hand?
Philip: Yes, Marianne.
Tattoo Artist: Not the arm I’m workin’ on.
Philip: [switches sides]
Marianne: Please Phil!
Phil: [already at her left side] I’m here.
Marianne: [clutches his hand painfully]
Tattoo Artist: What do you want?
Marianne: His name. Philip, P-H-I-L-I-P [points to upper right arm] Right there.
Philip: I’m paying.
Tattoo Artist: [nods and prepares area for tattooing]
Marianne: Oh Phil, this is great! They’ll all see how much I love you~
Phil: [glances at bare ring finger] Well, they’ll see my name on your arm.
Marianne: I know! Then everyone will know how in love we are.
Phil: [silent]
Marianne: Sarah was just saying yesterday, ‘Why don’t you two do something special?’ You know, like when she and Mark got engaged.
Phil: [freezes and stares at her]
Marianne: So I thought, ‘Well, this’ll show her how much better Phil is!’ A tattoo. It’s a little scary-
Tattoo Artist: [about to begin]
Marianne: -But I know I can be brave for you!
Phil: I see…
Tattoo Artist: [begins]
Marianne: OwowOW! Ow that hurts, ow! [squeezes his hand]
Philip: [lost in thought]
Marianne: [squeezes hand harder] OW Ouch ow, Phil, it hurts!
Philip: Does it.
Marianne: Yes, owowowowwwww. Ow! Look at me, I can’t believe I’m doing this for you…
Philip: [looks] You can’t, can you?
Marianne: [excited] No! Haha, this is crazy. OW. But I’d do anything for-OOOWWW-you!
Philip: [takes his hand away] Three years, Marianne.
Marianne: [not paying attention] What?
Philip: [louder] Three years Marianne. Three years!
Marianne: [surprised] What’s wrong?
Philip: You promised me last Christmas we could be married on the New Year. But then Sarah needed help moving.
Marianne: But she did and I-
Philip: And you only went to brag about how much bigger our house is!
Marianne: [aghast] Philip!
Tattoo Artist: Hold still. [working]
Philip: And then for our anniversary you held a concert in our back yard.
Marianne: I was thinking of you! I thought it’d be speci-OW, watch it!
Tattoo Artist: Sorry miss.
Philip: [continues his rant] Like hell you were thinking of me! We agreed to just have a quiet dinner, but then you heard your friends had a goddamned banquet for their birthdays.
Marianne: Phil-
Philip: [furious] You just had to outdo them, didn’t you? Good god Marianne, you even made the cake three layers thicker!
Marianne: [tries to speak but is overpowered]
Philip: [yelling] And now when I propose, with a ring, on one knee, in front of my entire family, you say no.
Marianne: Phil, I wasn’t-
Philip: [interrupts] You say no because your friends weren’t there. Because I couldn’t afford a ring bigger than Sarah’s. Because you’d rather get a flashy tattoo that you don’t even want than be outdone!
Tattoo Artist: [stops working finally]
Philip: Shit Marianne, I just-I just can’t believe you.
Marianne: [verge of tears] Oh Phil no, please I-
Philip: Shut up, Marianne. Just shut up. [tired] It’s over.
Marianne: [chokes] Over?
Philip: Over. [reaches into his pocket, grabs his wallet and pulls out some money] [walks over and slams it on a counter in the shop] [looks at Tattoo Artist] Here. Thank you for the work.
Marianne: [sits up] Wait, Phil!
Philip: [ignores her] [leaves and slams door behind him]
Marianne: [stunned silence]
Tattoo Artist: [glances at the money]…It’s on the house. [resumes work]
“Tattoo”
Marianne: Philip’s girlfriend. An immature, sweet woman who cares too much of what
others think of her. Loves Phil but thinks of herself first.
Philip: Marianne’s boyfriend. Usually kind, but tired and at the end of his patience after
Marianne refuses to marry him. Loves her but can’t understand her sometimes.
Tattoo Artist: An older man who tattoos people for a living. He doesn’t know the couple
but watches their conversation with mild interest.
[The scene opens on a deserted but pleasant street. There is an unlit shop stage right and a couple enters stage left. They walk in arm and arm, but then the woman pulls away..]
Marianne: I don’t know Phil, what will people say…
Philip: [sighs] Mary, they’re not gonna say anything.
Marianne: But I dunno…and tattoos are really serious…
Philip: That’s the point.
Marianne: But what if there’s talk? Sarah said-
Philip: We’ve been together for three years. We should be sealing it with something permanent by now.
Marianne: But-
Philip: People expect it that way, Mary. You do too. You just told me yesturday-
Marianne: Sarah said it sounded exciting. And I thought it’d be romantic.
Philip: Is it still romantic?
Marianne: Yeah, of course.
Philip: Then why do you have a problem with it now?
Marianne: [shifts] I dunno Phil, it…it just feels weird because it’s going to be permanent and all…
Philip: Look, it was your idea. And I can’t think of a better way to make it official. [pauses] Besides, you know…getting married.
Marianne: [nods guiltily]
Philip: Good. I’m glad we worked that out.
Marianne: [allows herself to be led to the tattoo parlor]
[The tattoo parlor is illuminated. An older, gruff man is seated inside cleaning. When Marianne and Philip enter, a bell jingles and he looks up. As soon as she passes the threshold, Marianne clutches Philip’s arm to get his attention.]
Marianne: [whispers]Phil, Phil wait, I don’t know. Are you sure I should do this? Is it going to hurt Phil? I really don’t want it to…will it hurt?”
Philip: No, no Mary it won’t hurt.
Tattoo Artist: [cleaning again] Yeah it will.
Marianne: Oh Philip, noooo, I don’t want it to hurt.
Philip: Why are you bringing this up now?
Marianne: You know how I get about just stubbing my toe! I don’t think I can do this.
Philip: What are you…you stepped on a tack last month! You were fine!
Marianne: But-
Philip: I had to clean up all the damn blood while you-
Marianne: But this is different!
Philip: Different?! How the hell-
Marianne: Sarah said it’ll be noisy!
Tattoo Artist: She’s right.
Marianne: See? I don’t want to do it!
Philip: [exasperated] You really don’t want to?
Marianne: [shakes head]
Philip: Fine. If we leave now and we can get back home before the game. [begins to leave]
Marianne: [hesitates] Wait!
Philip: [stops]
Marianne: I changed my mind.
Philip: Again?!
Marianne: Well…yeah. Yeah, I want to do it now.
Philip: For God’s sake Marianne, this is the last time! Are you going to get the tattoo?
Marianne: Yes. I’m sure.
Philip: [looks skeptical]
Marianne: I love you Phil. I want to do this.
Philip: [sighs] I love you too…[leads her over to the chair where she’ll get her tattoo] Let’s get it over with.
Tattoo Artist: [stops cleaning and begins preparing tools]
Marianne: [sits in chair] This isn’t comfortable…[fidgits]
Philip: There’s nothing I can do about that.
Marianne: Will you stand next to me?
Philip: Yes, Marianne.
Tattoo Artist: [tests tools and they make a buzzing noise]
Marianne: Oohhh, will you hold my hand?
Philip: Yes, Marianne.
Tattoo Artist: Not the arm I’m workin’ on.
Philip: [switches sides]
Marianne: Please Phil!
Phil: [already at her left side] I’m here.
Marianne: [clutches his hand painfully]
Tattoo Artist: What do you want?
Marianne: His name. Philip, P-H-I-L-I-P [points to upper right arm] Right there.
Philip: I’m paying.
Tattoo Artist: [nods and prepares area for tattooing]
Marianne: Oh Phil, this is great! They’ll all see how much I love you~
Phil: [glances at bare ring finger] Well, they’ll see my name on your arm.
Marianne: I know! Then everyone will know how in love we are.
Phil: [silent]
Marianne: Sarah was just saying yesterday, ‘Why don’t you two do something special?’ You know, like when she and Mark got engaged.
Phil: [freezes and stares at her]
Marianne: So I thought, ‘Well, this’ll show her how much better Phil is!’ A tattoo. It’s a little scary-
Tattoo Artist: [about to begin]
Marianne: -But I know I can be brave for you!
Phil: I see…
Tattoo Artist: [begins]
Marianne: OwowOW! Ow that hurts, ow! [squeezes his hand]
Philip: [lost in thought]
Marianne: [squeezes hand harder] OW Ouch ow, Phil, it hurts!
Philip: Does it.
Marianne: Yes, owowowowwwww. Ow! Look at me, I can’t believe I’m doing this for you…
Philip: [looks] You can’t, can you?
Marianne: [excited] No! Haha, this is crazy. OW. But I’d do anything for-OOOWWW-you!
Philip: [takes his hand away] Three years, Marianne.
Marianne: [not paying attention] What?
Philip: [louder] Three years Marianne. Three years!
Marianne: [surprised] What’s wrong?
Philip: You promised me last Christmas we could be married on the New Year. But then Sarah needed help moving.
Marianne: But she did and I-
Philip: And you only went to brag about how much bigger our house is!
Marianne: [aghast] Philip!
Tattoo Artist: Hold still. [working]
Philip: And then for our anniversary you held a concert in our back yard.
Marianne: I was thinking of you! I thought it’d be speci-OW, watch it!
Tattoo Artist: Sorry miss.
Philip: [continues his rant] Like hell you were thinking of me! We agreed to just have a quiet dinner, but then you heard your friends had a goddamned banquet for their birthdays.
Marianne: Phil-
Philip: [furious] You just had to outdo them, didn’t you? Good god Marianne, you even made the cake three layers thicker!
Marianne: [tries to speak but is overpowered]
Philip: [yelling] And now when I propose, with a ring, on one knee, in front of my entire family, you say no.
Marianne: Phil, I wasn’t-
Philip: [interrupts] You say no because your friends weren’t there. Because I couldn’t afford a ring bigger than Sarah’s. Because you’d rather get a flashy tattoo that you don’t even want than be outdone!
Tattoo Artist: [stops working finally]
Philip: Shit Marianne, I just-I just can’t believe you.
Marianne: [verge of tears] Oh Phil no, please I-
Philip: Shut up, Marianne. Just shut up. [tired] It’s over.
Marianne: [chokes] Over?
Philip: Over. [reaches into his pocket, grabs his wallet and pulls out some money] [walks over and slams it on a counter in the shop] [looks at Tattoo Artist] Here. Thank you for the work.
Marianne: [sits up] Wait, Phil!
Philip: [ignores her] [leaves and slams door behind him]
Marianne: [stunned silence]
Tattoo Artist: [glances at the money]…It’s on the house. [resumes work]