Playwright Portrait, Sally Oswald, Excerpt from Vendetta Chrome

The Playwright Sally Oswald
copyright Peter Bellamy 2010

from VENDETTA CHROME



VENDETTA
Mrs. Bosworth, I've been reading your book—

BOSWORTH
Dear Lord.

VENDETTA
And I am intrigued by some of the positions you mention.
I got some more ideas for my routine that I thought we could add.

BOSWORTH
Like what.

VENDETTA
The darker passions.

BOSWORTH
I see.

VENDETTA
We already have Surprise and Laughter,
Salvation, Submission, and Listening—
But what I want to try is
[she shuffles through the poses in “shorthand” as she mentions them]
Horror
Flight
Accusation
and Grief!

BOSWORTH
Mmhmm.

VENDETTA
And. Of course, the Dancing Girl!

[VENDETTA strikes the pose of the Dancing Girl. It looks a little like a frozen Irish jig and causes her to blush.]

BOSWORTH
I never intended that young ladies would make use of the humors in that way.

VENDETTA
But it’s all right there in your book!

BOSWORTH
That’s my early work.