Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Brevity--the Soul of Wit?

There have been over the years some comments that I tend to write my postings too long. Well, here's the thing: I don't do short, by choice; that doesn't mean that I cannot do so nor that I haven't done so on occasion. And I can prove it. Okay, it happened a while back, but it happened. In a graduate school writing seminar we were asked to write a streamlined piece based on the writing style of an author we admired.

So readers, if you want short, then short you shall get. (And how would you like to pay $150 a ticket for this on Broadway? Didn't think so.)

In the style of Hemingway by way of Elmore Leonard.
One Act Play: Working title—The Old Man and the She or Get Shortened.
(Stage directions: A man, a woman, a place.)

She: Surely . . .

He: Perhaps

She: And yet . . .

He: Not certain.

She: But what?

He. Your guess.

She: If only . . .

He: Again?

She: Not that!

He: Agreed

She: Then how?

He: No clue.

She: No wonder.

He: Don’t!

She: Too late.

He: Never!

She: Indeed?!

He: Oh god!

She: Exactly.

He: So...

She: So.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not $150 but maybe $1.50 if only so I could read the reviews. Can see it now--Shockingly pared down performances bring a new realism to theater.

efrex said...

Very cute.

Of course, if the characters were Jewish, you could make it even more streamlined... simply replace every line with the appropriately nuanced "nu?"... :)

Aviva said...

Wouldn't have minded getting something this length to read in all those English classes we had to take. But then some teacher would have ruined it by assigning a 5000 word paper on language use and its affect on plot and character development.

Rae said...

You mean men and women don't talk to each other like this? Sounds like the script for a shidduch date to me.

Sam said...

Lol Rae. Isn't this life imitating art?

Ari said...

I'm thinking soap opera episode.