SYNOPSIS:
Ms Santos is a New York public school teacher, who falls asleep whilst reading Medea and listening to a speech by George Bush on NPR. In her dream, she becomes Mrs. Takehashi, who is actually Medea in disguise, secreted by Apollo to a city not unlike New York. In this dream world, she discovers that democracy is coming to an end, and her unscrupulous landlord is about to throw her out of her apartment. As she negotiates the legal beaurocracy involved in fighting her case, she is led deeper and deeper into her own underworld in which she, finally, faces up to the spirits of her dead sons.

CHARACTERS:
As the play is a dream play, it is very important that the characters are doubled, and that there is no attention paid to gender or race, apart from Mrs. Takehashi/Ms. Santos and the soul, who are female.
Four actors – suggested doubling:
Actor One – Mrs. Takehashi/Ms Santos
Actor Two – Guard, The Advocate, Voice Off, Big Cheese.
Actor Three – Cop One, Clerk A, Son One, Citizen, Mrs. Takehashi’s soul.
Actor Four – Cop Two, Clerk B, Son Two, Citizen.

New York Production. Photo: Fred Marco

SETTING:
The settings are suggested rather than realistic, fluid and dreamlike.

RUNNING TIME:
20 minutes

HISTORY:
The Drilling Company, Revenge Season

SAMPLE DIALOGUE:
BIG CHEESE: What seems to be the problem?
MRS. TAKEHASHI: I’m trying to stay in denial.
BIG CHEESE: Interesting.
MRS. TAKEHASHI: I’m finding it very difficult.
BIG CHEESE: I see, I see. (Tough) I understand you’re bringing a charge against one of our finest, Mrs. Takehashi.
MRS. TAKEHASHI: I was harassed in my own home.
BIG CHEESE: You signed a form saying they were courteous and clear.
MRS. TAKEHASHI: Or they said they would arrest me.
BIG CHEESE: You said you would burn down the building. We have three witnesses.
MRS. TAKEHASHI: Yes, my landlord, and his brother, and his uncle.
BIG CHEESE: You know them well.
MRS. TAKEHASHI: Because they harass me.
BIG CHEESE: Are you obsessed with harassment, Mrs. Takehashi?
MRS. TAKEHASHI: No.