Mike Mariano

It’s done.

A rough first draft of Norwegians is complete. But folks, it’s bad. So bad. I know how I want to reapproach it, but after seeing the full script I don’t know if it’s worth it.

I still have a full-length to work on, but what about my hypothetical evening of short plays? I’ll either toughen up my Ibsen or perhaps revive an old idea I had—about George Washington?

If the George Washington play is real, I still don’t know if it would be able to lead into Philosopher Kings and then into Menage a Sartre. The idea I have is straight out of Stan Freberg by way of Gracie Allen. An audience for this material might not be receptive to an orgy in the second act.

Surprisingly, adding sex and violence to Ibsen was the easiest part about Norwegians. I’ll take my victories where I can get them.

Let’s talk just a little bit more about The Dirty Talk. The play is very…written. It puts two characters into a situation, where they have dialogue and backstory. It’s so mechanical that my only thought while watching was, “Boy, I hope I don’t write like this.”

But I do. Nothing’s wrong with a conventional play, a play in which you can see the playwriting. And I can see it now in Norwegians, though I don’t want to.

Should I forge ahead, conventions and all? Or should I start something more offbeat? And what can I do that still fits in with the Western Canon theme that Philosopher Kings suggests?

We’ll see….

The Ibsen one-act I’m working on is meant to join with Philosopher Kings and Menage a Sartre to form a full-length play. Like Voltron. I even accomodated for overlapping actors when outlining this new play.

And that’s the problem.

Since the actors playing Joe, Liz, and Chanel can easily slip into the Norwegian roles, it’s beginning to feel like I’m writing for Sartre’s damned trio all over again. I love those characters, but the next time I want to see them is onstage, incarnate as half-naked actors. I don’t want them in my Ibsen.

When I compare Menage a Sartre to Philosopher Kings, I don’t know how the actors will double, or even if it’s possible. I’d rather have the same uncertainty with this play.