Dramatists Play Service
David French
Jessica and Patrick
THE STORY: The play begins on the set of “The Care and Treatment of Roses,” an ambitious work by a budding young local writer, which is now in final rehearsal by a provincial Canadian theatre company. Animosity has already developed between the featured actress, a fading beauty who has worked extensively in the U.S. and hopes to make a comeback, and her leading man, a local celebrity who has been fearful of venturing afield and who resents his co-star’s haughty airs. Among the others present are a veteran character actor who cannot retain his lines; the male juvenile, who attends a wedding before opening night and turns up soused; a tyrannical stage manager; an eager, if overly diplomatic young director; and the novice playwright, who radiates quiet desperation. Whatever can go wrong does so but the show, despite all, goes on, even though the New York producer who has promised to attend never arrives, and the surprisingly good (if somewhat sententious) opening night notices set the cast members at each other’s throats—all lending special credence to a remark by one of the actors who, when the rattled director implores his cast to behave like adults, replies: “We’re not adults, we’re actors.” PLEASE NOTE: The Play Service only handles the United States licensing rights for this play.
