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GenePool Theater
In the Valley of the
Shadow made
its world premiere with Blak Yak Theater, at the Don Russell Performing
Arts Center in East Perth, Western Australia, in early September,
1998. It then traveled to the Kalamunda Theater of East Perth,
before setting down, in Late September, at The Bunbury Theater
in Bunbury, Western Australia, where in won the award for "Best
Play" in the Bunbury One Act Festival.
In the Valley of the Shadow is a one act. It has three characters.
Zander-- A very sarcastic individual, especially under times of great stress. He is in his mid-twenties. He is newly married to Luce.
Luce-- Zander's wife, she is the quieter one of the two. She is much more sympathetic toward their captor, and shrewd enough to see a way to escape. Like Zander, she is also in her mid-twenties.
Elvis-- Their captor. Elvis lives alone in the hillside cabin in which the play takes place. He believes essentially any theory that involves someone-- the government, the UN, space aliens-- being out to get him. He is in his mid- to late- forties.
The play begins with Zander and Luce already tied up on the couch on-stage. They were on their honeymoon, camping and hiking, when they came across what they assumed to be an abandoned cabin. Elvis, who never strays too far from his shotgun, at first tries threatening Zander and Luce into giving him details on who sent them to spy on him. Elvis eventually concludes that his captives are unwilling dupes who were electronically manipulated by secret forces into spying on him.
Elvis spends some time talking into the microphones he imagines are hidden in Zander and Luce's clothes, and more time preparing to be surrounded by government forces. He keeps them alive because he thinks of them as bargaining chips. Zander tries vainly to convince Elvis he is being unnecessarily paranoid.
Zander and Luce later take turns visiting the outhouse, giving each of them time to talk to Elvis alone. Luce discovers that there is one thing Elvis is more afraid of than mythical government sieges: women.
When night falls, Elvis becomes considerably more agitated, and Zander makes one final stab at confronting Elvis to get him to release them. Instead, Zander is nearly shot by Elvis, to prove to the forces laying in wait that Elvis is not one to be trifled with. Luce saves them both by confronting Elvis's biggest fear. She performs a strip tease. Zander, picking up on the theme, convinces Elvis that Luce is actually a demon who wants his soul, and the only way to save his soul is to let Zander take Luce away.
In the Valley of the
Shadow is
very easy to stage. It takes only one set-- with old furniture,
no less-- and three actors. The script pokes fun at the fringe
beliefs on the paranoid outskirts of our country. The situation,
though serious, is also very funny.
In the Valley of the Shadow is reproduced here in its entirety. If you are associated with a theater and have any interest in producing this script, please contact Gene Doucette.
© 2000, Gene Doucette
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