NEXT/LIFE (excerpt) by Matthew Capodicasa

Next/Life by Matthew Capodicasa

Current Revisions: 12/19/19

CONTACT: Sam Barickman ICM Partners SBarickman@icmpartners.com 212.556.5743

CAST Elise (played by an actor in her 70s) Elise (played by an actor in her 40s) Elise (played by an actor in her 20s) Janie, 20s Nathan, 60s Leon, 30s (also plays younger Nathan)

TEMPO This play should run about 95 minutes.

Hello, my life, I said. We had once been married for twenty-seven years, so I felt justified.

He said, What? What life? No life of mine.

-Grace Paley, "Wants"

1.

I IS IT WORKING? 1.

A modest but lived-in apartment.

Do those even still exist in New York?

This one’s probably rent-stabilized.

Maybe even rent-controlled.

ELISE, 73, in a hospital bed.

She wears a cannula that connects to an oxygen machine.

That clicks.

And wheezes.

She’s also hooked up to an IV. A heart rate monitor beeps, lullingly.

NATHAN, 68, is asleep in a chair nearby, halfgraded student test papers strewn across his lap.

JANIE, 24, their granddaughter, sits nearby, as well.

Elise is very sick, but still sharp.

She occasionally has some trouble breathing.

ELISE I don’t wanna complain but actually You know what?

I am a little miffed I didn’t get to you know officially retire

2.

What?

They would’ve thrown me a party That would’ve been fun A party I worked there for fifty-one years Janie It would’ve been a nice party

JANIE ELISE

JANIE ELISE

JANIE The longest anyone’s worked at my company is like eight ELISE Well I win then I guess So yeah That kind of gets my goat a little I suppose ...

Grandpa fell asleep

JANIE

ELISE Oh He falls asleep whenever and wherever he can And then when he wakes up he says he wasn’t sleeping Like a child You thirsty Grandma?

Sure Honey Are you thirsty or are you not thirsty?

JANIE ELISE JANIE

ELISE Not particularly but if it gives you something to do It’s not about me giving you something to do

JANIE

3.

It must not be very interesting Watching this Wouldn’t you rather be at work?

Grandma No Work’s not good?

Work’s Work’s work but Grandma I wanna be here with you Suit yourself Are we starting by the way?

Is it happening?

The drip’s been going for a little while now Oh I missed it Is it working?

How fast is this supposed to like take effect?

Oh I don’t really remember Grandpa was taking notes so I didn’t Nathan NATHAN NATHAN

ELISE

JANIE

ELISE JANIE

ELISE

JANIE ELISE

JANIE

ELISE

Nathan wakes up.

Mmm What?

You fell asleep

NATHAN

ELISE

4.

NATHAN

No I didn’t

See?

(to Janie)

I wasn’t sleeping

ELISE

NATHAN

ELISE Okay well Janie wants to know how long it will take for this treatment to work?

Oh um

NATHAN He pulls out a small notebook.

NATHAN This is one of the earliest human trials so they But Doctor Malhotra said that apparently in rats it took four to six days before their tumors started to reduce in size ELISE So will I be faster or slower than a rat I wonder The eternal question There’s no guarantee this will work by the way You know that Right?

She knows I don’t want you all getting your hopes up Our hopes

NATHAN ELISE

NATHAN ELISE NATHAN

ELISE I think I’ve been very clearheaded about this Am I sounding loopy?

Am I sounding loopy?

Will this treatment thingamajig make me loopy?

5.

Who would be able to tell the difference?

NATHAN

ELISE I’m ignoring you I’m just saying The truth is these doctors They act like they know things but more and more I realize they don’t know anything about anything so Don’t worry I still may be kicking the bucket imminently JANIE

Grandma Don’t joke about that

ELISE What else am I supposed to do?

I don’t wanna be one of those people decaying on their deathbeds just trying to prove to themselves that they led a a a consequential life and sit there shouting “I count I count I count” to make it seem like they did She starts coughing.

Grandma

I

JANIE

(coughing)

Take it easy

NATHAN

ELISE

She’s coughing too much to speak.

Janie hands her a sippy cup.

Nathan rubs her back.

Elise drinks.

NATHAN

Not too fast

Don’t tell me what to do

(coughing)

ELISE

She eventually gets control.

6.

Well That was thrilling

ELISE

Time passes.

Gently, gracefully, like an elongated— but still brief— blink of the eyes.

We barely even notice.

Oh my god Grandma Indulge me I’m dying This like isn’t the time Would you prefer a later date?

Oh Leave her alone Elise

JANIE ELISE

JANIE

ELISE NATHAN

ELISE This is what he does Trust me He’s just as curious as I am but he makes me do the legwork That’s not true / I Well?

NATHAN ELISE ...

I mean If we must like go full problematic cliché We must We must

JANIE

ELISE

7.

I Um No No not really Not really?

I mean Like You know A full sentence Please?

JANIE

ELISE JANIE

ELISE

JANIE I mean I went out with this one girl a couple times but A-ha What’s her name?

Oh I dunno if I That makes it like real or Isn’t that the point?

ELISE

JANIE

ELISE ...

Nadine Her name is Nadine And I mean we’re not I mean we just kinda hung out once and It’s nothing I’m too busy right now with like You know Ah Blame Classic strategy

JANIE

ELISE

8.

No I’m just not like looking for a relationship right now Okay?

What was that you were saying about clichés? (to Nathan) Are you gonna jump in here or She’s right It was a cliché Thanks

JANIE

ELISE JANIE

NATHAN

JANIE

Thank you But you’re not getting any younger If you want kids Jesus Grandma These things are facts Maybe I don’t wanna have kids

ELISE Okay Okay It’s your life you have to figure these things out for yourself JANIE ELISE

JANIE ELISE JANIE ...

Oh Really?

ELISE

...

Yeah Does that Does that make you Are you mad?

JANIE

...

9.

No I’m No I don’t think so No

ELISE

Time passes.

Again: gentle, graceful, like an elongated blink of the eyes.

We barely even notice.

ELISE Did you know he’s still working at the library on weekends?

And some days after he finishes at school I Yeah Well Everyone knows everything I guess She stops by and brings me dinner sometimes Really?

It’s not far from my office Janie I say this with love But you need to get a life Elise No She’s right I do

JANIE

ELISE

NATHAN ELISE JANIE ELISE

NATHAN JANIE

10.

NATHAN

I think it’s nice Thoughtful I think he needs to retire From teaching

ELISE

NATHAN

I don’t wanna retire

ELISE They make him do this sanitized textbook version of ecology just so they can say they did it And the kids don’t care I’m just not good at delivering it yet And the parents!

The parents have become Hmm

NATHAN ELISE

NATHAN

What’s wrong?

Nothing I just I think I think something’s I think I’m starting to feel it?

Either that or it’s just gas Oh that’s That’s

ELISE

Time passes.

In one long blink.

Did I ever tell you Did I ever tell you You remember this

(to Janie)

ELISE

(to Nathan)

(to Janie) Did I ever tell you the story of the time we took your mother to the beach?

(MORE)