Time: Fall, 2013
Place: Apartment, East Village
Dana: Do you want to know what else Abby said?
Mick: If you want to say something bad, please do not say it.
Dana: She had the ticket for a long time, but she offered it to me at the last moment. I was a replacement.
Mick: If you think like that you’ll always set yourself for disappointment.
Dana: It hurts. Thinking I’m the last minute replacement for her mom.
Time: hours earlier, 2013
Place: Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street)
Abby: Did you like it?
Dana: Splendid. So clear and so well directed. Even James Bond was superb.
Abby: Daniel Craig is great. Why do you keep calling him James Bond?
Dana: I thought he was a retard with a great body and good posture for aiming your gun at you. He can act. Though, this is Jerry’s play.
Abby: Yeah. I almost feel sorry for Daniel Craig because his part was not as juicy as Jerry’s.
Dana: [silent. They are all exiting the theater.]
Abby: Rachel Weisz was the weakest link.
Dana: Maybe she was sick. She did blow her nose in the first scene.
Abby: Don’t you think that was Mike Nichols’ direction? What actor blows her nose on stage? She could do it off stage. And all the reviews said she was the weakest link.
Dana: Maybe. Or maybe she just made a bad decision to act opposite her husband, for whom, at home, she feels a passionate love, while on stage she has to suppress all such feelings. Maybe this imposed regression affected all her emotions and what she has left is very good but lifeless skills.
Abby: Do you think so?
Dana: Yes.
Abby: This was the first Pinter I enjoyed. He is known for those long pauses.
Dana: I never read Pinter. I only saw Pinter on stage.
Abby: Nichols reduced them.
Dana: I liked the direction, too. Very crisp and very flattering of the actors.
Abby: The show is sold out. I hear that you can scalp the tickets for $1000.
Dana: [silent. She raises her shoulders.] When did you buy the tickets?
Abby: A long time ago. A month or so!?
Dana: The seats were great. How did you choose them?
Abby: On line.
Time: earlier that day, 2013
Place: online – email exchange
Abby: I will pick you up at Columbia before the show. Just let me know what time you’ll be finishing. Then, I was thinking we could go to Virgils (or another restaurant close to the show) for a bite! I can’t wait for tonight – haven’t been to real theater in ages… xo
Dana: I finish at 6. I could wait for you until you two come…let me know…d
Abby: [silent]
Dana: It is Harold Pinter and Mike Nichols…after all…d
Abby: [silent]
Dana: exciting!!!!
Abby: [silent]
Dana: reallyyyyyy exciting
Abby: [silent}
Dana: shall I stop writing?
Abby: Haha, I too am very excited! I hate Pinter actually, but love Mike Nichols… also love Daniel Craig, of course. I should be able to pick you up at 6 or 615pm, okay? Just be ready to leave with us so that maybe we can grab a quick bite before the show 🙂
Dana: splendid…don’t get me tooooo excited….:)
Time: seven days earlier, 2013
Place: online – email exchange
Abby: I have tickets for Betrayal w/ Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz. The show is this Saturday at 8pm (I need to double-check the time). I thought we could all go. What do you say?
Dana: you must be kidding…I would love that…however, did you hear about your dad?
Abby: [no email reply]
Dana: I feel like shit…apparently when I took some dried out blood from his eyelid, I also took two stitches out…he has to redo his surgery…I feel like dying… I do not deserve something so nice…oh, absey
Abby: [no email reply]
Dana: I just heard from your dad. It’ s not that bad…So, get me a ticket, ’cause I’m coming…d
Abby: Of course you’re coming! And I already have a ticket for you. 🙂
Dana: Thank you my sweetheart…I haven’t called you that in a decade…I’m sorry…You have been and always been my sweetheart, because the more sweethearts I have the more place for sweethearts I develop. d
