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TrustedHer posted 8/31/2013 23:07 PM

Ok, why not ask here? I've asked a bunch of other places. And another poster asked about an Albert Camus story, after all.

I went to high school in the Midwest with a bunch of interesting and talented people. I went to visit a couple of them at MIT in the summer of 1974 or 1975. Another friend, since deceased, attended Wellesley, and was in a one-act play at MIT (that little tech school down the street, as they say at Harvard).

Anyway, I loved the play. Margaret did a wonderful job, and now it's years later and I want to read it.

Unfortunately, I don't remember the title, or the author. I've contacted MIT, the friends I visited, and I've spent a fair amount of time googling, without luck.

A synopsis:

Set in Victorian times, based on costuming. Or at least, not long after. Long skirts, bustles.

Two women, old friends who have been separated for a long time, meet for lunch at a cafe. There is a waiter. As the story unfolds, the chattier woman talks about the day, her family, her home life. She's a housewife, a contented wife and mother. She's impressed by what she's heard of her friend's career as an actress on the stage.

She talks incessantly, sometimes bubbly, sometimes serious. She speaks of the difficulties of middle-class life, the distance of her husband, the children.

It unfolds that she's in fear of losing him.

To an actress. To her friend. I think.

I get lost in the memories here. It's been almost 40 years, after all.

Two things I remember: It was brilliantly written. And the actress playing the actress has no lines at all. Her acting is limited to body language and facial expressions as her lunchmate speaks. It takes a while for this to sink in, though.

It was "A night of one act plays", and the other one was “The Rehearsal at Versailles” by Molière.

Anybody have a clue?

peacelovetea posted 9/1/2013 00:41 AM

Could it be this one?
http://www.one-act-plays.com/dramas/stronger.html

TrustedHer posted 9/1/2013 01:11 AM

I believe it is.

How did you find it?

peacelovetea posted 9/1/2013 11:04 AM

I googled a few things that you probably tried, but I think what finally worked was "one act play with two female characters" and came up with the list on that site.

I was a librarian once upon a time. So maybe it was just magic.

Gottagetthrough posted 9/1/2013 12:40 PM

this just reminded me of another short story I read in school- kate chopins a pair of silk stockings

im in a reading mood! =)