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Her Selenic Majesty


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Introduction:

A realistic one act comedy for one female, one male about twenty minutes duration. First presented Stagecraft 1994.

Cast:

Pam
Sam

Set:

A REASONALABLY AFFLUENT WORKING CLASS LIVING AREA.

Synopsis:

'Her Selenic Majesty' is a poetic name for the moon, a symbol of secrets. Pam and Sam have been living together. Sam has a den in the house that Pam is not allowed into. Sam asks Pam to marry him but she refuses because of the memory of her late husband, a profligate and unfaithful poet. Pam sneaks the key to the den and goes into it when Sam is not looking. When she returns it is revealed that Sam has been writing poetry in the den. Sam offers to help her pack because he believes she will not wish to live with another poet. Pam asks Sam to marry her.

Start of Play:

SAM IS SITTING READING A RACE BOOK. PAM IS LOOKING FROM THE WINDOW. THEY ARE IN THEIR TWENTIES, PERHAPS EARLY THIRTIES. IT IS AT NIGHT.

SAM: What are you looking at?

PAM: The moon.

SAM: The moon?

PAM: Yes.

SAM: What are you looking at that for?

PAM: It's beautiful. It's a beautiful silvery globe.

SAM: Beautiful?

PAM: Yes it is.

SAM: Her Selenic Majesty.

PAM: What?

SAM: Her Selenic Majesty.

PAM: What's that?

SAM: It's another name for the moon.

PAM: Another name for the moon?

SAM: Yes.

PAM: Where did you get that from?

SAM: I must have read it somewhere.

PAM: Read it somewhere? The only thing you ever read is the race book

SAM: No. I read "Truth" sometimes. (OR ANY YELLOW PRESS)

PAM: (PAUSE, COMES BACK) I don't believe you.

SAM: What?

PAM: That you read about "Her Serenic Majesty", it's too poetic for you.

SAM: Selenic.

PAM: What?

SAM: It's selenic, not serenic.

PAM: Oh. I thought it was because the moon was serene.

SAM: No. It has a Sea of Storms.

PAM: Not really. That name was given before they had telescopes to see what it really was. There is also a Sea of Tranquility. I did have an education you know.

SAM: Oh. Yes. Some people do have an education.

PAM: What is Selenic then?

SAM: It's from Selenites.

PAM: Well what are Selenites?

SAM: They're people that live on the moon.

PAM: Don't be silly. Nobody lives on the moon.

SAM: I know that. But if they did they would be Selenites.

PAM: How do you know that?

SAM: I read it in a book by H.G. Wells.

PAM: A book by H.G. Wells? Since when did you ever read a book by H.G. Wells?