Michael Smith and Others’ La Mama Benefit skit

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La Mama, New York, November 3, 1965; Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara, September 2007 (from Michael’s extensive BLOG)

Joyce Aaron in “More. More. I Want More!” at La Mama (photo: James D. Gossage)

I wrote this tiny play with Remy Charlip and Johnny Dodd for our friend Joyce Aaron to perform on an evening of short plays organized by Robert Patrick as a benefit for La Mama. I revived it as part of “Bad Dogs and Other Plays” (see “Bad Dog”), with Susan Keller giving an artful performance as the two-sided protagonist.

“MORE. MORE. I WANT MORE!”

a conversation with herself for Joyce Aaron

by Remy Charlip, Johnny Dodd, and Michael Smith

Set: a table, two chairs, two cups of coffee, two napkins, and two spoons; or nothing.

Joyce skips on.

GIRLISH: Do you think I should be zippy and zip around like a little dog?

WOMANLY: Well what do you want?

GIRLISH: More. More. I want more!

WOMANLY: Well you’re old enough, you should know how to get what you want.

GIRLISH: But everybody expects me to be zippy.

Susan Keller, Center Stage Theater, 2007

WOMANLY: Well you are zippy.

GIRLISH: What’s the matter with that?

WOMANLY: Well, but is it what you want?

GIRLISH: Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that.

WOMANLY: Well I could answer that question.

GIRLISH: What question?

WOMANLY: Well the first one you asked. Do I think you should be zippy and zip around like a little dog? I think you should be zippy if you want to be zippy but I think you should do something else too.

GIRLISH: What?

WOMANLY: Well what do you want me to tell you? Do you think I’m happy myself?

GIRLISH: Well, you’re sophisticated and mature and relaxed and you do a lot of interesting things.

WOMANLY: I’m so unzippy I can’t even work myself up.

GIRLISH: Well what is it that people always say when they want to have sex?

WOMANLY: Why don’t we go up to your place and have a cup of coffee?

She acknowledges a nod and walks off.

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