GERONIMO
PLAYS by KEITH JOHNSTONE
“Many people find my adult plays disturbing but isn’t the whole universe disturbing? Anyway, be warned. And I apologise for not being about to write more comfortable plays. Here are extracts from a few of the ones I like.”
~ Keith Johnstone
CHILDREN’S PLAYS
FULL-LENGTH PLAYS
Moby Dick
SHORT (TILT) PLAYS
Geronimo
I Want to Get Into You
Marg
Additional plays and other writings are available through Keith Johnstone Workshops Inc. and/or in the Keith Johnstone Papers at Stanford University Archives. If you are interested in acquiring and/or producing a Keith Johnstone play or publishing literary content (including artwork) created by Keith, please contact Keith's literary executor.
An excerpt from the play by Keith Johnstone.
(Extract - Thelma arrives home with Paul. Nasty things happen to him)
SHE RETURNS WITH THE BEERS
Er, Paul...I don't make this a habit you know. Picking men up in
bars - it's not my style.
Paul Ah.
Thelma The glasses are in the sink.
Paul Tastes better from the bottle.
THEY OPEN A BEER EACH AND DRINK. AWKWARD PAUSE
I didn't know anyone lived in this part of town.
Thelma It's just that when I saw you, I thought....well I don't
know....I mean, I have fantasies of course, but I don't usually act
them out.
Paul You're very attractive.
Thelma Am I?
Paul I couldn't keep my eyes off you. (PAUSE?) Actually I thought I
picked you up!
Thelma I did sort of put myself in your way.
PAUL TRIES TO KISS HER
Thelma Not yet, look I er....
Paul What is it? There's no need to be....
Thelma I'm not...It's just.....
PAUSE
Paul You said you had fantasies.
Thelma Doesn't everyone? I mean - what's your fantasy?
Paul Well....
Thelma Go on.
Paul Er...I mean....um...I've often imagined doing it while people
watch.
Thelma We could sell tickets.
Paul (PAUSE?) So what's yours? What's your fantasy?
Thelma Actually I er....well....
Paul Yes?
Thelma I'm......orally fixated.
PAUSE
I like to do it......more than, you know, the other. I'm very good.
Do you mind?
Paul No...er....not at all.
Thelma Please, if you'd rather....
Paul No!
Thelma It doesn't....
Paul That's great, actually.
Thelma I think people should be up front. About their likes and
dislikes.
Paul Sure.
Thelma What I've always wanted - don't look at me - is bring some
great guy back with me, and....
PAUSE?
Paul Tell me.
Thelma And tie him to the bed, tight. And then....
Paul Yeah?
Thelma Drive him crazy till neither of us can stand it a moment
longer.
Paul Wow!
Thelma I've....
Paul No, no, really.
Thelma ....Spoiled it.
Paul No.
Thelma I've put you off?
Paul Oh God no, it's the nineties.
TRIES TO EMBRACE HER BUT SHE SLIPS AWAY.
Thelma No don't. The point is I take the responsibility! You put
yourself entirely in my hands.
Paul Oh Christ.
Thelma (BECOMING 'BOSSY' FOR FUN) On the bed!
THEY LAUGH
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