As the green curtain rises, and the stage lights come up, Gertie Mason, played by Eliza Walmsley, is crossing the stage to her kitchen table. In her left hand is a bear-shaped, yellow-lidded bottle of golden honey; in her right, a silver teaspoon. On the brown, wooden table, waiting for her, is a ceramic coffee mug.
Gertie is making tea.
When Gertie reaches the table, she silently sets down the spoon. She flips up the cap of the honey, and squeezes the honey bear right in his middle.
No amber syrup comes out, no splash is heard, no tea leaps up from the cup.
Gertie though, does not seem to mind. A contented sigh slips through her lips, upturned into a slight smile. She sets down the honey, pausing to click the lid closed, and crosses left to the brown, wooden chair.
The chair is a little too close to the table, and needs to be pulled out, which Gertie does. After one tug, there is enough room for her slightly ample figure, so she sits.
She picks the teaspoon up off of the table, and sticks it into the mug. With a gentle touch, she twirls the spoon. Once, twice, three times around. She is careful not to let the spoon hit the sides of the mug, careful not to make it obvious there is no tea inside.
She lifts the spoon, which is not dripping with liquid, out of the mug. Her lips open greedily as she sticks the tip of the spoon between her lips. A full-fledged, delighted smile takes over her wrinkled face.
Yum. Imaginary tea with honey is sweet.
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Is the tea supposed to be imaginary? I'm trying to figure out if the lead character is a little bit crazy, thinking she's drinking tea, or if the tea is imaginary because they didn't want the actress making real tea on stage.
ReplyDeleteGood descriptions: I feel like I'm watching this small performance from the audience, even though I never saw the play!