Directed by John DiDonna, ‘Rattlesnakes’ had its Central Florida premiere from British playwright Graham Farrow at the black box theater in Valencia College. The play explores the theme of retribution, and the fall-out from infidelity in marriage.
In ‘Rattlesnakes‘, a vigilante group of husbands seeks retribution on the seedy gigolo giving satisfaction to their bored wives. This is a hard-hitting study of betrayal and personal failure.
The play was unnervingly violent, taking place in the hotel room where the gigolo was about to meet one of the wives. Instead, five working class husbands show up all at the same time. A baseball bat, rope and the threat of a knife set a dim future for the cornered well dressed seducer.
Extract:
McQueen (The Gigolo)
Well, if it’s confession time tonight . . . if it’s truth you want . . . if it’s truth we all want, then why not? It’s why you’re here. ‘S what you said. It was the first question . . . ‘Why are you fucking my wife?’
Jarrett
My wife’s dead. She’s lying in the bath home with a shower-cord wrapped around her neck. Funny, but I thought you knew that . . . thought Richie told you when you first sat down.
McQueen
Okay, why did I fuck your wife?
Jarrett
That’s better.
McQueen
You wanna know?
Jarrett
If it’ll help you. Personally, I couldn’t give a
shit, but it seems to make your balls grow a bit
bigger.
Though cornered and beaten, McQueen manages to get under each husbands skin showing them how they failed in their marriages and are to balm for the wives need for companionship.
I love it. You've captured my play beautifully! Bravo Sir!