My new mystery, “House of Many Rooms,” just came back from a reviewer. This reader was a widow, a well educated, professional woman, who did community theater for years and won several awards for her acting. When she handed the script back, she almost didn’t want to look at me. “It’s very sad,” she said, “very sad.” “Well,” I asked, “did you like any of the funny bits?” “Oh, yes,” she allowed, “it has funny bits, and I really REALLY liked the ending, but it was very sad.”
I knew parts of “House of Many Rooms” were apt to make the audience cry. I cried when I wrote it. Still, her reaction surprised me.
- Is it healthy to make people feel so much for your characters?
- Is it good that what they remember is the sad parts from near the end of act two, the most dramatic moments the whole play built up too?
- Is it smart to leave the audience with such a twist of an ending that they smile with recognition and tell their friends, “Oh, I LOVED the ending”?
I have to say, “Yes!”
As a playwright, it is my job to make my audience identify with and feel for the characters. How else can they get into the action? If my audience remembers the sad part that I’ve been building toward for more than an hour, and isn’t caught by some annoying detail or doubt from act one, that’s a good thing. That’s kind of the point in writing a drama/thriller–the drama has to build to a climax. With all that drama, if I choose to give the audience a last minute parting gift, something wonderful they can smile about and take home in their hearts, that’s a good thing.
The play had some funny bits, but was sad, very sad, with a wonderful ending. I can live with that.
PS
I am actively looking for theaters to perform this play. I think it is perfect for college and community theaters looking for a small cast, one set drama. If you are interested, call me at 828 area code, 461-1306 EST here in the United States.
