Who Forgives?

Who Forgives?: Click to read play
a play in two acts
by Charles Deemer

First performed (in a slightly different version) at the Cork Arts Center in Cork, Ireland, on December 9, 1996. Directed by Charles Ruxton.


THE CAST:
Ed, 40s, the boarder, a music teacher
Cynthia, 40s, the landlord
Alice, 30s, the neighbor
Amy, teens, the girl, a music student
Heather, teens, a former student of Ed's (played by same actress who plays Amy)

THE SET:
The central playing area is the living room of Cynthia's home. A sofa, coffee table, chairs, phone, answering machine, tape deck, books.
Neutral playing areas as indicated; area where Amy plays her violin.

THE TIME:
The present."

'My play about child abuse, a hit in Ireland, a bomb in Portland.

On the same subject, a significant "verdict watch" now as many await the Sandusky verdict. In the play above, a man is falsely accused. But I can't see a shred of logic in the defense of Sandusky, which makes him a very sick man indeed -- and one grinning through the prosecutor's summary to the jury, weird enough. I hope the jury doesn't have the contrary oddball who could let this sick man free.

What courage it took for the victims to testify. What an injustice if their perpetrator isn't punished.

Here is the opening speech in the play:

(SHADOWY MOOD LIGHTS come up on Amy, playing the violin, part of a string quartet (recorded music), haunting, which becomes the play's THEME. Mendelssohn's String Quartet in A minor, first movement, Adagio. AREA LIGHTS up on Ed, facing the audience, as the music softly continues.)

ED: Mendelssohn's String Quartet in A minor. Opus 13 — "13," which should have been a sign. The first movement. Adagio.

The first time Amy played it, I wept. I'd never had a student evoke such emotion from the piece before. From that moment on, I never doubted her talent. But the rest...the rest is more complicated.

She was 12 or 13 at the time, playing like an angel, evoking emotions she couldn't have been aware of at her age. So I am not ashamed of loving her.

But I did not abuse her. You can think what you want, but that's the truth.