Implied Consent: Act II, Scene I

A Play on the Sanctity of Human Life, in Four Acts

This is a part of Mr. Stolyarov's play, Implied Consent. To navigate through the various parts of the play, go here.

(Enter EDWARD MARK into the ballroom of the Grummond Mansion, where a reception is being held, with an abundance of guests in attendance, most of whom are either standing or moving about in a frenzy. On a marble bench to the side sits VICTORIA GRUMMOND, bent slightly forward, with her elbow on her knee and the hand of the same arm entwined around her chin. It would be fitting here to have two spotlights, one on MARK, the other on VICTORIA, to distinguish them from the remainder of those on stage.)

MARK (approaching one of the guests ): Excuse me, might you inform me of the location of Miss Victoria Grummond?

GUEST: She is hard to miss; she is the lady in the unique gown, sitting on that bench in the form of a statue rather than a person.

MARK (senses something improper about the last statement, but is not yet sure quite what constitutes the impropriety. He might demonstrate his unease by pausing a bin prior to his response and then completing it at a pace more rapid than normal): Well, thank you for your help. (He departs from the GUEST's company promptly and makes his way through the throng of others present, until he reaches VICTORIA's side. While he is walking to her, the sounds of a piano become audible, and a melody begins to emerge.)

MARK: Excuse me, Miss Grummond-

VICTORIA: Wait... The melody is just beginning to develop... (quickly, being eager to return to focusing entirely on the music) Sit beside me and listen.

(MARK sits and eventually his hand also moves to his chin, and his eyes focus upward in inspiration. The piece they hear is an ambitious and dignified one, one whose contemplation will lead the mind to the most radiant and heroic thoughts. I leave it to you, Mr. Schlegel, to compose it and create for it a fitting title. Perhaps it could even be as long as 4-5 minutes, long enough to capture the audience's attention and hold it.)

VICTORIA (after composition ends): Works such as this leave one with the answer to that eternal inquiry into the meaning of life.

MARK: But whose life?

VICTORIA. Yours, if you choose to live it.