B00AZRHQKA EBOK by Garson Kanin Page B

chair and the skirt goes up and everybody’s attention naturally goes to the one spot and whatever they see or don’t see or think they see it takes off their mind from the action and we got it made. Y’unnerstan’ this whole bit is a split second.
    A RT : So if it’s such a great trick—why can’t you do it with a real girl, and a real twat? After all, there’s got to be girl tumblers.
    N ICK : No. No, sir. Not for this. This is gonna be a rough fall—also, there’s always the chance of an accident. I would not handle this stunt unless with a man doubling woman.
    L ARRY : Can I keep going, please? Now comes the top of the act to this point. The fight. Nick’s going to work on it with Jenny and me. Part One: we see Jack grab him. They disappear in the crowd. People are still dancing. Now the couples begin to stop—one by one—women scream—men try to break up the fight—the dance stops—but the music goes on—louder and faster. Part Two: they’re squared off now and it’s a real blood battle. Blood. Torn clothes. Rough-and-tumble. Not like a boxing match—it’s anything goes—wrestling, rolling, punching. Part Three is the surprise ending to it. Jack is the loser . Knocked cold. Nora breaks away, jumps on Claude and he flattens her, too. Part Four: police arrive. Two of them start working over the out Jack and Nora. Curtain.
    I VAN : A fine scene.
    A RT : If it works.
    L ARRY : That’s our job. To make it work.
    C LAY : It can work.
    L ARRY : It’s the toughest I can remember, physically, I mean. But what the hell. That’s the game. Next. Hospital scene. Jack in bed. Nora visiting, her arm in a sling.
    A LICIA : This is it, Larry. What I asked you about. The place I worry about the change. Can you get me a crossover or something ? I’ll need two minutes at least—well, all right, one minute with breakaways.
    L ARRY : And the cops who kneel down to look at them can be dressers. Crowd gathers around—masking—hell, we could probably make the whole change onstage in the dim. A slow dim.
    A LICIA : I doubt it.
    R USS : Would you want to use the projection again? With another newspaper? I mean, if they’re celebrities and there’s a brawl, wouldn’t it?…
    L ARRY : That’s damn good, Russ.
    A LICIA : Certainly helps me .
    C LAY : And the players.
    L ARRY : You know what? We ought to carry this forward and back. Use at least six projections. Three in each act. No. Wait. Seven is better. Four in Act One. Three in Act Two.
    I VAN : Better if only one place. Style.
    L ARRY : Thanks, Russ. Real good. Right. So we’re in the hospital scene. And we find out Claude has really let loose now. The lawyer in. Discussion of what to do. A suit for slander—otherwise the manager is worried about the consequences. Decided. Jack says, “Well, if you can’t lick 'em, sue 'em.” Lawyer leaves. Jack and Nora. Number. But now we’re stuck. Number. But what? Who?
    H Y : The two of them.
    L ARRY : About what?
    H Y : I love you I love you I love you.
    L ARRY : We know that, for Chrissake. A comedy song, maybe?
    F RED : Unlikely.
    L ARRY : Like we’ve seen him get his lumps and she sees it as a great victory.
    F RED : “Darling, you were wonderful”?
    H Y : Yeah!
    L ARRY : No. Too on the nose.
    C HRIS : “Win or Lose”?
    L ARRY : ( To H Y ) Anything?
    H Y : I don’t know.
    F RED : Could have a shape. It’s about—the fight—win or lose no matter—and the upcoming lawsuit—win or lose—and about whatever—win or lose, up or down, hit or flop—they’re all right because they’re together.
    H Y : What I said in the first place—I love you I love you I love you.
    L ARRY : Want to try it?
    H Y : Sure.
    L ARRY : On. Courtroom scene. Like Gilbert and Sullivan. Trial by Jury . That’s the model. Now what saves this is that there’s not one word of spoken dialogue.
    C HRIS : Oh, thanks.
    L ARRY : No. What I mean is that after all these years and fifty thousand courtroom scenes—it’s usually a yawn. “Do