Now Look What You Made Me Do
by Marie Clements
- Characters
- Madonna: Metis woman in her early twenties. Idealistic. New. Strong.
- May: Twelve-year-old girl dealing with the death of her Father. Childlike quality of hope.
- Heather: Somewhat religious. Housewife. Part of women’s group.
- Jay: Older boyfriend of Madonna’s. Abused/Abuser.
- Jennifer: Housewife. Perfectionist. Self depreciating. Part of women’s group.
- Mr. Heather: Heather’s husband.
- Mr. Motor Mamma: Motor Mamma’s husband.
- Motor Mamma: A biker chick. Tough. Large Heart. Large Presence. Intense. Part of women’s group.
- The Piano Player: Older piano man.
- Setting
- White. Made of bathrooms, kitchen, bedroom. Porcelain look. Many faucets. Pipes clear and exposed liquid can be seen passing through. Mirrors. Walls transparent white: Shadows can pass behind. Record player.
- Summary
- A half Metis woman, Madonna, desperate for male compassion since the death of her father in her childhood, finds comfort in an abusive man. Also affected by the past, Jay was abused as a child and dearly loves Madonna, making him extremely dangerous as he pulls her deeper into his angry arms. Marie Clements’ dramatic design portrays a flowing surrealism: The set is made of pure white and flowing water; the dialogue often slides into a lovely lyricism and sometimes into actual singing with an ever-present piano man setting the necessary moods for the plays flow. Mixing such a beautiful setting with the harshness of her topic, Clements produces a haunting total effect. She presents a strangely attractive prison from which Madonna must escape. The only way out: a connection with her inner child, May, who continues suffering from her father’s death, and eventually a connection with abused womanhood as a whole represented by her friend, a prostitute, and a varied slice of American women that comprise a support group for abused women.
Synopsis written by J. Barnett 9/16/97.
