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Non-Compos Mentis (The Script)

The document is a script for a play titled "Non-Compos Mentis". It summarizes the events of Act I Scene I and Act II Scene I. In Scene I, Valarie and Joseph are trapped in a hospital room with screaming patients outside trying to break in. They fear they will not survive until morning. In Scene II, Valarie has a job interview with Joseph at the hospital. During the interview she notices blood on his face and he offers her the job at the end.

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smita
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93 views

Non-Compos Mentis (The Script)

The document is a script for a play titled "Non-Compos Mentis". It summarizes the events of Act I Scene I and Act II Scene I. In Scene I, Valarie and Joseph are trapped in a hospital room with screaming patients outside trying to break in. They fear they will not survive until morning. In Scene II, Valarie has a job interview with Joseph at the hospital. During the interview she notices blood on his face and he offers her the job at the end.

Uploaded by

smita
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Non-Compos Mentis

By Smita Suresh

Cast:

Valarie- Schizophrenia specialist. She is in her 30s and has a


blonde layered crop that outlines the soft features of her
face.

Joseph Dothman- Doctor. He is a bald man with gigantic


glasses dressed in a white coat.

Few Extras- Patients. They must be dressed in white hospital


gowns.

“Non-Compos Mentis”
ACT I
Scene I

A door separating DC and DL. It must be numbered as room 102.


A table placed in the R of DL and a gatch bed placed in the C
of DL.
(Red lights blaring everywhere. The air filled with sirens.
VALARIE and JOSEPH DOTHMAN are trapped in room 102. Valarie
standing in the C and JOSEPH DOTHMAN to her L. PATIENTS are
screaming and running out of their seclusion rooms.)
VALARIE

(In an uneasy or distressful tone. She is frightened and


starts panting)
I told you not to do this but you didn’t listen to me and now
see what you have done. This is all your fault. All of it.

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

(Slowly moving towards Valarie)


It will be alright. We just have to go through with this for a
couple more hours. Tomorrow morning everything will be back to
normal. Don’t worry Valarie.

VALARIE

(angrily)
How can I not worry? We are going to die. There is no way…

PATIENTS

(They come running and screaming towards the door and starts
to bang loudly scaring Valarie and Joseph)
Open the door.
Open it. We will kill you. You hurt us, you trapped us.
(screaming and banging continues)

VALARIE

(gasping and moving towards the L)

They found us! What are we gonna do now? They are going to
kill us. We cannot last till morning. The authorities will
never reach here on time. This is the end of us.

JOSEPH DOTHMAN
Valarie come here and help me barred the door with the bed.

(They move towards the gatch bed and push it towards the

door blocking it completely while the banging continues.)

VALARIE

(Frustrated)

This is never going to hold the door. There is now way out now.

I knew there was something wrong with this place. I got that

feeling the second I stepped in this filthy place. I never

should’ve have come for the job. I just want to go back to my

family. I just wanna go home.

Banging becomes louder. VALARIE holds her head and starts


moving towards the table. She sits holding her knees to
her chest and starts to sob. JOSEPH DOTHMAN get up and
takes a step towards VALARIE. As soon as he does this,
the door swings open and the patients come in running
surrounding them from all sides. BLACKOUT and CURTAINS.

Scene II

An office table placed towards the DR and an office chair


placed behind it. Another chair must be kept on the other side
of the table. Pictures of MRI scans on the back wall. A
Stethoscope on the table and few papers placed with a weight
on top. 2 glasses of water kept on either side of the table. A
few steel instruments used for surgery must be places on the L
of the table. Tissue box kept on right. A calendar which
clearly shows a 2 weeks older date must be facing the
audience.
(Bright white light covering the stage. VALARIE sitting on the
chair which is on the other side of the table. She is holding
a file in her hand and seems to be quite uncomfortable.)

VALARIE

(Gets up and starts walking up and down nervously)


Oh god! I don’t know what will happen. I really need this job.
I really hope that I will get it. I’m getting butterflies.

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

(Enters from L and behind VALARIE.)


You must be VALARIE. (She turns around)
Hello, my name is JOSEPH DOTHMAN and I’ll be taking your
interview today. (They shake their hands)
Oh, please take a seat. Make yourself at home.

VALARIE

(They both take a seat)


Thankyou. Here is my CV and some of the other documents that
you asked for. I hope everything is there. (She hands the
file to JOSEPH and he looks through it)

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

(Glancing through the file)


Yes, it’s perfect. So, where did you work previously?

VALARIE

(While looking down)


Well I worked as a personal nurse for some famous guy. His
nephew Mark was suffering through trauma after the death of
his parents. He used to hallucinate and used to see his
parents all the time. I worked there for 3 years until the kid
started to show improvement. He was then shifted to the
world’s best psychiatric hospital and well they didn’t need me
there anymore.
JOSEPH DOTHMAN

(Slowly looking at VALARIE)


Okay, that is good. Tell me more about your experience with
patients. How does your process work?

VALARIE

(Continues to look down and hesitates)

Well I umm… I work… my process its…

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

Hey its okay. You don’t have to feel nervous. Here, have some
water. Take your time okay. I understand, interviews are
stressful.

VALARIE

Thankyou. (Sips the water from the glass and notices a blood
smear on the doctor’s face)
Sir there is something on your cheek. It looks like, its
blood? Yeah, I think its blood.

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

(He picks up a something and tries to look at his cheek)


Blood? I don’t think so. Oh wait yeah, here it is. It must be
a cut from the morning shave. (cleans his cheek with a tissue)
Never mind me. You were saying something?

VALARIE

(Confidently)

Yes, I was going to explain the stages of my process. Well the


whole treatment is divided into 3 parts, the first includes
the fancy word which means to open up, the second includes
reaching out and the third is …

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

(interrupting)
I think that’s enough. Well I’ve seen your file and I think
that you are perfect for the job. I suppose you can start
working from tomorrow?

VALARIE

(excitedly)
Thankyou. Thank you so much. Yes, I can start work from
tomorrow.

JOSEPH DOTHMAN

Great then. Here is your contract, you can take your time.
Read it well and sign it when your ready okay. I have to
attend a patient now. I hope that you will show yourself out.
It was nice to meet you and I hope you have a good day.
(He exits)

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