Five One-Minute Plays – Number One: “D Is for Drink”

[Four actors: A, B, C, and D. D is further downstage center, with A, B, and C in a line upstage. They cross downstage to join D on their lines throughout the course of the play. All lines are given to D in pandemonium.]

B:
Hey, you should totally come out with us tonight and -.

ALL:
DRINK!

D:
No, I really don’t think that I should, I have to -.

ALL:
DRINK!

A:
Congratulations on that thing, we need to celebrate and -.

ALL:
DRINK!

D:
Thanks, but I really need to -.

ALL:
DRINK!

C:
God, I can’t believe that happened to you, let’s go -.

ALL:
DRINK!

D:
No, that’s okay, I’ll only -.

ALL:
DRINK!

A:
What a shit year, we should probably -.

ALL:
DRINK!

C:
Next year’s gonna be worse, we should definitely -.

ALL:
DRINK!

B:
Nothing we can do, we might as well -. 

ALL:
DRINK!

D:
No, no, no, I really think that we can -.

ALL:
DRINK!

B:
Gonna be a shit show, we all have to -.

ALL:
DRINK!

A:
Who fucking cares, we just gotta -.

ALL:
DRINK!

C:
Let’s just give up, we can all go -.

ALL:
DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! 

D:
No, no, no -.

[A, B, and C continue shouting “DRINK!” as they encircle D. It is a frenzied bloodbath, and D has become the prey.]

ALL:
DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!

D:
No, please. Stop. Stop it. Please, please, please -.

ALL:
DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!

[They are now on top of D, who has disappeared within them, cowering in fear.]

ALL:
DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!

[They quickly exit, leaving D alone on stage, trembling. D slowly rises and looks out into the audience, speechless. Silence.]

D:
[A deep breath. Gasping for air.] - .

End.