Human Inadequacy Ties Two Plays Together

Ghost and Spice Productions presented two one-act plays by Ara Watson, "Final Placement" and "Bite the Hand," at Carrboro ArtsCenter.

Director John Murphy said, "The plays were chosen because there's something underneath them."

Pain and confusion seemed to be the something underneath tying the two performances together. Otherwise, the surface stories depicted severely disparate situations.

"Final Placement" portrayed an unscheduled interview between a social worker and an old client with whom the worker believed involvement had ended.

The state has taken her child because of the abuse the little boy had received at home.

The play begins with an audiotape of a portion of the worker's dictated transcription of the case. Subsequent portions of the tape are interspersed throughout the rest of the show so that by the tape's end the audience has assimilated the whole story from both the transcription and the impromptu interview.

The tape also offers insight into the social worker. Supercilious and condescending, her behavior makes it difficult to decipher her motives and feelings.

The old client's motives remain easier to comprehend -- she wants her child back. How or why she thinks this is possible presents the mystery.

When she first arrives, she complains of blisters on her feet and asks for Band-Aids -- similar to her treatment of the social worker as a breathing Band-Aid who can solve her and her child's problems with a phone call and a car ride.

"Bite the Hand" captures another client's unexpected visit, this time to a call girl and her friend.

Before the client's arrival, it is revealed that the girl is leaving that day to marry and "be taken care of."

Flushed and dazed, her client suddenly appears at the screen door. The women invite him in and spit out some reluctantly polite conversation. Mumbling, glued to the chair, he stares blankly at the back of the theater and laments the nature of women.

"They bite the hand that feeds 'em every time."

As the inert character on stage, he is easy to disregard but merits attention because his words furnish the plot.

One soon learns of the events fueling his shock, but more details there would ruin the experience for others.

The intimate space of the one-acts holds few curtains and audience members to diminish the raw frankness of these human interactions.

Although the audience members were only 10 feet from the stage, they leaned forward with fascination as though observing a family argument.

Simply and effectively acted, the nature and setting of the plays swallows most line flubs or other mistakes. Only an awkwardly blocked confrontation scene in "Final Placement" that concealed the women's faces marred the performances.

Watching the one-acts compared to an hour of eavesdropping -- winces at blunt remarks combined with new understanding of human nature.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.