How are we? I'm relatively new to the forums here (i.e. about 15 minutes) so I'm still sort of feeling my around, but I've got a query that I'm not too sure how to resolve. Basically, I'm writing a one-act play that is a sequel to West Side Story (the musical). It's essentially a story of Lieutenant Schrank (a hard-ass cop) trying to solve the murders of the two gang leaders, Riff and Bernardo (because no where in West Side Story does it say he knows who killed who). It's done through a series of interrogations with the gang members, parents etc. I've got the content, I've got the themes, I've got the character development but there's one little problem that was presented to me by a friend of mine who also dabbles in writing. There isn't exactly a substantial plot. Yes, there is development and a conclusion and all that jazz, but as my friend said, an audience can only take constant back-and-forth dialogue for so long, no matter how compelling the words may be. Basically, my question is: How can I convey an interesting and compelling plot simply through a series interrogations. I don't want any setting changes (it's simply an interrogation room and a waiting room all in one) and I don't want to add any original characters (I've only added two - one of the boy's parents, Tony). I just need to some how break up the "drama". Thanks, thanks Oscar
They would interrogate them alone, so there would have to be two rooms at the very least. I don't know how you could break up the drama, since you will have everybody waiting around talking amongst themselves building tension, and then the tension of interrogating each person in turn. So there is something to consider. Add some humor from another cop or something to break up the drama, in between questionings, like say a partner or something. Sounds a bit too intense for even something based on the West Side Story. So IDK, but they would have to question a lot of people, which would give you a good long story though.
Why does the crime need to be resolved? That can be the "stakes" in the story, the reason people care about it, and it can help you figure out how to structure the plot. Maybe the story is really about the detective. He became a cop because his older brother was killed in a similar situation and he's still always hunting for resolution of that crime, even if it's only the emotional resolution of helping someone else's family find closure. Maybe the story is about the casual racism of one detective and "our" detective's quest to have his colleague see these witnesses and victims as real human beings deserving of respect and compassion. Maybe the story is about the boy's parent coming in filled with hatred, just as the boys were, and coming to realize how much the boys had in common and how all of this is just a mutual tragedy. Whatever. I think you need to figure out something that needs to be resolved, something that people (readers AND at least one character) really care about. The circumstances surrounding the death of two fictional characters probably isn't enough, so add something that WILL be enough.
I'm not sure I necessarily agree with your friend there. Have you seen the movie Phone Booth? Excellent script writing there. The whole film is set around a single phone booth, and it is classified as a thriller. The entire thing is, exactly as you want, a long back-and-forth dialogue between the guy at the phone booth and the detective trying to get him to hang up the phone and walk out in surrender. Love that film. I'd suggest you have a look at the script. Another, probably more relevant to you, is a play called An Inspector Calls. It's a British play about an inspector who knocks on the door of this family over the murder of a maid. The entire play is an interrogation, where the inspector questions each member of the family in an attempt to find out who's responsible. Again, an excellent play. We studied the script when I was maybe 13 or 14 years old in school. I'm sure you can find the script online if you googled. It's famous and been produced in London on stage, so certainly successful.
The set is divided in two - the interrogation room and the waiting room - which is divided by a door. Drama does occur in both settings, the waiting room usually showing the repercussions of an interrogation but there is also some parallel scenarios that build upon the themes etc. etc. Most of the humour actually comes from the people he interrogates - the Jets and their smart-ass attitude etc. which helps develop character when L. Schrank shuts them down and they suddenly get serious. There's definitely a balance I'm striving to achieve in terms of drama and humour and I think at the moment, they sit fairly nicely. It's intentionally suppose to be a bit more dark than West Side Story - a lot of the made up "gang lingo" is not present. Thanks for your reply... Definitely some useful pieces of advice I can take away and think about
Well funny you should point out the potential for a "non-resolution" because that's exactly the path I'm trying to take. L. Schrank, through West Side Story and the play, is a bigoted, hard-ass who despises the kids and, at points, tries to bribe some of them to get their story to line up with the others. The conclusion is a final interrogation with Anita (who, of all the characters, has suffered the most) where the power shifts and L. Schrank's perspective of the situation and morals are essentially put on the chopping-block for the first time ever when he sees how the events of West Side Story have affected Anita and, in turn, everyone else (only everyone else is too young and immature to really show it). You make some good offers which I whole-heartily acknowledge and I understand lack of context probably makes this a pretty open-ended question. However, I'm really trying to keep the themes and elements fairly tight-knit within the world that is established in West Side Story. The story, however, as you said, is most definitely a commentary on the cop and how his morals are questioned etc. etc. Thanks so much for your input. All these replies are really helping me throw around these ideas in my head and get me thinking.
Many thanks for those recommendations. I've definitely heard of Phone Booth but have never seen it so I will make sure to do that - it sounds very relevant to my conundrum. And even more relevant to my conundrum, I read up on the plot for the play you mentioned and it definitely looks like I could rip it apart and take a look at how it operates which I have no doubt could help me so thanks for that as well.
