House of Wits Performance Piece - Alice Monologue

Script Piece for House of Wits Performance

By Arielle Seidman

The following is a scene in which Alice James discusses her brother, William. This is a piece of fiction, based on the opinions, theories, and personalities of these two, and what I have learned about them in this class.

WARNING: This is depressing! (You probably expected that…Alice and William weren’t exactly comedic types.)

The other two pieces used in this presentation are not featured here. They were written and performed in class by Marina Morrison, and Alex Marrerro.

Believe You Me

By Arielle Seidman

ALICE: If only it were that easy. If wishes were fishes, and all of that nonsense. We have to know our limits, and I’ve accepted mine. So have you, really, when you think about it. Why else would you spend all of your time worrying about me, unable to see me because of your fears that I might be sicker, or sadder, or unable to cope? If you haven’t accepted my limits, why aren’t you on my side? No, I think that, of both of us, you’re the one who has resigned me, and you’re the one who has given up on me.

It hurts, you know. It hurts to imagine what you must think of me, how you must revile me, feeling as you do about the nature of feelings and the way they can change. If you really believe that all it takes to change is to believe, how despicably weak you must be convinced that I am. After all, all I do is get worse, and all I do is discover more reasons why living isn’t as worthwhile as perhaps you think it was meant to be. I would think that you’d be able to understand that, but the more I hear you talk, the more I wish you wouldn’t. If you really believe…there, I used your word, believe. If you really believe that all I have to do is close my eyes and will myself to feel better, it’s no wonder that you stay away. After all, this is all my fault to you, isn’t it? It’s a pretty theory.

Do you think that I don’t want to? Am I sick because I want the attention, maybe? What attention, Will? You must think that I enjoy the whispers, and that being talked about and muttered about behind my back amuses me. That’s all the attention I get. I have Katherine, and I have Henry, but I want to believe that their attention and their time is wasted on me because they enjoy my company. Here, Will, I’ll try to do what you want me to do. I’ll just will myself to believe that that’s the reason they spend time with me.