TALK THE TALK

Cast:

Olivia

Lydia Farnsworth

Thomas Farnsworth

Alice White

Judge

Foreman

D.A.

Guard

Phone

Couch

Elevator C

Lighter

Lamp

Sink

Gun

Closet

MUSIC

OLIVIA Why, it's a courtroom, can't you tell? Where else would you find... a murderer?

Scene 1.

LYDIA [condescending, replying to a question] Lydia Farnsworth - Everyone here knows that. ... Yes, yes. ... I killed him. It was self-defense. He was planning to kill me. ... [hesitant, lying] An anonymous phone call. [narrating] Of course I can't say who told me - everyone would think I was utterly insane. When it started, Icouldn't even understand it, much less believe - how could I convince anyone else?

MUSIC

Scene 2.

STING

LYDIA [narrating] I know I am a joke. An older woman, rich and prominent, married to a much younger - well, a youngerman. And I'm not THAT old - 40 isn't really, and everyone says I look more like 35. But he looks 29 - which he is - so ... tongues will wag.

SOUND Tom screams, long, distant and echoey.

LYDIA Oh, that was later. Tom almost never screams.

TOM [screams, but happily] Hey!

SOUND ROULETTE WHEEL.

TOM Didja see that? Boy oh boy, if I could bottle that!

LYDIA [purring] You're a lucky man.

TOM [interested] We-e-ell.... I guess I am. Hey Kitten, wanna help make a rich man poor again?

MUSIC

Scene 3.

UNDER

LYDIA [narrating] It was that moment that I fell for him. He didn't know who I was, but he wanted to give me a treat. I kept it up for a while, pretending to be just another secretary on vacation, not letting on. I felt so guilty, letting him pay for all those dinners, the gifts...

TOM Kitten, this necklace is just aching to be around your neck. Hear it? [silly voice] Hey lady, take me home, I love you....

LYDIA [narrating, suddenly struck by something] Oh. [beat] No, no - never mind.

TOM Don't you know that everything has a voice? Listen to the wind - it calls your name to me, telling me I gotta keep hold of you. Whattaya say, Kitten? Wanna make it permanent?

MUSIC UNDER

LYDIA [narrating, shaken] Yes, he DID say things like that - perhaps that was why... [beat] Tom worked late a lot - particularly after I told him I was - we were - wealthy. It was like he felt he had to make up for something. He never even introduced me to his family - just said he grew up dirt poor. I think he was ... ashamed.

TOM [filter] Sorry, Kitten, but I gotta really burn some oil on this one. You understand, right?

LYDIA Of course. [narrating] What else could I say, it was so sweet of him to worry. To want to make me proud.

Scene 4.

SOUND Candlestick phone hangs up. Footsteps walk away.

PHONE [Male voice, filter] He's cheating on ya.

LYDIA [panicked, slightly distant] What? Who?

PHONE [filter] The husband. Tom. He calls HER