Justin Ko
Professor Adcock
HISTORY OF THEATER ARTS
13 OCT 2015
Play Synopsis: The Mandrake
Callimaco – Protagonist
Lucrezia – Virtuous Woman from Florence
Nicia – Lucrezia’s husband
Ligurio – Third Party (Manager and broker of the scheme)
Friar – Confessor (Tricks Lucrezia) The play sets in motion in the setting of Big Daddys Mansion. The play is mostly comprised inside of Brick’s room. Brick is the protagonist and wants to be left alone while, Big Daddy is Dying of Cancer. Grooper and Mae are scheming to get the benefits out of Big Daddy’s Death. Driven by their basic need for greed, the characters in the play all aim for their own wants. Brick wants to drink to alleviate his personal pain and does not care for the opinions of others. Maggie wants to be loved by Brick and goes extraordinary lengths to achieve it. Act I commences as Brick is taking a shower and Maggie is in the room to change her dress. Maggie is upset at Grooper and Mae’s children for splashing a drink on her. Maggie has had complications in the past with fertility so she believes that Grooper and Mae brought their five of their children to the plantation to show them off. The increasing tension can also be caused by from the completion of the two families who are aiming to gain the inheritance of Big Daddy and Big Mama. The conflict is not only between the two families but within Brick and Maggie’s relationship as well. Brick has no interest to be with Maggie but she is persistent in regaining his love. She expresses her emotions to Brick by telling him she feels like the loneliest person in the world. Though out this conversation Brick has not said much. Maggie pushes on by bringing up someone named skipper. Skipper has some time of relationship with Brick, but it is unknown at this time who he is. Maggie continues to bring up the conditions of their marriage. According to the conditions, Brick and Maggie cannot have sex with each other if she wants to stay married to him. Maggie conveys her disposition through a saying, “I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof”. Big mama sneaks into the room through a secondary entrance as the door is locked because Maggie is attempting to seduce Brick into having sex. Big mama tells the news of Big Daddy’s health to brink and Mae. Everyone in the play is aware of Big Daddy’s cancer expect Big Daddy and Big Mama; who are convinced that Big Daddy only has irritable bowel syndrome. Big Mama also criticizes Brink and Maggie’s marriage. She believes something is wrong because Brink is an alcoholic and Maggie is childless. As Big Mama leaves, the conflict between Brink and Maggie continue. Maggie yearns for the attention of Brink and brags about all the men that want her. Maggies technique only backfires as Brink proposes that she leaves him and goes with these men. Maggie seems to have her own agenda. She makes known of her past of poverty and explains to Brink that she wants a part of the family fortune. Beck is still un-phased by what is going on. He continues to drink as all the commotion is happening in the house. The aggravates Maggie even more, so she brings up Skipper again. Maggie confess to Brink that she slept with Skipper, but the information was already known to him through Skipper. Maggie had accused Skipper of being gay and loving her husband. During a football game, Skipper sleeps with Maggie to prove that he is not gay. This thought of gayness she implements in Skippers mind causes him to take drugs and alcohol which will lead to his death. Act II begins with Big Daddy, it is his birthday party. The Reverend and The Doctor are also attending the birthday party. Big Daddy wants to celebrate with everyone but shows discomfort from the cancer. Big Daddy and Big mama, both still believe that Big Daddy is in good health. Brink is known to the play as Big Daddy’s favorite. Brink had broken is foot the other day from jumping hurdles and Big Daddy is worried about it. Everyone is conscious of the fact that there