ALHProject

ALHProject
Kyle Choy, Victor Zhang, Sayom Ghosh-Dastidar, Kayleigh O’Kane
Characters: Brinker, Biff, Montag
New Character: Phoebe
Setting: Hospital Room Bedside of patient
Song: __https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpBfY5DPruA__
Plot: Holden is dying. Brinker the doctor who strongly believes that Holden will pull through. He is trying to comfort people and tell them that everything is OK. Although it’s obvious that nothing is ok this tactic nonetheless works to some extent. At one point, Biff realizes the fault of Brinker’s narrative, and criticizes Brinker. Montag is at a stage in life where he has read several texts, but still believes that more natural remedies are superior compared to synthetic drugs and medicine. Later, Phoebe, the sister of Holden arrives to watch her brother. She puts her faith into the doctor because she believes in his intelligence, but Holden still cannot be saved. She is put into a
state of hysteria and unwillingness to believe in the situation. Though she is sometimes acting like an adult, her childish side is revealed in her stubbornness to accept the reality.
Skit Script:
Act 1:
[Three men surround a hospital bed. The man on the bed is barely clinging to life, tubes and IVs plugged into him like cables into a mainframe computer.]
Biff: How’s he doin’, doc?
[Brinker doesn’t answer, but continues to stare intently at the multitude of screens and beeping monitors]
Biff: So?
Brinker: Well gentlemen, he’s in critical condition, but I have high hopes that he will pull through because he is pretty stable right now. We’ve got him on two life support machines and a ventilator, but I’m sure he’ll recover in due time. All will be fine, don’t you worry.
Montag: You sure doc? I mean it doesn’t seem so good right now.
Brinker: Yeah… [Distantly] I’m sure—
Montag: You think he’ll be able to walk again when he wakes up?
Brinker: I don’t know. It’ll be a tough call, but I’m sure he’ll be ok. Ht’s fine right now. With the proper help he’ll be as good as new. I’ve got him slated for all the drug regimens he needs. Don’t you worry, I know my craft better than a postdoc textbook. [Smiles warmly, and pats Montag on the shoulder]
Biff: But doc, you sure? I don’t think he can hold on much longer. Just look at him right now. I mean for Christ’s sake, he’s been in a coma for two friggin’ weeks now. I mean, he looks paler than a geisha in a—
Brinker: Sir, I know it’s hard to believe, but I’ve seen many many cases just like this. If residency has taught me anything, it’s the resiliency of the human spirit. Trust me…. I’m an engineer, uh, I mean a normal doctor. I am well aware that I ...
[Biff cuts off Brinker]
Biff: TRUST YOU? Can’t ya see doc, he’s basically dead already. Two friggin’ life support machines and he still can’t stay alive. You’ve got him on all these drugs. There’s no savin’ ‘im doc. It’s all over.
[Biff looks over to the bed where Holden lies and lets out a sigh]
Brinker: Stop this madness. Don’t be such a pessimist. He will make it through.
Montag: A cure must be somewhere in the books.Why can’t we have any good solution.. If only I was able to have read all the books I burned. The answer is probably in some book out there.
Biff: Stop it, y’all think some miracle is gon’ happen, but the plain truth is he’s good as dead. I highly doubt that whatever you doctors are doing to him in this hospital will help him at all. IT just wasting money and resources.
Brinker: Well, we’ll see what happens. I am very confident in modern medicine that we can help him pull through from this mess. Trust me, it is possible and he will be completely fine and make a recovery.
Montag: You know what I think, doc? I think you should get him off all these meds. They’re killing his body man!
Brinker: Crazy talk, Montag! I’ll have you know that these “meds” aren’t just any random cocktail of drugs. These are highly studied regimens recommended by the American Medical Association.
Biff: You putting all these drugs in him doesn’t seem in anyway helpful. I highly doubt you even know what you are doing. He’s still in bed and he’s probably already on his way to death.
Brinker: For the last time, you two, he’ll be fine. I know my line of work.
Biff: You’re probably wrong, but I’ll trust you for now.
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ALHProject
Act 2:
[New character arrives]
Phoebe: Hey guys, how’s the situation? I heard it’s not going so well.
Biff: In my opinion, it’s pretty bad. I don’t think anything can help. Just look at your brother. All we can do now is hope and pray that he pulls through.
Montag: The doctor’s meds are only killing him faster. Artificial things never help.
Phoebe: Well I’ve been studying up on my medicine because in school we were learning it in my science class. I think our modern medicine is advanced enough for us to help him. We made enough progress through science to do it. I have faith in what the doctors do, don’t you worry. My brother will just be fine by the end of this.
Biff: It’s hopeless for now. What we really need is a miracle to bring him out. Even with medicine, there is a risk to Holden and his well being.
Montag: Yeah man, medicine doesn’t seem so natural, how do you know it won’t hurt the body? What if the side effects are even worse?
Phoebe: What does the doctor say about the situation?
Biff: Doc Brinker says that Holden is stable, but he’s hooked up to life support and also on a variety of drugs. This black-lung cancer has gotten to him. It might be too late.
Montag: The doctor must be mistaken. His condition is clearly worsening. We should get him off of the life support immediately before it’s too late.
Phoebe: At least the doctor says it’s fine. I stand by his judgement because I believe in science and his intellect. If he has hopes that all will be well, then I have hopes that Holden will pull through.
Biff: Really? Do you believe that Holden can get through this? His condition isn’t the best and his cancer is getting to him.
Phoebe: Yes, 100%. Science never fails.
Montag: Natural remedies are the key to good health. People are being brainwashed to think that artificial drugs would be more effective. Trust me, I know a thing or two about brainwashing.
[Machine beeps as the pulse of the man goes flat]
Phoebe: What’s happening? Someone help!
Biff: DOC! The patient is dying, DOC! We need help now, I don’t know what’s happened.
Montag: That ignorant, stubborn doctor should have listened to me. These inferior drugs won’t save anyone. They should have stuck to the solutions in those older books.
Phoebe: No, I thought thought medicine and modern help would work.
[Phoebe breaks into a sob and covers her ears as the man lies still while doctors try to revive him]
Biff: It’s too late Phoebe, he’s gone
Phoebe: NO, NO, NO, Holden can’t be dead. I don’t accept it!
[Phoebe cries intensify as Biff comes over to comfort her]
Phoebe: This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. Holden wake up! Wake up!
[She pushes Biff away and continues to cry ]
Biff: Its ok, it all happens one day. They did all they could do to help him. Phoebe, he’s in a better place now. Holden’s time had come, and you did everything you could. Holden would’ve wanted you to live a satisfying life and not sulk over him.
Montag: It’s such a shame. Such a promising young life snuffed out by artificial medicines.
Phoebe: I can’t believe this is actually happening. It was all too sudden.
[Phoebe rests her head on Biff’s shoulder. Her tears stream down her face as she realizes the situation]
Works Consulted
Bradbury, Ray. Farenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1953. Print.
Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. New York: Macmillan, 1960. Print.
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Viking, 1949. Print.
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. N.p.: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.
The Depressing Episode. Dir. Kris Wilson, Rob DenBleyker, Matt Melvin, and Dave McElfatrick. Perf. Explosm Entertainment. Cyanide and Happiness. Explosm Entertainment, n.d. Web. 7 June 2016.
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