Talking With… by Jane Martin is a delightful set of emotional monologues. This play shows some in-depth emotion on various topics. Simply speaking, this play seems to show many lessons that were learned by each of the women portrayed in the scenes. The dramatic question is somewhat different from other plays. That means there seems to be a lesson to be taught rather than a question to be answered. Each monologue has its own topic and each character must teach the lesson that she once learned.
Each of the 11 monologues has only one character. Each of the women in this play is very well characterized by both their dress and their speech/delivery manner. Because of the way in which each woman delivers her lines you can determine how well she taught herself and the audience the lesson. Each of them relates a very painful lesson that she had learned earlier in her life. It seems that each of them is relating the tale of life well learned by convincing themselves as well as the audience that life is worth living.
The obstacles vary for many of the monologues. But many have similar conflicts or lessons. Twirler and Handler are both similar in nature. In each, the character used her experience with the baton or snake handling to express her painful lesson. April tries, successfully, to explain how she learned her lesson. These lines from Twirler show how successfully the character relates her lesson and the audience understands:
“Listen. I will leave my silver baton here for you. Lying here as if I forgot it, and when the people file out, you can wait back and pick it up, it can be yours, it can be your burden. It is the eye of the needle. I leave it for you.”
These lines also show the resolution. April simply relieved her emotions and passed on the burdens of her lessons. That is the general way the resolutions worked for each of the monologues.
This entire collection was very moving. It put new perspectives onto many aspects of life. I was especially moved by the Clear Glass Marbles monologue. The marbles really drove home the mind set of Laurie as well as the lesson she shared. I really thought hard about what I was being told by each monologue. The play’s strengths are three of the monologues: Fifteen Minutes, Clear Glass Marbles and Lamps. Each of these scenes is very moving and very convincing. They are emotional and truly well written. The only weakness really was Audition and Rodeo. The language was a little confusing and the attitudes were somewhat cynical. But if there wasn’t some cynical outlooks, the collection wouldn’t be a complete expression of various states in life.
Overall the collection is readable and enjoyable. It is a great read, but it’s probably a better two act play.
