MRS. POCCIOTTI [violently]: Question, you get me mix up! Question, question! How do I know what’s wrong?

MISS MORGAN: Tina! Max! How long did they go out together?

MRS. POCCIOTTI: Since school, since beginning at school!

MISS MORGAN: And after your daughter got sick and shut herself up in the dark, when did the boy start coming in that room with her?

MRS. POCCIOTTI: Maybe five or six mon’s.

MISS MORGAN: And you and your husband, Mrs. Pocciotti, neither of you did anything to prevent him from coming?

MRS. POCCIOTTI: My husban’ his head is no good. I got work to do. We get along best as we can. What happens is God’s will, I guess. What is wrong is wrong, I dunno! Is all I can say.

MISS MORGAN [pause]: I see. Mrs. Pocciotti, the girl will have to be taken away.

MRS. POCCIOTTI: Take her away? She won’t like it.

MISS MORGAN: I’m afraid we can’t consult her wishes in the matter. Nor yours, either. You’ve shown yourself completely incompetent to care for this girl. I think I may say that you have even contributed to her delinquency.

MRS. POCCIOTTI: I don’t think she’ll want to be going. You don’t know Tina. She fights, she kicks something awful.

MISS MORGAN: If she won’t go peaceably, she’ll have to be removed by force.

MRS. POCCIOTTI: I hope she will go. It’s bad for the boys, her laying there naked like that.

MISS MORGAN: What? Lying naked?

MRS. POCCIOTTI: Yes. She won’t keep the clothes on her. The boys look in through the door and they laugh and they say bad things.

MISS MORGAN [in disgust]: Tch, tch, she’ll have to be taken away and held for a long observation. [She rises.]

MRS. POCCIOTTI: Better you make it be soon. From the way she is looking.

MISS MORGAN: What do you mean? How has your daughter been looking, Mrs. Pocciotti?

MRS. POCCIOTTI: Like—this. [Her curved palm moves slowly before her abdomen in a broadly elliptical gesture.]

MISS MORGAN: Oh! You mean—? [She raises her hand to her lips. Mrs. Pocciotti nods slowly—goes on with her sweeping.]

SLOW CURTAIN

THE PRETTY TRAP

(A COMEDY IN ONE ACT)

The Pretty Trap was first performed on March 23, 2011 at the Southern Rep Theatre, New Orleans, as part of the Tennessee Williams/ New Orleans Literary Festival’s centennial tribute to Williams. It was directed by Aimée Hayes; the set design was by Ashley Sehorn; the costume design was by Laura Sirkin-Brown; the sound design was by Mike Harkins; the props were designed by Sarah Zoghbi; and the lighting design was by Joan Long.

CHARACTERS

AMANDA WINGFIELD

LAURA WINGFIELD

TOM WINGFIELD

JIM DELANEY

Character Descriptions:

Amanda Wingfield, a perennial southern belle, transferred to more rigorous climate and conditions.

Laura Wingfield, her daughter, a shy and sensitive girl of eighteen who “needs to be pushed a little.”

Tom Wingfield, her son, the dreamy type, who also needs pushing a little.

Jim Delaney, a gentleman caller, who represents dreams plus action, the man coming toward us. Needs pulling.