Purple Heart

Bruce Norris

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2015
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9781780013299
• Subtopic: American Drama
• Index: Literature

A deeply moving meditation on love, loss and grief.

October 1972. In a city somewhere in the American Midwest, Carla is trying to rebuild her life. Her husband is gone– killed in Vietnam. Now, under the watchful eye of her mother-in-law, she must raise her young son whilst struggling to avoid the sympathy of her local community. But everything changes with the unexpected arrival of a soldier on her doorstep.

Bruce Norris's play Purple Heart was first performed by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, in July 2002. It received its UK premiere at the Gate Theatre, London, in March 2013.

ACT ONE

Six p.m., central daylight time. The room is almost totally dark. THOR enters from the hallway. He turns on a lamp, illuminating CARLA, who is asleep on the sofa. She wears a bathrobe over her clothes. THOR studies her briefly, then makes a circuit around the room turning on other lights. CARLA remains asleep.

He goes to the stereo and picks up a record. He places it on the turntable, then leaves the room. An aggressive rock song begins to play at a very high volume. CARLA remains asleep. THOR re-enters with a stepladder. He places it near a wall and climbs up. He removes a clock from the wall and opens its back.

GRACE enters from the front hallway. She wears a coat and scarf and carries her purse.

GRACE. Thor?

He does not respond. GRACE patiently repeats herself.

Thor? Thor? Thor? Thor?

She takes the needle off the record.

Thor.

He still does not respond.

I’m speaking to you, Thor.

THOR. I know.

GRACE. I’d like you to answer me when I speak to you.

THOR. I’m answering.

GRACE (re: the clock). What are you doing with that?

THOR. Changing the time.

GRACE. Did you ask before doing that?

THOR. No.

GRACE. Is there something wrong with it?

THOR. No.

GRACE. Maybe we should leave it the way it is.

THOR. Spring forward fall back.

GRACE. Oh I see.

THOR. I’m doing them all.

GRACE. I see now. Well. Thank you, then. And you know what you’re doing?

THOR. It is oh so challenging.

GRACE. It is an expensive clock, Thor.

THOR (innocently). Did you pay for it?

GRACE. I think we ought to ask your mother before we do something like that.

THOR (to CARLA). Mom, can I set the clock back?

CARLA does not stir.

She doesn’t mind.

GRACE. I don’t trust that ladder. Is that ladder safe?

THOR. I don’t know.

GRACE. Let’s avoid having an accident.

GRACE exits down the hallway. THOR replaces the clock on the wall and descends the ladder. He sits next to CARLA.

THOR. She’s back.

She does not stir. THOR continues patiently.

Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom.

He takes her arm and removes her wristwatch. He resets the time, then replaces it on her wrist.

Mom. Mom. Mom.

He pinches her nose. She pulls her head away but does not open her eyes.

CARLA. Don’t.

THOR. She’s back.

CARLA. Don’t do that to me.

THOR. You said wake you up when she got back.

CARLA. I’m awake.

THOR. Now you are.

CARLA. Don’t pinch my nose.

THOR. Get up.

CARLA. I’m up.

THOR. No you’re not.

CARLA. Go away.

THOR. Lazy ass.

CARLA. Go away.

THOR. Lazy ass.

CARLA. Watch it.

THOR. Lazy fucking ass.

CARLA. You’re about to get your ass whipped.

THOR. I’m scared.

CARLA. Keep it up.

THOR. Like to see you try.

CARLA. Keep it up.

THOR. Have to get off your ass first.

CARLA. Keep it up.

THOR. Your lazy ass.

CARLA. Toilet mouth.

THOR. Ass face.

CARLA. I’m not going to speak to you.

THOR. What a tragedy.

CARLA. I’m not going to speak to a toilet mouth.

THOR. Oh no. Not speak? Please. Anything but that.

A long pause.

Aaah. Peace and quiet. Peace at last.

He grows restless.

Did I get my package?

CARLA does nothing. THOR kicks her.

Answer me. Where is it? Answer me. Cut it out. Answer me.

CARLA sticks out her tongue.

God you’re ugly. Old and lazy and ugly. Answer me. Did it come? Stop it.

CARLA wiggles her tongue.

You’re disgusting. You look disgusting when you do that. Stop it. Answer me. I hate you. Lazy whore.

CARLA opens her eyes and sits up.

CARLA. Hey.

THOR. What?

CARLA. Watch what you say to me, you little piece of shit.

THOR. So try answering me for a change.

CARLA. I did answer you but you better watch your mouth.

THOR. No you didn’t.

CARLA. And don’t do things to me while I’m asleep.

THOR. You said to wake you up.

Pause.

CARLA. How long has she been back?

THOR. Couple of minutes. Where is it?

CARLA. Where is what?

THOR. My package. I asked you ten times.

CARLA. I don’t know.

THOR. Why is it taking so long?

CARLA. I don’t know.

THOR. Fucking rip-off.

CARLA. It’ll come.

THOR. When?

CARLA. I don’t know.

THOR. Never.

CARLA. Maybe tomorrow.

THOR. Maybe never.

CARLA. Few more days.

THOR. I better get some money back.

THOR reaches in his pocket and pulls out a ‘finger guillotine’ from a novelty shop.

Put your finger in here.

CARLA. No.

THOR. Do it.

CARLA. I don’t want to.

THOR. Do it.

CARLA. No.

THOR. Do it.

CARLA. No.

THOR. Yes.

CARLA. I don’t want to.

THOR. You have to.

CARLA. I’m not going to do it.

THOR finds a pencil and inserts it in the guillotine. He chops it in half. Then he takes a trick knife and a tube of fake blood out of his pocket. He holds the knife to his throat.

THOR. Look.

CARLA. No.

THOR. I’m gonna stab myself.

CARLA. I don’t like it.

THOR. Look. You baby.

CARLA. All right, all right.

He pushes the knife into his throat and squeezes the fake blood on his neck.

Very funny.

THOR. I’m bleeding.

CARLA. Don’t get that on the sofa.

THOR. I’m dying.

CARLA. I don’t want that blood on the sofa.

THOR. It washes out.

CARLA. Well, I don’t want to wash it out.

He wipes the blood off of his neck.

THOR. What happened to Chet and Gibby?

CARLA. How should I know?

THOR. They never come over.

CARLA. They have their own things to do.

THOR. Like what?

CARLA. I don’t know and frankly I don’t care.

THOR. Call them.

CARLA. They go to college, Thor.

THOR. So?

CARLA. So the whole world d...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Author’s Note
• Original Production
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information