The Panel

Zinne Harris, Zinnie Harris

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9781780015972
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

The last candidate has just left the room and the door is shut. The clock is ticking, there's a train to catch, and the panel must decide who to appoint. But what is really motivating them, and whose agenda will prevail?

Zinnie Harris's short play The Panel was first performed at the Tricycle Theatre, London, as part of the Women, Power and Politics season in June 2010.

THE PANEL

Zinnie Harris

Characters

CHRIS

MAURICE

BILL

JASON

DAVID

Five men behind a table. JASON, BILL, CHRIS, MAURICE and DAVID.

In front of them, a jug of water, and some biscuits. The table is littered with pieces of paper.

CHRIS is the chairperson, JASON is the shit-hot guy from another office, DAVID is close to retirement and MAURICE and BILL are mid-career. MAURICE can be cantankerous, BILL pensive.

CHRIS. the door isn’t quite closed

MAURICE. I didn’t like her

CHRIS. the door isn’t quite shut, can we shut it first?

One of the men goes and shuts the door.

honestly, for goodness’ sake

MAURICE. I hadn’t heard you

CHRIS. is it shut now?

BILL. yes.

JASON. she’d gone don’t worry

CHRIS. had she?

Beat.

BILL. well I’ll start if you want

CHRIS. okay

MAURICE. I thought she was poor actually, I was more hopeful when I saw her CV but her performance, okay the presentation was acceptable but her answers

CHRIS. poor, as strong as that?

BILL. I thought I was going to start…?

MAURICE. yes, not only did she not answer the questions

JASON. she was nervous

MAURICE. but she seemed not to really understand what we were asking JASON. nerves are no excuse anyway in my book

BILL. is anyone interested in what I think?

MAURICE. no I’m not saying that

DAVID. I disagree, nerves okay not an excuse but

MAURICE. what are you saying? We should have worked to put her at her ease?

CHRIS. the questions were very clear

DAVID. well we could have done

JASON. you’re supposed to be nervous that’s the point

MAURICE. not so nervous you don’t present yourself well

CHRIS. presentation is part of the job, will be

DAVID. we don’t know her circumstances, that is all I am saying

MAURICE. I think she hadn’t thought it all through properly, she hadn’t –

DAVID. did we offer her a tea?

MAURICE. collected her thoughts

BILL. she was shoddy

DAVID. she had come all the way from Darlington

MAURICE. prepared it in her mind

BILL. her reference isn’t good either

MAURICE. got her story straight, she hadn’t

DAVID. did we offer to take her coat?

JASON. let me see

CHRIS hands JASON the piece of paper.

CHRIS. I suppose maybe if she had been here with us longer

BILL. they all got the same

CHRIS. I know but if she had had another twenty minutes

MAURICE. I was frustrated with her

DAVID. women like that, men like that they don’t perform well on-the-hoof that’s all

JASON. this isn’t a bad reference

BILL. I didn’t say it was bad

JASON. you said it wasn’t good

BILL. it doesn’t…

MAURICE. let me see

BILL. what’s the word, glow

The reference is handed on.

JASON. I don’t know what she’s got in her favour really.

We are all more or less saying the same thing

DAVID. her age

MAURICE. a little old I thought

DAVID. well yes but

BILL. this is a young woman’s game

DAVID. she’s experienced

JASON. I never know what people mean when they say that

MAURICE. it means elderly

DAVID. no it means

JASON. look she isn’t up to it, we are all agreed.

DAVID. they have years behind them, status

JASON. can we move on Chris?

only time is pressing –

CHRIS. yes okay.

Gentlemen, a decision?

He holds her CV over the bin.

DAVID. we just move on too fast in my opinion, she is two minutes out of the door and here we are

JASON. we don’t have all day

DAVID. sometimes a little reflection

CHRIS. Jason has to get a train

DAVID. I know but

Beat.

MAURICE. I’m on David’s side, another couple of minutes won’t hurt

After all not everything is about Jason’s train.

Beat

CHRIS. Jason?

JASON. fine

DAVID. just to collect my thoughts.

Pause.

DAVID is thinking, everyone else waiting expectantly.

BILL. David, she wasn’t strong. None of us have ha...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Original Production
• Characters
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information