White Lead

Jessica Siân

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781788500647
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

A short play exploring the expectations and responsibilities of being an artist and a woman.

Jessica Siân's play White Lead was first performed at Hampstead Theatre, London, in November 2016, as part of the Women Centre Stage Festival produced by Sphinx Theatre, demonstrating the range, depth and richness of women's writing for the stage.

The play is also available in Women Centre Stage, a collection of eight short plays selected by Sue Parrish, Artistic Director of Sphinx Theatre. All the plays included in this volume offer a wide variety of rewarding roles for women, and are perfect for schools, youth groups and theatre companies to perform. Other writers included in the collection include Winsome Pinnock, Timberlake Wertenbaker and April De Angelis.

‘I have already settled it for myself so
flattery and criticism go down the same drain’

Georgia O’Keeffe

Characters

DIDO

VENNI

CAROL

VENNI and CAROL stand, facing off across a dining table. DIDO is sat at the table between them.

Beat.

DIDO. Wine anyone?

VENNI. Yes.

CAROL. No.

CAROL. She shouldn’t –

VENNI. She’s fine. You’re fine aren’t you Dido?

DIDO. I’ll go and get it.

VENNI. Not far then?

CAROL. No not –

VENNI. B&B? Or what is it now? AirBnB –

CAROL. No actually, Karl –

VENNI. Karl?

CAROL. Don’t get –

VENNI. Karl? Well –

CAROL. It’s nothing…

VENNI. No, no, just, well I only see him, what? Every other day, in here every other day, poking about the studio, rubbing his nose in a canvas, fingering through some –

CAROL. It’s not ideal I –

VENNI. Report back does he?

CAROL. No, he –

VENNI. Space. That’s what you said wasn’t it? Space? Yes?

CAROL. Yes?

VENNI. Hm, sounds like you’ve got what you wanted then.

CAROL. We keep it separate, he… I’ve asked him not to mention –

VENNI. Karl not talk about… Ha, what else does Karl Rippen have to talk about?

CAROL. Nothing, it’s not –

VENNI. No, really, I’m curious, what do you discuss? What’s dinner conversation round Karl’s?

CAROL. I don’t know, general… stuff, things that happen, telly –

VENNI. Telly!? One of the UK’s foremost art dealers is in to Strictly this season is he?

CAROL. Do you have to be so –

VENNI. Who’s he supporting then? Do you watch it together? Share a packet of digestives?

CAROL. Jesus! Can you just… He’s just letting me stay, I asked him not to tell you, I knew you’d make him feel horrible about it and you know he’ll do anything for you –

VENNI. He’ll do anything for the work something you –

CAROL. Yeah okay, fine. I walked out on you, I walked out on ‘the work’. I’m at Karl’s okay? Can we drop it?

Beat.

VENNI. Well you can tell him I found some preparatory sketches from ’89 –

CAROL. No –

VENNI. The year Dido came, I did this whole series of –

CAROL. I’m not here to talk about the retrospective Venni I’m here for Dido.

VENNI. Fine, fine… Do you know why she’s…?

CAROL. No. Something she’s got to, I don’t know, tell us… together.

VENNI. She’s cooking.

CAROL. Dinner?

VENNI. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad. She looks good. Seems healthy.

CAROL. Last time she cooked she was fourteen and she’d shot up one of your canvases with her air rifle… Lasagne I think.

DIDO. ‘Figure Three, Greek Street’, part of series wasn’t it? Really… you used some special –

VENNI. Yes, well, long time ago.

DIDO. I’ve not brought my air rifle, so… not to worry. Red alright?

VENNI. Are you going to put us out of our misery then?

DIDO. In a bit, can we just –

CAROL. Give her a minute.

DIDO. Thanks, just, yeah… what are you working on?

VENNI. Red’s lovely, Carol?

CAROL. I’m fine.

VENNI. I’m ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Dedication
• Introduction
• Original Production Details
• White Lead
• The Sphinx Test
• Biography
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information