A 20-minute play in which the setting remains the same throughout and actions of any given scene repeat those of a previous one.
Boring, right?
“Heartbeat,” written by Thomas Dunn and directed by Fidel Fonteboa was not.
Simple and rhythmical, like the beating of a heart, the play, which is a part of the first annual Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival, shows how several simple conversations can open up a person, make him/her trusting. The plot is not complicated: a nurse (Jennifer Emmaline) visits a dying patient (Richard Manichello) when on her breaks, and she listens to his heart. The patient, Mr. Miller, seems grumpy, as most people are when they know they don’t have too long to live. The nurse, Sarah, doesn’t like personal questions; she just listens to his heartbeat until the last moment.
The appearance of the characters deserves special attention. As for the patient, the audience doesn’t see much of him; most of his body is under his blanket. All that is shown is his head supported by a pillow, his hairy hands and his hospital robe. Mr. Miller frowns a lot, and from the first scene, the viewers think that the nurse disturbs him. He talks to her harshly, as if he wanted her to go, even though he has no other company anyway. Later on, they start talking, and the grumpy old man bathes the woman in compliments and attempts to get to know her.
As far as Sarah is concerned, she seems to care little about the way she looks. Her boots are dusty and shabby; she wears the uniform of a nurse, and her hair is clipped on the back of her head with an air of nonchalance. The woman talks little, but we learn that she visits Mr. Miller voluntarily; she is not assigned to listen to his heartbeat. She just wants to establish connection with him, and not through talking, but via her stethoscope.
As there are so little words in the play, the expression of emotions is crucial. The actors show the characters’ feelings well. The audience understands that Sarah is uncomfortable when her patient starts talking to her, as she looks away and rushes to leave the room. It is also clear that Mr. Miller likes the nurse, as he keeps looking at her and attempts to hold her hand. But, listening to his heart, Sarah avoids letting him know what is going on in her inner world.
All in all, when so little is said, more is implied; therefore, “Heartbeat” leaves every viewer with his or her own interpretation of the dialogue and hardly noticeable movements. In addition to what it is, it is also what you make of it and what meaning you will carry off with you.
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