FOUR HELEN

A single consciousness moves towards death. Are the characters ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices. They slip through time, sometimes experiencing the past as a memory, sometimes experiencing it as a moment of storytelling, sometimes as a trauma survivor in a flashback. They are taking themselves on a tour of their childhood in a pre-war, Ohio Valley...

A single consciousness moves towards death. Are the characters ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices. They slip through time, sometimes experiencing the past as a memory, sometimes experiencing it as a moment of storytelling, sometimes as a trauma survivor in a flashback. They are taking themselves on a tour of their childhood in a pre-war, Ohio Valley coal town—purging the memories and fragments of a long life. The text uses ritual and repetition to explore the nature of identity and how our sense of self continues even after the stories that constitute a life become fragmented and forgotten. In staging, the play is more akin to a ghost story told from the ghost’s point of view.

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FOUR HELEN

Recommended by

  • Bridget Erin: FOUR HELEN

    Four aspects of a soul journey through the past on their way to the afterlife in this subtle but powerful piece. Plainspokenness takes on a lyrical quality in their overlapping and sometimes contradictory dialogue, as they choose what to remember and how to remember it. There are many exciting possibilities here for a director and designer to explore, and it would be a rewarding challenge for a strong female ensemble cast.

    Four aspects of a soul journey through the past on their way to the afterlife in this subtle but powerful piece. Plainspokenness takes on a lyrical quality in their overlapping and sometimes contradictory dialogue, as they choose what to remember and how to remember it. There are many exciting possibilities here for a director and designer to explore, and it would be a rewarding challenge for a strong female ensemble cast.

Character Information

Any age, ethnicity. Are they ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices.

ONE HELEN—pulls them to the world of the living
TWO HELEN—brings a snarky self-awareness to their experience
THREE HELEN—holds their most detailed memories
FOUR HELEN—searches for the afterlife

  • ONE HELEN
    ONE HELEN pulls them to the world of the living.

    Any age, ethnicity. Are they ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices.
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • TWO HELEN
    TWO HELEN brings a snarky self-awareness to their experience.

    Are they ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices.
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • THREE HELEN
    THREE HELEN holds their most detailed memories.

    Are they ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices.
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • FOUR HELEN
    FOUR HELEN searches for the afterlife.

    Are they ghosts? Are they the fragments of an elderly consciousness? One person, four bodies, four voices.
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization New Noise--Sound Off VI festival, Year 2014