Lies

Fresh out of law school, Benny, an inexperienced public defender, is facing the case of his life - trying to win the parole of a notorious German World War II radio propagandist who has a hard time telling the truth. Or does she? Are her truths all lies, or are her lies really the truth? And what happens when you can no longer tell the two apart?
Set in 1950 but as timely as today’s Washington tweets, the 90...

Fresh out of law school, Benny, an inexperienced public defender, is facing the case of his life - trying to win the parole of a notorious German World War II radio propagandist who has a hard time telling the truth. Or does she? Are her truths all lies, or are her lies really the truth? And what happens when you can no longer tell the two apart?
Set in 1950 but as timely as today’s Washington tweets, the 90-minute, one-set, 2-character play (1f, early 40s; 1m, 25-28) is an allegory about lying in government, and a meditation on what truth actually is.

  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

Lies

Recommended by

  • Sam Danko: Lies

    Lies by Jerry Slaff is an incredibly tight two-hander which explores the truth in lies and lies in the truth. Not everything is so clearly cut as they'd like you to think, and there is always much more room for nuance than you could possibly imagine. The characters in Slaff's play are deep and carry around with them intellectual complexities that any actor would die for a chance to play. and above everything else, it was a blast to read and I couldn't recommend it more.

    Lies by Jerry Slaff is an incredibly tight two-hander which explores the truth in lies and lies in the truth. Not everything is so clearly cut as they'd like you to think, and there is always much more room for nuance than you could possibly imagine. The characters in Slaff's play are deep and carry around with them intellectual complexities that any actor would die for a chance to play. and above everything else, it was a blast to read and I couldn't recommend it more.

  • Philip Middleton Williams: Lies

    In "The Crucible," Arthur Miller used the Salem witch trials as the allegory for the McCarthy era, framing the paranoia of the Red Scare as a cautionary tale of the consequences for the accused and accusers. In much the same way, Jerry Slaff uses the case of an American woman convicted of treason during World War II as analogous to the time when truth vs. "alternative facts" made us all wonder where the line between reality and fiction became blurred or obliterated. There are many lessons in this intense two-hander. Ignore them at your peril.

    In "The Crucible," Arthur Miller used the Salem witch trials as the allegory for the McCarthy era, framing the paranoia of the Red Scare as a cautionary tale of the consequences for the accused and accusers. In much the same way, Jerry Slaff uses the case of an American woman convicted of treason during World War II as analogous to the time when truth vs. "alternative facts" made us all wonder where the line between reality and fiction became blurred or obliterated. There are many lessons in this intense two-hander. Ignore them at your peril.

  • Jennifer O'Grady: Lies

    A terrifically skillful and suspenseful play, with two fascinating characters and lots of twists and turns you never see coming. I'd love to see this produced. Highly recommend!

    A terrifically skillful and suspenseful play, with two fascinating characters and lots of twists and turns you never see coming. I'd love to see this produced. Highly recommend!

View all 5 recommendations

Character Information

  • BENNY
    a young inexperienced lawyer
    Character Age
    25
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Jewish
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • LORELEI
    a German American radio propagandist in jail for treason
    Character Age
    42
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Female

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization AMT Theater, New York, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization PlayFest Santa Barbara, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization HRC Showcase Theater, New Canaan, NY, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization Theater on the Lake, Deep Creek Lake, Md., Year 2020
  • Type Reading, Organization Attic Salt Theatre Company, Asheville NC, Year 2020
  • Type Reading, Organization Baltimore Playwrights Festival, Year 2019

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Attic Salt Theater, Asheville NC, Year 2023
  • Type Fringe, Organization Scripted Brussels theater festival, Year 2020
  • Type Professional, Organization Lab Theater Festival, Tampa, Fl., Year 2020

Awards

  • SigWorks reading series
    Signature Theater, Arlington, Va.
    Finalist
    2019
  • Grand Prize, 88th Annual Writers Digest Writing Competition
    Writers Digest
    Winner
    2019