FAM AND YAM An imaginary interview. Edward Albee. An excellent companion piece for one of his more lengthy one-act plays. 2 men; interior. |
Yam (the young American playwright) has requested an
interview with Fam (the famous American playwright). The
interview begins as Yam clucks appreciatively over all the
evidences of Fam's success-the paintings, the view, the
sheer luxury of his apartment. Fam endeavours to bring the
conversation back to the subject at hand, the article for
which Yam is gathering material. Yam responds with a
vengeance. As Fam swallows off one glass of sherry after
another, Yam proceeds to mount a vitriolic attack on the
insidious commerciality of the Broadway theatre;
methodically ticking off evil element after evil element.
The whole thing amuses Fam enormously, and he is laughing so
hard in his sherry-induced haze that he fails to realise
that words - dangerous ones - are being put in his mouth.
Suddenly the interview ends and Fam, still chortling, sees
Yam to the door. Moments later the telephone rings. It is
Yam, thanking his host for the "interview" which, obviously,
he intends to use as the basis for his article. Fam is
struck - too late - by the realisation of the trap into
which his fatuousness has allowed him to be led. He turns
ashen as his paintings frown, reel, tilt and crash down
around him.
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