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31 Plays in 31 Days, #21 - “Asshole”
Another Dream Machine bit. This combines two elements that will be featuring later in how I envision season 1– Ryan reencountering his ex-wife Veronica, with whom he parted on very bad terms, and the reconnection with an old producing partner, Cory Bentley. Cory dangling the possibility of him returning to the big leagues of film production brings out the old version of Ryan from before he got clean, and he’s forced to confront the kind of person he used to be. Spoiler alert: he’s not entirely pleased with what he realizes about himself. I’ve written about Cory before in this scene, “Hello, 1989.”
Veronica Dresden is a character I’ve enjoyed working out. Writing this, I realized how rarely I’ve ever treated drama between former romantic partners. I have not written many characters who have ever been divorced, much less have interaction with that former spouse. And as I think I’ve mentioned, Veronica is a particular challenge because I want to make her angry enough at Ryan that the audience instinctively sympathizes with him, but in realizing how justified she is in her anger, they have to confront their own assumption that an angry ex wife must be a bitch. It’s a tough balance to achieve.
( Day #21 - Asshole )
Veronica Dresden is a character I’ve enjoyed working out. Writing this, I realized how rarely I’ve ever treated drama between former romantic partners. I have not written many characters who have ever been divorced, much less have interaction with that former spouse. And as I think I’ve mentioned, Veronica is a particular challenge because I want to make her angry enough at Ryan that the audience instinctively sympathizes with him, but in realizing how justified she is in her anger, they have to confront their own assumption that an angry ex wife must be a bitch. It’s a tough balance to achieve.
( Day #21 - Asshole )