How about sharing your favorite dramatic scene or much loved short, one-act play. The heightened drama created by a superb theatrical piece creates perhaps a more powerful climax than any other genre in literature.
Here's a short experimental piece written by F.T. Marinetti, the leader of the Italian Futurist movement.
THEY ARE COMING
Drama of Objects
Luxurious room, evening.- A large lighted chandelier. Open French windows (upstage left) that open onto a garden. At left, along the wall, but separated from it, a large rectangular table with cover. Along the wall on the right (through which a door opens), a huge and tall armchair beside which eight chairs are aligned, four to the right and four to the left (of the armchair).
A MAJORDOMO and two servants in tails enter from the left door.
THE MAJORDOMO: They are coming. Prepare. (Exits.)
(The servants, in a great hurry, arrange the eight chairs in a horseshoe beside the armchair, which remains in the same place, as does the table. When they have finished, they go and look out the door, turning their backs to the audience. A long minute of waiting. The MAJORDOMO reenters, panting.)
THE MAJORDOMO: Countermand. I am very tired.... Many cushions, many stools ... (Exits.)
The servants exit by the right door and reenter loaded down with cushions and stools. Then, taking the armchair, they put it in the middle of the room and arrange the chairs (four on each side of the armchair) with the chairs' backs turned toward the armchair. Then they put cushions on each chair and on the armchair and stools before each chair and, likewise, before the armchair.
The servants go again to look out the French windows. A long minute of waiting.
THE MAJORDOMO (reenters, running): Briccatirakamekame. (Exits.)
(The servants carry the table to the middle of the room, arrange the armchair (at the head of the table) and the chairs around it: then, leaving and reentering from the right door, they rapidly set the table. At one place, a vase of flowers; at another, a lot of bread; at another, eight bottles of wine. At other places, only a knife, fork, and spoon ... one chair must be leaning against the table, with its rear legs raised, as is done in restaurants to indicate that a place is reserved. When they have finished, the servants go again to look outside. A long minute of waiting.
THE MAJORDOMO: (reenters, running): Briccatirakamekame. (Exits.)
(Immediately, the servants replace the table, which remains set, in the position it occupied when the curtain went up. Then they put the armchair in front of the French windows, at a slant, and behind the armchair they arrange the eight chairs in Indian file diagonally across the set. Having done this, they turn off the chandelier. The set remains faintly lit by the moonlight that is coming in through the French windows. An invisible reflector projects the shadows of the armchair and chairs on the floor. The very distinct shadows (obtained by moving the reflector slowly) visibly lengthen toward the French windows.
The servants, wedged into a corner, wait trembling with evident agony, while the chairs leave the room.)
Translation from the Italian by Victoria Nes Kirby
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