THIN PLACES AND LIMINAL SPACES: A TEN MINUTE PLAY CAST OF CHARACTERS Notes: It is nighttime in a park in Kenmare, Ireland. A middle-aged Irish woman, Siobhan, is sitting on a bench under a lamp post. She sighs, takes out pills, and looks at them. Looks SIOBHAN JOHN About the Author Susan Courtney is a playwright (Dramatists Guild), short story writer, theater professor (Westchester Community College), theater director & professional actor (Equity/SAG-AFTRA). Having always loved theater, Susan studied Acting in college and went on to get an MA in Theatre from NYU. While teaching Acting for years to college students, senior citizens, and children; Susan was inspired to write her own plays. Weekly writing labs with Artistic New Directions in Manhattan enabled her to cast her plays with actors and develop her plays for production. Recent Play Productions include: WAITING FOR THE TRAIN, Actors Theater Playhouse, West Chesterfield, N.H. (June 2025) WHERE NO WOMAN HAS GONE BEFORE, Illusion/Confusion Play Festival, ATA, NYC (June 2025) & The Secret Theater, Semi-finalist, Act One: One Act Play Festival, N.Y. (July 2024) GIRL IN BLUE ARMCHAIR, Rye Brook Community Center, N.Y. (May 2025) GALWAY CITY VISITOR, Salmagundi Art Club, N.Y., N.Y. (2024)
SIOBHAN: A middle-aged Irish woman. Lost in the past, seeking peace and a sense of
hope.
JOHN O’DONOHUE: Famous Irish poet and philosopher. Now, a spirit that is called to
help souls in need.
Excerpts from John O’Donohue’s book, To Bless the Space Between Us.
“For One Who is Exhausted” pg. 125
“A Morning Offering” pg. 9
Excerpt from song, “Company”, by Rickie Lee Jones from Rickie Lee Jones (1979)
around . Thinks twice and puts them back in her purse. She sighs again, then takes out
her book to read.
Looks through the pages, she stops.
“For One Who Is Exhausted”-hmm, that’s me. (Reads)
Weariness invades your spirit
Gravity begins falling inside you
Dragging down every bone
The tide you never valued has gone out
And you are marooned on unsure ground
Something within you has closed down
And you cannot push yourself back to life.
(Puts book down) Wow. That’s me-marooned and still exhausted! (Looks up) I’M STILL
EXHAUSTED! What do you say to that, John O Donohue? (Looks around) Shouldn’t
talk to myself. People will think I’m crazy but, well, there’s no people around so…
Lighting changes.
JOHN (Offstage)
You’re not crazy. Just at the end of trying.
SIOBHAN
What? Who said that?
JOHN (Offstage)
Didn’t you ask me?
SIOBHAN
What? Who?
Suddenly the Irish poet, John O’Donohue, appears.
JOHN
Do you like the book?
SIOBHAN
John O’Donohue???
JOHN
It is I.
SIOBHAN
How can you be here?!!
JOHN
You called for me.
SIOBHAN
You heard me?
JOHN
Not sure why. There’s just something about Kenmare that allows for extra thin places.
The veil is almost translucent here. I could see and hear you more clearly than most.
SIOBHAN
You listen to other people?
JOHN
All the time. But this is not the first time I’ve seen you here. You were reading another
one of my books the last time, Anam Cara.
SIOBHAN
Yes. Soul friend. I love that! Do you still write books… where you are?
I write them on the wind… but somehow they reach people like you. Like just now I was
thinking, people are so tired. So worried about everything. It never ends. You want a job,
you get it, you lose it. You want a relationship, you get married, they die. You want a
child, you have one, they leave you. You want it to be sunny and it rains.
SIOBHAN
That’s sums it up for me!
JOHN
But it’s not always raining, Siobhan. But it is for you. Why are you so sad?
SIOBHAN
I …I miss my…
JOHN
Your…?
SIOBHAN
You know, my anam cara.
JOHN
Your sister.
SIOBHAN
How did you know?
JOHN
I have extra insights now. I thought I had them before, but I had no idea.
SIOBHAN
How strange this is. My goodness! So bizarre and… we miss you here!
JOHN
And I miss it too but I had no control over it. You know? And neither do you. We only
have so much time but we all think we’re immortal for some reason. What can you do to
make you feel like your anam cara is still with you?
SIOBHAN
See her?
JOHN
(Laughs) Well, I can do some things like appear here but I can’t make that happen right
now. Why don’t you ask her some questions.
SIOBHAN
What, here?
JOHN
Yes, just out loud.
SIOBHAN
Really? Alright… How are you, Sarah?
No response.
JOHN
Try yes or no questions.
SIOBHAN
Are you happy there?
No response. Suddenly, she realizes what she is doing!
Oh this is so stupid! What am I doing? You can’t really be here. I can’t talk to Sarah.
What is happening to me? I didn’t even take the pills! Must be a weird flashback form
something I took years ago.
She grabs her purse and gets up to leave. Suddenly, the light from the lamp post flickers three times.
Oh! What’s that?
JOHN
Did you see that?
SIOBHAN
Looks like the light is broken.
JOHN
I think it’s a sign. Ask her again.
SIOBHAN
Oh brother, I can’t believe I’m doing this….AlrIght…seriously now…(Loudly) Are you
happy there?
The lamp post flickers three times.
What does that mean?
JOHN
Give her a number.
SIOBHAN
Oh, ok, I get it, make it simple. Right. Sarah, flicker three times if it’s yes and once if it’s
no. Okay?
Lamp post flickers three times.
She said yes!
JOHN
Good. Ask her another one.
SIOBHAN
Umm. Are you sad with the way everything turned out? You know the way you got so
sick and all. Are you sad about that?
Lamp post flickers one time.
She’s not!
JOHN
One more.
SIOBHAN
Have you seen Mom and Dad and Scruffy?
Lamp post flickers thee times.
She has! Oh my. This is too much. I can’t believe it or understand it.
JOHN
She has some questions for you.
SIOBHAN
She does? What is that?
JOHN
Why do you medicate yourself?
SIOBHAN
What? How did she know? Or you? I’m so… embarrassed.
JOHN
Don’t be. Everyone does it in one form or another. Pills, liquor, sex, travel, work…
SIOBHAN
I don’t want to be this way. i just thought…it would be different. you know. I thought we
would.. grow old together.
JOHN
She thought that too. What would she tell you to do if she could appear here right now?
SIOBHAN
Could she?
JOHN
As I said, I cant do everything but …think about it.
SIOBHAN
Well…she’d tell me to stop being sad, that she’s okay now, and that I should sing that
song, “Company”, by Rickie Lee Jones, that I was asked to sing at the Carnegie Arts
Centre benefit and I chickened out.
JOHN
You’re afraid?
SIOBHAN
I am.
JOHN
What are you afraid of? That you’re a bad singer?
SIOBHAN
Not that.
JOHN
That you will forget the lyrics?
SIOBHAN
I won’t.
JOHN
Then what?
SIOBHAN
That… I will cry!
JOHN
And so?
SIOBHAN
That’s not professional.
JOHN
I saw Celine Dion do it. Bernadette Peters. Sinead O’Connor.
SIOBHAN
Really?
JOHN
They cried. They did.
SIOBHAN
Well, I don’t know.
JOHN
Do you think Sarah would like it?
SIOBHAN
I ..well, I think she would.
JOHN
Why don’t you ask her?
SIOBHAN
Oh, oh right. Uh, Sarah, would like it if I sang the song “Company” and dedicated it to
you?
Lamplight flickers three times.
She does!
JOHN
Brilliant! Now turn to page nine and read read the end of this poem, “A Morning Offering”.
Siobhan picks up the book and turns to page nine. She reads from the book.
SIOBHAN
And may I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came her for
And waste my heart on fear no more.
JOHN
Now close your eyes and sing!
Siobhan closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and sings the beginning of “Company”
by Rickie Lee Jones
SIOBHAN
I remember you too clearly
But I’ll survive another day
Conversations to share
When there’s no one there
I’ll imagine what you’d say
I’ll see you in another life now,
I’ll free you in my dreams
But when I reach across the galaxy
I will miss your company
The lighting changes. Siohban opens her eyes. John is gone.
John? John?… Sarah? …Are you still there?
The lamp post flickers three times.
(Smiles) You’re still here, aren’t you?
She grabs her book and puts it in her purse and stands quickly.
I’ll just take you both with me! That’s all. Let’s go to the Carnegie. It’s not too late. Come
on! They’re waiting for us!
THE END.
