A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Octopus

Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy  /  5m

"A fiercely imaginative and finely tuned new voice... Smartly observed and blissfully performed" - San Francisco Chronicle
After young couple Kevin and Blake engage in an adventurous and hastily planned night of group sex with the older, more “experienced” Max and Andy, they are left trying to salvage their relationship

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

After young couple Kevin and Blake engage in an adventurous and hastily planned night of group sex with the older, more “experienced” Max and Andy, they are left trying to salvage their relationship from a pummeling mix of jealousy, betrayal, telegrams from a soaking wet delivery boy and a ravenous sea monster from the ocean floor. This universal love story rendered through a post-modern gay lens slips from domestic comedy into a darkly fantastic fable examining the role and depth of commitment in relationships and what it really means to say the words “I love you.”

History
Octopus was first presented by Actor's Express Theatre Company with Artistic Director Freddie Ashley and Managing director Zak Topor at the King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 27, 2008. It was directed by Kate Warner. The play was subsequently presented in its West Coast Premiere by Encore Theatre Company with Artistic Director Lisa Steindler and Magic Theatre with Managing Director David Jobin at the Magic Theatre's Same Sehpard Theater in San Francisco, California on May 17, 2008. It was directed by Kate Warner.
KEVIN - a man, 20s, handsome, bright, rational, arrogant, reckless
BLAKE - a man, 20s, witty, innocence and care, maybe a bit hipster
MAX - a man, 30s, polished, but somewhat like a predatory cat
ANDY – a man, 40s, fit, confident, and suspending disbelief
TELEGRAM DELIVERY BOY - a younger man, an idea of youth, beauty and vitality all wrapped in a tight, snappy outfit; a slice of Americana; but there is something darker underneath
  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No intermission, Special Effects
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Intense Adult Themes
    • Strong Language
    • Nudity/Partial Nudity

Media

"A fiercely imaginative and finely tuned new voice... Smartly observed and blissfully performed... [Octopus'] tentacles tickle the funny bone, awake the mind and tug on the heart." - San Francisco Chronicle

"An evening full of arresting images... classic tragedy seen through a very contemporary ironic lens" - Marin Independent Journal

"This tale of two gay couples' group sex fling and its serious consequences arrives at a powerful statement about illness and love." - Variety

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

Scripts

Available Formats:

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Authors

Steve Yockey

Steve Yockey is a Los Angeles based writer with work produced throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. His plays Pluto, Bellwether, Afterlife, Octopus, Large Animal Games, CARTOON, Subculture, Very Still & Hard to See, The Fisherman’s Wife, Wolves, Disassembly, and Niagara Falls ...
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