The Opium War: A Radio Play

The Bedroom Over The Butcher Shop. Night. Manuel Smokes Opium In Bed And Reads Out Loud To His Wife, Mariana.

The Butcher Shop. Next Morning. Amalia Holds Her Grandson Clemente, And Sings To Him While She Tries To Chop Meat. Mariana Enters, Then Louie.

The Bedroom. Later That Morning. Manuel Is Sitting In Bed. Louie Enters.

The Butcher Shop. That Night. Manuel Shows Louie How To Cook And Smoke Opium.

Chinatown. Later That Night. Louie Stands On A Soapbox And Delivers A Speech To A Large Crowd.

The Butcher Shop. A Month Later. Morning. Amalia And Mariana Are Working. Clemente Is In His Crib.

The Dining Room. That Evening. Manuel, Mariana, And Amalia Sit At The Table. Louie Enters, His Hand Bandaged.

The Butcher Shop. A Month Later. Evening. Louie, Very Well Dressed, Totals Up His Opium Sales Using An Abacus, Then Writes Them In His Ledger.

The Bedroom. That Night. Manuel Confides In The Young Clemente.

The Butcher Shop. Dawn. Amalia Is Alone. She Sings Her Thoughts About The Universe.

The Parlor. Two Months Later. Afternoon. New Expensive Furniture, Freshly Painted Walls. Manuel Has Fallen Asleep In A Chair While Reading.

The Bedroom. That Evening. Mariana Reads A Letter Sent By Her Father To Her Mother In 1896. Louie Listens Behind The Door.

The Parlor. That Night. Manuel Crouches, Naked, On The Window Ledge. Amalia Begs Him To Go To Bed.

The Parlor. Next Morning. Evelyn Harding, A Fashionable Opium Customer, Is Talking With Mariana. Later, They Move To The Bedroom. Louie Enters When They Are Asleep, Afterwards Manuel.

The Psychiatric Ward. A Month Later. Morning. Manuel Is Crouching In The Isolation Room. Dr. Stein Sits Next To Him.

The Living Room. Six Months Later. Morning. Mariana And Amalia Are Sitting. Manuel Enters Wearing An Old Suit That Belonged To Her Father, And Carrying A Suitcase. He Is Just Out Of The Hospital. Louie Follows Him.

The Bedroom. That Night. Manuel Sleeps In An Opium Daze. Mariana Cuts Her Hair In Front Of The Mirror. Louie Enters, Then Amalia.