Playwriting - Beauty is Skin Deep

A play about a dystopian world where facial deformities are not acceptable and individuals with permanent facial deformities have to live in exile from society. The play explores the themes of beauty, discrimination, and acceptance.

Running head: PLAYWRITING
Playwriting
-Beauty is skin deep
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PLAYWRITING
(Context: The patient is Miss Barbara Sanders (age 20 years). The incident takes place in an
imaginary dystopian world where the appearances of individuals are one of the most
important aspects to be a part of society. Any facial deformities and abnormalities are not
acceptable, and individuals with permanent facial deformities have to live in exile from the
society and the city limits along with others with similar conditions. Miss Barbara who has a
facial deformity has been undergoing repeated surgeries. She is back to the hospital after the
last surgical intervention, which apparently did not work as expected. The patient is sitting on
the hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to come, her entire face is bandaged, and her eyes are
covered, so she can’t see very well. The patient is accompanied by a nurse.)
Characters:
Miss Barbara Sanders (the patient),
Tiffany (the nurse),
Dr Hugo Braddock (Surgeon)
Mr. John Wilcox (Leader of the exiled community)
Scene 1
Setting: A hospital ward with a single bed for the patient. Door is on the right and a window
to the left of the bed. Medicines are on the bedside table.
The face of the patient remains hidden throughout the play until the climax, and the faces of
the doctor and nurse are also covered, preventing audiences to see them.
Ms Sanders (slightly nervous): I don’t know why my face is not getting fixed. I had to
undergo 5 surgeries till now, and every time doctors assured that my face will be
fixed.

2PLAYWRITING
Tiffany: I’m sure ma’am that if the doctors have given assurance, then the problem can be
fixed.
Ms Sanders (slightly comforted): I hope I get to hear good news this time around.
Enter Doctor Braddock
Dr Braddock: Hello Ms Sanders, how are you feeling today?
Ms Sanders: I’m feeling great doctor, thanks for asking. What was the result of the last
week’s surgery?
Dr Braddock: I’m sorry to inform you that the last surgery was not successful, and there were
some complications due to which we were not able to completely restructure your
face.
Ms Sanders (with a shaky voice): Does… does that mean I… I will be exiled forever from the
city? Please don’t let that happen to me doctor! I cannot survive on my own in those
badlands with the exiled people.
Nurse (trying to reassure the patient): Now, now, Ms Sanders, don’t get too nervous, the
doctor is here to help you.
Dr Braddock (with a calm and comforting voice): Don’t worry yet Ms Sanders, all is not lost
yet, and there is still hope for you. We have a famous surgeon, coming from Europe,
he is very experienced and people say he has magic in his hands and have fixed even
the worst kinds of facial deformities. He will also be working on your surgery with
me next time. I’m sure; the next time will prove to be a success.
Ms Sanders (feeling relieved): Oh! Thank Goodness for the wonderful news dear doctor, I’m
so happy to hear that. May I know when will the next surgery be done?

3PLAYWRITING
Dr Braddock: The next surgery date will be after 4 days. We won’t be removing your
bandages for that time. Once the surgery is done we can remove your bandages and
mask. However, this might be the last attempt we have to fix your face.
Exit Doctor Braddock. End of Scene 1.

4PLAYWRITING
(Context: Ms Sanders nurse are alone in the nursing ward)
SCENE 2:
Setting: Same as Scene 1
Ms Sanders (anxious): The good doctor seemed confident that the next surgery will be
successful. I feel confident too.
Nurse: No need to worry Ma’am, Doctor Braddock is one of the best in the country, and if he
trusts the European surgeon, he must be good too.
Ms Sanders (excited): I can’t wait to get back to my regular life, start attending college, get a
good job, get married and settle in a beautiful beach house. Once my face is fixed, I
can get married to a handsome man, and have a good life.
Nurse: I’m sure you would have a great life ahead of you. You don’t have to worry about the
exile. I have seen worse looking disfigurations being fixed.
Ms Sanders (sigh of relief): Only if Ma’ was there with me in all these times, I would have
felt so much better.
Nurse (consoling): We all are here for you, to help you.
Ms Sanders (breaking from her reverie): Can you please help me to the toilet, it’s hard for me
to move around with all this bandage and mask on my face.
Nurse: Of course, just hold on to me and get up slowly, I shall lead you.
The nurse gently leads Ms Sanders to the toilet.
End of Scene 2.

5PLAYWRITING
(Context: Four days have passed since the last surgery; the patient is being prepared now for
the final surgery and the last effort to save her face and her life within the society. The patient
is being helped on by the nurse into the surgery preparation room.)
SCENE 3:
Setting: Same as scene 1.
Dr Braddock: Good morning Ms Sanders, Good morning Tiffany.
Ms Sanders: Good morning to you good doctor.
Nurse: Good morning doctor. Ms Sanders is ready for the operation.
Dr Braddock: Good, Dr Albert Joseph will join in the surgery later on; he is currently running
late from another visit.
Ms Sanders: Oh, I see.
Dr Braddock: You need to sign these papers, which basically say that this is the last attempt
for a surgery, after which no more procedures can be done. If this surgery fails, there
won’t be anything we can do, and would would have to live in exile. However I am
sure that won’t happen.
The nurse helps Ms Sanders to open the bandage over the eyes, just barely enough to read the
paper and sign it.
Mr. Braddock: Thanks Ms Sanders.
Dr Braddock: Tiffany please wheel in Ms Sanders into the operating room.
Exit the Nurse with Ms Sanders on the wheelchair. Exit Dr Braddock.
End of Scene 3.

6PLAYWRITING
(Context: Ms Sanders is slowly wheeled in the hospital ward, her face covered in bandages.
There is an air of gloom in the hospital ward. Dr Braddock has a serious look on his face.)
Scene 4:
Setting: Same as scene 1, a wheelchair is kept at the bedside. Scissors and a tray held by the
nurse. Ms Sanders, Tiffany and Dr Braddock are in the room)
Dr Braddock: I’m really sorry to inform you Ms Sanders, the surgery did not go as we
planned. The deformities of your face was more than just skin deep, and we couldn’t
fix it. Dr Joseph used all his expertise, but he couldn’t find a fix to this as well. I am
afraid you would have to live with his the rest of your life.
Ms Sanders (very upset): So will they be exiling me outside the society? Will I have to live
my life alone?
Dr Braddock: No, not alone. The exiled have their own community outside the city. They
have their own society and social systems. You can live with them, they can take care
of you and most importantly, no one will rebuke, discriminate or make fun of you for
how you look. We have one of the leaders of the exiled Mr. John Wilcox witting in
the hospital. You can meet with him; he also has severe facial deformities. He is
looking forward to meet you in person.
Ms Sanders (still upset): Can I see my face now doctor?
Dr Braddock (gently nodding): Tiffany please helps Ms Sanders open her bandages. (Facing
Ms Sanders) Now remember, your eyes have been covered for a long time, so the first
time you open your eyes, it might be hard to see, so I am making the light little
dimmer. Once you adjust to the light, we will brighten the lights and give you a
mirror.

7PLAYWRITING
Ms Sanders: Okay I understand.
The nurse helps Ms Sanders to open the bandage. It is still hard to see the face of Ms Sanders
as lighting of the room is dimmed. After opening the bandage, the nurse brightens the
light and the face of Ms Sanders comes into clear view.
Her face is perfect, without any spots or blemishes. She looks beautiful. The doctor opens his
mask, revealing a grotesque distorted face, the nurse’s face also can be seen which is
as grotesque as the doctors.
Dr Braddock: As you can see Ms Sanders, we tries as good as we could, but we couldn’t fix
that disfigured face of yours.
Ms Sanders (looking at her reflection at the mirror and thinking to herself): “nothing can be
done now, but maybe this is for the better, maybe this is what I am really supposed to
look like”. (Now facing doctor) Thank you for your attempt to help me. I think I am
ready to meet Mr. Wilcox.
Enter Mr. Wilcox. He looks as perfect as Ms Sanders and comes in smiling at Ms
Sanders. Ms Sanders looks at Mr. Wilcox, and realizes that maybe she wasn’t as ugly as she
thought she was. For the first time she felt beautiful for what she looked like. Mr. Wilcox
slightly bows to Ms Sanders, telling her that she was the most beautiful woman he has seen
and asks her if she would like to go on walk with him. Ms Sanders nods and gets up from her
bed, and they both exit the room.
End of Scene 4.

8PLAYWRITING
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