Nourish The Beast

“Nourish The Beast” is probably my favorite play of all time. My mother and I saw it on PBS almost 40 years ago, and we’ve never forgotten it. The slack-jawed delight of it has never faded, and it’s on my bucket list to will a copy of it into existence so we can watch it again.

Here is a link to it on IMDB, for all the good that does me. I’ve Googled until my Googler is sore, but I can’t find a video recording of that performance. ~sigh~

The title comes from the scene in which Goya (the main character) and her current husband, Mario (who came in answer to an ad: “Wanted. A man”, which delighted him because here was finally a position for which he was qualified), discuss the matters that need to be attended to. One is feeding the dog. Mario writes it down as “nourish the beast”; if he should drop dead in the street, he would like anyone who searches his pockets to find such a note.

ZOMG I love this play!!!

Here is a link to the publisher, Samuel French, which is where I bought the copy I gave my mother. And here is a link to a PDF of one of the scenes turned into a monologue. And here is a link to a wonderful actor named Alex Robertson doing a stellar job performing that monologue.

I’m trying to get my meathooks on a video of that PBS performance. In researching this post (Yes, I do research them; I bet you thought I must made them up out of my head), I found that the UCLA Film & TV Archive has preserved it, and I’ve tweeted them on Twitter asking where I can get a copy. They’ll probably make me one for eleventy bazillion bucks. Ah, well, I can but try.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character writes a want ad for an unusual object, or writes an unusual ad for a common object.

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “Nourish The Beast

  1. Brogan Thomsen

    December 13, 2023 at 1:34am

    Me Too.
    Saw it PBS in Texas I think. That’s my review on IMDB signed in as Borg22
    Seem to remember it was a HOLLYWOOD TELEVISION THEATRE PRODUCTION….so your mention of LA could fit. BroganfromSeattle.

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  2. Bud Weiser, WTIT

    May 15, 2021 at 9:25pm

    My favorite play as well. I had an audio cassette of the PBS performance but lost it in the 80s. My family got together to record it as a radio version, and it lives on again…

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      Marian Allen

      May 16, 2021 at 9:39am

      One day, I will have a tape of the teleplay with Eileen Brennen. Goals, man.

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  3. Mary

    August 22, 2012 at 6:32pm

    I really like the prompt. Really gets the thoughts going. The play sounds wonderful.

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      Marian Allen

      August 22, 2012 at 9:28pm

      Mary, if you ever get the chance to see or read the play, DO. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, and for your kind words about the prompt. I provide one every day.

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