Rod Raglin: Harry's Truth

Nouw-Wochenrückblick #24 Der Luftraum darf nicht mit dem Fahrr...

Rod Raglin: Harry's Truth

Dear Mr. Raglin,

who names a girl Alexus instead of Alexis? Must be the latest trend among Canadian socialites, just like serving hor d'oeurves and walking the talk.

Harry's Truth is a play about five of these socialites. New money, fashionable clothes, a lot of work to do for Harry and Philip, the two business partners who started off selling doves to chinese restaurants and slowly made it big. Now they're past fourty and Harry has had enough. Enough, that's the keyword here: He wants to downsize the firm and his expenses because he knows that more money can't make him happier anymore. Although Harry doesn't know it, science is on his side. Whenever and wherever social psychologists ask people about their income and their happiness, they always find a certain treshold sum. Below it, more income makes people happier. Above it, more money makes no difference anymore. Harry is experiencing this effect firsthand and wants to escape. But his wife won't have it. Neither will Philip and his wife. Only Alexus, Philip's still-teenage daughter, is equally fed up with the lifestyle and wants to work at a small local newspaper instead of going to college.

You show the interactions between the five of them and let us have a glance at everybody's past. A lot gets revealed in every scene. I like the detailed stage instructions and the symbolism in the last scene. One can read Harry's Truth as if it were a short story. I'd really like to see this play on a stage someday, Mr. Raglin. It's generous of you to offer it for free to readers and theatre companies until the end of this year. Thanks for the good read.

+++Spoilers ahead+++

The ending stays open. Harry hasn't convinced his business partner to downsize. He'll have to sell his share if he wants to work less. If he does, his wife will divorce him and keep the condo, the car and most of his money. He'll be right back in a one-room apartment. But he'll be happier there, won't he?

+++End of spoilers+++

Sincerely
C. Widmann