User:Douglastgriffin/sandbox

= Love: The Lesser Art = Love: The Lesser Art is a comedic play in five acts by the author Douglas Griffin. It was written while he was still in high school (Wakefield Country Day School) in the year 2017. It was premiered at his high school in March 2018.

Plot
The play is set in a wealthy exurb of New York City, Fairfield, Connecticut in the Roaring Twenties.

Its plot centers around the house of a literary patron, Robert Maecenas Feingold (based on the classical figure named Maecenas), and the love triangle formed between his daughter Hélène and the male members of his literary circle: Terence Owens Sullivan (a comedic playwright), Archibald Silian Montmorcy (an author of dogeral poetry), and James Petron Foulley (a novelist). After James falls out a window early in the play and becomes disconnected with his proper senses, the triangle narrows to include only Hélène, Archibald, and Terence. Mr. Feingold decides the only way for Hélène to decide between them is to hold a literary contest between the two, which will be judged by Hélène herself.

The situation becomes more complicated by the arrival of a stranger named Guillaume and his apparently obsequious friend Paul, who come to act in the play Terence is putting on for the contest, because Guillaume, like the other men, is infatuated with Hélène. As the competitions approach and intimate conversations are held it becomes clear that Hélène is flirting with every man, and telling every man she loves him, further confusing the situation. Just before the presentation of Archibald, Hélène leaves Terence in the middle of a conversation to be with Archibald, and Terence is crushed.

Terence becomes disillusioned and swears off love, blaming its "shameful deceits and calculated duplicities". Despite these intentions, it is clear he remains in love with Hélène. Meanwhile, Archibald's performance does not impress Hélène, and it is further revealed that he has been writing love notes to numerous other women. Hélène, with the aid of Mary and Rebecca, the two maids of Mr. Feingold who were formerly Hélène's nurses, discovers this, and resolves to pursue Terence solely. This proves difficult because he refuses to look at her or directly address her. Guillaume, meanwhile, plots to abduct Hélène at the performance of Terence's play, having created a diversion by refusing to follow the script. Paul, his friend, hears bits of these plans, but does not fully comprehend the implication of them.

It becomes clear that Terence's play, which was originally a comedy, has been rewritten to be a tragedy to suit his present mood. This change is universally unwelcome, especially to Hélène, who confronts him. Their heated conversation does not fix the rupture in their relationship, although Terence becomes aware, through the maids' intervention that Hélène does in fact love him. He says that he returns her love, but that he would like to hear of it from her.

In the middle of the performance of his play, Hélène comes to Terence and reaffirms her love. This settles their relationship, although Hélène asks that as proof of his love, Terence makes the play end happily. He is unsure how to proceed. It is at this moment that Guillaume attempts his abduction of Hélène, even going so far as to use James, who is still acting crazy, as a decoy. His attempt is uncovered by Paul and it is eventually stopped, after a dramatic fight. In the fight, James falls again and regains his senses. After the fight, Terence is able to play it off as part of the play he was producing, and is able to make it a happy ending. He is selected as the winner of the contest and Guillaume is sent away, and threatened with arrest if he ever returns.

Throughout the play there is a major side plot involving Harriett, a satirist, who is the only female member of the literary circle and Paul. Harriett, who is originally strongly against any form of love at all, comes to fall for Paul's simple honesty and genuine appreciation of her. At the end it is clear their relationship will continue.