Remembering a Viennese Expressionist play
August 25, 2012 6:24 PM Subscribe
Trying to remember a Viennese Expressionist play: psychological black comedy about a prostitute, an evil old degenerate, and an epic mind-game battle to see who's first to drink a glass of poison.
For the last couple of days, I've been trying to remember a Viennese Expressionist play--a psychological black comedy about a prostitute and an evil old degenerate who face off in an epic mind-game battle to see who's first to drink a glass of poison.
All I remember is the spoiler: the old degen makes her talk about her childhood, plays on her sense of empathy, and as he fakes being about to drink it, she snatches it away and downs it herself-- whereupon he laughs and says something to the effect of "it gets 'em every time."
I'm pretty sure it was by someone from the Schnitzler/Wedekind/Hofmannsthal era, and that I'll be embarrassed I forgot it shortly. Thanks!
For the last couple of days, I've been trying to remember a Viennese Expressionist play--a psychological black comedy about a prostitute and an evil old degenerate who face off in an epic mind-game battle to see who's first to drink a glass of poison.
All I remember is the spoiler: the old degen makes her talk about her childhood, plays on her sense of empathy, and as he fakes being about to drink it, she snatches it away and downs it herself-- whereupon he laughs and says something to the effect of "it gets 'em every time."
I'm pretty sure it was by someone from the Schnitzler/Wedekind/Hofmannsthal era, and that I'll be embarrassed I forgot it shortly. Thanks!
« Older Is there a good substitute for family connection? | How to come up with story ideas in a flash? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nile_red at 10:16 AM on October 17, 2012