End of the Line exposes the vulnerabilities of four ordinary working class people in a time before cell phones and digital technology. On Friday afternoon, four employees of the company - a widow, a man in a wheelchair, a former sports captain and a secretary - wait for a bus that will run for the last time. The route has been terminated, because it is not financially viable anymore. Without a booth at the bus stop on a hill, they are vulnerable; while exposed to the weather and geography on this critical day, they compare their lives and help each other.
Although End of the Line borders on the absurd, it has a realistic lesson. It could be seen as a period piece, but the characters’ trials and tribulations are timeless and apply to us in the twentieth first century as well.
This dark comedy was read by the Barrie Playwright Lab in October 2022, with positive feedback. Also produced by Radio-Suid Africa, 1988. This is a one act play intended for a small theater with a minimalistic set, or an amphitheater.
Keywords:Â Waiting, bus, absurd, wheel chair
Genre: Dark Comedy, Experimental, Adapted Radio Drama
Acts: 1
Run time: 60 minutes
Suitable for students 16+
Content note: Contains some swearing. Productions require a wheelchair.
Cast size: 4 actors
Male roles: 2
Female roles: 2