Rose's Room

“Ain’t Makin’ ‘Scuses by Rose Padrick is a touching play that is engaging from start to finish. The playwright does not give a place or time frame as to when the play is occurring. The plot is familiar, in that poverty and ignorance is prevalent throughout the play. The race or culture is not clarified. The cadence and colloquial language leans towards being an American story. This plot focuses on a man who has attained a difficult and challenging dilemma. He prays to God to give him the time and strength to fulfill his duty.
The playwright has only one character that speaks. She does not give the man a name. He speaks directly and openly to God for help. He has used his minimal education and wit to help his family somewhat climb out of poverty, but at times some of his actions were not ethical. He asks God to forgive his short-comings. He explains that he had no choice, he did what he did, out of necessity and survival --- malice was never his intent. At this point in life, he begs God to keep him alive for the sake of his mission. The character is strong and the plot is so determined that it is haunting. God is not one of the characters, but he is strongly present in the dialogue. There is a disparity between the lines that reveals the story of a distressed human being who is desperate to succeed. The task at hand would break any man, but he is begging God to give him the strength though he knows that he may fail.
A skilled actor would find creating this character a challenge due to the required emotional depth. This man is vulnerable, but resolute, both courageous and frail from one moment to the next.
“Ain’t Makin’ ‘Scuses by Rose Padrick is a well developed and powerful play. The plot is engaging. The script does not follow theatrical play formats, but no matter, the drama of this play comes through brilliantly.