The Other Player
by Owen G. Arno

THE STORY: Corlin, a wealthy businessman, returns to the prep school where his son, Jeffrey, has drowned quite suddenly in a freak accident while taking part in the school's swimming tournament.

Guilt-ridden over his possible rejection of his son, Corlin seeks not only to gather Jeffrey's belongings but to find out what his son was really like.

He is assured by the school's headmaster that Jeffrey was popular and amiable and that he delighted the school with his athletic prowess.

But then Corlin is visited in Jeffrey's old room by one of his son's classmates, a somewhat shy and strange boy named Peter Cross.

Peter tells Corlin that he has come to the room to reclaim a tennis racquet which, as he gradually reveals, Jeffrey stole from him.

Stunned by the accusation, Corlin demands to know more, and Peter's story is both shocking and bizarre.

If what Peter is saying is true, Jeffrey was something of a monster, who terrorized the entire school.

At first Corlin does not believe Peter, though gradually the realization that the story may be true has a shattering effect on him.

Peter then leaves, but comes back a few moments later to tell Corlin bluntly that he made up the entire story, that he merely wanted Jeffrey's tennis racquet.

But what is the truth?

The play ends on a note of deliberate ambiguity, calculated to chill an audience with its numerous and disturbing implications.

NOTE: THE OTHER PLAYER has been successfully transformed into a play for all women.