Hello Out There

This play centers around a man, Photo-Finish, who is spending his days in a prison cell on a rape charge. This young man has a clear objective: freedom. The only way for him to achieve this goal is to enlist the aid of a second party. Thus, Photo-Finish tries his best to find someone to help him escape the prison. The young man finds a girl named Emily and attempts to use her to gain his freedom. Emily's intentions are not very clear in the beginning of the play but it soon becomes apparent that she is a prostitute.

I enjoyed this play the first time I read it. However, it takes a second read to appreciate all of its aspects. The author was very wise in his use of language and after reading the play a second time, I was surprised how I initially missed many of the hidden meanings behind his words. For example, the author never actually states that Emily is a prostitute; this is something that can be inferred by the reader. Also, the author never mentions the ethnic background of Photo-Finish, but the reader can guess that he is not a white man.

I believe that a lot can be learned from this play. For example, it is important to realize the significance of not only what the author says, but also of what the author does not say i.e. the hidden meaning behind the author's words. I also learned that it is not necessary for a playwright to give the reader clear details on every aspect of the play's characters; ambiguity allows the reader to fill in these details.