Pareidolia

Synopsis:

Dr Hermann Rorschach, known for his now-famous Rorschach test, is called to see a patient who has just murdered his two-year-old son, with a view to determining whether or not the patient is sane and therefore culpable to stand trial.

The patient believes that he is the son of God, and that it was God’s will, transmitted to him, that he sacrifice his son.

Sensing that there is more to this patient than meets the eye, Rorschach is not prepared to simply write him off as insane.  However, in the midst of the diagnostic process, Rorschach himself falls ill, and must suddenly confront his own mortality.

Two days later, he is dead.

This is a play about the way in which we as human beings are hard-wired to create seemingly meaningful patterns out of random stimuli, sometimes conferring upon us an evolutionary benefit, but sometimes the reverse.

Character Breakdown:

The play is a 3-hander:  3 males.

HERMANN Rorschach – 37

JESUS Christ – 34

EUGEN Bleuler – 65 / Friedrich ADLER / VOICE               ]

Setting:

Herisau, Switzerland, March 30 – April 1, 1922

Running-time: 60 minutes.

Production History: Not yet produced.

Excerpt available for download for free.