Young couple, Emma and Simon, take shelter in their shared apartment suite during a storm. An emergency alerter updates frequently with the status of the storm and information about the impending tornado. Emma, feeling more or less unbothered by the situation, tries to convince Simon to simply play a few rounds of a board game to help pass the time, though Simon is too anxious about the situation to focus on the game. Though the emergency alerts grow increasingly more serious and urge listeners to take all necessary precautions against the tornado, Simon and Emma have nowhere but their suite to go, and the most they can do to protect themselves is place a mattress against the window. Simon grows increasingly restless and Emma continues trying to convince him to play a game with her, until she goes into a trance-like state and confesses why she is not as disturbed by the tornado as Simon. Eventually, the tornado touches down, and the pair flee from their game table. The play ends ambiguously and it’s unclear what happens to Emma and Simon after they flee.
Keywords: Ontario, tornado, relationships, couple, roommates, apartment, chess, checkers
Genre: Drama
Acts: 1
Run time: 20 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content notes: Contains references to death, PTSD
Cast size: 2 actors
Male roles: 1
Female roles: 1
Casting notes: Late teens to late twenties.