Drama | Glasgow, 2022
Main characters
Jack, Harry and Oscar have been friends since childhood: neighbors, same schools, same university. They are well into their thirties, have built well-established careers, and have found beautiful girlfriends. Jack will be the first of the three to marry and will soon be followed by the two friends.
The call to adventure
Many people have gathered at Jack's house to hear the wedding announcement. It is an evening of celebration and fun with friends and girlfriends. But at the door of the house knocks Bridget, a beautiful woman holding hands with a little girl. In no uncertain terms, Bridget will reveal that her daughter is the fruit of a night of sex spent with the three boys years earlier. They wanted to celebrate the graduations they had just earned, and she became involved in an orgy with the three. Bridget never asked for anything, but now she has lost her job and needs money to provide peace of mind for her child.
The conflict
Bridget's unexpected arrival sets off a chain of escalating conflicts. Many uncomfortable truths of which the three girlfriends were unaware will be revealed. Jack, Harry, and Oscar are not exactly the good guys they thought they were. This dynamic will set off a chain reaction by also bringing to the surface the secrets the three friends have been keeping from each other. Including betrayals. In a succession of small retaliations, the great friendship seems to be shattered.
The key
With respect to Bridget's request, there are those who want DNA testing and those who reject the idea out of hand, believing that they are all guilty and all fathers. There are those who would like to kick Bridget out and those who, looking into the future, would like to pay for her silence. Bridget is the detonator of an explosive situation that the group of friends has kept inert for years. The situation will be resolved by the girlfriends who offer Bridget a new chance and leave the three.
It all takes place in one evening and one room, when the past bursts in thunderously.
Plot alternatives
This kind of plot is largely (or solely) developed in a single setting. The characters must be different from each other and the relationships clear. As the story progresses, it must challenge everything by detonating a psychological aspect (loyalty and transparency, in this case). The conflicts will bring out the truths of each.
You can change a lot of this plot, not only the place and time, but especially the characters and their connections. Not only that, this structure also lends itself to the thriller: imagine if Bridget died and it was necessary to search for the culprit. Agatha Christie was a master of these situations.
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