Come see and hear Knives & Forks performed on stage by professional actors. Watch silverware come to life and discover love in a world of chance.
“In a restaurant world, knives are male, forks are female, and dating occurs each night when silverware are chosen to share rolled-linens. When a knife and fork share a linen for three consecutive nights—but never a fourth—they discover love and must challenge everything they know to be together again.”
There will be a workshop afterward. Writers are encouraged to come and give feedback. New writers should certainly come, observe the process, ang give feedback of their own.
ACTORS: We are still casting. Please contact Ken MacLaughlin. Email: kennymaq@gmail.com
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KNIVES & FORKS
By Ken MacLaughlin
ADULT ANIMATION
In a restaurant world, knives are male, forks are female, steak-knives are the guardsmen, and spoons are asexual pariahs. Ruling over all is “Chance” through its worldly vehicle known simply as “The Hand”.
Each night, Jack and his fellow knives pack a sixth-pan and ogle forks from across the table. The Hand selects silverware at random to roll in a dinner-linen. This process known as “the pairing” continues until the pans are empty and everyone has a partner. Chance seems to smile on Jack; he’s always rolled with shiny new forks.
It is a turbulent world. Not all silverware return at day’s end. When there is an odd number of knives and forks, those leftover spend the night alone. This tends to be Furca who often goes unrolled because of a bent tine.
Jack finds himself with Furca (an unlikely match) for three consecutive nights—an occurrence so odd, it has the entire restaurant wondering what it means. But for Jack, it means love—something new to him and unknown to the rest of his species.
As they always do, the odds find a way to right themselves. Jack is not paired with Furca on the fourth night and may never be again. But his love is too strong to return to the life he knew and certainly too strong to be left up to chance.
He must challenge the steak-knives, The Hand, and the very laws of his universe to be with her again. But in doing so, he seemingly throws it all out of balance; more and more silverware turn up missing and Furca’s tine bends further—once it’s fully bent, she will be thrown away.
The steak-knives blame Jack and his antics. He now has a choice: re-surrender to chance or continue to question his world. But if he questions it, he must find an answer before losing Furca forever.
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KNIVES & FORKS shares a timeless tale of star-crossed lovers with familiar themes of social transformation. It introduces a rich and imaginative universe hidden within a setting that any restaurant patron knows well.
ABOUT THE SCREENWRITER!
Ken MacLaughlin, a UMCP graduate, was born and raised near Baltimore, Maryland. He spent eight years after college working in numerous bars and restaurants. The idea was to keep a flexible schedule to grow and expand as a writer. Although he sometimes fell into the trappings of the lifestyle, he stayed true to the plan and kept on writing.
What wasn’t in the plan, was finding inspiration while on the job. He daydreamed while rolling silverware. He gave them names, wondered if any knives were interested in any forks, and would he oblige them by pairing them in the same linen? It wasn’t long before he realized he had a premise for a script.
He drew from his years of work experience to create a rich and layered universe within a small restaurant. Ideas kept coming to him every day on the job, and he would piece them together and build the world of Knives & Forks.
As the story got better, his confidence grew. Eventually, armed with his new script, he quit the bar industry, moved to Atlanta, and has been chasing his dreams ever since.
CHARACTERS
KNIVES/MALE
Jack Knife: He’s shiny, spotless, and handsome. Chance seems to favor him. He always rolls with brand new forks. When paired with Furca, he assumes it is merely an extension of that favoritism. But as his feelings for her grow, and he’s faced with losing her, he learns what’s most important to him. What’s the purpose of being chance’s favorite knife when it doesn’t make him happy?
Serrate: The self-appointed leader of the steak-knives and therefore the leader of the restaurant (save for The Hand). He’s the most self-righteous, militaristic, and outspoken. He claims to be devoted to chance but often does things to influence it rather than surrender to it.
Bowie: He obsesses over the forks and respect that comes naturally to Jack. Deep down, he has a good heart and truly cares for Jack; however, as Jack grows, changes, and is faced with decisions, Bowie is not the best influence. Or is he? His feelings and advice are certainly safer than Jack’s inclinations.
Coutel: He’s more interested in food than forks and is often teased for it. He knows he’s different but isn’t sure how or why. He wishes he could change and be normal, but he can’t. In his world, different is synonymous with inferior so he has trouble with confidence and sticking up for himself. Even so, if you get him started on food, it’s hard to get him to stop.
Artisan: A steak-knife and number-two to Serrate. He advocates morality and prides himself for standing guard at night rather than rolling with forks. He’s above “dishly pleasure and desires.” But in reality, none of the above was a choice but rather the life he was given. Is his righteousness genuine or a cocoon to protect him from his real thoughts, feelings, and desires?
Woody: A steak-knife and underling to Serrate. For some reason he feels threatened by Coutel. He bullies him often. But underneath, he has a lot in common with him. They both prefer food to forks.
Sterling: He’s smaller than the other knives but thinks he’s a steak-knife. He follows them around and ignores their rejection of him. He tries to do their bidding even though they never ask. When Jack challenges the world, he condemns him because that’s what a steak-knife would do. But, ironically, he should support Jack since he’ll never be accepted as a steak-knife unless the hierarchies are tested.
Carver: He’s bumbling and foolish. Everything that is unfortunate and comedic seems to happen to him.
FORKS/FEMALE
Furca: She’s a dreamer—she dreams about what’s beyond the restaurant—and dreams are all she has. Her tine is bent and she’s seldom rolled as a result. When she’s paired with Jack, she enjoys a rare excitement. Although a dreamer, she’s very grounded in regards to life’s important things. Her tine bends further and she faces the reality of being thrown away. Jack’s attempts at testing chance scare her and bring her closer to that reality.
Katie: The newest fork who rolls with Jack on her first night. She falls for him and is devastated to learn she won’t be with him the following night. To reconcile a pain that no one else understands, she embraces and champions the values of her world. Her repressed feelings are compounded by seeing Jack and Furca having what she can’t. Her only response is to condemn them and paint them as amoral.
Spinelli: She’s sassy and from New Jersey. She doesn’t like knives or even steak-knives. “They’re all the same so long as they got a blade.” She hates being rolled. When things start to change, she’s all for it. The status quo is not for her.
Tiny: A fork with a very large handle which makes her self-conscious, timid, and insecure. She often goes an unrolled because of it. She’s fond of Coutel but he shows no interest.
Juniper Mirror and La Rochelle: They’re the big gossipers and always find something negative to say especially about Jack and Furca. Yet they have great things to say about steak-knives and The Hand.
NEUTRAL
Spoon: Known simply as Spoon since spoons are not given names (or if they are, the knives and forks don’t bother to learn them). Spoon is not a he nor a she but an IT. It’s the only spoon bold enough to talk to other silverware. It’s also the only piece of silverware to question the laws and standards of its world. This makes sense as spoons have the most to question; they’re lot in life is the toughest. Despite its boldness, it is still too cowardly to stand up for itself or effect change. It falls victim to the self-limiting beliefs he often questions.
NON-SPEAKING
The Hand: It is all the silverware know of humans and it dictates they’re entire day: who they’re paired with, when they go out to the table and when they come back to dish.
A Hand: The only distinction between hands is between “The Hand” and “A Hand”. A Hand exists only at the table and decides when the meal begins and ends. It also does strange things like use a fork to pick teeth or hang a spoon from a nose.
