Marvin's Last Wish
Bridgette Dutta Portman
Our prompt was “evil has no curfew” – in other words, child superheroes. As part of the prompt, we were reminded of “Batkid,” the little boy (a cancer survivor) whose wish to be Batman for a day was granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Spring-boarding off this, I got the idea for Batkid’s antithesis – a child, also a cancer patient, whose last wish is to be not a superhero, but a supervillain. What would Make-A-Wish have done with such a request? Especially if it involved extremely gruesome details, like blowing up a bridge, taking hostages and disemboweling people? Come on – it’s his dying wish!
And so Marvin Meadows was born.
Marvin is a thoroughly evil, sadistic, adorable six-year-old with leukemia. All he wants is to wash the streets of San Francisco with the blood of the innocent. And who are we to judge him?
As a side note, Marvin’s first name came to me in a dream. I was dreaming about my own baby boy (due in May), and in the dream I had named him Marvin. Was it a portent? A warning? Are we all in big trouble?
See MARVIN'S LAST WISH as part of SUPERHEROES, July 17, 19, 24, 31 August 2, 7, 14, 16 Thursdays & Saturdays at Exit Theatre.
Bridgette Dutta Portman
Our prompt was “evil has no curfew” – in other words, child superheroes. As part of the prompt, we were reminded of “Batkid,” the little boy (a cancer survivor) whose wish to be Batman for a day was granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Spring-boarding off this, I got the idea for Batkid’s antithesis – a child, also a cancer patient, whose last wish is to be not a superhero, but a supervillain. What would Make-A-Wish have done with such a request? Especially if it involved extremely gruesome details, like blowing up a bridge, taking hostages and disemboweling people? Come on – it’s his dying wish!
And so Marvin Meadows was born.
Marvin is a thoroughly evil, sadistic, adorable six-year-old with leukemia. All he wants is to wash the streets of San Francisco with the blood of the innocent. And who are we to judge him?
As a side note, Marvin’s first name came to me in a dream. I was dreaming about my own baby boy (due in May), and in the dream I had named him Marvin. Was it a portent? A warning? Are we all in big trouble?
See MARVIN'S LAST WISH as part of SUPERHEROES, July 17, 19, 24, 31 August 2, 7, 14, 16 Thursdays & Saturdays at Exit Theatre.
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