Glockenspiel 

The three characters in Glockenspiel are Herbert, an American student, Monika, a German girl, and Frau Lowenstein, Herbert’s landlady.  The set is Herbert’s room in Munich.  The lights come up on Monika, in a white tennis outfit, talking with Herbert who has apparently invited Monika to play tennis (he admires her knee dimples) although he says his tennis balls are in Stuttgart and his racket is in Schenectady.  He gets a bottle of schnapps from under his bed and pours a drink for her.  She calls him Herman and says she is attracted to him because he is an asshole like her father.  He admits he never played tennis and she kisses him.  He tells her she can stay with him and says he will die if she leaves.  She says she was only kissing him good-bye, and we hear a loud banging on the door.  Frau Lowenstein, who is deaf, says that Herbert has a woman in his room.  Herbert, desperate not to lose his room, urges Monika to hide under the bed.  Frau Lowenstein comes in with an ear trumpet, saying she heard voices.  Herbert tells her he is studying ventriloquism and will throw his voice so it sounds as if it’s coming from under the bed.  Monika says, “Okay,” and “Thank you,” in a high squeaky voice and Frau Lowenstein says she is overcome by her feelings for Herbert and wants to go to a circus in Italy with him.  She says she has never given herself to anybody since her husband died except once with an organ grinder and his one-eyed sister.  Monika says she has found one of the tennis balls and sticks an arm out from under the bed.  She crawls out and Frau Lowenstein says the ball is her dog’s.  She calls Herbert Herman and tells him to leave.  Monika says she will rent the room and Frau Lowenstein pushes Herbert out and slams the door in his face.  Frau Lowenstein compliments Monika on her tennis outfit, mentioning that her knee dimples are like those of the organ grinder’s sister.  Monika says that she has a glass eye and Frau Lowenstein asks her is she would like some schnapps.  Herbert pounds on the door, screaming about rats, shouting that this is his room.  Frau Lowenstein tells Monika her ear trumpet belonged to the organ grinder’s sister who had a very beautiful glockenspiel.  Lights fade out.