Chapter Guide

At a Glance

Characters: Claude Mink, The Killer (phone), Lewin Baltry, Twilly Spree, Viva Morales, Donna Figgo, Mary Kristiansen, Nicki Boyette, Harold Fistman, Clure Boyette, Chip Milkwright, Dale Figgo, Jonas Onus
Setting: Claude Mink's car, a house in Wolf Creek, Montana, Twilly's apartment, a gym, a law office conference room, Dale Figgo's townhouse kitchen.
Vibe: Desperate Measures, Unraveling Schemes, Tragicomic Confrontation

Performance Roadmap

Narrative Function: This chapter highlights the incompetence and self-inflicted wounds plaguing the villains. It shows the consequences of their actions rippling outward, creating new, unforeseen problems (a vengeful hitman, a costly divorce, a dead dog) while the protagonists (Twilly, Viva, Mary) quietly apply pressure from the outside.

Pacing & Tone: The chapter is a series of short, intense scenes. The tone shifts from paranoid desperation (Claude, Baltry), to quiet menace (Mary and Donna), to acrimonious legal maneuvering (the divorce), and finally to a darkly hilarious and pathetic confrontation (Figgo and Onus). Each scene should feel self-contained but add to the overall sense of accelerating chaos.

Key Moments & Director's Notes

The Killer's Offense

Claude's casual anti-Semitism is a key character flaw. The Killer's reaction is crucial: his tone shifts from professional annoyance to deep, personal offense. This detail pays off later, so it's important to establish his anger here.

The Gym Confrontation

Mary Kristiansen confronting Donna Figgo is a masterclass in quiet tension. Mary isn't yelling; she's calmly and firmly stating facts. Donna's tough exterior slowly cracks, revealing the shame and disappointment she feels about her son. The detail of Donna punching the heavy bag bare-knuckled at the end is a powerful non-verbal expression of her rage and pain.

"Himmler's Gone"

The confrontation in the kitchen is the chapter's climax. It's a tragedy played for black comedy. Onus's monologue is the centerpiece. Deliver it with raw, unrestrained grief and fury, letting the absurdity of the details (the sex toy, the enema) contrast with the genuine pain in his voice.

Viva's Punchline

The timing of Viva's entrance is everything. The air in the room is thick with tragedy and hate. She walks in, exhausted from her day, and delivers the line with perfect, innocent ignorance. Hold a beat of silence after she says it to let the terrible irony land.