A Cool Green Place
Just when you thought cubicle life couldn’t get more hellish… a disgruntled employee’s new office plant threatens to become a real job-killer.
The worst part about evil work places is there’s usually no escape.
While management delights in concocting increasingly ridiculous demands, employees are expected to engross themselves in soul-crushingly mindless tasks, all while touting the company brand.
Often the only possible respite for discontented throngs of cubicle dwellers is to cultivate workplace comradery by engaging in office pranks. For instance: browse the refrigerator to find appealing foodstuffs to pilfer from their co-workers, doodle inappropriate bathroom stall graffiti or seek vicarious pleasure through media spoofs of office life.
Steve Miles’ A Cool Green Place offers up all of the above…along with a murderous plant.
Protagonist Reuben suffers from typical cubicle life anguish: Worrying whether or not co-worker Frank will need the stapler that Reuben always borrows from him. Whether his unique ability to change the copy machine toner is valued enough by management, and if he can just make it through another day without going positively insane?.
But, today a new irritation awaits Reuben. Entering his cubicle, he discovers a novel addition infringing upon his already reduced space.
A Yucca plant has invaded his work area, irritatingly dangling its leaves over Reuben’s monitor.
REUBEN
What’s with the shrubs?
FRANK (O.S.)
S’posed to make us more productive.
REUBEN
Productive, how?
FRANK (O.S.)
You work better when you’re
relaxed. My guess, some ass-hat in
H.R. got a subscription to Forbes.
Don’t you feel more relaxed?
To his horror, Reuben quickly realizes that his new office mate is not your average Yucca.
The shrub not only talks, but also appears intent upon finding ways to interrupt Reuben’s productivity. As if such distractions weren’t enough, the shrub demonstrates an unnerving commitment to convincing Reuben to murder one of his colleagues.
Will the plant succeed?
Will Reuben ultimately unleash one of his deepest-held desires?
Will cubicle hell be eliminated for eternity?
Has Reuben simply lost his mind?
What’s the plant’s name? Audrey?
(Those unfamiliar with Little Shop of Horrors should look this up.)
Whatever the ultimate answer to these questions, Miles’ A Cool Green Place provides the needed escape from office purgatory that audiences throughout the world will crave.