Leslye’s Seven Deadly Scripts

By Rebs Chan

Originating from Roman Catholic theology, the seven deadly sins — or cardinal sins — are seven ways of rejecting God. Many sects of Christianity consider these broad transgressions to be manifestations of selfishness, the root cause of all unholiness.

In 2007, after writing the play Cinephilia, Leslye Headland realized the script examined themes of lust, and thus decided to write six more plays, one for each of the deadly sins. In this Sin Plays cycle, which premiered between 2007 and 2018 at IAMA Theatre Company, each play offers an exploration of how these vices manifest in the 21st century. Cult of Love is the seventh and final play in the cycle, representing pride.

In conversation with Headland, she said, “I tried to think of the sins in a way that they might reveal themselves in modern day.” Rather than “this kind of cartoonish version of what these sins were,” her plays are about “how they creep up on people.”

Read on to learn more about each play and its corresponding sin.

Cinephillia / LUST

IAMA premiere: 2007

Set in Brooklyn, NY, an on-again, off-again young couple discusses their love, hatred, and lust for both film and each other.

“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28

Bachelorette / GLUTTONY

IAMA premiere: 2008; NYC premiere (Second Stage): 2010

The night before their friend’s wedding, three gorgeous girls embark on a night of gluttony that snowballs from playfully wasted to cataclysmically ruinous.

“Drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” Proverbs 23:21

Headland wrote and directed a film adaptation of Bachelorette. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan, and Isla Fisher, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012.

Assistance / GREED

IAMA premiere: 2008; NYC premiere (Playwrights Horizons): 2012

Inspired by Headland’s experience working as Harvey Weinstein’s personal assistant, a group of young assistants seek to please their implacable boss, making great sacrifices as they greedily aspire towards power.

“Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’” Luke 12:15

Surfer Girl / SLOTH

IAMA premiere: 2008; NYC premiere (Animus Theatre Company with The Dirty Blondes): 2018

A couch surfer rides the waves of a not-quite-homeless, not-quite-broke life of sloth, surviving off the hospitality of others, avoiding responsibility, and longing for home.

“He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.” Proverbs 18:9

Reverb / WRATH

IAMA premiere: 2009

An LA rocker attempts to rekindle a volatile, wrathful, and (consensually) violent romance with his ex-girlfriend while coping with his abusive father’s ailing health.

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

The Accidental Blonde / ENVY

IAMA premiere: 2010

Two ex-best friends exist separately, one on a TV cooking competition, the other in a therapy session, the baggage and envy from their shared past seeping into their present lives.

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Proverbs 14:30

Cult of Love / PRIDE

IAMA premiere: 2018

The Dahl parents and the Dahl children, now adults with beliefs of their own, perform joyous carols and bizarre family rituals, fueled by alcohol and forced cheer — until it all descends into pride-fueled chaos.

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2