Assistance (play)

Assistance (2008) is a play written by Leslye Headland which describes the workplace of the world-renowned Daniel Weisinger (likely based on Harvey Weinstein, for whom Headland worked as an assistant). Because of Weisenger’s overpowering and often illogical nature, the workers quickly learn that their salary and aspirations of promotion come at a heavy cost. Under Weisinger, the characters must switch from "being human...to being assistants.” The play is the third installment of Headland’s “Seven Deadly Sins” plays. The series includes Cinephillia (lust), Bachelorette (gluttony), Assistance (greed), Surfer Girl (sloth), Reverb (wrath), and The Accidental Blonde (envy). The seventh remains unannounced. Headland wrote and directed the 2012 film version of Bachelorette. Dramatists Play Service published Assistance in June 2013.

It is 8 PM in the Manhattan office building of mogul Daniel Weisinger. Nick and Vince, both in their mid-to-late 20s, assist Weisinger in his hectic workplace. Their disorganized antechamber, filled with folders and numerous, constantly ringing phones, is adjacent to Weisinger’s luxurious office. Beside Vince’s desk is a box with all of his belongings. Nick, on the other hand, is buried in papers on his desk. The stage directions tell us that Vince is a “slick frat boy” who is going places, while Nick is a “goofy guy with a genuine wit and charm.” The play opens up with Nick and Vince answering phone calls while mocking Daniel behind his back. Vince will soon leave the office; he is being promoted to director. The woman taking his place is Nora, “an awkward young woman” who is excited to be working for Daniel. Nick and Nora have an awkward encounter that sets the tone for their relationship. After messing up on her first day by putting Daniel on hold, Nick takes the brunt of his boss’s insults. Once they finish their first conversation together, Nick says, “Right. Well, now that we’ve been people briefly we can go back to being assistants.”

In the first interlude of the play, Vince expresses his sexual desire to an anonymous person on the phone. He goes to extremes to show how excited and confident he is towards his post-promotion identity. Vince makes the extra effort to explain his motto,“Better to look good than feel good.”

It is 11 PM and Nick and Nora are hard at work typing and answering phone calls. The two assistants discuss how Daniel makes his assistants “borderline suicidal.” Thereafter, they receive a call from another assistant, Heather, who is out running errands. Heather is having trouble ordering books for Daniel and is unsure whether she can take off from work for her uncle’s funeral. Heather’s main concern is that she doesn’t want Daniel to think she isn’t “committed enough” and that by giving up the funeral, it would show Daniel that she is fully committed. Justin is in Chicago with Daniel and is constantly getting bombarded by his requests. Justin threatens to come back, but Nora convinces him to stay because she does not want to have to go with Daniel. Heather then comes up with the plan that she will deliver the books to Daniel right before she goes to the funeral. Nick follows up by yelling at Nora and saying, “Don’t do HEATHER’S JOB!! Do YOUR job!!” Immediately after, Daniel calls asking about the credit card. Taking Nick’s advice, Nora throws Heather under the bus by stating, “It’s Heather. It was her job...It wasn’t me.” Heather is immediately fired and Nick tells her it was “because of the funeral.” Nick and Nora proceed into Daniel’s office together and close the door.

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