Alligators E-Book

Andrew Keatley

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Serie: NHB Modern Plays
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 155

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

A searing thriller that asks how well we actually know those closest to us. Daniel Turner has it all. A devoted wife, two beautiful children and a teaching job he loves. But when allegations are made about his past, his world begins to crumble around him. Can all the good he's done be erased by one pointed finger? What will it take to restore his loved ones' faith in him? And after this, can life ever be the same again? Andrew Keatley's play Alligators premiered at Hampstead Downstairs, London, in 2016.

Leseprobe

Andrew Keatley

ALLIGATORS

NICK HERN BOOKSLondonwww.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Original Production

Acknowledgments

Author's Note

Characters

Alligators

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Alligators was first performed at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London, on 17 June 2016. The cast was as follows:

DANIEL

Alec Newman

PC WORTH

Philip Scott-Wallace

SALLY

Susan Stanley

CATHY/PC CLARKE

Ony Uhiara

GENEVIEVE

Daisy Waterstone

RACHEL

Leah Whitaker

Director

Simon Evans

Designer

Polly Sullivan

Lighting

Joshua Gadsby

Sound

Ed Lewis

Acknowledgments

Simon Evans

Antony Eden

Bettrys Jones

Adam Morane Griffiths

Ali Taylor, Lisa Spirling, Caroline Steinbeis, Seb Armesto, Raff Degruttola, Philip Franks, Hugh Ross, Faye Ward, Luke Parker Bowles, Leonora Wakefield

Jez Bond

Simon Godwin

Chris Campbell and all at the Royal Court

Rose Cobbe

Simon Beresford

Matt Byam Shaw

Ed Hall, Greg Ripley-Duggan and all at Hampstead Theatre

Kara Fitzpatrick, Lisa Foster and all atAlan Brodie Representation

Sarah Liisa Wilkinson and all at Nick Hern Books

Deborah Willey

Author’s Note

The play wants to go fast. It wants to be relentless. It has to be.

A.K.

Characters

DANIEL TURNER, late thirtiesSALLY TURNER, mid-thirtiesGENEVIEVE TURNER, sevenRACHEL HORNE, early fortiesPC WORTH, late twentiesWPC CLARKE, early thirtiesCATHY, early thirties

Note on Text

(… )signifies a pause for thought/words

( – )signifies interruption or change of thought

( / )signifies overlapping dialogue

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

One

Autumn.

A living room in a city apartment.

The room is divided in two distinct areas. A large TV screen on a wall bracket dominates the(downstage-right)wall, with an L-shaped sofa nestled in the(upstage-right)corner facing the screen. There are two armchairs(non-matching)– on either side of the sofa – and a shin-high rectangular coffee table in front of the sofa, with cushioned protectors on the corners.

The other part of the room(stage left)– the dining area – has a decent-sized wooden dining table(also with cushioned corner protectors). There is a highchair in the corner, and a small wooden cabinet against the wall to the side of the dining table. A PC computer – on a small table with accompanying office chair – is noticeable in the(downstage-left)corner. Children’s toys are scattered across the floor.

There are two doors; the first(upstage-right)leads out into the hallway – and is closed. The second(upstage-left)has glass panes; it is open and reveals a small kitchen. One large window unit dominates the wall by the sofa – with a second by the dining table; both have drawn curtains.

A key in the lock.

DANIELTURNERenters from the hallway; he has a cursory look around the living room and then goes back out from where he just came.

After a moment or two he re-enters the living room with a sudden eagerness. He puts his coat down on the dining table, and then begins to frantically – but quietly – tidy all of the toys away into a large plastic container under the dining-room table.

DANIELthen goes to the small wooden cabinet and opens it. Inside there is a music system and a stack of CDs.DANIELfumbles through the CD cases before he finds the one he is after – and he turns the music system on before surreptitiously placing the CD into the slot – glancing towards the door as he does so. He cues the CD, places the remote control in his pocket, then sits down casually at the dining table. He grabs his coat off the table and places it on the back of the chair where he is seated.

SALLYTURNERenters; she is holding a baby monitor. She seesDANIELand – in the unexpected shock of him being there – drops the baby monitor.

SALLY. Christ!

DANIEL. Sorry.

SALLY. You scared me.

DANIEL. I know. I only just got back and…

SALLY. I didn’t hear you come in.

SALLYbends over and picks up the baby monitor; she inspects it for signs of damage before putting it to her ear.

DANIEL. I know. I was trying to be quiet. Is it broken?

SALLY. I don’t… That was such a shitty thing to do. I mean why are you even sat there? You never sit there.

DANIEL. Knackered; just went for the nearest seat.

SALLY (pointing at the dining chair nearest to the door).Surely that one’s the nearest seat.

DANIEL. Umm… yeah. If I’d sat down as soon as I came through the door. But I’m not sure if you noticed but there is a distinct absence of toys strewn across the living-room floor so…

SALLY. Oh. You didn’t have to – I was going to do that.

DANIEL. I know.

SALLY. I was waiting until Gee was in bed.

DANIEL. It’s fine. It was – is she asleep already?

SALLY. She’s reading.

DANIEL. I’ll just pop my head in quickly then.

SALLY. Just… just don’t get her all excitable.

DANIEL. I won’t. I’ll be really quick.

SALLY. And be quiet.

DANIEL. It’s like I’ve never done this before…

SALLY. If you wake Barney up then I will have to kill you. There. That’s a fair warning.

DANIEL. My chosen method of execution would be a cyanide pill.

SALLY. I’ll decide how you die.

DANIEL (as he moves).Cyanide pill; it’s quick – and there’s no mess to clear up after. That’s all I’m saying.

SALLY. Just…

DANIELgivesSALLYa quick kiss on the lips as he dashes out into the hallway.SALLYmoves towards the sofa. She sits down slowly, placing the baby monitor on the coffee table in front of her.

SALLYturns on the television. It is on the CBeebies channel – and the volume is up to an unseemly loud level. The burst of sound startlesSALLY– and it takes a long second of blare before she manages to turn the volume down. She picks up the baby monitor and places it extremely close to her ear for a few seconds – hoping that she has not woken her sleeping baby. After a couple of shakes of the monitor, she places it back on the coffee table. She uses the remote to change the channel, but she is not really sure what she wants to watch. Instead she channel-hops for a short while.

DANIELre-appears.

DANIEL. Told you I’d be quick.

SALLY. You can live. For now.

DANIELstays over by the living-room door.

Why are you still over there?

DANIELtakes the remote control out of his pocket – and presses play on the music system.

Daniel?

The song‘Just Like Fred Astaire’by James begins to play.

DANIELholds his hand out.

DANIEL. Come on.

SALLY. Please tell me you’re joking?

DANIELstarts to sway with the music, and steps towardsSALLY– hand extended. He pulls his best doe-eyed expression.

I’ve literally just sat down.

DANIEL. Come over here.

SALLY. Turn it down.

DANIEL. I’ll turn it down if you dance with me.

SALLY. But I’ve just got comfortable.

DANIELsteps up his silent imploring – and whileSALLYis not sure whether she’s really in the mood, she is taken by the offer – perhaps more just to placate than anything.

You know that you’re making me do this against my will?

DANIEL. Yup.

SALLY. Which makes it borderline domestic abuse.

DANIEL. I think I’ll get away with it this time.

SALLY. Haven’t you got any marking to do?

DANIEL. Did it all at my desk before I left.

SALLY. Meh. Well, just… just turn it down a bit.

DANIELobliges; he uses the remote to turn the song down a couple of notches – then puts the remote down on the dining table.

SALLYandDANIELdance – close. There is a minimum of movement; essentially they are stood close together and sway/rotate on the spot.

DANIELcannot help himself from quietly singing along. He sings the first line of the song.

And now he’s singing! You’ve crossed the border now; itisabuse.

He sings the rest of the first verse.SALLYis softening into the moment. He sings the chorus.

They are both enjoying the moment; their heads rest gently on one another’s. The song continues; their eyes are both shut, enjoying the relative peace and closeness of the song and each other’s presence. Until:

Did you…?

DANIEL. What?

SALLY. Turn the music down.

DANIEL. …

SALLYbreaks off fromDANIELcompletely. She picks up the remote control and presses the mute button; there is a sudden and abrupt silence and stillness – which is then broken by the gentle cough of a baby heard through the baby monitor.

SALLYputs the remote control back onto the dining table and heads out of the living room and down the hallway.

DANIELstands in the middle of the living room; a few seconds pass before he snaps into action – picking his coat off the back of the chair he was previously sitting at and hanging it up in the hallway. He then wanders back in to the living room before heading straight through to the kitchen.

The sound of a kitchen cabinet opening, then closing – a fridge door opening, the pouring of a liquid into a glass, the fridge door closing – and thenDANIELre-enters the living room with a glass of water(which he drinks as he walks).

GENEVIEVEis standing in the open doorway of the living room; she is in her pyjamas and is holding a small stuffed penguin.DANIELsees her.

What are you doing out of bed, sweetheart?

GENEVIEVE. I thought of something when I was reading, and it scared me.

DANIEL. It scared you?

GENEVIEVEnods timidly.

Well, I’m not having that. Why don’t we sit down and you can tell me what it was?

They both sit on the sofa;GENEVIEVEonDANIEL’s lap.

GENEVIEVE. I don’t want to say.

DANIEL. Why not?

GENEVIEVE. Because then it might come true.

DANIEL. Do you still think that’s how it works; if you say something out loud then it’ll come true?

GENEVIEVE. For some things.

DANIEL. What things?

GENEVIEVE. Things that you’re scared of.

DANIEL. Why do you think that?

GENEVIEVE. Because that’s what happens sometimes.

DANIEL. When, Gee? When does that happen?

GENEVIEVE. In stories.

DANIEL. Which stories?

GENEVIEVE.Rumplestiltskin.Tom Thumb.

DANIEL. Oh, Gee; those are just silly stories. You know that. They’re not even real. They’re made up. They were made up hundreds of years ago. The world that we live in is completely different from the world ofRumpelstiltskinandTom Thumband all those stories. They’re just… they’re fairytales. Okay?

GENEVIEVEthinks about this for a second.

So are you going to tell me what scared you?

GENEVIEVE. No.

DANIEL. But if I don’t know what it is then I won’t be able to make it go away.

GENEVIEVE. I don’t think it can go away.

DANIEL. Of course it can.

GENEVIEVE. Do you promise?

DANIEL. I promise.

GENEVIEVEbites her lip.

GENEVIEVE. I was reading a story.

DANIEL. Right.

GENEVIEVE. And there are all these cobras, and they want to eat Teddy and his family. But they have Rikki-Tikki-Tavi – who is a mongoose – and he can protect them from the cobras.

DANIEL. Okay.

GENEVIEVE. But…

DANIEL. Go on.

GENEVIEVE. We don’t have a mongoose.

DANIEL. No.

GENEVIEVE. So what would happen to us if there were cobras trying to eat us?

DANIEL. Well, we live in England. And there aren’t any cobras in England.

GENEVIEVE. They have them in the zoo. We saw them.

DANIEL. Yes, but they’re locked up. They can’t escape.

GENEVIEVE. But what if they did?

DANIEL. Then we’d get a mongoose.

GENEVIEVE. Really? As a pet? We could have a mongoose? Do you promise?

DANIEL. I promise. Now is that all you were scared of?

GENEVIEVE. I was reading the story and then I just thought of it; of all of us stuck in here and then all of these animals coming in and eating us alive. And I got scared.

DANIEL. Well, you don’t have to be scared any more because that’s never going to happen.

GENEVIEVE. How do you know though?

DANIEL. Because I’m your dad and it’s my job to know the things that you don’t, and that’s one of the things that I know. And apart from everything else we’re on the third floor, and cobras aren’t very good with stairs and don’t really know how to use lifts.

GENEVIEVE. But what if they found their way in when someone else pressed the buttons?

DANIEL. Listen to me carefully, Gee; there’s only one animal that you have to worry about eating you all up, and that animal is… me!

DANIELgrabsGENEVIEVEand starts to pretend to gobble at her arms;GENEVIEVEgiggles wildly.SALLYre-enters – and seesGENEVIEVE.

SALLY. Genevieve…

DANIEL. It’s all right. She’s going back to bed now, aren’t you?

GENEVIEVE (reluctantly). Okay.

DANIEL (toSALLY).Everything all right with Barn?

SALLY. Yeah. He’s fine. He’s sleeping.

DANIEL (toGENEVIEVE).All right then, you; time for you to get some sleep.

GENEVIEVE (toSALLY).Can you tuck me in?

SALLY. Come on then.

SALLYandGENEVIEVEwalk towards the door.

GENEVIEVE. Dad?

DANIEL. Yes.

GENEVIEVE. Do you really promise?

DANIEL. I really promise.

DANIELsmiles – and crosses his heart.

Blackout.

Two

The same living room.

Several days later.

Late in the evening.

SALLYandDANIELsit together – but apart – on the sofa. They both have full glasses of wine.

SALLY. What do you mean strange?

DANIEL. Strange. You know what strange means.

SALLY. Yes, Daniel – I know what strange/means…

DANIEL. Just… I don’t know… unusual. Different.

SALLY. You’re not really –

DANIEL. Distant then. Does that…? He was distant.

SALLY. Okay. But what actually happened that makes you say that though?

DANIEL. I don’t know – what happens that makes anyone say anything? It was just the impression I got. He didn’t… he was sort of preoccupied. He pretty much waved me away.

SALLY (teasing).Hurt your feelings, did it? Being waved away…

DANIEL. I’m being serious.

SALLY. Well… he was probably just distracted by something. He must have all sorts of things going on. Maybe he was just a bit stressed.

DANIEL. This is Alan. He’s always stressed. He’s got a stressful job; being stressed is nothing new. This was… thiswassomething new.

SALLY. You’re probably just imagining things.

DANIEL. I don’t… I think something’s going on. That’s my – that’s how it came across. I mean it’s probably nothing to do with me but… maybe it’s a funding issue, or an Ofsted thing… or one of the parents has made a complaint about something. I mean it could be anything. But he literally couldn’t have engaged in what I was saying less if he’d tried.

SALLY.And you didn’t say anything? You didn’t ask him about it?

DANIEL. No. I just said ‘see you tomorrow’ and left.

SALLY. Maybe ask him about it tomorrow then.

DANIEL. If it happens again tomorrow then maybe I’ll say something.

SALLY. Good. Because it’s probably just something stupid. If in fact it’s anything at all.

DANIEL. Yeah. It just… it just sort of put me on the back foot, and… Anyway, bleurgh – let’s forget about it; let’s talk about something else. Let’s talk about you.

SALLY. Works for me.

DANIEL. I thought it might.

SALLY. Off you go then.

DANIEL. I actually see myself as having more of a listening role.

SALLY. Do you?

SALLYis on the spot – and she doesn’t know where to start.

DANIEL. Come on then… You’ve never needed an invitation to talk about yourself in the past.

SALLY. You cheeky prick!

DANIEL. Tell me about your day – what you got up to.

SALLY. You know what my memory is like at the moment; I can’t remember if I did something five minutes ago or a week ago.

DANIEL. Then – I don’t care – just make it up.

SALLY. Okay. So… I took Barney out for a stroll. We went to the park, to feed the ducks. And Barney was doing his big smile and shaking away from side to side in his stroller – you know how he does when he’s excited. And the sun was shining and everything was lovely. But then all these pigeons appeared and started to swoop down and steal the bread from the ducks. And the ducks kept trying to eat the bread, but the pigeons always somehow managed to get there first. It didn’t matter what I did, I couldn’t stop the pigeons from getting to the bread. And then suddenly they were just coming straight for me. I looked over at Barney and he was frozen still, not making any noise at all – and some of the pigeons had landed right by him. So I threw all of the bread into the water and fought my way through the pigeons, back to Barney, and I just picked him up and started running. I didn’t look back once. And soon we were out of the park. And then we were outside the building. And then we were in the lift. And then we were back inside the flat. And we sat back down on the sofa. Safe. And I looked at Barney and he was silent – he had this blank expression on his face. Then I noticed a pigeon sat on the windowsill – looking right in, watching us. So I put Barney down, got up and drew the curtain. And then I went back to Barney and he was smiling again. And then we both had a lovely nap. The End.

DANIEL. I think you’ve read one too many of Genevieve’s storybooks…

SALLY. I think I’m just deliriously tired.

DANIEL. Did you even go to the park?

SALLY. No, we met Alison for a coffee.

Beat.

DANIEL. That stroller cost about five hundred quid. It’d take more than a few pigeons to make me abandon it in the park, I’ll tell you that right now.

SALLY. Good to know where your priorities lie…

DANIEL. What is it that you’ve got against pigeons anyway?

SALLY. They’re intrusive.

DANIEL. They’re hungry.

SALLY. They get too close.

DANIEL. They’re just birds.

SALLY. Well, I don’t like them. They unsettle me.

DANIEL. You know that they won’t hurt you though.

SALLY. Actually I don’t know that. They peck. They flap their wings.

DANIEL. Come on, Sal…

SALLY. And I mean they’re essentially a pack animal.

DANIEL. They’re just trying to protect themselves. Same as you or I.

SALLY. No, it’s true. If it wasonepigeon then I’d… but it’s never just one. And I find that –

DANIEL. Let’s… let’s maybe also put pigeons on the list of things that we’re not talking about tonight.

SALLY. Fine.

DANIEL. No pigeon-talk. No work-talk.

SALLY. Done.

Beat.

DANIEL. What even made you come up with that story?

SALLY. I thought we were done with the pigeon-talk.

DANIEL. Just…

SALLY. I’m tired… it’s… it’s just what popped into my head.

DANIEL. I just wasn’t really expecting something so…

SALLY. What were you expecting then?

DANIEL. I don’t know. Something silly.

SALLY. It was/silly.

DANIEL. Something that didn’t… something a bit… something with a happy ending.

SALLY. It had a happy ending.