Daughterhood E-Book

Charley Miles

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

Seitenzahl: 85

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

A beautiful, ferocious play about the bonds that tie us, and how we sometimes need to break them. One sister stayed at home to care for Dad. The other set out to 'make a difference'. Reunited under their childhood roof, Pauline and Rachel unearth more than the ten years between them. It's a huge gap. Almost insurmountable. And each is determined to let the other know exactly who has done things right. Charley Miles's Daughterhood was first produced in 2019 by Paines Plough and Theatr Clwyd on a nationwide tour, including a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in Paines Plough's pop-up theatre, Roundabout.

Leseprobe

Charley Miles

DAUGHTERHOOD

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Characters

Note on Play

Daughterhood

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Daughterhood was first produced by Paines Plough and Theatr Clwyd and first performed in Paines Plough's Roundabout, Summerhall, Edinburgh Festival, on 31 July 2019. The production then toured to The Lowry, Salford, Creative Civic Change, Ramsgate, CAST, Doncaster, The Lighthouse, Poole, Bournemouth, Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, Lincoln, and Theatre Royal Stratford East. The cast was as follows:

PAULINE

Charlotte Bate

RACHEL/MUM

Charlotte O’Leary

SCOT­/­JEZ­/­SUPPORT WORKER­/­THEO/DOCTOR­/­LOUIE­/­PROFESSOR­/­TEACHER­/­DAD

Toyin Omari-Kinch

Director

Stef O’Driscoll

Lighting Designer

Peter Small

Sound & Original Music

Dominic Kennedy

Movement Director

Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster

Movement Associate

Hayley Chilvers

Assistant Director

Janisè Sadik

Lighting Programmer

Tom Davis

Producer for Paines Plough

Sofia Stephanou

Producer for Theatr Clwyd

Nick Stevenson

Company Stage Manager

Rachel Graham

Technical Stage Manager

Wesley Hughes

Costume Supervisor

Alison Hartnell

For Izzy and for Eve

Acknowledgements

All love and thanks to my Paines Plough family: George, James, Sofia, Jo, Chris, Phill, Eman, and all else – for the rock-solid foundation they have given me.

Thanks to Stef O’Driscoll, for the generosity and warmth she brings to everything and that has enabled us all to thrive; to our brilliant cast, Charlie, Charlotte and Toyin, for the depths that they have mined for this play; to Janisè, Annie, Hayley and Rachel, for their contributions to the warmest of rehearsal rooms.

To the rest of the Roundabout family – most especially to my fellow writers, Daf James and Nathan Bryon, for making this job feel bigger, safer, and more joyful.

To my actual family: Mum, Dad, sisters and Frankie, for their enduring tolerance.

To my other constants: on this occasion, most particularly Zoe Kelly and Robbie Fergusson for their early voices of wisdom and encouragement; and, as ever, to Tashan Mehta and Charlotte Salter, for keeping me strong in craft and sane in perspective.

Always thanks to my agent, Marnie Podos – another lioness.

C.M.

Characters

RACHEL

PAULINE

SCOT

JEZ

SUPPORT WORKER (SW)

THEO

DOCTOR

LOUIE

PROFESSOR

TEACHER

DAD

MUM

Note on Play

Rachel and Pauline are sisters.

Nine or ten years between them, depending on the month.

Every third scene takes place in the present, over twenty-four hours. The intervening scenes are two halves of the same moment, moving backwards in time over several years.

The play should feel like a series of mirrored images.

– in place of dialogue denotes an active choice not to speak.

– in between lines of dialogue denotes an unclaimed silence.

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

*

Rachel and Pauline are twenty-five and thirty-four.

It’s a huge gap. Almost insurmountable.

They stand on the mouth of a volcano,

which could erupt at any moment.

They feel it beneath their feet.

Their weight is perfectly balanced

just about maintaining equilibrium

on top of the tectonic plates, to stop them from diverging.

The slightest moment of weight, on either side,

could split the earth between them

and leave a gaping hole.

*

One

RACHEL

Paul!

Pauliiiiiiiiiiiine?

Paul have you got a tenner?? I don’t have any cash and

Alright mate I’m just having an ask!

Pauline I’m looking for your handbag.

I’ve found your handbag.

I’m removing a tenner…

Sorry!

Thank you…!

…

–

RACHEL

Hey!

God what you lurking in the dark for? …I’m home!

PAULINE

Yeah I heard.

RACHEL

Sorry I forgot to get some out before I left. You don’t mind. So used to everything being contactless.

PAULINE

Think half the neighbours heard too.

RACHEL

You missed me…

PAULINE

Not with that entrance.

RACHEL

Come on. It’s not that late.

I grabbed a bottle at King’s Cross.

PAULINE

Dad’s asleep.

RACHEL

–

I didn’t think.

PAULINE

I waited at the station.

RACHEL

Did you? Didn’t see you.

PAULINE

You weren’t in on time.

RACHEL

Only twenty minutes.

PAULINE

I had to get back for him.

RACHEL

I tried to call.

PAULINE

I was in the car.

RACHEL

Your mobile?

PAULINE

I left it here.

RACHEL

Kind of defeats the point of a mobile phone right?

It’s mobile…

PAULINE

–

RACHEL

Hug?

–

RACHEL

I tried to call an Uber. At the station. When you didn’t show up.

PAULINE

How did that go?

RACHEL

Would’ve been a three-hour wait. How the bastards pull you in. Weird second nature now. Tap tap tap.

Whole row of cabs lined up and there I am on my app without even

Sorry was I interrupting something?

PAULINE

Just tired. Past my bedtime.

RACHEL

I’ll pop the kettle on.

PAULINE

I’ll do it.

RACHEL

Okay I’ll drop my bags.

PAULINE

Why are you going that way?

RACHEL

My room…

PAULINE

Dad’s in there.

RACHEL

Why’s he not

PAULINE

Can’t manage the stairs.

RACHEL

Oh.

When did that happen?

PAULINE

I made up the little room for you.

RACHEL

Oh. Thanks / but

PAULINE

Or you can sleep on the zed bed.

RACHEL

Is that still here?? Must be crawling.

PAULINE

Do whatever you like.

RACHEL

–

I’m sorry about the train Pauline.

PAULINE

Not a problem.

RACHEL

You’re looking good.

PAULINE

(A noise.)

RACHEL

I like your haircut.

PAULINE

It hasn’t been.

RACHEL

It’s nice longer. Suits you.

PAULINE

Thanks.

Yours is

nice

too.

RACHEL

Yeah? Been going to a new salon. Had it cut by this girl called Fanny le Blanc.

PAULINE

Fanny?

RACHEL

I thought she was just going to be some Essex bird with a French manicure but turns out she actually is legit Parisian. Says on the website she prides herself on her ‘French touch’. Fanny le Blanc with the French touch.

I almost pissed myself.

But it does look good doesn’t it?

PAULINE

Very nice. Very

French.

–

RACHEL

It was a fucking

PAULINE

(Flinch.)

RACHEL

nightmare of a journey.

PAULINE

It’s always bad with the races on.

RACHEL

Yeah.

PAULINE

Stupid girls.

RACHEL

I mean it’s the lads more than / anyone else

PAULINE

It’s the girls. They’re downright aggressive.

RACHEL

Just drunk.

PAULINE

Exactly.

RACHEL

When was the last time you were getting a train on a Saturday night?

PAULINE

–

RACHEL

Tea, did you say?

PAULINE

Yeah not for ages.

RACHEL

D’you have decaf?

PAULINE

What’s the point in that?

RACHEL

What?

PAULINE

Have a glass of squash if you want.

RACHEL

You lost me.

PAULINE

Why would you be wasting money on tea that’s not tea?

RACHEL

It is tea. Just not caffeinated.

PAULINE

You can have hot squash if you’re gonna play fussy / beggars

RACHEL

Oh my God Paul I JUST walked through the door.

Where do you want me to put my bags?

PAULINE

The little room. I said.

RACHEL

You know that I’m not going to sleep in there.

PAULINE

–

RACHEL

What about Mum and Dad’s room?

PAULINE

I’m in there.

RACHEL

What? Why?

PAULINE

Cos it’s the biggest.

RACHEL

So that’s why you’ve moved him downstairs is it?

–

That was a joke.

PAULINE

–

RACHEL

When did they start putting security guards on the train?

PAULINE

I didn’t know they had.

RACHEL

Remember when we did the races for Amy’s eighteenth? Didn’t she get thrown off that time?

PAULINE

She wasn’t thrown off.

RACHEL

You know what I mean.

Gave me some insight into what it’s like to be the sober one for once. No fun if you’re not pissed is it.

Some girl insisted I was in her seat.

And I was like – no love honestly, I’m on since London.

PAULINE

It’s always the girls.

RACHEL

I mean – it’s not.

PAULINE

You just said it

RACHEL

This guy was worse

That was standing in the vestibule and I had to crush up next to him and he was all breathing down my face and looking in my top

He was way worse. Than the girls. Actually.

PAULINE

You wouldn’t have had to stand next to him though would you

If she hadn’t pushed you out your seat.

RACHEL

I s’pose.

PAULINE

So hot squash then?

RACHEL

Normality is fine.

PAULINE

–

RACHEL

I can do it.

Normality for you?

PAULINE

Yes. Normal for me thanks.

RACHEL

Normality for you.

PAULINE

I remember Rach it’s just not as funny as when we were kids.

RACHEL

–

PAULINE

I’ll take your bags up for you.

RACHEL

I can manage.

PAULINE

You’re doing the tea.

RACHEL

Where you gonna put them?

PAULINE

In the / little room

RACHEL

Paul – I’m not sleeping in there.

PAULINE

Well look I’m sorry but that’s the / room that’s

RACHEL

I SAID NO.

PAULINE

Don’t you shout at me.

If you’ve woken up Dad

RACHEL

We live in a three-bedroom house Pauline. I will sleep. In another. Room.

PAULINE

Two-bed.

RACHEL

I think I can count.

PAULINE

If you’ve been counting on

Guesstimating

on a three-bed house then I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed because actually this is technically a two-bedroom house with two reception rooms.

RACHEL

Sorry, what?

PAULINE

That’s the dining room.

It’s not even supposed to be a bedroom.

RACHEL

I’m sorry why are we fighting about this?

PAULINE

I’m not fighting. I’m just letting you know for your future plans. For whatever it is you think you’re due.

RACHEL

What is that supposed to mean?

PAULINE

If you’d’ve given me more notice maybe I’d’ve been able to rejig something.

RACHEL

Well I’m sorry my presence is such an inconvenience.

PAULINE

I never said that. Where are you going?

RACHEL

I’ll see you in the morning. Try and remember to get out the right side tomorrow yeah?

PAULINE

Nice to have you home Rachel.

RACHEL

Delighted to be back.