Kes E-Book

Barry Hines

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

Seitenzahl: 100

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

A tried-and-tested stage adaptation of Barry Hines' novel A Kestrel for a Knave, about a troubled young boy who finds and trains a kestrel. Billy, a disaffected young boy, has problems at school and at home: he's neglected by his mother, beaten by his brother and bullied on all sides. He adopts a fledgling kestrel and treats it with all the tenderness he has never known. Slowly, he begins to see for the first time what he could achieve – if only he tried. Lawrence Till's adaptation of Barry Hines' 1968 novel retains its gritty charm and popular staying power. Kes was first performed at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1999.

Leseprobe

Kes

adapted fromBARRY HINES’A Kestrel for a Knave

by

LAWRENCE TILL

NICK HERN BOOKSLondon

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Introduction

Original Production

Characters

Act One

Act Two

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Introduction

From school or village hall to large professional theatres there are infinite ways to stage this play, but a flexible space where the action can remain fluid, fast moving and continuous is desirable above lots of scenery that would clutter the space and stop the action at any point whenever there is a change of location. A minimal set, able to suggest several locations and allowing flexible staging, is ideal. Many of the scenes require little more than tables, chairs, desks and some carefully focused lighting. Some of the strongest images are of running and flying and a director should bear these qualities in mind in considering the play for production. Run and fly.

It is important that the play takes place on one day from waking up to the scene in the cinema at 11 p.m. as it is this that gives the play a shape and rhythm. The flashback within the classroom also takes place on one day although these scenes should flow effortlessly into each other with the quality of a dream.

The three worlds of the play are home, school and field. Home is Billy, Jud and Mum and is the drama of kitchen sinks. School is a boy lost in a muddle of many others, each vying and hoping for futures out of this existence. It is time-tabled, ordered, with many rules and rituals. And the field is a world of adventure, of flying and of escape. A land without maps or boundaries.

The story is told with a series of choruses – people going to or from work, the chorus of school pupils and Billy’s estate world – milkman, newsagents, butchers, chip shop, betting shop. Billy’s other chorus is the invisible relay of birds to which he is lead actor. Billy runs through the story and ties the choruses, styles and stories together. He should never leave the stage and the story needs to come to him. Thus, Kes is also a journey play. It is a journey, however difficult or problematic, and should flow following our central character.

One of the most frequent questions asked will be ‘How are you going to do the bird?’ Here is Barry Hines’s answer:

Kes is about education not falconry. It’s a story about a boy not a bird. I think that’s why the novel translates so effectively to the stage. You don’t have to see the kestrel to appreciate Billy Casper’s troubles. His problems are concerned with family and school. The kestrel is a symbol of Billy’s potential. Through the hawk we see what he is capable of, and this element of the play works just as strongly in the imagination as if seen.

I would like to thank all those people who have contributed to this adaptation over ten years – actors, designers, directors, teachers, writers, composers and choreographers. But mostly I pay tribute to the thousands of young people who have found something of themselves in the running and flying of Billy Casper.

Lawrence TillWatfordFebruary 2000

This adaptation of Kes was first performed at the Quarry Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, on 10 April 1999, with the following cast:

MRS CASPER

Joanna Bacon

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICER, FARMER

Nicholas Camm

MR SUGDEN, MR BEAL

Alan Cowan

MILKMAN, MR FARTHING

Dermot Keaney

JUD

Ian Kelsey

MACDOWALL

Dale Meeks

MR PORTER, MR GRYCE

Frank Moorey

BILLY CASPER

Raymond Pickard

TIBBUT

Edward Price

MRS MACDOWALL, LIBRARIAN, MRS ROSE, MISS FENTON

Sarah Turton

Other parts played by member of the company

Directed by   Natasha BetteridgeDesigned by   Laura HopkinsLighting Designer   Jon BuswellSound Designer   Mic Pool

Characters

BILLY CASPERMRS CASPERJUD

MR SUGDENMR BEALMR FARTHINGMR PORTERMR GRYCEMACDOWALLTIBBUTDELAMOREGIBBSYOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICER

MILKMANFARMERFARMER’S DAUGHTERLIBRARIANMRS MACDOWALLMRS ROSEMISS FENTON

CUSTOMERSMINERSPUPILSSMOKERSMESSENGERREADERS IN LIBRARYPUNTERS

ACT ONE

Scene 1

Early Morning Journey to School, 6.00 am

The first scene follows BILLY’s journey to school. It flows without stopping and with BILLY running between the different locations.

We first see BILLY and JUD together in bed asleep in their bedroom. It is cold and dark and uncomforting. The alarm clock rings. JUD rolls over, coughs and fidgets, reaches out of bed, for the alarm clock. It falls from the bedside cabinet. JUD sinks back into his pillow.

JUD. Come here, you bloody thing.

BILLY (pause). Jud?

JUD. What?

BILLY. You’d better get up.

Pause.

The alarm’s gone off you know.

JUD. D’you think I don’t know?

JUD pulls the blankets round him.

BILLY. Jud?

JUD. What?

BILLY. You’ll be late.

JUD. Shut it.

BILLY. Clock’s not fast you know.

JUD. I said ‘Shut it’.

JUD elbows BILLY in the back.

BILLY. Give over, that hurts!

JUD. Well shut it then.

BILLY. I’ll tell me Mum on you.

JUD. Shut your stinking mouth.

JUD hits him again in the back. JUD sits on the edge of the bed, then gets up and puts the bedroom light on.

BILLY. Set clock on for me, Jud. For seven.

JUD. Set it yourself.

BILLY. Go on, you’re up.

JUD pulls the blankets off BILLY, stripping the bed completely. BILLY has his hands between his legs in an attempt to keep warm.

JUD. Hands off cocks, on socks.

BILLY. You rotten sod, just because you’ve to get up.

JUD. A few weeks lad and you’ll be getting up with me.

JUD has his trousers on by now and goes to the kitchen to continue dressing.

BILLY. Switch the light out then!

JUD ignores him. BILLY lies still a moment then retrieves the blankets after switching off the light. JUD in the kitchen, turns on the radio, finds himself some bread and jam, makes his snap and puts it in his tin. He takes his racing paper from his jacket and writes his bet, and begins to make tea.

BILLY scratches his hair gets dressed and then joins JUD, pulling his mother’s jumper on to keep warm. BILLY arranges the dirty cups from the night before throughout the following. Unable to get warm he puts on his windcheater. The zip is broken.

JUD (writing). ‘Tell Him He’s Dead’, 2.30 Doncaster. (Seeing BILLY.) What’s up with you? Shit the bed?

BILLY. Have you seen t’ time? You’re gonna be late.

JUD. Think I don’t know?

BILLY. Is there any tea? (There isn’t. BILLY sighs and yawns.) Smashing morning again.

JUD. You wouldn’t be saying that if you were going where I’m going. (Writing.) ‘Crackpot.’ Three o’clock, Newbury.

BILLY. Just think, when I’m doing papers you’ll be going down pit in t’ cage.

JUD. Another few weeks, lad, and you’ll be coming down wi’ me.

BILLY. I’ll not.

JUD. Won’t you?

BILLY. No.

JUD. Why’s that?

BILLY. ’Cos I’m not going to work down pit.

JUD. Where you gonna work then?

BILLY. I don’t know but I’m not going to work down pit.

JUD. No?

BILLY. No.

JUD. No, and have I to tell you why? For one thing you’ve to be able to read and write before they’ll set you on. And for another, they wouldn’t have a weedy little twat like you. You can put this bet on for me. ‘Crackpot’, ‘Tell Him He’s Dead’. Here’s money.

JUD hits BILLY as he goes out. BILLY looks for something to drink. There is nothing. BILLY sees JUD’s snap tin left on the table, opens it, and begins to eat one of the sandwiches. He is halfway through it when JUD returns.

JUD. I forgot me snap.

He sees BILLY and makes a dive at him.

I’ll bloody murder you when I get home. And don’t bother with your bike – I’ve already got it.

BILLY pulls on his shoes, gets rid of his mum’s jumper and collects his newspaper bag from under the table. He runs from the house.

It is still getting light. He passes people getting ready for their day. Postmen, milkmen, two miners coming off the night shift. From here to BILLY’s arrival at school the stage is populated with people going about the morning rituals which start the day. The action flows continuously.

We hear a car passing. A shop doorbell rings. We’re in MR PORTER’s paper shop.

MR PORTER (arranging newspapers on his counter). I thought you weren’t coming.

BILLY. Why, I’m not late am I?

MR PORTER (taking out his watch and considering it). Very near.

BILLY. I nearly was though.

MR PORTER. What do you mean?

BILLY. Late. Our Jud went to pit on me bike.

MR PORTER (handing BILLY newspapers). What are you going to do then?

BILLY. Walk it.

MR PORTER. Walk it! How long do you think that’s going to take you?

BILLY. It’ll not take me long.

MR PORTER. Some folks like to read their papers the day they come out.

BILLY. It’s not my fault. I didn’t ask him to take my bike, did I?

MR PORTER. No and I didn’t ask for any cheek from you! Do you hear?

BILLY (quietly). Yes.

MR PORTER (sighing). There’s a waiting list a mile long for your job you know. Grand lads and all, some of ’em. Lads from up Firs Hill and round there.

BILLY is warming his backside on a heater while MR PORTER continues arranging papers.

BILLY. What’s up? It’ll not take me that much longer. I’ve done it before. I know some short cuts.

MR PORTER. Well don’t be short cutting over people’s property.

BILLY. No, across some fields. It cuts miles off.

MR PORTER. Well be sure the farmer doesn’t see you, else you might have a barrel of shot spread up your arse.

BILLY. I haven’t let you down yet, have I?

A CUSTOMER comes into the shop and MR PORTER gives him his paper.

MR PORTER. Morning, sir, not very promising again. Looks like rain.

CUSTOMER. And twenty Players tipped please.

MR PORTER. Right, sir. I’ve not got twenty. Will two tens do you?

CUSTOMER. Aye.

While MR PORTER gets the cigarettes and the CUSTOMER is leafing through his paper, Billy lifts two bars of chocolate from a display at the side of the counter. He drops them into his newspaper bag as MR PORTER turns round to hand over the cigarettes and put the money in the till. This stealing ritual is commonplace for BILLY.

MR PORTER. I thank you. Good morning, sir.

The CUSTOMER leaves. MR PORTER climbs a ladder to stack shelves. BILLY steals more chocolate during the following.

Next thing you’ll be wanting me to deliver ’em for you! You know what they said when I took you on, don’t you. They said you’ll have to keep your eyes open now, you know, ’cos they’re all alike off that estate, up there. They’ll steal your breath, if you’re not careful.

BILLY. I’ve never stole nowt of yours, have I?

MR PORTER. I’ve not given you a chance that’s why.

BILLY. You don’t have to, I haven’t been nicking for ages. I’ve stopped getting into trouble now.

BILLY squeezes past MR PORTER on a ladder and shakes it on purpose.

Look out, Mr Porter! Careful!

MR PORTER sways and loses his balance.

You’re all right. I’ve got hold of you.

MR PORTER. You clumsy young bugger. What are you trying to do, kill me?

BILLY. I lost me balance, Mr Porter. I must have tripped. I was trying to catch you.

MR PORTER. I wouldn’t put it past you either.

BILLY. You wanna watch that ladder, Mr Porter.

MR PORTER descends the ladder feeling his heart.

MR PORTER. I fair felt me heart go then.

BILLY. Just sit down here a couple of minutes. Are you all right now, Mr Porter?

MR PORTER (sitting and looking at his pocket watch). All right? Aye, I’m bloody champion.