Parliament Square E-Book

James Fritz

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

Seitenzahl: 67

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

How far would you go for what you believe in? Kat gets up one morning, leaves her family behind and travels to London to carry out an act that will change her life and, she hopes, everyone else's. Raw, disturbing and compassionate, James Fritz's searingly powerful play forces a confrontation with some of the most urgent questions we face. What can one individual do to effect change? And where do we draw the line between absolute commitment and dangerous obsession? Parliament Square won the Judges' Award in the 2015 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. It premiered at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in October 2017, before transferring to the Bush Theatre, London.

Leseprobe

James Fritz

PARLIAMENTSQUARE

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Original Production

Acknowledgements

Epigraph

Dedication

Characters

Note on Text

One

Two

Three

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Parliament Square won the Judges’ Award in the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2015. It was first performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, on 18 October 2017. The production then transferred to the Bush Theatre, London from 30 November. The cast was as follows:

VOICE/JO

Lois Chimimba

KAT

Esther Smith

TOMMY

Damola Adelaja

DOCTOR/ANNOUNCER/FRIEND/TAXI DRIVER

Jamie Zubairi

PHYSIO/COLLEAGUE/TICKET WOMAN/FRIEND

Kelly Hotten

MUM

Joanne Howarth

CATHERINE

Seraphina Beh

Director

Jude Christian

Designer

Fly Davis

Lighting Designer

Jack Knowles

Sound Designers

Ben & Max Ringham

Movement Director

Jennifer Jackson

Assistant Director

Amy Hailwood

Casting Directors

Jerry Knight-Smith CDG & Vicky Richardson

Stage Manager

Sophie Tetlow

Deputy Stage Manager

Hannah Phillips

Acknowledgements

Leo Butler, Mel Hillyard, Vinay Patel, Thomas Martin and Emily Wraith, all of whom encouraged me to keep going with this play when it was called something different.

The organisers, readers and judges of the Bruntwood Prize. Brian Quirt, Jenna Rodgers and everyone at the the Banff Playwrights Colony 2016. Madani Younis, Stewart Pringle and everyone at the Bush.

Sarah Frankcom, Matthew Xia and everyone at the Royal Exchange for making me feel so at home in Manchester.

The staff at Whitechapel Ideas Store and John Harvard Library, Borough – the only two places I ever get anything done. Political, public spaces worth fighting for.

And Suzanne Bell and Jude Christian, who made this with me. The two most inspiring, patient dramaturgs a confused writer could ask for. Sorry it took me so long.

J.F.

‘Courage calls to courage everywhere,and its voice cannot be denied.’

Millicent Fawcett

For T.M.The world got better.

Characters

KAT

TOMMY

TAXI DRIVER

TICKET WOMAN

COLLEAGUE

MUM

DOCTOR

CATHERINE

PHYSIO

FRIEND

FRIEND 2

JO

Note on Text

The two columns of text in Fifteen Seconds are both part of Kat. How you interpret and stage that is totally up to you.

A line with no full stop at the end indicates an unfinished thought.

A dash at the end of a line indicates an interruption. A dash at the beginning indicates someone halfway through a sentence.

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

ONE

FIFTEEN SECONDS

Kat.

…

Get up.

Kat.

…

GET UP.

What?

The alarm.

What time?

Turn off the alarm.

Dreaming.

Before he wakes.

Why – ?

Oh.

Today.

Today is –

Today is THE day.

You slept so well.

Didn’t think I

Didn’t think you would but

Need to get up.

Don’t wake him.

Nothing wakes him.

He’s a log.

A lump.

Fifteen seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

That’s all I have to get through and then –

Get out of bed.

This is the –

Don’t think like that get out of bed.

Love these pillows.

They’re very soft get out of bed.

This bed.

It’s very nice get out of bed.

One more minute.

Now.

Just one more.

I am not fucking about.

One –

Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up!

GEEEEEET UUUUUUP!

I’m up. I’m up.

Great job.

God.

We’re on the way.

On the way.

Can you feel it?

I can feel it. My stomach.

You can feel it and it feels

He’s fast asleep.

Good.

Look at him.

That face.

Want to wake him.

Come on.

Say hello.

Don’t be thick.

I’m not thick.

The drawer.

You’re thick.

Softly.

Top. Jeans.

Those ones.

They’ll do.

They’re fine.

Except. Maybe?

No.

I mean they’re not very –

No.

I know what you’re doing.

What?

Delaying.

I’m not.

Delaying the moment you have to –

I just think this top isn’t very –

Just take the fucking clothes.

Okay.

Well done.

Now. Out the room.

Okay.

But.

Maybe I should just wake him.

No.

Say something.

Can’t just leave him without –

You have to.

He looks so lovely.

Tommy.

My lovely husband.

He’s drooling.

He is! He’s drooling in his sleep!

On his chin.

Done that since he was a teenager oh bless him.

Look at him.

He’s so

disgusting.

Beautiful.

Such a beautifully disgusting man.

I love him so much.

Do you?

Yeah I do yeah I really do.

Okay.

God. I’m gonna miss him. I’m gonnamiss you Tommy.

Oh.

You won’t.

I will.

You won’t.

Our own little world.

That’s what we’re like. That’s whatMum always says.

She says a lot of things.

She does yeah.

Come on.

You think hanging around is gonnamake it easier to go through with this?

Should say goodbye.

Don’t be thick.

Stop saying that.

He’ll know something’s wrong.

How will he –

He can sense these things on you.

I’m a good liar.

You’re a shit liar.

I’m a shit liar.

Stick to the plan.

I want to speak to him.

Stick to the fuckingplan you idiot.

If he gets even a sniff of whatyou’re planning he’ll lock you upbefore he lets you leave the house.

Maybe I need that.

No.

You got that will-I-won’t-I shit out yoursystem weeks ago and nowyou’re ready aren’t you?

Wait. He’s moving.

Oh shit.

Oh my god he’s waking up.

What do I –

TOMMY. Kat? What time is it?

I got to go in early today.

Hold it together.

TOMMY. Why?

Hold it together.

Team meeting.

He believes you.

TOMMY. That’s shit innit?

Didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.

Well done.

Can I give him a

Yeah. Okay.

Kiss him.

TOMMY. Have a nice day.

I’ll see you later.

Say it back.

See you later.

Good.

TOMMY. Love you.

Say it.

Love you too.

He’s closed his eyes.

Take a moment.

You’re okay. You’re strong enough.You can take this.

Am I?

You’re doing so well.

Oh. Oh.

Fifteen seconds.

That’s all you have to get through.

I can do that.

Course you can because you’rea fucking amazing woman.

Am I?

You are.

Am I yeah I am.

Thank you.

You’re fucking welcome.

Downstairs.

Downstairs. I’m doing this.

You’re doing this.

Although –

Wait.

No.

Wait I can’t just.

No no.

Jo.

Don’t do this to me.

Jo Jo. I can’t just go withoutsaying goodbye to her.

You decided against this.

I know.

Decided it was too hard.

I know I did but

It’s torture.

I’ll be alright. I promise.

Oh you promise?

I won’t wake her up.

So long as you promise.

I’ll just. Look at her.

It’s a bad idea.

I’m doing it.

It’s an awful idea.

I’ll be fine. Bedroom. I’ll be fine.

Careful.

There she is.

Don’t wake her up.

Jo. Hiya Jo.

Quietly.

Ohhh I love her.

She’s dreaming.

I’m leaving her.

She’ll understand.

She’s gonna hate me.

When she’s old enough.She’ll get it.

I can’t.

Be proud of who her mum is.

I’m a terrible person.

You are the best person.Look at her.

I can’t.

This is the best thing for her.

Hold on to that.

Let’s go, eh?

What if I take her with me?

Say goodbye.

I could though couldn’t I?I could take her with me.

Say goodbye.

I could take her with me ormaybe I could I could I could

Say goodbye.

Ohgod.

Please.

Goodbye.

Well done.

Oww.

Owwwwwww.

That was hard.

Oh shut up.

I know that was hard.

Just shut the fuck up please.

But time is ticking.

I need a minute.

You haven’t got a minute.

IF I SAY I WANT A MINUTEI CAN TAKE A MINUTE.

Alright.

…

That’s probably enough now.

Time to get going.

I’m gonna be sick.

No you’re not.

Okay. Okay.

You’re ready.

Out the front door.

I can’t.

It’s not gonna get any easier.

This house all that time the

things that have happened

the day we moved in the parties

the evenings on the sofa the sex

on the stairs my birthday in the

kitchen pizza and telly in bed

Stop.

The day we came home with her from the hospital.

Leave.

Bye.

Well done.

Forward. That’s it.

Garden path. Front gate.

Down the street.

What will the neighbours saytomorrow? Imagine.

Jesus. I’m doing this

Yeah you are!