Two Ladies E-Book

Nancy Harris

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

Seitenzahl: 95

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Keep your enemies close, and your wives closer. As their husbands clash over an international crisis, the first ladies of France and America find themselves alone together in a side room. Friends, or enemies? When the stakes are so high, can they trust each other? Can they trust their husbands? Nancy Harris's play Two Ladies premiered at the Bridge Theatre, London, in 2019, directed by Nicholas Hytner, and featuring Zoë Wanamaker and Zrinka Cvitešić.

Leseprobe

Nancy Harris

TWO LADIES

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Characters

Note on Text

Setting

Two Ladies

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Two Ladies was first performed at the Bridge Theatre, London, on 25 September 2019. The cast was as follows:

HELEN

Zoë Wanamaker

SOPHIA

Zrinka Cvitešić

GEORGES

Yoli Fuller

SANDY

Lorna Brown

FATIMA

Raghad Chaar

UNDERSTUDY to Helen

Julia Righton

UNDERSTUDY to Georges

Dimitri Jeannest

UNDERSTUDY to Sophia, Sandy and Fatima

Ann Marcuson

Director

Nicholas Hytner

Designer

Anna Fleischle

Lighting Designer

Johanna Town

Sound Designer

George Dennis

Composer

Grant Olding

Assistant Director

Sean Linnen

Design Associate

Liam Bunster

Casting Director

Robert Sterne

Costume Supervisor

Ilona Karas

Wigs

Campbell Young

Props Supervisor

Lizzie Frankl

Production Manager

Marty Moore

Acknowledgements

My deepest thanks and appreciation to Nick Hytner for his belief in and unwavering commitment to this play since its very inception.

I am greatly indebted to he, and to Will Mortimer for their insights, conversation and feedback throughout the writing process.

I would also like to thank the following who were hugely helpful to the research and development of this play at its various stages:

Charlotte Wilkins for the French translation, Dan Muirden, Nick McDonnell, Dave Evans, Anthony Weigh, Natalie Radmall-Quirke, Julia Molony, Justine Mitchell, Sid Sagar, Leaphia Darko, Wayne Jordan, Rochelle Stephens. I would also like to thank Nick Starr and everyone at the Bridge Theatre. And lastly, I would like to thank my beloved, Kwasi Agyei-Owusu, for everything.

N.H.

For my mother, Anne, with love and gratitude

Characters

HELEN, sixties – wife of the French President, English (pronounced Hélène at all times throughout the play)

SOPHIA, forties – First Lady of the United States, Croatian

SANDY, forties – press officer to the First Lady, American

GEORGES, thirties – press officer to the French President, French

FATIMA, twenties – a migrant to France, working as a catering assistant, Syrian

Note on Text

A forward slash (/) indicates an overlap in dialogue.

Setting

A room on the first floor of a vast convention centre somewhere on the Côte d’Azur.

Maybe a painting on the wall, but in essence we could be anywhere.

A window.

Two chairs.

Some tables with some drinks.

The sense of a strong security presence outside the door.

A clock ticks constantly in the background – imperceptible at the start, but growing louder as we go on. There is no clock onstage.

Outside this room, somewhere in the centre, an important diplomatic meeting is taking place.

Time – any from now.

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

Lights up on HELEN, elegant, striking, exquisitely dressed, standing in the middle of the room.

Tense.

She has a drink in one hand.

Beat.

She downs it in one.

Then she goes to the window and looks out.

As the door bursts open, voices loud, a commotion –

SANDY (into phone, fast, urgent). No now. We need it now. Tell them it’s an emergency /

SOPHIA, effortlessly glamorous, is led into the room wearing a pastel Chanel dress-suit. It is dramatically covered with blood.

GEORGES (to SOPHIA, guiding her). This way, madame /

SANDY (over him). Cos it’s everywhere. Literally. It literally looks like someone blew his brains out on her suit – I said the Chanel was a bad idea /

As GEORGES offers SOPHIA a chair –

GEORGES (to SOPHIA, concerned). Would you like to sit down? /

SOPHIA shakes her head, delicately. SANDY continues –

SANDY. Well call Givenchy, call Stella, I don’t – will she what?

SANDY covers the phone, looks at SOPHIA –

Will you wear vegan leather?

SOPHIA looks like she doesn’t understand.

(Into phone.) She’ll wear it if it gets here in ten – five! Oh they are not boycotting, they just say that shit to look like they’ve a conscience – and it’s the conference centre right, not the hotel, we got rerouted. Half the team’s stuck across town. Yeah, real shit show.

She glances at GEORGES and SOPHIA.

Gotta go.

She hangs up.

No one seems to have noticed HELEN for the moment.

GEORGES. What did they say?

SANDY. They’re sending something.

GEORGES. I mean about the –

He points to the blood on SOPHIA’s dress.

SANDY. Animal blood.

GEORGES (shocked). No!

SANDY. They’ll run some more tests but she’s not itching or coughing. (To SOPHIA.) No difficulty breathing?

SOPHIA shakes her head.

GEORGES. Who would do such a thing?

SANDY. Ask your President.

The sound of glass shattering behind.

They turn.

GEORGES. Hélène!

HELEN. Sorry. Lost my grip. /

SANDY. How did you get up here?

HELEN. I – walked.

SANDY. Walked! Like –

HELEN. On two legs, yes.

GEORGES (rushing over). But you are okay? The blood –

HELEN. Yes, yes I’m fine. Didn’t get near me, I was lucky.

She looks at SOPHIA, genuine.

Are you alright?

SOPHIA nods.

What a terrible thing.

SANDY’s on her phone.

SANDY. Okay someone’s put it up but it’s grainy.

GEORGES rushes over to look. SOPHIA seems anxious.

GEORGES. A photograph?

SANDY. Film.

GEORGES. But the press were not permitted at the restaurant.

SANDY. But the protesters all have phones. Some don’t have asylum in most of Europe but they got phones. (To HELEN, dry.) Bet your husband’s glad he took a million.

A young CATERING ASSISTANT comes to the door, looks inside tentative.

CATERING ASSISTANT. Est-ce que quelqu’un veut du café?

SANDY. How did she get up here?

SANDY’s about to have words with security.

GEORGES. We requested some towels. (To the CATERING ASSISTANT.) Nous avons demandé des serviettes de toilette.

The CATERING ASSISTANT looks confused.

CATERING ASSISTANT.… Serviettes? Mais je m’occupe de la restauration /

GEORGES (urgent). Rapidement, s’il vous plaît.

The CATERING ASSISTANT rushes off.

(To SANDY, explaining.) She is in catering so –

SANDY. We have a serious security situation, we can’t just have people –

GEORGES. We bring the catering staff from Paris. They are all very highly screened.

SANDY looks unconvinced.

SANDY. Are there showers in this place?

GEORGES. Fourth floor.

SANDY. That’s something.

She keeps texting as she goes to the window –

And they’re gonna clear that street over there, right?

HELEN (alarmed). Why?

SANDY. Seriously?

HELEN. Well they’ve been arrested, haven’t they? And you’ve got snipers on every roof across town. I mean –

SANDY. No one’s gonna get shot today, okay. That would not be a good look right now.

HELEN darts an irritated glance at GEORGES, before turning to SOPHIA.

HELEN. Why don’t you sit down?

SOPHIA. I am fine.

The CATERING ASSISTANT comes back with a small towel.

She holds it out, tentative.

CATERING ASSISTANT. J’ai trouvé… ça.

HELEN points to SOPHIA.

HELEN. Pour elle, s’il vous plaît.

GEORGES snatches the towel off the CATERING ASSISTANT.

GEORGES. Donnez-les moi.

He grandly presents it to SOPHIA, all smiles.

For you, madame.

SOPHIA takes the towel coolly, starts to carefully wipe her dress.

SOPHIA. Thank you.

GEORGES points to the shattered glass on the floor.

GEORGES (to the CATERING ASSISTANT, curt). Et nettoyez tout ça.

CATERING ASSISTANT (nervous). Je dois aller chercher la pelle.

GEORGES eyes-rolls, impatient.

GEORGES. Vite alors! /

The CATERING ASSISTANT rushes out. SANDY’s on the phone.

SANDY. Rudy, hi, what are we doing about these protesters?

GEORGES (trying to get her attention). I will speak to our security /

SANDY (into phone). Only another couple hundred. But we gotta get to a dinner later and it’s basically a scene from Carrie here, only no one’s going to the prom.

HELEN (to GEORGES, irritated). They’re allowed to protest.

Something buzzes in SANDY’s pocket.

Another phone. She takes it out.

SANDY (into phone). Oh shit, it’s headlining –

SOPHIA looks up, alarmed.

(Into phone.) I gotta come down there. (To SOPHIA, curt.) You okay for a minute?

SOPHIA. I –

SANDY. Great.

SANDY heads out. As she leaves –

We’ll send the dress as soon as it gets here. (To SOPHIA.) Maybe try to look over that speech yeah, might relax you – (To GEORGES.) and no else is allowed up here, okay, great see you in a sec.

And she’s gone.

HELEN looks at SOPHIA.

HELEN.… She’s soothing.

She notices GEORGES heading for the door.

(To GEORGES, slightly panicked.) Where are you going?

GEORGES. There will be a briefing. I should probably –

HELEN. So you’re just leaving – us?

HELEN mouths ‘me’ then points to SOPHIA and mouths ‘With her.’

GEORGES glances at SOPHIA, who is still wiping her legs.

GEORGES. I will only be a few moments.

SOPHIA glances up, quizzically.

HELEN quickly covers.

HELEN. Course, yes. Actually, you know I might just try to grab a quick word with my husband –

GEORGES stops.

GEORGES. Your husband?

HELEN. About the press release. We had to travel in separate cars cos of all the commotion, we didn’t have time to –

As she heads for the door –

GEORGES. But… the meeting has already started.

HELEN stops, taken aback.

HELEN. Started?

GEORGES. Ten minutes ago.

HELEN. But I thought – downstairs they said –

GEORGES. The First Lady did not want to delay things.

HELEN glances at SOPHIA.

HELEN. Oh.

GEORGES. And the Presidents were satisfied there’s no further danger so…

GEORGES smiles at SOPHIA who nods, gracious.

Very generous.

HELEN is visibly displeased.

HELEN. Very. Generous.

She looks back at GEORGES.

So what, we’re just –

GEORGES. Carrying on with the schedule, yes. Well as best we can – I will be back.

He goes.

HELEN stares after him.

HELEN. Carrying on with the schedule? Are they serious?

SOPHIA. It is better this way. I don’t want to cause fuss.

She puts the towel down.

This is no good.

She straightens up, looks at HELEN, who’s still processing.

HELEN. Well.

She takes in SOPHIA’s blood-soaked clothes.

…if anyone can carry it off, you can.

SOPHIA. Sorry?

HELEN. I was – joking. It was my very clumsy way of saying that you’re handling all this excellently. With great – panache.

HELEN smiles.

Again, SOPHIA doesn’t.

HELEN looks around, a bit desperate. Spots the drinks on the table.

(Brightly.) Would you like a drink? Someone’s left a bottle of –

SOPHIA. No, thank you.

HELEN. Oh go on. Think you deserve it.

SOPHIA. Not when I am at work.

HELEN stops.

HELEN. Work? Ah yes. Easy to forget when you’re not on the payroll.

SOPHIA glances anxiously towards the door.

SOPHIA. She did not show me the film.

HELEN. The – (Realising.) oh.

SOPHIA. I think it must be bad.

HELEN. I wouldn’t worry too much. Think the papers have bigger things to chew on today, don’t you?

SOPHIA. It is not the papers I am worried about. It is the Facebook. And the YouTube. And they can make a meme.

HELEN. Right.

SOPHIA. You have seen these?

HELEN.… One or two.

SOPHIA. I hate these.

HELEN’s not quite sure what to say.

HELEN. Probably best not to think about it.

HELEN moves to the window, looks out at the protesters in the distance.

Suppose they’ve only themselves to blame really.

SOPHIA. Who?

HELEN. The newspapers. I mean look over there. Placards, children, dogs – one very lovely Dalmatian actually – but not one single reporter.

SOPHIA. How do you know?

HELEN. Cos they’re all downstairs in the press area, aren’t they? Waiting for official updates. Like veal calves waiting to be fed.