Vernon God Little (stage version) (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

DBC Pierre

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Seitenzahl: 106

Beschreibung

A darkly riotous, superbly fast-talking adventure, adapted from the Booker Prize-winning novel. Vernon Little is fifteen years old and lives with his mother in Martirio, a flea-bitten Texan town. His best friend just massacred sixteen of their classmates before killing himself. The town wants vengeance and turns its sights on Vernon, who is arrested at the start of the story. Tanya Ronder's stage adaptation of DBC Pierre's Booker Prizewinning novel was first performed at the Young Vic, London, in 2007, when it was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best New Play. Rufus Norris's production was revived in 2011, in this revised version, as the centrepiece of the Young Vic's celebratory fortieth anniversary season. 'Tanya Ronder's clever, fluent, and highly enjoyable theatrical adaptation' - Independent 'exuberant, inventive, edgy, excitable, original' - Mail on Sunday

Leseprobe

VERNON

GOD

LITTLE

adapted for the stage by

TANYA RONDER

from the book by

DBC PIERRE

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Note

Characters

Act One

Act Two

Production Note and Acknowledgements

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Note

Unfortunately, most of the songs in the script cannot be detailed in full because of copyright restrictions. However, they do form an integral part of the play, splicing between the lines of dialogue as indicated.

The music could be different in another production – both the choice of songs and who plays or sings what – but the inclusion of music throughout, the underscoring of the action and the feathering of sung lines with dialogue, is a vital element in the escalating speed and energy of the story.

The 2011 production featured ten actors (see back of book for details of doubling). This number could be expanded (or possibly reduced) in future productions. The assignment of roles could also be different, including the gender of many of the characters.

A forward slash in the text (/) marks the point where the next character begins to speak.

Characters

VERNON

HEAVY

JESUS

LALLY’S MOM

VAINE

SILAS

SHERIFF PORKORNEY

MR DEUTSCHMAN

PAM

BUS DRIVER

EILEENA

LITTLE OLD LADY

MOM

CHRISSIE

LALLY

BORDER GUARD

LEONA

BARTENDER

BRAD

PELAYO

MR ABDINI

PELAYO’S WIFE

COURT OFFICER

ACAPULCO CLERK

JUDGE HELEN GURIE

CAMERAMAN

DR GOOSENS

BRIAN

TAYLOR FIGUEROA

PROSECUTOR

PASTOR GIBBONS

JUDGE

KID IN BRACES

MEDIA COURT OFFICER

MR KEETER

FOREMAN

ELLA KEETER

JONESY

TEAM LEADER

CON ONE

STEVEN

CON TWO

TODD

LASALLE

MAY-MAY

Also bus passengers, camera crew, convicts, singers, teenagers, etc.

PRE-SHOW

MR KEETER sings a short number with his guitar to both settle and unsettle the audience.

ACT ONE

VERNON sits in the interview room. In his memory, school mates shout abuse, ‘Meskin Bambi boy’, etc. There are gunshots. JESUS sings ‘Crazy’ by Patsy Cline.

VAINE. Vernon Gregory Little?

VERNON shares the joke with JESUS.

VERNON. No, it’s Dolly fucken Parton.

VAINE. What?

JESUS stops singing.

VERNON. Sorry.

VAINE. Your habitual place of residence is 17 Beulah Drive?

VERNON. Yes, ma’am.

VAINE. Who else resides there?

VERNON. Just my mom.

VAINE. And you’re fifteen years old?

VERNON. Nearly sixteen.

VAINE. Awkward age.

VERNON. Ma’am, will this take long?

VAINE. Vernon, we’re talking accessory to murder here, it’ll take as long as it takes.

VERNON. But –

VAINE. Don’t tell me you weren’t Jesus Navarro’s only friend, don’t you tell me that for one second.

JESUS slinks off.

VERNON. No, ma’am, but… Ask Lori Donner, she knows I wasn’t there!

VAINE. You were found at the scene of the massacre with a bag of ammunition in your arms, are you with me, Mr Little?

He looks at her.

Can you account for yourself at a quarter after ten, Tuesday morning?

VERNON. I was in school.

VAINE. What period?

VERNON. Math.

VAINE. Math?

VERNON. Ma’am, I didn’t see it happen, I was – behind the gym.

VAINE. You take math behind the gym?

VERNON. No, it was our math period…

VAINE. Why weren’t you in class?

VERNON. I went to the bathroom.

VAINE. Behind the gym?

VERNON. I wasn’t there, ma’am, I have witnesses.

VAINE. Is that right?

VERNON. Ask Mr Nuckles!

VAINE. Mr Nuckles and who else?

VERNON. A whole bunch of people.

VAINE. Where are those people now?

VERNON smarts.

Exactly. Not the most reliable witnesses in their body bags, are they, Vernon? Let me ask you two simple questions: one – are you involved with drugs?

VERNON. No.

VAINE. Two – do you possess a firearm?

SHERIFF PORKORNEY joins them.

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. There’s a lot of bothered folk outside, son.

VERNON. I wasn’t in the room, sir…

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. You were friendly though, huh, with the crazy Meskin boy?

VERNON. Sir, I never dreamed he would…

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. Yeah? (To VAINE.) Examine Little’s clothes, did you?

VAINE. Yes, sir.

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. Undergarments?

VAINE. Regular Y-fronts.

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. Check the back of ’em, did you, Vaine? Certain type of practices can loosen a man’s pitoota.

VAINE. Seemed clean, Sheriff.

VERNON. Sir, I ain’t gay, you could just ask.

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. Regular boy then, are you, son? Like your cars and your girls?

VERNON. Yes, sir.

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. And your guns?

No answer.

All right, let’s see if it’s true. How many offices does a girl have that you can get more’n one finger into?

VERNON. Offices?

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. Cavities, holes.

VERNON. Uh… two?

SHERIFF PORKORNEY. Wrong, what a surprise. Vaine, get your paperwork, hold the boy.

They leave. JESUS is back.

VERNON (to JESUS). Pitoota? Fucken retard. ‘Are you with me, Mr Little?’ No, I’m at the mall dicking your fucken daughters!

PAM (in her Mercury). Eileena, have you seen Vern, has he been fed?

VERNON. Pam?

EILEENA. You better wait outside, Pam…

PAM drives right up to VERNON in her car.

PAM. Your mom’s baking so I’ve come to fetch you. You eaten today?

VERNON. No.

PAM. Oh, Lord! I got us some chicken mix.

EILEENA. You can’t take him, Pam –

PAM. Eileena, you tell the Sheriff this boy ain’t eaten. (To VERNON.) Hop in.

EILEENA. Vaine’s filling out the papers!

VERNON. I better stay, Pam.

PAM. Malarkey, come on now.

EILEENA. They’re holding him, Pam…

PAM. Love your hair.

EILEENA. Not too frisky?

PAM. Lord, no, it suits you. Jump in, Vern.

He can’t resist.

EILEENA. Sheriff!

‘Galveston’ by Jimmy Webb, sung by Glen Campbell, plays on the car stereo.

PAM. Eat up, you must be starvin’.

VERNON. Mom okay?

PAM. Well, she spent her last dime on cake mix for the grievin’ families.

(Singing along with the tape.) Galveston, oh, Galveston…

I still hear your sea winds blowing…

Eat the bottom pieces before they get soggy.

(Singing.) I still see her dark eyes glowing…

She was twenty-one…

Sing with me, Vern!

(Singing.) When I left Galveston.

Come on, Vernie, whatever happens we still need to sing!

PAM and VERNON (singing). Galveston, oh Galveston…

VAINE. Stop that car!

PAM. Sixteen soon, little Vern!

DRIVER. Move your ass, road hog.

VAINE pursues PAM’s Mercury in her police car. EILEENA, SHERIFF PORKORNEY, VAINE and the COMPANY join in singing. They hit the Martirio Highway.

PAM, VERNON and COMPANY (singing).

I still hear your sea waves crashin’…

PAM (singing). Crash, crash, crash…

PAM, VERNON and COMPANY (singing).

While I watch the cannons flashin’…

PAM and VERNON (singing).

Flash, flash, flash…

PAM, VERNON and COMPANY (singing).

I clean my gun, and dream of Galveston.

MOM is stuffing cakes into her mouth to quell her tension. The music stops.

VERNON. Hi, Mom.

MOM. Vern, hi! Joy cake?

VAINE catches them up in her police car.

Vaine, just in time for cake!

VAINE (climbing from her car). Your son absconded from our interview.

MOM. Nabscunded? (Offering the cakes.) Fresh from the stove, help yourself.

VAINE. No, Mrs Little, I have to get your son back to the station, then we’ll need to take a look through his room.

VERNON. My room?

MOM. Why, Vaine? Everybody knows who caused the tragedy…

VAINE. We know the effect of the tragedy, Mrs Little, we’ll see about the cause. Vernon, get in the car.

MOM. Why does everything happen to me? He says he wasn’t in class!

VAINE. Where was he, then, behind the gym? Suspects with airtight alibis don’t abscond from interviews!

PAM. I took him, Vaine, he was near dead from starvation!

VAINE. I’m takin’ the child back…

MOM. Wait! There’s something you should know. Stress brings on his condition.

VERNON. Momma!

MOM. Vernon Gregory, you know you get that inconvenience!

VERNON. Mom, please…

PAM. Doris…

MOM. He’s kind of unpredictable for Number Twos…

VERNON. Jesus fuck.

VAINE (dragging him off). I’ll keep the Sheriff informed.

MOM. Take some spares, it’s a clinical condition!

LALLY appears, heroically, with a camcorder.

LALLY (to VAINE). Captain?

MOM, PAM and VAINE (gasping). Huh?

LALLY. A few words for the camera?

VAINE. Firstly, sir, I’m a deputy, and secondly, reporters should consult the media room for updates.

LALLY. Actually, I’m doing a background story.

VAINE (clears her throat). Gghrr.

LALLY. Eulalio Ledesma, ma’am, at your service. (He downs the liquid from a small bottle.) The world awaits.

VAINE. The world’s a long way from Martirio, Mr Ledesghmm…

LALLY. Today, ma’am, the world is Martirio.

PAM. TV, Vaine!

VAINE. I can’t go on like this, I’m not prepared…

PAM. Poohf, you’re spotless.

VAINE. What am I s’posed to say?

PAM. Get a grip, Vaine, wanna shuffle papers for ever?

LALLY. Relax, I’ll lead you right in. Hit it, boys.

The gathering crowd plays Mariachi-type news music. LALLY points the camera at himself.

Once again, America dons the cloak of mourning. Sixteen young lives laid to waste on what should have been just another innocent day in the small town of Martirio, central Texas. Now we ask, how do we heal these wounds? We begin on the front line with our law-enforcement professionals. (Swinging the camera onto VAINE, sotto voce.) The camera’ll love you…

Deputy Vaine Gurie, does the community relate differently to you at a time like this?

VAINE. This is the first time we’ve had a high-school massacre in Martirio.

LALLY. And is the community pulling together?

VAINE. We have back-up officers over from Luling and, uh, Ryesburg sent us some home-made fudge…

LALLY. The extra officers free you up to spend time with survivors?

VAINE. Sir, the survivors have survived. (Warming to her theme.) I’m lookin’ to find the cause.

LALLY. It’s not open and shut?

VAINE. That’s a lot of carnage for one, unaided gunman to manage.

LALLY (grabbing VERNON). Did this young man cause it?

VAINE (losing confidence). That’s not what I said…

LALLY. Then why should the American taxpayer bankroll you to detain him?

PAM (to MOM and VERNON). Do you think Sheriff knows Vaine’s on TV?

VAINE. That’ll be all for now, Mr Lesama. (Re: the news-music.) Quit that noise.

LALLY. Deputy, this is the public domain… Boys!

The music resumes.

PAM (on phone). Eileena? Vaine’s on TV…

VAINE. Put the camera away now, Mr Lesama.

LALLY. God Himself can’t stop it rollin’, Deputy.

Her phone goes.

I think that’s your phone.

VAINE (answering). Sheriff? Back to the office? Right away, sir.

She scuttles off, leaving VERNON.

LALLY (to the mariachi band). Wrap it, boys.

PAM. See you later, little Vern!

LALLY. Guess that’s the Deputy off your back, kid!

PAM (pursuing her in the car). NYPD Blues next, Vaine…

MOM. Oh, Mr Smedma…

LALLY. Eulalio Ledesma, ma’am. Educated people call me Lally.

MOM. I’m Doris. Can I get you a Coke, Lally, to thank you?

LALLY. Just water for me, and maybe one of those beautiful cakes.

MOM. Joy cakes. Help yourself!

LALLY. Thank you, they look joyful.

MOM. Come on inside. (Handing VERNON the cakes.) Vernon! So, Lally, do you stay nearby, or…?

LALLY. In the van, right now. With all the media interest, motels are mobbed…

MOM. Oh.

LALLY. I heard some generous townsfolk are taking in guests, but I’ve not been fortunate yet.

MOM. Well, I…

The loud burst of an Eldorado horn interrupts them.

LEONA. Hi, Doris!

VERNON. Shit-sniffers.

MOM. Vernon! Hi, guys, this is Mr Lesama, from the TV.

LEONA. Hi, I’m Leona, this is my son Bradley, I had him young, say hi, Bradley.

LALLY. Hi, Brad.

VERNON. What’s that smell?

BRAD. Pluck off.

LEONA. Bradley Pritchard!

BRAD. Goddam what? I said ‘pluck’ for chrissakes, I mean, shit!

He smacks his mother, she smacks him back, a fight erupts.

LEONA. Bradley! (Cool again.) So, Vaine was here again? What does she want with Vernon?

MOM. I don’t know why she’s picking on him…

LEONA. Well, he was friends with that scary psycho Meskin boy.

LALLY. Crazy, huh?

LEONA. Did you know the Meskin was wearing silk panties when he killed them?

BRAD (to VERNON). You wear girls’ panties too?

VERNON. Fuck you, dork hole.

LALLY opens up another small bottle to drink.

BRAD. What’s he drinking?

VERNON. Piss.

LALLY. Siberian Ginseng Compound for men. (Throwing one to VERNON.) Here, son, use it when you need it, know what I’m saying? Better than Viagra!

LEONA. Really? (Giggling.) Hmn, hmn, hmn, hmn…

LALLY winks at MOM.

MOM. I’ll get your water. You coming, Leona?

LALLY. Need a hand?

MOM. No, no, you relax. It’s nice for Vernon to have a man to talk to.

LALLY. No father, huh, Doris?

MOM. Not any more. He passed away three years ago now, though you’d never guess it, I’m still waiting on the insurance!

LEONA. Honey, they can’t pay out before they have a body, you know that!

MOM. That’s right, a body. (Ushering LEONA off, laughing nervously.) Anyway, anyway…

LEONA. Bradley!