The Plays
Lights down. Up on chorus.
Chorus So it's two o'clock in the morning
Drunkards make their way home
As noisily as they can.
And in the cliff top park, looking over the broad sweep of Ferryton Bay
Believing herself to be quite, quite alone in the world
Just her and the still growing child
The girl comes to a desperate realisation.
And the rose tinted spectacles are shattered forever.
Jackie He's not coming is he. He would have been here by now. I've just been kidding myself 'cause I wanted it to be true. Perhaps he was never going to come. He just said it to keep me quiet. Perhaps he never even said it - I don't know anymore.
I don't care. I wanted it all to be perfect and it's not. But that night it seemed so... so much like the right time.
Lights down. Lights up on Kevin and Karen.
Kevin Come on. Hurry up.
Karen Alright, hang on. These shoes are agony.
Kevin Well take 'em off then.
Karen Don't be stupid.
Kevin Take 'em off and we'll sit down here for a bit.
Karen (She hesitates for a moment) Well just for a minute then.
They sit.
Karen What did we come up here for any way?
Kevin Why d'yer think?
Pause
Kevin To look at the view of course. It's beautiful up here.
Karen It's dark!
Kevin Just look at all those stars. You can't see 'em when you're down in the town. And the moon, shining on the sea. Listen you can hear the sea on the rocks. It's romantic.
Karen It's cold.
Kevin Here, I'll warm you up.
He puts his arm around her.
Karen Hey is that someone standing over there by the edge of the cliffs?
Kevin Where?
Karen Over there. I thought I saw someone.
Kevin There's no-one there. We've got the whole world to ourselves. Just me and you.
They kiss gently as the lights switch back to Jackie.
Jackie And he held me because I was cold and we stood there listening to the waves. I felt so peaceful. So cosy. So loved. I just wanted it to go on like that. And he kissed me and I felt warm inside as well then. When I looked at him, I knew what he was thinking, I knew what he wanted.
Switch back to Kevin and Karen. Karen is disentangling herself from him.
Kevin Eh. what's up?
Karen Nothing, it's just, well...
Kevin Well what?
Karen What do you think about me?
Kevin You're gorgeous.
Karen But what do you feel?
Kevin You I hope!
He grabs her.
Karen You know what I mean...
Kevin I really, really fancy you. You know that.
Karen You don't think I'm cheap or anything?
Kevin Course not.
Karen And you won't tell your mates.
Kevin Who do you take me for?
Jason (In the darkness) So how far did you get?
Brian (In the darkness) What all the way! You lucky sod.
Darren (In the darkness) What was she like Kev?
Lads (In the darkness) Wa...aay! Nice one Kevin, nice one son, nice one kevin, now let's shag another one!
Karen Promise?
Kevin Cross me heart. Trust me.
The lights switch.
Jackie Trust me he said. It will be alright. Trust me.
Only it's not alright. He didn't mean a word of it. He only said it so he could have me. He didn't care. And it wasn't lovely and beautiful. It hurt and I cried but I told him it was because it was so wonderful. Afterwards I wanted him to hold me and look at the sea but he wanted to get back to his mates.
The sea. It's beautiful tonight. Glittering under the stars. It looks so peaceful. I've been so stupid. How can I face them? They'll treat me like an idiot, like a child. But I'm not. I'm not. And the shouting, and the arguments. But here it's still calm. This is my place. It would be so easy to stay. Just one step, then another. The wind in my face. It feels so clean. It makes me feel free. Like a bird. Just one more...
She slips and falls.
Lights on Karen and Kevin.
Karen What was that?
Kevin What for God's sake?
Karen I thought I heard somebody scream or something.
Kevin I'll be bloody screaming in a minute! Come on!
Karen You do love me?
Kevin Course I do .
Karen Positive.
Kevin Absolutely bloody certain now come on!
The light switches back to Jackie's spot which is empty. The empty spot holds for a long
time, and just when it seems about to go out, a hand reaches up from below. Jackie
hauls herself up and sits on the edge of the cliff.
Jackie Bloody hell. I could have sodding well killed myself doin' that. What the hell was I thinkin' of. Just because some docile pratt with his brains between his legs runs out on me I'm not going to top meself. And look at me best jeans- ripped and covered in mud. But I'm worth more than a headline in the papers. I'm worth more than that bastard Dave that's for sure.
It'll be hard to tell mum and dad but they'll get over it. One things for sure, when my dad finds out he'll break almost every bone in Dave's body. Great! He was crap at it anyway. I've got some change for the telephone. Things will sort themselves out. Things always do.
She dusts herself off and exits.
Chorus So time and tide moves on
And the day in Ferryton draws to its close
Some found love
Some lost it
Some had fun
Some rediscovered their childhood
Some enjoyed being children
But everyone
Found something.
In Ferryton on Sea
Ferry Town
In these small hours
Just before the dawn
Hush and you can hear it breathe
Listen
Listen
Three waves break on the beach as the light fades