The Last Resort

 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

The Plays

 
 
 
 
 

 Alternative Ending – not used

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. You can 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!

                        He presses her down again

Karen               Kevin wait a minute - I - Kevin....

Kevin               Oh come on, come on...

Karen               Kevin... Kevin no.... no...

Kevin               Just relax. Come on...

Karen               Kevin, I said....   NO!

                        She knees him violently in the groin. He falls away from her.

Kevin               Ow! (He rolls in agony). What did you do that for you bitch?

Karen               Because Kevin, I said no and you weren’t listening!

Kevin               I was only messing around!

Karen.              Well I wasn’t. Where are my shoes? Ah there they are.

                        She picks up her shoes nearby Kevin. Kevin is pushing himself up on his hands. Karen  violently crashes the heel of her shoe on his hand. He collapses again.

Kevin               Ow!

Karen               I wanted to have fun Kevin but when I say no that’s exactly what I mean!

Kevin               You were enjoying it.

Karen               I had enjoyed it Kevin but then I stopped and that’s when I said no. See this Kevin?

Kevin               Hairspray?

Karen               No - Mace.

                        She sprays his face. He collapses in agony.

Karen               And Kevin, you should know that no always means no - nothing else. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s me or any other woman saying it. Just because I’m a regional kick boxing champion it makes no difference!

Kevin               Kick Boxing!

                        He is kneeling half up. Karen spins and floors him with a martial arts style kick.

Kevin               (In agony) What did I do wrong?

Karen               You didn’t listen. Goodnight Kevin. I can see myself home. What will you tell your mates?

                        She exits. Kevin staggers to his feet.

Darren             (In the darkness). Bloody hell Kev - look at the state of you!

Brian                (In the darkness) She must have been a real animal!

Jason               (In the darkness) So how far did you get?

Kevin               (In the darkness) What all the way! You lucky sod.

Darren             (In the darkness) What was she like Bri?

Lads                 (In the darkness) Wa...aay! Nice one Brian, nice one son, nice one Brian, now let's shag another one!

                        Kevin exits.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             The 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