This is a piece of AS English Language Coursework, which focuses on the struggle between a heroin addict and his girlfriend. It is only short but is intended as an educational but entertaining dualogue.
Lighting for Him [WH] is bright white, very clean but harsh whenever this character speaks unless otherwise stated.
Set for Him – white washed interior wall behind.
Props needed for Him – spoon, lighter missing silver/ steel covering, white powder (imitation heroin), leather belt, false needle, bottle of lemon juice.
Him costume – blue jeans, stained white t-shirt, white trainers.
Lighting for Her [YH] is softer with a yellow tint to give a jaundiced pall to Her’s skin. This will remain the same throughout unless otherwise stated.
Set for Her’s side of the stage – tattered sofa, pale blue backdrop/wallpapered wall
Props needed for Her – mug of tea.
Her costume – jeans, t-shirt ( any colour), large, green, tatty sweatshirt.
Tableau Positions
Him is slouched on the floor stage right, back against the wall
Her is seated on the arm of a tattered settee stage left.
Stage is in darkness as audience come in.
1:1
Low traffic rumble is heard underpinning speech
[YH]
HER: He said he’d stopped. Got clean. Come off the stuff. Why did I ever listen to him in the first place?… Because I love him that’s why. Stupid girl.
[YH] off
[WH]
HIM: I told ‘er I’d stopped. And I had at the time. Dint have a hit all week. Hard that is!(short snort/laugh).Had the runs somet’chronic. Fuckin’ hell my arse is still red raw! Well, it’s not like I promised ‘er anyway (sniffs).
[WH] off
[YH]
HER: He promised me he’d come off and this time I thought he meant it. Just like the last time… and the time before that(sighs). What the fuck am I gonna do?! He can’t look after himself…useless fuck!
[YH] off
[WH]
HIM: I can look after myself. Don’t need her. Good shag though (short snort/laugh). She dunt know what it’s like to hit the white stuff. Fuckin’ best feelin’ in the world. I like watching the blood that comes up the needle after the hit’s gone in ( snigger). I did ask ’er when I meh her. She said no. Not my problem if she dunt wanna join in my activities is it?
[WH] off
During Her’s next input Him will pull the leather belt about the right upper arm and will be handed the bottle of lemon juice, the spoon, white powder and imitation syringe/needle.
[YH]
HER: Selfish bastard! I wish he’d just die. OD and never come home! I’ll look after the kid myself. Shit father! Shit in bed! Shit! Shit! Shit! (baby begins to cry) (sobbing) What am I gonna do? I can’t just leave. I’ve got her to think about. (quietly, calm) shut up. (louder, irritated)shut up (pause, shouted, angry) SHUT UP! (shuffles off to stage left out of sight, light dims, baby stops crying, HER starts to cry uncontrollably).
[YH] off
[WH] White powder, bottle of lemon juice, lighter strewn across stage. Syringe held in imitation of having injected Him’s self.
HIM: (deep, indrawn breath, shudders slightly as Him drops the syringe) Heh. (Breathy) (pause) First hit o’ the day… is the best. (pause) Pull the belt tight… cook up and…and (collapses suddenly, slumped against the wall).
[WH] off
1:2
Completely dark. 5 second silence
Ambulance siren sounds. Blue lights flash to replicate the siren, swinging from stage left to stage right
During this period of sound effects HIM will change into a hospital gown and will lie upon a hospital bed. HIM will be wheeled on to stage right as quietly as possible. HER will be sat in a chair next to the bed holding HIM’s hand silent and unmoving.
Light now has a green tinge
and fades out in conjunction with all light and sound on stage until silent and completely dark. During a period of about 30 seconds to a minute a pre-recorded set of sound effects will play imitating Him’ s movement from the ambulance in to the hospital and up to recuss. A heartbeat will be superimposed over the top of this which will increase greatly in speed until it comes to a dead stop. The sound of hurried actions and the use of a defribulator twice until the heartbeat starts again soft then louder and stronger. [GH] to it to reflect the hospital centre by spotlight on the bed. Footsteps will sound with snatches of conversation very quietly underpinning the two character’s speech.
[GH]
HIM: (speaking distractedly as if expressing his subconscious self, sounding quite confused, completely unmoving) Where the fuck am I? It’s bloody dark in here. Why can’t I open my eyes? What the fuck happened? Oh…shit…
HER: (sniffles) Selfish bastard. (quietly) Why couldn’t you just do the one thing I ever asked you to do…if not for me…for your daughter. Junkie wanker. How are we going to live now arsehole? Tell me? (louder, slight anger) It’s not like you ever got off your arse and got life insurance, spent all our…my savings on fucking heroin. No benefits now…not enough anyway, they’ll cut us off now because you’re not likely to wake up now are you? Must be great in there, loads of space (hits Him in chest). I’ll tell your daughter when she’s old enough that her father was a waste of space and that it’s his fault we’re in the mess we are. Hope you’re happy. (gets up and leaves stage left crying)
HIM: (quiet groan) GH] off
[
Light is pale blue
[
HER: (crying, on a mobile phone, slowly walking from stage left to stage right) He’s in hospital…don’t know, don’t care…don‘t give me that I know you were right…we’ll cope…I’ll find a way…just look after her for now…she needs a feed…don’t…Ok. Look after her (turns off mobile). I guess this is it, I’m fucked, and to think I loved Him and wished him dead…oh God I did this to him…I did this to my daughter it’s my fault we’re in this mess. (walks off stage right).BH] off
[GH]
HIM:(speaking in to receiver of hospital phone) I ballsed this up didn’t I?…I know I have a daughter…I’ll be out of here soon…where’s?…of course it’s my business…I’ve got help…no I don’t intend to be in here again, for this reason anyway ever again, I nearly died for fuck’s sake what do you take me for?…(irritated, said through gritted teeth) I said I’ve got help. Goodbye Diane. (replaces the handset) Time to get up, I guess. (rise up slowly from bed and walks off stage left).
[GH] off
Artificial wall is pushed on stage from stage left.
Her is sat on the floor, back against the wall, belt, lemon juice, white powder, spoon lighter, and syringe arrayed on the floor.
[WH]
HER: He always came here. His getaway but I never understood what he got out of it, chasing the dragon. Maybe it’s about time I found out. (pulls belt around upper arm clumsily, shaking pours lemon juice on spoon and spills white powder over spoon and on the floor. Lights lighter under the spoon for a few seconds and grabs the syringe. Drops syringe)(agitated) Shit!(hastily, clumsily picks up syringe and imitates the drawing of heroin from the spoon, takes to slapping right forearm, and imitates injecting into her arm, wait fifteen seconds [flash of intense white light, very bright, harsh directed at the audience and all light goes out, stage completely dark] and drops down, muscles completely lax).
[
BH] spotlight follows HER[BH], to reflect cold, traffic rumble can be heard again, very loud.
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