(no subject)
Justice behind bars
Scene 1
Laundry Room
Soft lights up
EACH PERSON IS ON STAGE REPEATING A DIFFERENT MOVEMENT THEN WE ALL FREEZE
VICKY DEEP VOICE: You have been charged with murder: you will be remanded in custody until the court sees fit to put you on trial.
Scene 2
Knitting scene
Lights fully up
Sitting in a row- silent knitting movements until hope makes a mistake and tries to hide it.
Lulu: Everything all right angel?
Hope: (shy voice trying to let no one else hear) Yes, oh…no- I’ve made an awful mistake.
Lulu: Never fear honey, we’ll soon have it sorted. Nana?
Hope: *urgent whisper* no, Lulu!
Lulu: Nana, we appear to have come across a slight difficultly- you wouldn’t be able to help by any chance would you now?
(Mary notices the mistake hope has made and goes into her own world of talking to her and gradually gets louder to interrupt nana)
Nana: I don’t know, children today- complain about us oldies but when it comes down to it- I tell you the world just wouldn’t spin… need us to do everything, you do. One minute its, “don’t tell me, I know” the next thing you know you’re asking for help! My Richard…
Mary: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, and he saw that it was good: not like evil- sinful evil- god would not like it. He would not appreciate it, he made the world fool-proof and then eve, oooh she sinned she ruined it, and she’s you, you’re her you’re eve YOU’RE A SINNER EVIL, EVIL SINNER- GOD DOESN’T LOVE YOU, ADAM DOESN’T LOVE YOU…WHAT DID YOU DO? EVE, WHAT DID YOU DO? (Tries to get up)
Lulu: (pushes her back down) Now Mary, honey, just calm down. She didn’t mean to- just a simple accident- that’s all.
Nana: You young’uns like to make everything so extreme, if my Richard was here you know what he would say? Ill tell you he would say… He’d say- he would- you all need to calm down and stop making such a big deal. Be grateful for all you have… my poor Richard. I wonder how he’s coping without me… probably hasn’t eaten for months! Oh poor Richard.
Stage darkens, all spotlights available come up.
(Hope walks to where the spotlight is, everyone else exits into the curtain nearest the stairs)
Hope’s Monolog
Hope: Innocent? Who knows that I’m innocent anymore? What is innocent? I walked away leaving a human distraught and in pain. Their eyes staring into my guilty ones, but was I guilty? What if I had done it, I was drunk, my mind confused I’d lost sense of right from wrong, but surely I would know right from murder? I can’t even remember my innocence. All I have is warped flashbacks others have pieced together to prove me guilty. I’m not capable of murder; I know I’m not… My family and friends have already condemned me. The ones I love! I’m losing hope, losing my hope for my innocence…. I always made a mess of my life, always. Wrong place wrong time… my defense even tried to tell them that. I passed out hours later waking up by a bleeding man next to me the murder weapon clean in my hand- I ran- I was confused … how would you react? It wasn’t me, it wasn’t, I was framed, wrong place wrong time, to the connivance of someone else. Framed that is what I’ve been… at least I hope…
(Hope sitting alone crying)
(Lulu enters from curtain)
Lulu: Oh honey, no need for tears (pulls out hanky). You know Mary… in her own little world- don’t pay any attention to her. I promise it will get better.
Hope: It’s not that…*sniffs* I’m just worried about my trial.
Lulu: Sugar, I know your innocent. Any fool can tell, its clear in your eyes, but the important thing is- what did your lawyer say?
Hope: I don’t have many funds so the state had to give me one, he said that it’s just my word against theirs at the moment but he seems confident enough… mainly as they’ve never hung a woman before.
Lulu: Well then! Nothing to fear petal- soon you’ll be free to forget about everything and just get on with life. Just tell them the truth and I promise you’ll be fine.
Hope: Thanks for the advice Lulu; I don’t know what I’d do with out you.
VICKY DEEP VOICE: lights out!
BLACKOUT
Scene 3
In the kitchen
Lights up brightly
(Mary, Nana, Hope and Lulu are standing facing the audience in front of the chairs peeling potatoes, slicing etc)
Lulu: Isn’t it a beautiful day today, how I love a lie-in! Puts a smile on everyone’s face… except, apparently, you Mary. What’s up? You’ve the face of a fish!
Mary: I noticed no one was to be seen at mass this morning (under her breath) sinners, evil sinners…
Hope: I’m sorry Mary, Its just I’m so tired…
Lulu: Oh honey, you don’t need to make excuses… Mary you are entitled to your own beliefs as are we, but you cant hold it against us, sweetheart.
Mary: (righteously) I don’t hold it against you, it’s against my religion.
Nana: I’ll have you know I attended mass this morning Miss Mary, so don’t go preaching how you’re the only one god will save… I thought ‘e was all forgiving anyway. I tell you, younguns today, only hear what they want to hear ‘alf the time!
(Mary retreats into her own world and starts talking to herself and rubbing her cross)
Lulu: Oh settle down all of you… Nana would you be a doll and pass me the butter?
(Everyone except Nana sits down and freezes)
Lights down and spotlights appear
Nana’s monolog
(When it finishes she sits down and lights up)
Lulu: Nana? Nana? You were off in a world of your own!
Nana: Sorry dear, just thinking bout my Richard…poor Richard
(Veronica enters from the curtain farthest from the stair door putting on an obvious front of confidence)
Veronica: Hi, the warden said I was to come down and introduce myself to the lifers… I’m Veronica but you can call me Nicky.
MARY: (rises, walks to front stage left and points accusatory finger) Sinner, you have sinned. SINNER! Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil…She’s one of them, I know it.
Veronica: (to the rest of the group) Did I do something…?
Lulu: Don’t worry petal,
Nana: (interrupts) She’s just a religious nutter…
(They freeze lights down, spotlights appear)
Mary: Sin is evil, evil, evil sin, sin, sin………. I was walking home after mass ….I attended each week… the sermon was very powerful- very, he talked about how teen culture was indulging in a life on sin- sin- that word. It makes me feel sick, ill, disrespecting god like that. I carried on walking, then out of nowhere…
(They make sounds of drunken teens and music laughter)
I saw a girl, one of those flappers, you know- throwing up in the street while some dreadful man touched her in un mentionable places. They were clearly out of wedlock. I felt sick, ill… I waited- they went inside- Adam and Eve… I was furious. These were exactly the sinners we had just heard about, disrespectful, shameful…so yes, I did it… for god. He wanted me to. I know it was right. I’d do it again.
I heard their screams (Hope screams) and I knew where they were- hell- where they belonged…. I’m not bad… I’m not evil…I was helping them. Saving them from an eternity spent in purgatory. Maybe god will forgive…thou shalt be done on earth as in heaven. (Mary sits down)
Lights up slowly
(Mary is staring at veronica)
Mary, Hope, Nana and Lulu leave through stairs door, Veronica stops and sits on steps, Lulu notices and turns back.
Spotlight on stairs
(Veronica begins to cry)
Lulu: (sits down next to her) Hmm, let me guess, there’s a man?
Veronica: Huh? Oh, how did you know?
Lulu: The first day is always the hardest- believe me honey- just don’t give up. My husband Rodney was a dog; treated me something terrible but he’d never hurt me. He’s actually real sweet now I think about it, stood up for me, and all. So what’s your story angel?
Veronica: (hesitating) Oh I don’t know…(looks up at Lulu and is reassured)
It used to happen just when I did something wrong, when I didn’t have his dinner ready or the kids in bed. Mainly when he could find a reason…it kept getting worse, every night he would come home and beat me black and blue. Even in front of the kids!
Lulu: Kids? You’re awful young.
Veronica: I have two boys Sammy and Jonnie; they’re 1 and 3. I got married very young, I’m 19 you know, always wanted a family, and a house of my own… with a white picket fence. He promised me the moon, but one day he came home, couldn’t find any excuse. Told the kids they couldn’t call me ‘Mum’. Do you have any idea what that’s like? Your own children, not able to call you ‘Mum’.
Lulu: I…surely not worth hanging for.
Lulu freezes and Vicky gets up, lights dim, spotlights appear but not on stairs
Veronica’s monolog
Veronica: (moves into spotlights on stage) a mistake something so simple but I was happy- I wanted him dead- I wanted him gone. Was that so wrong? Was that so evil? So horrible…? But I wouldn’t have killed him, not me, not the heart to. I didn’t know I didn’t know he was there behind the door; he just fell. I stopped breathing…I wanted him dead but I didn’t mean to kill him. Its all so confusing. I was at the top of the stairs, I opened the door, he was coming up behind, he fell down all those stairs… he looked like I did after he’d…
Bleeding but he wasn’t breathing… dead…I was happy. But not now- my children alone- no mum no dad. What did I do…? a stupid mistake, I didn’t kill him, it was a honest accident why wont they believe me? No one will…except the kids. Like he always used to say, I deserve this………(exits behind curtain farthest from Lulu)
BLACKOUT
(Nana Hope and Mary enter through the back door and are all kneeling as though in church in front of their chairs in the chapel, Nana and Hope are next to each other. Mary sits apart giving sideways glances whilst praying feverishly)
Nana: Oh dear, you always look so sad. I wish there was something I could say to make it all better…God knows you are innocent if that can help you through.
Hope: I don’t mean to look sad, but sometimes I can’t help it. It’s my face, you know.
Nana: God knows you are innocent, if that can help you through this.
Hope: You sound just like Mary.
Nana: Well I have attended church -I mean we have, me and my Richard…dear Richard… -all our lives and I love god and I believe in him, but that Mary… she’s just as mad as a hatter! (laughs to herself)
Mary: silence in the house of god do you have no respect…? Sinners. All of them.
(Veronica enters from curtain and stands awkwardly in the corner as if waiting for something)
Veronica: *stage whisper* Uh, I’m sorry to interrupt. The warden wants us in the gardens…
Mary: This is a house of god, BE SILENT. Show some respect for your creator.
Nana: Mary…shut up.
Mary: (rises and point accusatory finger) BLASPHEMY!
Nana: Did I use god’s name in vain?
Veronica: I’m sorry Mary, please forgive…
(Mary storms out)
Nana: Pay no attention to that lunatic. *Under breath* and people say I’m senile…
BLACKOUT
(Lulu is still where we left her, sitting on the stairs. Everyone is ‘digging’ on the other side of the stage facing the audience)
Veronica: Where’s Lulu?
Nana: She said something about popping back to the cell, don’t worry dear, she’ll soon be back. She’s the glue that holds us all together.
Hope: Oh yes, I don’t know how I’d survive in here if she weren’t around.
Nana: Yes, lulu is here for us all.
Mary: God will like Lulu, she’s okay.
Nana: Well heaven forbid! Dear Mary thinks she ok!!! She must be an angel…
Veronica: Not if she’s in here, what did she do?
Hope: (snappishly) We don’t talk about our crimes in here.
Nana: She’s innocent for sure. Whatever it is she would never harm anything- not even a fly.
Mary: Her imprisonment is a mistake.
Spotlight on stairs
(The stage darkens and everyone freezes as Lulu starts to sing)
Lulu’s monologue.
When the song ends and she has put down the baby, leave a momentary pause and then:
BLACKOUT
Dim lights up slowly
Reveals the characters in a line facing the floor. Left to right: Lulu, Mary, Hope, Nana and Veronica. Lulu is on the stairs.
Mary looks up
Mary: Mary Connell, you are found guilty of 9 counts of murder. You will suffer pain of death for your crimes.
Hope looks up
Hope: Hope Freeman, you have been found guilty of murder. You are sentenced to be taken from here at the court’s earliest convenience to a place of execution where you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead.
Nana looks up
Hope: Doris Jones you are found guilty and will be sentenced to life imprisonment accounting for your current age.
Veronica looks up
Nicky: Veronica Mason, the jury has found you guilty of murder and the only sentence befitting is death.
Lulu looks up
Lulu: Lulu Golden, the members of the jury have found you…not guilty. We offer our condolences concerning the recent death of your child and pronounce you a free citizen.
Lulu smiles- BLACKOUT
Scene 1
Laundry Room
Soft lights up
EACH PERSON IS ON STAGE REPEATING A DIFFERENT MOVEMENT THEN WE ALL FREEZE
VICKY DEEP VOICE: You have been charged with murder: you will be remanded in custody until the court sees fit to put you on trial.
Scene 2
Knitting scene
Lights fully up
Sitting in a row- silent knitting movements until hope makes a mistake and tries to hide it.
Lulu: Everything all right angel?
Hope: (shy voice trying to let no one else hear) Yes, oh…no- I’ve made an awful mistake.
Lulu: Never fear honey, we’ll soon have it sorted. Nana?
Hope: *urgent whisper* no, Lulu!
Lulu: Nana, we appear to have come across a slight difficultly- you wouldn’t be able to help by any chance would you now?
(Mary notices the mistake hope has made and goes into her own world of talking to her and gradually gets louder to interrupt nana)
Nana: I don’t know, children today- complain about us oldies but when it comes down to it- I tell you the world just wouldn’t spin… need us to do everything, you do. One minute its, “don’t tell me, I know” the next thing you know you’re asking for help! My Richard…
Mary: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, and he saw that it was good: not like evil- sinful evil- god would not like it. He would not appreciate it, he made the world fool-proof and then eve, oooh she sinned she ruined it, and she’s you, you’re her you’re eve YOU’RE A SINNER EVIL, EVIL SINNER- GOD DOESN’T LOVE YOU, ADAM DOESN’T LOVE YOU…WHAT DID YOU DO? EVE, WHAT DID YOU DO? (Tries to get up)
Lulu: (pushes her back down) Now Mary, honey, just calm down. She didn’t mean to- just a simple accident- that’s all.
Nana: You young’uns like to make everything so extreme, if my Richard was here you know what he would say? Ill tell you he would say… He’d say- he would- you all need to calm down and stop making such a big deal. Be grateful for all you have… my poor Richard. I wonder how he’s coping without me… probably hasn’t eaten for months! Oh poor Richard.
Stage darkens, all spotlights available come up.
(Hope walks to where the spotlight is, everyone else exits into the curtain nearest the stairs)
Hope’s Monolog
Hope: Innocent? Who knows that I’m innocent anymore? What is innocent? I walked away leaving a human distraught and in pain. Their eyes staring into my guilty ones, but was I guilty? What if I had done it, I was drunk, my mind confused I’d lost sense of right from wrong, but surely I would know right from murder? I can’t even remember my innocence. All I have is warped flashbacks others have pieced together to prove me guilty. I’m not capable of murder; I know I’m not… My family and friends have already condemned me. The ones I love! I’m losing hope, losing my hope for my innocence…. I always made a mess of my life, always. Wrong place wrong time… my defense even tried to tell them that. I passed out hours later waking up by a bleeding man next to me the murder weapon clean in my hand- I ran- I was confused … how would you react? It wasn’t me, it wasn’t, I was framed, wrong place wrong time, to the connivance of someone else. Framed that is what I’ve been… at least I hope…
(Hope sitting alone crying)
(Lulu enters from curtain)
Lulu: Oh honey, no need for tears (pulls out hanky). You know Mary… in her own little world- don’t pay any attention to her. I promise it will get better.
Hope: It’s not that…*sniffs* I’m just worried about my trial.
Lulu: Sugar, I know your innocent. Any fool can tell, its clear in your eyes, but the important thing is- what did your lawyer say?
Hope: I don’t have many funds so the state had to give me one, he said that it’s just my word against theirs at the moment but he seems confident enough… mainly as they’ve never hung a woman before.
Lulu: Well then! Nothing to fear petal- soon you’ll be free to forget about everything and just get on with life. Just tell them the truth and I promise you’ll be fine.
Hope: Thanks for the advice Lulu; I don’t know what I’d do with out you.
VICKY DEEP VOICE: lights out!
BLACKOUT
Scene 3
In the kitchen
Lights up brightly
(Mary, Nana, Hope and Lulu are standing facing the audience in front of the chairs peeling potatoes, slicing etc)
Lulu: Isn’t it a beautiful day today, how I love a lie-in! Puts a smile on everyone’s face… except, apparently, you Mary. What’s up? You’ve the face of a fish!
Mary: I noticed no one was to be seen at mass this morning (under her breath) sinners, evil sinners…
Hope: I’m sorry Mary, Its just I’m so tired…
Lulu: Oh honey, you don’t need to make excuses… Mary you are entitled to your own beliefs as are we, but you cant hold it against us, sweetheart.
Mary: (righteously) I don’t hold it against you, it’s against my religion.
Nana: I’ll have you know I attended mass this morning Miss Mary, so don’t go preaching how you’re the only one god will save… I thought ‘e was all forgiving anyway. I tell you, younguns today, only hear what they want to hear ‘alf the time!
(Mary retreats into her own world and starts talking to herself and rubbing her cross)
Lulu: Oh settle down all of you… Nana would you be a doll and pass me the butter?
(Everyone except Nana sits down and freezes)
Lights down and spotlights appear
Nana’s monolog
(When it finishes she sits down and lights up)
Lulu: Nana? Nana? You were off in a world of your own!
Nana: Sorry dear, just thinking bout my Richard…poor Richard
(Veronica enters from the curtain farthest from the stair door putting on an obvious front of confidence)
Veronica: Hi, the warden said I was to come down and introduce myself to the lifers… I’m Veronica but you can call me Nicky.
MARY: (rises, walks to front stage left and points accusatory finger) Sinner, you have sinned. SINNER! Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil…She’s one of them, I know it.
Veronica: (to the rest of the group) Did I do something…?
Lulu: Don’t worry petal,
Nana: (interrupts) She’s just a religious nutter…
(They freeze lights down, spotlights appear)
Mary: Sin is evil, evil, evil sin, sin, sin………. I was walking home after mass ….I attended each week… the sermon was very powerful- very, he talked about how teen culture was indulging in a life on sin- sin- that word. It makes me feel sick, ill, disrespecting god like that. I carried on walking, then out of nowhere…
(They make sounds of drunken teens and music laughter)
I saw a girl, one of those flappers, you know- throwing up in the street while some dreadful man touched her in un mentionable places. They were clearly out of wedlock. I felt sick, ill… I waited- they went inside- Adam and Eve… I was furious. These were exactly the sinners we had just heard about, disrespectful, shameful…so yes, I did it… for god. He wanted me to. I know it was right. I’d do it again.
I heard their screams (Hope screams) and I knew where they were- hell- where they belonged…. I’m not bad… I’m not evil…I was helping them. Saving them from an eternity spent in purgatory. Maybe god will forgive…thou shalt be done on earth as in heaven. (Mary sits down)
Lights up slowly
(Mary is staring at veronica)
Mary, Hope, Nana and Lulu leave through stairs door, Veronica stops and sits on steps, Lulu notices and turns back.
Spotlight on stairs
(Veronica begins to cry)
Lulu: (sits down next to her) Hmm, let me guess, there’s a man?
Veronica: Huh? Oh, how did you know?
Lulu: The first day is always the hardest- believe me honey- just don’t give up. My husband Rodney was a dog; treated me something terrible but he’d never hurt me. He’s actually real sweet now I think about it, stood up for me, and all. So what’s your story angel?
Veronica: (hesitating) Oh I don’t know…(looks up at Lulu and is reassured)
It used to happen just when I did something wrong, when I didn’t have his dinner ready or the kids in bed. Mainly when he could find a reason…it kept getting worse, every night he would come home and beat me black and blue. Even in front of the kids!
Lulu: Kids? You’re awful young.
Veronica: I have two boys Sammy and Jonnie; they’re 1 and 3. I got married very young, I’m 19 you know, always wanted a family, and a house of my own… with a white picket fence. He promised me the moon, but one day he came home, couldn’t find any excuse. Told the kids they couldn’t call me ‘Mum’. Do you have any idea what that’s like? Your own children, not able to call you ‘Mum’.
Lulu: I…surely not worth hanging for.
Lulu freezes and Vicky gets up, lights dim, spotlights appear but not on stairs
Veronica’s monolog
Veronica: (moves into spotlights on stage) a mistake something so simple but I was happy- I wanted him dead- I wanted him gone. Was that so wrong? Was that so evil? So horrible…? But I wouldn’t have killed him, not me, not the heart to. I didn’t know I didn’t know he was there behind the door; he just fell. I stopped breathing…I wanted him dead but I didn’t mean to kill him. Its all so confusing. I was at the top of the stairs, I opened the door, he was coming up behind, he fell down all those stairs… he looked like I did after he’d…
Bleeding but he wasn’t breathing… dead…I was happy. But not now- my children alone- no mum no dad. What did I do…? a stupid mistake, I didn’t kill him, it was a honest accident why wont they believe me? No one will…except the kids. Like he always used to say, I deserve this………(exits behind curtain farthest from Lulu)
BLACKOUT
(Nana Hope and Mary enter through the back door and are all kneeling as though in church in front of their chairs in the chapel, Nana and Hope are next to each other. Mary sits apart giving sideways glances whilst praying feverishly)
Nana: Oh dear, you always look so sad. I wish there was something I could say to make it all better…God knows you are innocent if that can help you through.
Hope: I don’t mean to look sad, but sometimes I can’t help it. It’s my face, you know.
Nana: God knows you are innocent, if that can help you through this.
Hope: You sound just like Mary.
Nana: Well I have attended church -I mean we have, me and my Richard…dear Richard… -all our lives and I love god and I believe in him, but that Mary… she’s just as mad as a hatter! (laughs to herself)
Mary: silence in the house of god do you have no respect…? Sinners. All of them.
(Veronica enters from curtain and stands awkwardly in the corner as if waiting for something)
Veronica: *stage whisper* Uh, I’m sorry to interrupt. The warden wants us in the gardens…
Mary: This is a house of god, BE SILENT. Show some respect for your creator.
Nana: Mary…shut up.
Mary: (rises and point accusatory finger) BLASPHEMY!
Nana: Did I use god’s name in vain?
Veronica: I’m sorry Mary, please forgive…
(Mary storms out)
Nana: Pay no attention to that lunatic. *Under breath* and people say I’m senile…
BLACKOUT
(Lulu is still where we left her, sitting on the stairs. Everyone is ‘digging’ on the other side of the stage facing the audience)
Veronica: Where’s Lulu?
Nana: She said something about popping back to the cell, don’t worry dear, she’ll soon be back. She’s the glue that holds us all together.
Hope: Oh yes, I don’t know how I’d survive in here if she weren’t around.
Nana: Yes, lulu is here for us all.
Mary: God will like Lulu, she’s okay.
Nana: Well heaven forbid! Dear Mary thinks she ok!!! She must be an angel…
Veronica: Not if she’s in here, what did she do?
Hope: (snappishly) We don’t talk about our crimes in here.
Nana: She’s innocent for sure. Whatever it is she would never harm anything- not even a fly.
Mary: Her imprisonment is a mistake.
Spotlight on stairs
(The stage darkens and everyone freezes as Lulu starts to sing)
Lulu’s monologue.
When the song ends and she has put down the baby, leave a momentary pause and then:
BLACKOUT
Dim lights up slowly
Reveals the characters in a line facing the floor. Left to right: Lulu, Mary, Hope, Nana and Veronica. Lulu is on the stairs.
Mary looks up
Mary: Mary Connell, you are found guilty of 9 counts of murder. You will suffer pain of death for your crimes.
Hope looks up
Hope: Hope Freeman, you have been found guilty of murder. You are sentenced to be taken from here at the court’s earliest convenience to a place of execution where you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead.
Nana looks up
Hope: Doris Jones you are found guilty and will be sentenced to life imprisonment accounting for your current age.
Veronica looks up
Nicky: Veronica Mason, the jury has found you guilty of murder and the only sentence befitting is death.
Lulu looks up
Lulu: Lulu Golden, the members of the jury have found you…not guilty. We offer our condolences concerning the recent death of your child and pronounce you a free citizen.
Lulu smiles- BLACKOUT