NIGHT
a play by Peter Popham Preface
`Night' was given its first performance by the English Speaking Society of Bunkyo University Women's College at the College's Culture Festival in November 1979.
English speaking clubs often like to try their hand at staging English language plays. The problem they face is that interesting plays, from Shakespeare to Beckett, are generally too difficult for them: even if the actor understands what he is saying himself, the audience doesn't. Easy plays, on the other hand, are often too foolish or too childish to be satisfying.
In writing 'Night' I tried to strike a balance. While the language I used is of a very simple standard, it is also quite realistic: people really do speak like this. And the situations in which my twin heroines find themselves—scheming to escape for a single night from their noisy family, enduring the disillusionment of their first disco—should be close enough to real life to engage the attention of all involved.
`Entertainment' might be a better word than 'play' for this piece, as there are two—and in the original script several
-more—unrelated sketches interwoven with the twins' story . Several songs, too, are dotted' about in the text, and bring some relief to ears straining at foreign syllables. All parts of the play are bound together by the theme of night.
Over the two months or so of weekly rehearsals, the Bunkyo company and I progressed from a state of mutual bafflement and inhibition to one of warmth , trust and close co-operation. They worked very hard, and I believe the final result was fast-moving, vivid and funny.
Other English speaking groups are welcome to use the play but should write to the English Department at Bunkyo University Women's College before they start production . The play is technically quite undemanding, and runs for about 35 to 40 minutes.
`Night' is clearly most suitable for a female group . However, I am open to commisions, and would be happy to consider requests to write dramatic material suitable for male. or mixed groups. Write to me care of the English Department at Bunkyo.
Peter Popham November 1979
NIGHT
Characters
Katie: an 18-year old girl; a little timid and naive.
Lucy: Katie's twin sister; enterprising—she is the leader of the two; she sometimes has inspired ideas.
Mum: Katie's and Lucy's mother; bossy and talkative but warm; her dress might be a loud flowery print.
Dad: Katie's and Lucy's father; dour and rather dull; when he talks, people fall asleep.
Dog: big and bouncy.
TV: she has a brilliant smile and gleaming teeth; her expression hardly changes. In the first production the TV set
was made of cardboard boxes and entirely enclosed the
actress, so only her face was visible.
Ticket Girl
Old Man: he lives in the park, so he is very shabby, his clothes are old and patched; he has white hair and a white
beard. However he is a natural gentleman and has gentle manners.
One: this actress may double as the old man.
Two she may double as the dog—with two quick costume changes.
Three: she may double as Mum. Four: she may double as the TV.
Five: she may double as Dad and the Ticket Girl.
-Stage Directions
Stage directions in the text are rather detailed, almost amount-ing to a description of the first production: this is to help amateur directors who lack confidence in their directing skills or in their English or both. Directors with confidence may interpret the play as they like. No help is given with the lighting plot.
NIGHT
PART 1
(The curtain is raised at the start of the play. The stage is almost bare. There is a platform, 30cms high, a little more than 2 metres long and
2 metres deep, to stage-right of centre. On the
platform is arranged a bed, composed of two
blankets and a pillow. Downstage-left there is a
hard stool, with some sewing on it. Just upstage
of this chair there is a large sign which spells
DAY in large letters.
(One and Two enter from stage right. One is dressed in a long white night-dress, with her hair
in ribbons; Two is dressed as a sophisticated
mother. They come to the platform; Two starts
taking the ribbons from One's hair and brushing
it.
NIGHT ---
(Three, Four and Five, who act as a chorus in Part 1, enter together, take up positions around
the platform, and sing the following song twice,
loudly; the second time they repeat the last line
four or five times, quieter each time. During the
song Two finishes with One's hair, tucks her up
in bed, then comes downstage-left to the stool,
sits and takes up her sewing)
3,4,5: (sing) Lay down my dear sister,
Won't you lay and take your rest. Won't you lay your head
Upon your saviour's breast.
And I love you,
But Jesus loves you the best,
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight. (Second time, repeat last line 4 or 5 times) One: (rising up in bed on the last and quietest
`good-night', screams very suddenly and loudly) Aaaaaaah!
Platform: (At the same moment Two stands, rips the sign D A Y down revealing underneath a sign spelling NIGH T. Three, Four and Five move closei to • the platform holding hands
, enclosing One) One: (touching 3,4 and 5's arms and faces blindly)
Night—night—white stars—black velvet— (trying to break between them)
I want to touch it!
(3,4 and 5 gather her up, lift her up high; One screams; they throw her up into the air, she
lands downstage)
Help me! Mummy!
(One quietly huddles)
3;4,5: (sing)
Hush little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird,
And if that mocking bird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. Two: (she has not moved—still sewing)
Quiet baby. I'm here.
One: Mummy?
Two: Yes.
One: Mummy?
(One goes to Two, kneels at her feet)
Two: Yes dear?
One: Why is the night so dark? Two: Do you know what a crow is? One: A big black bird.
Two: What noise does it make?
One: Caaa, caaa.
3,4,5: (echoing)
Caaa, caaa, caaa.
Two: That's right. There's a big crow that lives in the sea. This crow hates the sun. When the sun goes
down, the crow comes up. His big black wings
cover the sky. That's why the night is dark.
51
NIGHT
3,4,5: (sing)
Hush little baby don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird.
(continue humming this tune for two more verses)
One: (stands, moves to centre, speaks over the song) Mummy?
Two: Yes?
One: Why does the sun go down?
Two: It gets tired, like you. It gets tired of shining. It has to lie down.
One: Where does it go mummy?
Two: It goes to its bed. at the bottom of the sea, to rest.
(One begins to yawn and sway sleepily. During the following song, Two comes to her and takes her upstage towards the platform)
3,4,5: (sing and rock)
Rock-a-bye baby on the tree-top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock, When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,
Down will come cradle, baby and all.
One: (turns to face audience) Mummy?
Two: (turns)
Yes?
One: Why does the crow come up?
Two: (comes downstage along)
It wants to wave its wings.
(waves her arms upwards)
It wants to be free.
One: What?
Two: It wants to be—
(3,4 and 5 gather One suddenly up, lift her high in the air, all extend their arms like outstretched
wings)
All: FREEEEE!
(instant blackout, all exeunt)
•
PART 2
(Bedclothes and stool cleared during blackout; platform and sign remain. Lucy and Katie enter
to downstage centre during the blackout)
Lucy: My name is Lucy. Katie: My name is Katie. L & K: We are sisters.
K: We were born on the same day. L & K: We are twins.
L: We are very close friends.
K: Katie—
L:. —and Lucy. I am eighteen— K: —and I am eighteen too .
L: We live at home.
K: We live with mum—
(Mum enters upstage, moves to the platform) —and
NIGHT
(Dad enters upstage with stool, moves to form, sits, reads a newspaper)
K: —and the dog—
(Dog enters upstage, moves to platform) L: —and the television.
(Television, enclosed in a television box, enters upstage, moves to platform, takes up a suitable
position in the family group)
K & L: We are all good friends.
(both smile; pause; smile fades)
K: But...
L: But...
K: Shall we tell them? L: I think we had better. K: Mum likes talking:
(K & L turn, look upstage towards Mum) Mum: (takes one step forward)
What did I do today? Well, I got up at seven and gave the dog his breakfast. Then I made a cup of
tea. I read the newspaper in the kitchen, than I
woke up Dad and he —
(L stamps her foot and claps her hands once, sharply: Mum instantly stops talking, takes a
step back)
L: And Dad likes talking:
(they look upstage towards Dad) Dad: (folds newspaper, stands)
I got out of work at five. It was hot. I waited for
— 54 —
the bus. It was late.
(looks at watch)
When it came it was crowded. I got on the bus. I got hotter.
(wipes his brow)
I felt bad. I got home. I sat down. (sits down)
I drank a cup of tea. Now I'm reading the paper. (reads newspaper for a moment; puts it down) Soon I'm going to—
(K stamps and claps: Dad instantly stops talking, continues reading the newspaper)
K: And the television never stops talking: (they look upstage towards the TV)
TV: (smiling)
Are you hot? Are you cold? Are you hungry? Are you sleepy? Are you fat? Are you clever?
Are you ugly?
(L stamps and claps: TV stops)
L: The dog doesn't like talking. But he does like barking.
(they look towards the dog)
Dog: Wuff—wuff—wuff—wufwuf—wuff—
(K stamps and claps: dog stops)
K: Everybody in our, family likes to make a noise.
L: It sounds like this
(K moves to near the platform, waves her arms
NIGHT
like a conductor; mum, dad, TV and dog all start to talk or bark at once. With a conductor's
flourish she silences them and comes downstage
again)
L: Sometimes Katie and I would like some peace and quiet.
K: We'd like, to go to a place that is cool...
L: ...and empty...
K: ...and silent...
(pause; they dream) Mum: (shouts from platform)
Katie! Lucy!
K & L: (still facing downstage) Yes mum.
Mum: What are you doing? K & L: Nothing.
Mum: Come here then.
(K & L exchange a look of sullen resignation and go to the platform)
Your father wants to talk.
(K & L sit on the floor in front of Dad) Dad: (puts down paper)
I got out of work at five. It was hot. I waited for the bus. It was late. When it came it was
crowded. I got on the bus. I got hotter. I felt—
(K & L yawn during this speech)
L: Mum, can I turn the TV on?
Mum: All right.
(L turns knob on TV. TV makes time signal noise)
TV: Bleep — bleep — bleep — bleeeeeeeep! The time is 9 o'clock. The next programme is 'Keep Fit
and Stay Young'.
Man: Dad: it's the exercise programme.
(Dad puts down the paper to watch)
TV: Are you ready boys and girls? Then let's begin. Stand up; stand on your toes and reach for the
sky.
Mum: Stand up girls.
(K & L do not respond)
TV: Good. Just a bit higher — really stretch. Well done.
Mum: (pulls the girls to their feet, pushes them off the platform and downstage)
Stand up, both of you! you must do your exercises. Go on — stretch!
(K & L reluctantly stretch)
TV: Now touch your toes — once, twice — and stretch again.
(K & L obey) Mum: Higher! Higher!
TV: And relax. Down to the ground. Really relax. Good. Now jump! As high as you can!
Dad: Let's see you jump! (K & L jump feebly)
NIGHT
Mum: Jump higher!
(they jump higher)
TV: And then relax. Now you feel good. Your body is glowing with health. For the next exercise you
must lie down on your stomach.
(pause; the girls do not move)
Mum: Didn't you hear?
(they lie on their stomachs)
TV: And show me ten lovely pressups. Up and down and up and down and up and down...(etc)
(girls do pressups)
Mum & Dad: Faster! Faster!
Dog: Wuff — wuff — wuff!
(pause; K & L lie exhausted on the floor) TV: Now get on your feet again.
Mum: Didn't you hear?
(Mum pulls K & L to their feet, brushes them down)
TV: Because now we are going to go jogging.
Mum: Ready — steady — go!
(she pushes them towards upstage-left exit, they jog slowly off stage, L in front)
Hurry up you two.
Dad: Faster!
(Mum moves back to platform; Mum, Dad, TV and dog all turn round, backs to audience)
(K & L re-enter, jogging, downstage-left, L in front; they slow their pace and run slowly on
- 58
the spot during the following) L: I feel sick.
K: This is hard work. L: We need a holiday.
K: A holiday!
L: (stops running — she has an idea) Let's take a holiday!
K: (stops running)
When Lucy?
L: Now Katie.
K: But — it's night.
L: The night is the best ime. (thinks; she has another idea)
We are both very, very tired. Yawn.
K: Like this?
(yawns)
L: Bigger.
(both girls yawn hugely) Come on.
(K & L, with K in front, jog slowly out downstage-left, and re-enter upstage-left; they
move slower and slower then stop, yawning
loudly)
Mum: Hurry up girls!
TV: That was very good. Now please lie on the floor and relax for a moment.
(K & L collapse on the floor; pause; Mum goes to look at them) -
NIGHT
Mum: Katie? Lucy?
(pause)
Stand up girls.
(another pause; Mum speaks to TV) They won't stand up.
TV: Oh dear.
Mum: I wonder what's wrong? Dad: (stands, looks down at K & L)
They look a bit tired.
Mum: Are you tired?
L: Tired —
K: — so tired —
L: — tired.
(pause)
Mum: Well - go to bed. (K & L get up promptly) K & L: Yes mum. Goodnight.
(K & L blow kisses to the family; family turn their backs to the audience as before; K & L go
downstage, shake hands, then tiptoe towards
downstage-right exit, mime opening the front
door then closing it behind them; L in front;
then they stand shivering in the cold night air)
K: It's cold.
L: There's a wind. K: Look at the stars.
L: Oooh yes, look.
(both stare up)
Thousands and thousands. (pause; they stare)
K: Lucy: what are we going to do?
L: (decisive)
We're going to go to a disco.
(both exit decisively, downstage-right)
PART 3
(Enter upstage-right 2, 3 and 4 as disco dancers; push platform to centre of stage, commence
dancing on it to sound of loud recorded disco
music; they dance for a few moments)
(Enter 5 as ticket girl, with small table and stool; sits on stool, behind table, to stage-right of
platform. K & L, L in front, enter upstage-right,
approach ticket girl. Music stops, dancers freeze)
L: Two please.
5: How old are you?
L & K: Eighteen.
5: Two pounds please.
(K hands money to 5)
Here are your tickets.
(They take them; 5 indicates the platform) This way.
(pause; L takes a step towards the platform,
-NIGHT
then changes her mind and comes downstage. K follows her. L takes out a little mirror and
checks her appearance)
K: Well?
L: Wait a moment.
(pause)
K: You are nervous!
L: No I'm not.
(pause)
Only a little. Are you?
K: A little.
K & L: (to audience)
It's our first disco.
(they go upstage, holding hands, and onto the platform; instantly the music starts again, all
dance feverishly for a brief period. Music stops,
dancers freeze, K & L run downstage. They are
excited)
L: Isn't it fantastic!!
K: It's wonderful! Amazing!!
L: (change of tone)
Where are the boys?
(frozen expression of puzzlement on their faces for a moment; then they run upstage, music and
dancing resume for a slightly longer period.
Music stops again, dancers freeze, K & L come
downstage. L looks unhappy)
L: Katie: it's very strange.
-K: What is?
L: No boys. 100 per cent girls.
K: Is that strange Lucy?
L: Yes!
(They return to the disco. Dancing and music, then music stops and dancing freezes. L runs
downstage and heads for downstage-left exit, K
chases and stops her before she reaches it)
K: Lucy! Come back!
L: (angry)
Where are they?
K: Who?
L: The boys! I want to dance with some boys! (pause)
K: Why?
L: Katie!
(L makes towards the exit again, K restrains her) K: They'll come later, I'm sure. Boys always come
later.
L: I hope you're right.
K: We must wait for them.
(they return slowly to.. the disco, dancing and music resume. Two of the dancers, 2 and 4,
leave during the dancing. Music stops, 3 freezes,
K & L remain on the platform)
L: (unpleasant tone)
- Do you see any boys yet? (they look around)
-- NIGHT
-K: No I don't. L: Well I'm waiting.
(Dancing and music resume, but 3 leaves so only K & L remain dancing. As 3 leaves, the ticket
girl, 5, also leaves and the Old Man enters with a
broom and begins sweeping the stage, gradually
closing in on K & L. They don't see him yet.
Music stops)
K: Have you noticed something?
L: Yes Katie?
K: Everybody's gone home.
L: I'm not going. I'm still waiting.
K: (grabs L's arm)
Lucy — behind you — there's a man. L: (tense and excited)
No — really?
K: Yes!
L: Is he tall?
K: He's quite tall.
L: Is he handsome?
K: Hmm — not very handsome.
L: Never mind. What's he doing? Is he looking at me?
K: Yes.
L: Is he coming towards me?
K: Yes.
L: Oh!
(turning)
I'd love to dance with —
(she sees the Old Man — shock) Old Man: (doffs his hat, smiles)
Evening Miss.
(K & L turn and run off stage-right. Blackout)
PART 4
(The stage is empty — night in an open space. One, two, three and four enter, looking up at
the stars, singing the following song; their
movements during the song might have a
like form)
1,2,3,4: Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, Never let it fade away.
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, Save it for a rainy day.
For love may come and tap you on the shoulder Some starless night,
And just in case you feel you want to hold her. You'll have a pocket full of starlight.
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, Never let it fade away,
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, Save it for a rainy day.
(during the followingcounting sequence, 1, 2, 3 and 4 are pointing up at the stars and counting
them)
Une: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — Three: 6, 7 —
Two: 18, 19, 20, 21 —
Four: 322, 323 —
One: 7, 126, 7, 127 —
Two: Look — everybody, look!
(all gather round Two and look where she is pointing in the sky)
One of the stars is falling. It's coming towards us.
(pause)
I'm going to catch it.
(Two prepares to catch the falling star) Three: That's not a star. It's a silver ball — a baseball. Four: No, it's a snowflake — it's starting to snow. One: ' It's nothing. It's in your mind. Stars don't fall.
You're crazy.
(to 3 and 4)
Come on — she's crazy.
(1, 3 and 4 move towards stage-left exit. 2 has turned upstage; she catches something and turns
to face downstage, holding up a shiny silver star) Two: I've got it!
(1, 3 and 4 stop just before the exit, turn, see the star, freeze in astonishment. All exeunt)
PART 5
(A park bench just downstage of the central platform, a park rubbish bin just to stage-right
of the bench; possibly a weeping willow tree
behind the bench: the setting for the final
scene is the local park. Possible background
music at the start of the scene: the tune 'dirty
old town' whistled or hummed. The first half of
this scene should be played quite slowly,
ing the melancholy mood of the two girls. Katie
and Lucy enter downstage right and stop just
onstage) K: I'm cold. L: (points) There's a bench. K: (doesn't move)
I want to go home. I want my bed.
L: Let's sit down.
(Takes K's arm; K doesn't move; pause; L goes and sits; K remains standing, shivering; L stands
up again and goes to her)
We can't go home till the morning.
K: Why not?
(K & L stare at each other then L goes and sits again)
L: Go home then.
NIGHT
(suspense-filled pause; then K goes and joins L on the bench; they sit close together, maybe L
puts her arm round K)
K: I don't like the night. It's cold. L: It's frightening.
K: It's ugly.
(K & L stand, go downstage hand in hand and speak to the audience)
L: We left the disco and we walked and walked. In the city, everything is different at night.
K: (points at imagined cat)
We saw cats creeping over the roofs.
L: We saw strange drunken men sleeping in the street.
We saw one man climbing up the side of a building like a monkey.
(points at imagined climbing man) K: We ran away when we saw that.
L: We saw all the pretty lights of the city, a million lights.
K: But as it got late, the lights went out. One by one. Now it is almost black.
(clutches L and turns suddenly to her) I want to go home!
L: Hush.
(stroke her) Let's sit down.
(both sit on bench, K puts her head on L's
-shoulder)
It's not so dark. We can still see the city. We can see the dirty old factories. The oily river.
The power station.
(L sings the following song, accompanied by humming and/or whistling from offstage)
I met my love, by the gasworks tower, Dreamed a dream, by the old canal, Kissed my love, by the factory wall, Dirty old town, dirty old town.
We're going to get a good sharp axe, Shining steel, tempered in the fire,
We'll cut you down, like an old dead tree,
Dirty old town, dirty old town.
Katie.
K: Yes?
L: What areyou thinking about?
K: My bed.
L: I'm thinking about my bed too. (both are getting sleepy)
K: Soft and warm and safe ...
L: Let's sleep here. Take off your shoes.
(K takes off her shoes, gives them to L, who wraps them in a handkerchief she has taken
from her pocket. Returns bundle to K, then
takes off her own shoes and wraps them in
other handkerchief)
- NIGHT —
K: (looks at the bundle she has received) What's this?
L: It's your pillow.
(L places pillow on bench, curls up on bench with head on pillow, K does the same)
Goodnight Katie.
K: Goodnight Lucy.
L: Sweet dreams.
(both sleep; silence)
(Enter downstage-right, Mum, bringing the phone on a stool. She paces about anxiously
then reaches a decision, lifts the receiver and
dials a number)
Mum: Hallo, hallo? Is that the police? Oh, thank you. Officer, I'm terribly worried. My two danghters
have gone disappeared!
(pause)
Yes. (pause)
I went into their bedroom at 11 o'clock — and the room was empty! What shall I do?
(pause)
Their names are — Lucy — and -- Katie.
(Mum cries and exits at speed with telephone and stool)
(pause; K & L are still sleeping. Lucy stands and begins sleepwalking: arms extended in front of
her, she walks determinedly towards the edge of
the stage. K wakes and sits upright)
K: Lucy!
(K rushes after L, stops her, guides her back to the bench and helps her lie down again. Both
sleep)
(pause; enter TV stage-left, goes to the centre, bows)
TV: Good evening. I have a special message, so please listen carefully. Two teenage girls have
disappeared. They left their homes suddenly last
night. Their names are Lucy and Katie. Where
are they? Nobody knows. Please look
where!
(exit)
(Old Man enters, sweeping stolidly as before, upstage-right. Sweeps the dust into a pile.; comes
to rubbish bin and takes an old newspaper from it — K wakes up at this moment — puts the
paper on the floor, sweeps the pile of dust onto
it, folds the paper up and puts it back in rubbish
bin. When K wakes she sits upright, taps L who
wakes and sits upright too, both put their shoes
on; watch the old man anxiously)
Old Man: (standing by rubbish bin — he doffs his hat as before, to K & L in turn)
Evening miss — good evening miss.
(K & L edge to the stage-left end of the bench; Old Man comes to that end of the bench and
71-NIGHT
sits, K & L huddle at extreme stage-right end of the bench. The Old Man unwraps a parcel of
sandwiches and . begins to eat. The girls get
hungry. They edge slowly towards the Old Man.
He notices this and offers them food. Hesitation;
they accept. All eat cheerfully)
handkerchief (Enter Mum downstage-right, holding the dog by the collar; she has a handkerchief identical to
Lucy's in her other hand)
Mum: (speaks to the dog, shoving the hanky at its nose)
Sniff!
(Mum sniffs at the hanky to show the dog what she has in mind)
Go on, sniff!
(the dog sniffs the hanky)
This is Lucy's hanky. Sniff again. (dog sniffs)
Now go on — find her!
(she sends the dog off downstage-left, then leaves the same way)
(K, L and the Old Man are still on the bench, eating)
Old Man: What are your names? K: My name's Katie. .
L: My name's Lucy.
K & L: We are sisters.
L: What's your name?
Old Man: My name is William. K: Where do you live?
OM: (stands, indicates the bench) Right here.
(OM mounts the platform behind the bench, looks upstage, back half-turned to the audience)
(The dog enters downstage-right, barking) K: Rover! Come here Rover!
(K & L and the dog meet, they pet the dog) L: (calls to the old man)
Mister, this is our dog, Rover.
(OM looks round briefly, then continues ing upstage)
What are you looking at?
OM: Come and see.
(K, L and dog move to the platform; OM points upstage, they all look in the same direction)
It's nearly morning now. That way is east. That's where the sun rises.
(pause; they look; sublime early morning music is heard, softly)
K: The clouds are all pink. Look! The top of that tree is golden.
L: The first rays of the sun. Look! Everything is fresh and green — we can see for miles.
(While K, L, OM and dog admire the sunrise, the names of "Katie" and "Lucy" are shouted, from
some distance offstage, by Dad and Mum. Then
NIGHT
Mum enters and hobbles quickly and painfully to the bench, sits down, takes off her shoes and
rubs her feet, one at a time)
Mum: (in pain)
Oh my poor feet! I just want to lie down and die.
(lies down, curls up on the bench in a foetal posture)
(Enter Dad, slowly, puffing, from the same entrance as Mum; stops halfway to the bench;
points to K, L, OM and dog on the platform) Dad: There they are mother.
Mum: (hurriedly puts on shoes, stands, goes to Dad's side)
Katie! Lucy!!
(Mum goes to K on the platform, they embrace; L goes to Dad, they embrace)
K: Mum —
L: Dad.
Mum: What are you doing in the park — Ada: — in themiddle of the night? K: Mum, the night is over —
L: Morning has broken!
(TV enters; all clasp hands and sing 'Morning Has Broken')
All: Morning has broken, like the first morning. Blackbird has spoken like the first bird, Praise
to the morning, wonderful morning, Sunshine is
streaming over the world.
(All sing this song twice; bow; exeunt)
THE END
Copyright © Peter Popham 1979
