Chichester Festival Theatre. - Lovesong

First published in 2011 by Oberon Books Ltd Electronic edition published in 2012 by Oberon Books Ltd
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www.oberonbooks.com Reprinted in 2012 Copyright Abi Morgan 2011 Abi Morgan is hereby identified as author of this play in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The author has asserted her moral rights. All rights whatsoever in this play are strictly reserved and application for performance etc. should be made before commencement of rehearsal to Independent Talent Group Ltd., Oxford House, 76 Oxford Street, London W1D 1BS. No performance may be given unless a licence has been obtained, and no alterations may be made in the title or the text of the play without the authors prior written consent. You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or binding or by any means (print, electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 978-1-84943-161-3
EPUB ISBN: 978-1-84943-263-4 Cover design by Perou Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY. Visit www.oberonbooks.com to read more about all our books and to buy them. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events, and you can sign up for e-newsletters so that youre always first to hear about our new releases. Lovesong was first performed on 30 September 2011 at the Drum Theatre Plymouth with the following cast: (In alphabetical order) WILLIAM Edward Bennett BILLY Sam Cox MAGGIE Sin Phillips MARGARET Leanne Rowe Creative Team Writer Abi Morgan Direction & Choreography Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett Design Merle Hensel Lighting Design Andy Purves Sound Design Carolyn Downing Video Design Ian William Galloway Casting Sarah Hughes Singing & Voice Helen Porter Assistant Director Geordie Brookman Production Team Production Manager David Harraway Company Stage Manager Joni Carter Technical Stage Manager Nick Hill Sound & Video Supervisor Ben Walden SCENE ONE Night.A house, surrounded by an overgrown garden.BILLY stands on a porch, smoking a cigarette. BILLY: When I clean my teeth, I always clean them twice. Lovesong was first performed on 30 September 2011 at the Drum Theatre Plymouth with the following cast: (In alphabetical order) WILLIAM Edward Bennett BILLY Sam Cox MAGGIE Sin Phillips MARGARET Leanne Rowe Creative Team Writer Abi Morgan Direction & Choreography Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett Design Merle Hensel Lighting Design Andy Purves Sound Design Carolyn Downing Video Design Ian William Galloway Casting Sarah Hughes Singing & Voice Helen Porter Assistant Director Geordie Brookman Production Team Production Manager David Harraway Company Stage Manager Joni Carter Technical Stage Manager Nick Hill Sound & Video Supervisor Ben Walden SCENE ONE Night.A house, surrounded by an overgrown garden.BILLY stands on a porch, smoking a cigarette. BILLY: When I clean my teeth, I always clean them twice.

This takes time. I use a little brush. I work between every molar, like a tiny chimney sweep. Because it is important. Because decalcification removes the enamel and yields decay. Because our teeth are our legacy, after bones and muscles have dissolved into dust and the earth, our teeth remain.

Their value to archaeologist and paleontologist is infinite and undeniable. They reveal what we eat and how we live. I see it as my duty to preserve them. A light goes off somewhere in the house. Then I turn off the light and go to my bed. I read. I wind my clock.

I say no prayers. A light goes on in a bedroom window. I sleep. And in my sleep... BILLY flicks out his cigarette In my sleep... A front door suddenly illuminated by WILLIAM holding a standard lamp. I am young again. MARGARET stands under a tree in the garden.

She holds a kitchen chair and a tin bucket.WILLIAM nods, heads inside. WILLIAM ascends the stairs, just visible through the hall window, holding the standard lamp. In the bedroom window, BILLY appears just turning on the same standard lamp. He readies himself for bed. He crosses to a bathroom window, turning on the light. He is visible brushing his teeth. MARGARET: (Calling out.) Does the kitchen look smaller to you? BILLY brushes his teeth.

He spits out. Checks his teeth in the mirror. Turns off the light. WILLIAM: No. WILLIAM now stands in the bedroom window, by the now lit standard lamp. MARGARET: Come down. WILLIAM nods, exits downstairs. MARGARET stands in the kitchen below.

She puts the chair down by a kitchen table, a bucket by the sink. See. I counted twelve paces and now there are only ten. WILLIAM: Its shrunk. MARGARET: Its shrunk. BILLY just visible in the bedroom window above. He stands winding up his clock.

He turns off the light. WILLIAM: Does that mean our repayments will be smaller? MARGARET smiles, explores the sink. WILLIAM slips his arm around her waist; they peer out of the kitchen window. The gardens still the same. MARGARET: Yes. WILLIAM: Want to pace it out? MARGARET: It has a tree. WILLIAM: It has a tree. MARGARET: And grass.

WILLIAM: That is definitely grass. MARGARET: Tall grass. WILLIAM: Ill mow it tomorrow. They look at one another, smile. They lean in to kiss WILLIAM: Is that a peach tree? WILLIAM exits. MARGARET watches him.(Calling out.) Come outside.

Theyre ready. MARGARET follows WILLIAM out. They stand picking peaches and laughing, putting them into a tin bucket in MARGARET s hand. MARGARET: We have peaches. She holds a peach up to him. He bites into its juicy flesh licking the juice as it drips down her wrist. Blackout. SCENE TWO Day. BILLY stands in the kitchen doorway, holding a dead starling. BILLY: The cat must have got it. MAGGIE crosses the kitchen, pouring BILLY a cup of coffee. MAGGIE crosses the kitchen, pouring BILLY a cup of coffee.

He goes to take the coffee. She tuts. MAGGIE: Wash your hands. BILLY nods, he carefully lays the starling on the table. Dont leave it there. BILLY washes his hands at the kitchen sink. BILLY: Ill bin it. MAGGIE: No. Shell get it again.

You need to bury it. BILLY hesitates, nods. MAGGIE picks up her coffee heading up. BILLY: What time is your appointment today? MAGGIE: Its fine. I can still drive myself. BILLY: What time? MAGGIE: Ten forty. BILLY nods. BILLY: Ill drive you.

MAGGIE: Its fine. MAGGIE exits, heads upstairs. BILLY goes over to the table and pours himself a cup of coffee. He stands, drinks his coffee, staring out at the garden ahead. BILLY: (Calling out.) We need to pick the peaches. MAGGIE stops midway through creaming her face in the bathroom above. Theyre going soft. BILLY picks up the starling, heads out into the garden, picking up a trowel on his way out. BILLY picks up the starling, heads out into the garden, picking up a trowel on his way out.

MAGGIE looks out of the window, watching him. She finishes up in the bathroom, and crosses over into the bedroom. She opens a closet door, enters