Andersen Hans Christian - Mermaid

Polly Teale

MERMAID

based on the book by

Hans Christian Andersen

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Mermaid was first performed in a co-production between Shared Experience and Nottingham Playhouse at Nottingham Playhouse on 13 March 2015. The cast was as follows:

The production subsequently toured to West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds; Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold; Richmond Theatre; Sherman Cymru, Cardiff; Nuffield Theatre, Southampton; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh; Watford Palace Theatre and Oxford Playhouse.

For Eden

Characters

BLUE

MOTHER

ELLA

JADE

JOE

KATIE BAXTER

GRANDMER

LITTLE MERMAID

MERMAID ONE

MERMAID TWO

MERMAID THREE

FISHERMAN

MAN

KING

PRINCE

FATHER

NEWS REPORTER

PRIVATE SECRETARY

QUEEN

CHILD ONE

CHILD TWO

CHILD THREE

SECURITY GUARD

SEA WITCH

And FISHERMEN, SOLDIERS, PARAMEDICS, PALACE STAFF, JOURNALISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, LADIES-IN-WAITING, PROTESTERS, ROYAL GUESTS, VARIOUS ATTENDANTS

Authors Note

All other characters are played by members of the company.

The mermaids are dressed in slips and undergarments. There are no tails, only movements that suggest they are moving in water.

The Sea Witch is played by four women conjoined into one.

When the mermaids first break the surface of the ocean and see the world above, they plunge their heads into buckets of water and come up soaking. Until that moment they are dry.

The play was first performed with a choir of teenage girls in each city on tour. The girls also played guests at Katie Baxters party and sat on stage throughout the play, joining in with the mermaids to create the sound of their unearthly singing.

The original set had a raised platform beneath which the mermaids could swim. There was a wardrobe, bed and a chair and table, which were washed away into the sea during the storm. The wardrobe hung in mid-air for the rest of the show as if floating.

Blue is always on stage and always visible as our narrator who is imagining and writing into being everything we see. She can speak words with characters or speak occasional sentences as feels right.

In the stage directions I have offered examples of how we realised the script in the original production, but these should not be taken as prescriptive. Feel free to find your own solutions.

P.T.

ACT ONE

A room in a house in a run-down seaside town in a remote part of England. Thirteen-year-old BLUE and her family have an alternative, new-age/grunge look to them. BLUEs bedroom is decorated with a collage of pictures of mermaids and mythical sea creatures.

The sound of gulls outside.

BLUE sits on the floor surrounded by dropped clothes. She has her phone open and is scanning Facebook and Instagram. She continues to stare at the screen throughout the conversation. Her MOTHER stands in the door carrying the washing basket in her arms. During the scene she picks up clothes from the bedroom floor.

MOTHER. Have you finished that homework?

Silence.

I like that idea, a new version of a fairy story. You let me read it when youre done? I can guess which one itll be.

Silence.

Did you hear what I said? When youve done we can watch Bake Off. Ive made some flapjacks.

BLUE. Im busy.

MOTHER. What you doing?

BLUE. Whats it look like?

Pause.

MOTHER. You going to see Jade at the weekend?

BLUE. Dont think so.

MOTHER. Or Ella?

BLUE. No.

MOTHER. Havent seen her in ages. Why dont you invite them over? Have a sleepover. You can have a fire on the beach. Sausages.

BLUE. No thanks.

MOTHER. Ill get that ice cream you like.

BLUE. I said no thanks.

MOTHER. Camp out in the back like you used to.

BLUE. Are you deaf?

Beat.

MOTHER. There was no need for that.

BLUE. Or just stupid.

MOTHER. Thats enough.

BLUE. Is it?

MOTHER. Your fatherll be home in a minute.

BLUE. And whats he gonna do about it?

MOTHER. Take away that phone, thats what.

BLUE (under her breath). Loser.

Beat.

MOTHER. What did you say?

BLUE. Nothing.

MOTHER. Dont you talk about your father like that. All that hes done for you.

BLUE. Its his fault.

MOTHER. What is?

BLUE. Everyone else is invited.

MOTHER. What you talking about?

BLUE. If he had a job.

MOTHER. Invited where?

BLUE. Nowhere. Forget it.

MOTHER. Whats going on?

BLUE. Nothing. Just leave me alone.

MOTHER. Is he to blame for them building a Tesco down the road? Whos going to buy fresh fish from the back of his boat when they can get frozen for half the price.

BLUE. If he had a job I wouldnt be wearing trainers you bought from the charity shop

MOTHER. Theyre perfectly fine. Nearly new. They were still in the box

BLUE. That it turns out used to belong to Katie Baxter whos having a celebrity party for her fourteenth birthday, whose dads paid for a make-up artist and professional photographer and a limousine

MOTHER. You never told me they were hers.

BLUE. Cancer Research they call me. Oxfam. Barnardos.

MOTHER. Youve nothing to be ashamed of. She should be, throwing away a brand-new pair of shoes. Poking fun at someone who hasnt had her advantages. Ive a mind to ring her parents

BLUE. NO!

MOTHER. Or her. Looking down her nose.

BLUE. Dont you dare.

MOTHER. You dont need Katie Baxter and her limousine party. You stick with Ella and Jade and tell her to learn some manners.

BLUE. Just shut up about it.

MOTHER. I dont suppose theyre impressed by her nonsense.

BLUE. What do you know about anything?

MOTHER. I was just saying I dont suppose they think much of her / behaviour

BLUE (suddenly). Theyre there. Everybodys there. Singing Happy Birthday. (Shows her MOTHER a photo on her phone.) Jade, Ella, Cheryl, Emily.

MOTHER. I wouldnt let you out of the house dressed like that.

BLUE. Maybe thats why I wasnt invited.

MOTHER. Just because Ella and Jade are at the party doesnt mean they like her.

BLUE. They havent spoken to me for a fortnight, unless you count Jade giving my swimsuit and snorkel back.

BLUE