Silas - Falling

First published in 2002 by Oberon Books Ltd.
Electronic edition published in 2013 Oberon Books Ltd
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www.oberonbooks.com Copyright Shelley Silas 2002 Shelley Silas 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 The Agency (London) Ltd., 24 Pottery Lane, W11 4LZ (). 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. PB ISBN: 978-1-84002-328-2
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Falling by Shelley Silas

Kate	Jennifer Black
Grace	Abby Ford
Linda	Patricia Kerrigan
Pete	Adam Kotz

Directed by John Tiffany Designed by Martin Reynolds Lighting Design by Tanya Burns Sound Design by Scott George for Aura Sound Design Ltd.

First performed at the Bush Theatre 12 November 2002
For Stella Duffy and the Walton possibilities
past and present. Ka aroha ahau ki a koe Stella mo ake tonu atu Thanks to: Pearson. Katie Haines. Mike Bradwell, Fiona Clark, Nicola Wilson, Owen Lewis, Will Kerley and everyone at the Bush. Niall Ashdown and Rebecca Armstrong for daily support. Jack Bradley, Jane Greenfield, Sandra Morris, Andy Pryor, Lee Simpson, Luke Sorba, Elizabeth Woodcraft.

Jack and Esther Silas. And huge thanks to John Tiffany for being patient, for giving great advice and for making me laugh.

PETE LINDA GRACE KATE Spring. The living room of LINDA and PETEs garden flat in South London. A door opens on to a small patio, where pot plants stand meticulously in a line. A bag of compost is slit down the middle, dirt around the opening.

There is a chrome watering can and a large upturned plant pot. The patio is covered by a small corrugated plastic roof. Rubbish has collected in the ridges. The side door to the garden is always unlocked. PETE, thirty-eight, boyish, bit nerdy, but theres something attractive about him, is taking cuttings from a spider plant. LINDA, forty-two, lies on the sofa in her dressing gown.

In a cluster at the end of the table are two bags of crisps, one open, one unopened, bowls of peanuts and olives, pint glasses and an open bottle of red wine. PETE puts the cuttings in a piece of newspaper and puts that on the table. He slides the food back into the centre of the table, stuffs a few peanuts into his mouth. He makes loud eating noises. LINDA: Do you have to do that now Pete? PETE: What, eat peanuts? LINDA: That. The cutting.

PETE: I promised Grace. LINDA: Since when do you keep your promises? PETE: Thats not fair, Linda. Im a man of my word. PETE picks up the opened bag of crisps. Its empty. PETE opens the other bag, takes a handful, offers some to LINDA.

She shakes her head. He eats the crisps. I hope they like chicken. Do they like chicken? LINDA: Yeah. PETE: Do you know that for a fact, or are you guessing? Beat. LINDA: Guessing.

PETE: But do you think youre right? LINDA: I dont know. Its a guess. PETE: You know what Grace is like. One fad after another. Last time we saw her she was a vegetarian. The time before that she was a vegan.

Did you do that at her age? Change your eating habits as often as you changed your lipstick? Beat. LINDA: I never wore lipstick. PETE: So? LINDA: So what? PETE: So what did you do? LINDA: Took diet pills, drank black coffee, ate grapefruit, toast no butter. PETE: Werent you hungry? LINDA: Starving. But thin. Beat. Beat.

PETE: Are you going to put something on? LINDA: I have. PETE: Clothes. Shoes. Bit of mascara? LINDA ignores him. Theyll be here any minute. LINDA: They wont.

PETE: Yes they will. I said one oclock. I stressed, one oclock. It doesnt take long to get here from Clapham. Unless youre Kate and go via north London by mistake. Beat. Beat.

Theyll be late. Theyre always late. You have to invite them an hour earlier if you want them on time. Beat. PETE: Bit of mascara? LINDA: Are you telling me I look better with make-up? PETE: No. It just makes you look more like you.

Just a bit? LINDA: Maybe. PETE shows LINDA the cuttings. PETE: Chlorophytum Comosum Vittatum. LINDA: Whatever. PETE: It gives it a whole new meaning. Chlorophytum Beat.

Look, I could have cancelled. Told them not to come. That you werent up to seeing other people yet. They wouldnt have minded. LINDA: Theyre family. PETE: But you dont want to see anyone.

LINDA: Do you want to see them? PETE: Yeah, of course. I like your sister. I like your niece. Most people hate other peoples kids. I like them. Pause. Pause.

PETE: Its alright. LINDA: I know. (Beat.) Come here. PETE: Why? LINDA: Just do it. PETE moves to LINDA. She pulls him down and kisses him, gently.

PETE: What was that for? LINDA shrugs. Im sorry. LINDA: Me too. PETE: Yeah. LINDA: It doesnt matter. PETE: It does.

It really matters. PETEs hand hovers over her stomach. LINDA grabs his hand and stops him. I wanted this one as much as the others. LINDA: Yeah. PETE: More than the others.

LINDA: Well they obviously didnt want us. PETE: Dont say that. LINDA: Its true. They say souls choose who they want as parents. PETE: You talk bollocks. You know that.

Absolute bloody bollocks. LINDA: Yeah, but at least it makes sense. PETE: Do you think theyre all lined up going, Dont like the look of her, my rooms not very nice, Im not eating that. The babies will come when theyre ready. LINDA: And what if theyre never ready? PETE: They will be. Pause.

LINDA: What if they never come? PETE: Theyll come. Beat. LINDA: I dont know how long I can wait. PETE: What do you mean? After a moment, LINDA gets up. Her whole demeanour has changed. LINDA: Pour me some wine.

PETE: Red or white? LINDA: Red. I feel like getting pissed. LINDA exits. PETE fills a pint glass with red wine. He empties the crisps into a bowl, eats one olive, then another. The doorbell rings.