28 plays later – 2022 Jessica-Ann Jenner

BRIEF 1 – “The here and now”

Less than Ten minutes

by Jessica-Ann Jenner

Three separate spaces, all are seen simultaneously, a projected clock counts down ten minutes.

Space One – A bedroom in a retirement home, an elderly man in the final ten minutes of his life with
his son and daughter by his side

During lockdown no visitors were allowed in retirement homes to protect the elderly residents..

Space Two – A hospital room, a woman is in labour, her contractions are two minutes apart, by the
end of the ten minutes she is fully dilated

During lockdown partners were not allowed in the room until the final moments of birth.

Space Three – A park bench, three teenagers sit together chatting..

On May 20th 2022 gatherings of more than 2 people were banned.

Lights up on Space one, an elderly man lies on the bed, a nurse enters bringing in his son and
daughter.

Nurse: I’m afraid it probably won’t be long now.

Daughter: Can he hear us?

Nurse: I’m sure he can. I’ll leave you to it.

The Son and Daughter stand for a moment.

Son: He looks so tiny.

The Daughter approaches the bed and sits on the edge of it.

Daughter: Hi Dad, it’s me, Dina.

Son: Hi Dad.

The Son sits on a chair beside the bed.

Lights up on Space two, a woman in labour enters supported by her husband. A midwife ushers
them in and helps to settle the woman on the bed.
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Midwife: That’s it you’re doing really well.

Husband: Keep breathing.

Wife: I am breathing.

Midwife: Let’s get you on the bed.

Wife: Wait…

Wife clings to the edge of the bed through another contraction. Midwife and Husband encourage
her to do Lamaze breathing until the contraction passes.

Midwife: Right let’s try that again.

They help her onto the bed as…

Lights up on Space Three. Teenager one sits on a bench. Teenager two enters, they sit on the bench.
Teenager one sighs heavily.

Teenager two: Tough day?

Teenager one: Tough week.

Teenager two: Yeah.

Teenager one: Did you get your mocks back?

Teenager two: Yeah.

Teenager one: And?

Teenager two: They were alright.

Pause

You?

Teenager one: Don’t ask.

Teenager three enters, and joins them on the bench.

Teenager three: Hey.

Teenager one: Hey.

Teenager two: How were your mocks.

Teenager three: Er… crap.

Teenager two: Oh.

In Space Two the midwife has left and the husband is coaching his wife through another contraction.

In Space One the Son has picked up a photo frame from the bedside table.
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Son: I remember this.

Daughter: What is it?

Son: It was that dinner for their wedding anniversary.

Daughter: The one where mum thought he’d forgotten?

Son: That’s the one. Do you remember that dad? You’d organised a big surprise dinner,
we were all meeting you at the restaurant and then you turned up without her.

Daughter: She was so angry thinking you’d forgotten that she’d driven to Aunty Jane’s in a huff.

Son: And then Aunty Jane wasn’t there because she’d already left for the restaurant.

Pause

How did we get her there in the end?

Daughter: She phoned Aunty Jane and Aunty Jane said to meet her at the restaurant, it had a
bar, she thought she was coming for a drink.

Son: Her face when she walked in and saw all of us there, it was like she didn’t know
whether to laugh, cry or just smack you round the face.

Daughter: The only reason she didn’t wallop you was because we were all there.

Son: We all look so happy in the photo though.

Daughter: We did have a lot of champagne.

Son: Yeah, that probably helped.

They laugh together.

Another contraction.

Husband: Another one? Already?

Wife: (sarcastic) It’s almost like they’re getting closer together.

Husband: Just focus on the breathing.

Wife: I [am]

Husband: She’s just keen to meet us.

Back in the park…

Teenager one: My mum said I had to score at least an 8.

Teenager two: Does she know how hard that is?

Teenager one: They had grades when she was at school, not numbers.
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Teenager three: That’s what my mum said, she looked it up and what our parents needed for
an A when they were at school is like a 6 now.

Teenager one: A 6?

Teenager two: Yeah, they didn’t even have A stars when our parents were at school, the
exams were much easier.

Teenager one: Do you think so?

Teenager two: Definitely.

Teenager one: I thought I was doing really badly.

Teenager two: Why, what did you get in the mocks?

Teenager one: Like four 6s, four 7s and an 8.

Teenager three: You got an 8?

Teenager one: Yeah, but only one.

Teenager two: That’s amazing.

Teenager one: What?

Teenager three: They mark the mocks lower, to try and get us to work harder for the real
things.

Teenager one: What?

Teenager two: You didn’t know that?

Teenager three: So you probably got nearer all 8s and 9s.

Teenager one begins to cry.

Teenager two: What is it?

Teenager one: I thought I was failing.

The other two comfort her.

Another contraction.

Wife: It really hurts.

Husband: I’m sorry.

Wife: What if she doesn’t like us?

Husband: What?

Wife: What if she hates us.

Husband: Why would she?

Wife: I hated my mum.

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Husband: When you were born?

Wife: I don’t remember.

Husband: She won’t hate us.

Wife: How do you know?

Husband: Because we love her.

Wife nods, another contraction.

The Midwife returns as the contraction passes.

Midwife: Can I give you a check?

Daughter: She always did know how to party, mum.

Son: They both did, do you remember those awful dance moves they used to bring out at
parties.

A moaning sound from their dad in the bed.

Daughter: He heard you.

They both laugh gently.

We’re here dad, we’re both here.

Son moves onto other side of bed, they both take a hand and hold it.

Son: You’ll be together again soon, dancing in the clouds.

Daughter: You’ll enjoy that dad.

Son: Once she’s finished walloping you for being late.

They sit in silence holding his hands.

Midwife: You’re fully dilated, time to meet your baby.

Husband: Ready?

Wife: Ready.

Midwife: On your next contraction, bear down and push.

Teenagers two and three hug Teenager one.

Teenager two: It will be ok, promise.

Teenager three: I’ll get my mum to chat with yours if you want.
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Teenager one nods

In the retirement home the nurse returns, she checks the pulse of the man.

Nurse: He’s gone. Take as long as you need.

The nurse leaves, the son and daughter sit.

Lights fade, the clock has reached 0 minutes, a baby crying.

Projection:

On June 19 2020, none of these activities were allowed….

but Boris Johnson attended a birthday party in his honour….

It doesn’t matter though… because he was there for less than 10 minutes….

…. which is no time at all is it.

Lights up, we are back at the beginning at the play. This time everyone wears masks.

Outside Space One

Nurse: I’m so sorry, we’re not allowing any visitors.

Son: But they called this morning.

Daughter: They said he only had a few hours left.

Nurse: I’m so sorry.

Outside Space Two

Midwife: I’m sorry, you need to wait outside.

Husband: Can’t I be with her.

Midwife: I’m sorry, somebody will come and get you when she’s fully dilated.

In Space Three

Teenager one sits on the bench, Teenager two enters, waves, Teenager three enters to meet
Teenager two.

Teenager Two: We’re going for a walk did you want to..

Teenager Three: We’re not allowed to…

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Teenager Two: Oh, yeah, sorry.

Teenager One: It’s ok.

Teenager Two: Couldn’t we just…

Teenager Two, Son, Daughter, Husband and Wife: Just for a minute?