That Face was first presented at the Royal Court Jerwood

Theatre Upstairs, London, on 20 April 2007 . The cast

was as follows:

Martha Lindsay Duncan

Mia Felicity Jones
Henry Matt Smith
Izzy Catherine Steadman
Hugh Julian Wadham
Alice Abigail Hood

Director Jeremy Herrin

Designer Mike Britton
Lighting Designer Natasha Chivers
Sound Designer Emma Laxton
Assistant Director Anna Dirckinck-Holmfeld

The production transferred to the Duke of York's

Theatre, London, on 1 May 2008, presented by Sonia
Friedman Productions, Tulchin/Bartner, Eric Abraham
and Jamie Hendry, with Hannah Murray in the role of
Mia and Rebecca Eve as Alice. The Assistant Director
was Kate Lonergan.
 SCENE ONE

A boarding school dorm late on a Sunday night. Alice is

sitting on a chair. Her limbs have been tied to it. A black,
beanie-style hat has been pulled over her face.
Mia Can she breathe?
Izzy Wait ...
Izzy takes some scissors and cuts a hole in the hat. She
makes the hole wider with her fingers. Alice's mouth
can now be seen.
Just to be sure.
Mia Stick your tongue out.
Alice complies.
Wiggle it around.
Alice complies.
Roll it.
Alice complies.
I can't do that, you know. Look.
She tries to roll her tongue unsuccessfully.
lzzy Mia ...
Mia You know, only some people can. It's like half. It's
meant to be a sign of intelligence. Or something. Or
maybe gayness. I can't remember. But look. No matter
how hard I try . ..
Tries again.

9
Izzy MIA! Alice nods.
Mia Sorry. On the ball. I know. A symbol of devout Christianity?
Izzy Alice. Honey. Tonight is the night. You are to be . .. Alice nods slightly.
awakened.
A cross, to be specific. Yes?
Mia Like that. 'Awakened' . Nice.
Alice does nothing.
Izzy It's a euphemism. Mia grabs the back of Alice's head and nods her
Mia I know. head for her.
lzzy As I was saying. Alice. Honey. Sweetie. Darling. Yeeess. Our suspicions were correct, esteemed house
Tonight is the night. Let's run through this again. Are you sister, deputy head of dorm and all things marvellous.
allowed to talk? Mia Deputy. I've been promoted -
Alice shakes her head loosely. Izzy We're short-staffed. Alice. Honey. Sweetie. Darling.
Are you allowed to complain? You have been observed over this first week and it has
been concluded that you do, indeed, wear the
Shakes head. aforementioned symbol all the time. Or should we
Good girl. Isn't she a good girl, Mia? say ...
Mia Wonderful. Beat.
Izzy Now. I would like as best as possible to keep this . . . Religiously.
clean, impersonal, professional, etcetera. But before we
Beat.
start the simulation, I would like to ask our ... charge ...
a few mandatory questions. Which in this special instance Answer please.
she may answer.
Alice nods her head very slightly.
Alice's head lolls.
That is sufficient. Did you note the response, Mia?
Stay with me, Alice.
Mia Yes, sir.
Her head jerks up.
Izzy There are no 'sirs' in this room. Mia - do you
Alice. In my short time as your head of dorm. I and Mia, observe a single pair, or indeed a single testicle in this
your esteemed house sister. dorm?
Mia makes a mock curtsy. Mia No.
Have noticed a small pendant hanging around your neck. Izzy Correct. So none of this 'sir' business. You may refer
Am I correct in believing this to be a religious symbol? to me as esteemed head of dorm, high priestess or, if you

IO II
prefer, more simply, God. Because. Need I remind you, You wouldn't want us to do it all over again tomorrow
Alice? Honey. Sweetie. I am your God. night now, would you?
Would you?
Beat.
Izzy shoves her. No response.
For tonight.
Jesus, Mia.
Beat.
She examines Alice.
So we had better take that thing off.
What's wrong with her?
Izzy goes to remove the necklace. As she does so, Alice
slumps forward. Shakes Alice vigorously.

Lazy fuck. Hold her up. She's out cold.

Mia struggles to pull Alice up by her shoulders. Mia I gave her some Valium.

Mia Heavy. Izzy You what?

Izzy Fat. Mia I. Gave. Her. Some. Valium.

Beat.
Izzy I heard what you said.
Mia Well. Urn. Sorry. I guess.
Miallzzy Misshapen death bat.
Izzy You gave her some Valium? You gave her a fucking
Izzy You sleepy, baby? Have we tired you out? Aw. Is it
tranquilliser ... you ... you ... druggie.
bedtime?
How did you give it to her? Pop it in her tea? Slip it up
Mia loosens her grip on Alice. She slumps forward her bottom while she was absorbed in Neighbours? Tell
agam. her it was a vitamin, a Smartie, an ecstasy pill? How did
you give it to her, Mia?
Hold her up.
Mia Well, I-
Mia I'm trying.
lzzy She had better be all right. If she's not we -
Izzy Alice? Stop pretending. You're making this tricky. correction, you - are in big trouble. Actually, correction,
And you wouldn't want to make this tricky now, would I am in big trouble, because I am head of dorm and you
you? Would she, Mia? Would she be so silly as to pretend slipped our little house sister prescription drugs. She is
to be asleep? Silly things happen to silly girls now, Alice. basically my responsibility. Shit. Shit. Shit.
Silly things ...
Alice? Mia Don't 'shit, shit, shit' me. Your responsibility is tied
to a chair looking like a torture victim. I'd be more
Izzy shakes her. No response. worried about that if I were you.

I2
lzzy You know full well that that is different. This Izzy How, Mia, how did you think poisoning a thirteen-
initiation. It's tradition. The teachers don't care. The year-old girl would help? How? I'm dying to know.
sixth form don't care. It's practically goddamn allowed.
Besides. It's meant to be fun. Mia It's not poison. It's a mild tranquilliser .. . stops
panic. Takes the edge off things. You can be nasty, when
Beat. you get ... you know, excited, and I wanted the initiation
thing to go smoothly. I thought she'd be quieter. I thought
For us. Shit. you'd like that. You could do more to her.
Mia Calm down. lzzy Gee. What a gesture. How fucking considerate of
you.
Izzy Don't you dare tell me to calm down. We're
screwed. Look at her. How many? Beat.
Mia What? Look at her.
Izzy Pills? How many pills? Izzy tries to wake her. No response.
She's un-fucking-conscious.
Mia In milligrams, I guess, forty. Maybe fifty. It was five
tablets at ten each, so - Mia She's not unconscious, just super relaxed.
Izzy You are taking the piss. Tell me you are taking the Izzy (near tears) This is it. We're screwed. I won't be a
piss. Even I know that's tons. prefect, which will fuck up my UCAS, my mum . . . Oh
God.
Mia Well, she's a big girl.
Mia snorts with laughter. lzzy spins around to face her.
Izzy I hate you. I absolutely hate you. Look at her. She's Mia Sorry. It's just ... the prefect thing.
un-fucking-conscious. We're screwed. They'll tell my
parents. Shit shit shit. Izzy Watch it.
Mia giggles. Mia You're scared, aren't you?

Are you laughing at me? lzzy No, I'm not. I'm realistic.
Mia God for the night, trembling in her pyjamas.
Mia No.
Izzy I am not scared.
lzzy You're laughing at me, aren't you? You fucking
dare ... Mia You're shaking. It's too much, isn't it? You only like
good clean torture.
Mia Calm down. She'll be fine. I just, well . .. I thought
it would help. lzzy Fuck you.
Mia In your big wet dreams, scaredy-cat.

15
 lzzy You little - Izzy HOLD HER UP.
Mia What, little what? Beat.
lzzy Shit. This isn't over yet.
Mia Ooo ... terrifying. Mia Yes, sir.
Izzy Shut up. She mock-salutes.
Mia I might collapse in fear.
Beat. SCENE TWO
You're soft as a kitten, really. Aren't you?
Monday morning. Flat in London.
Izzy Fuck you - Henry's bedroom. Neat, tidy, boyish. His photographs
Mia As a baby's bottom. You just pretend- and drawings are pinned to the walls; some have been
ripped down and torn as part of a struggle the night
Izzy SHUT UP. before. The ripped pictures contrast strongly with the
Mia You just pretend. Really you have a heart of order of the room.
marshmallow - Henry is asleep at the end of the bed, on top of the
covers. He is wearing pyjamas. Martha is asleep inside
Izzy Cocky- the bed. She is wearing a nightdress.
Mia All gooey and sweet - Martha wakes up. She groans. She sits up, and then
flops down again. She lies still, as if trying to get back to
Izzy Cocky little- sleep. She then wriggles into a sitting position and lights
Mia What? Cocky little what? a cigarette. She seems to be trying to remember the night
before.
Beat. She watches the sleeping Henry. She leans forward and
lzzy (snarls) Shit. strokes his hair. She tries to arrange the duvet so it covers
him.
She turns to Alice and yanks her head up. She walks around the bed and regards Henry at all
(Snarls.) Cocky little shit. angles. She notices he still has his socks on. She slides
them off
She starts to circle Alice. She covers him more with the duvet.
Mia Ooo, nasty. She touches his hair. She strokes his face.
She leaves the room. Sounds of her banging around in
Izzy Hold her up. the kitchen.
Mia Ooo, scary. Henry stirs. He wriggles deeper into the bed.

16 17
 Martha returns. She has washed her face and done up Henry Hungover.
her nightdress. She is holding two mugs of coffee and a
Martha What?
book.
She puts the coffee and the book down and sits next Henry Are you hungover?
to Henry. She begins to stroke his back in long, slow,
luxurious motions over his pyjama top. Martha I'm fine.
Henry stirs and wriggles closer to her. Nestling into Beat.
her warmth.
I brought you some coffee. I thought we could go out and
Martha Baby boy . . . So good. get some breakfast.
Regards him. Continues stroking in silence. Henry I'm not hungry-
'f
Sorry. Martha A big fry-up. Anything you want.
;.:
Beat. Henry · Surprise, surprise. No food in the house.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Martha I could go and get some.

Beat. Henry Do you even know where Waitrose is?

(\ Martha You could have it in bed.
l
Martha You look so handsome. Like a Russian soldier.
Henry I'm not hungry, and I bet you're feeling sick.
She starts to scratch his back, gently, in long strokes.
Henry stretches out, still seemingly asleep, and makes Martha I feel fine.
a satisfied sound. Henry You feel guilty. A
1
Soldier boy. So good. , Martha Please, Hen. I said I was sorry. I mean it. I really
Forgive me and I will be good. I promise. Never again. mean it. It won't happen again. I promise. What can I do
Henry ... ? to prove it to you? ,
r '\
Henry stirs. Beat. Well, just you see. I will. It might take time, but I will.

Can we forget about it? Please.

1 She starts to stroke his back again.
I
I'll make it up to you. Let's have a nice day together. We can do anything you
He nods sleepily. want.

Was that a yes ... ? He flinches away from her stroking.

He nods again and stretches out to be scratched more. Henry Stop touching me like that. It's perverse. f
He wakes up properly. At first he is sleepy and You don't remember much, do you?
disorientated. Then it dawns on him.

18 19
 Martha 1- props her up. He fetches a glass of water and a single
pill. She takes it and gratefully gulps it down with the
Henry I find that a sick justice. Whenever this happens, water.
I wake up remembering it. Remembering everything you
said, and you wake up weird and optimistic. Henry You shouldn't have coffee this early. You know it
doesn't help.
Martha Please -
r 1
Henry You can't really be sorry. Not if you don't Beat.
properly remember. I know you egged that on.
Martha Don't be nasty to me, I beg you. Don't, Henry. I don't know if you could help egging it on. But I know
Don't. I'm just trying to make it. Up. I won't do it again. , ' you did. ·
We can clean the flat together: I wish I could take it - Cruella.
(Gulp.)- back. I don't think you understand- when I should be the one having a panic attack. What would
you are older you'll understand. (Gulp.) Don't be cruel. you do if I did, huh? 1
I
'\
I mean it. (Sobs.) Henry convincingly mocks Martha's hyperventilation.
He watches her cry. He increases it in speed and volume, then flops back
She cries harder. He watches in silence. on the bed as if dead.
She starts to gasp. She starts to hyperventilate. He twitches a few times. /
He doesn't budge. Martha whimpers.
Henry sits up.
What if you don't? If you don't, what will I do? You're
all I have. What will I do? I.love you. I'm not perfect, Sorry. Maybe that was cruel.
I love you. I will get better.. Please, Hen, you're scaring , She curls up into the bed.
me, you're frightening me, please. What will I do if you
don't- You're all I have. My baby boy, my baby boy. Mummy ...
(Gasp.) Scaring me. He tries to pull the duvet away from her. She clings to it.
Henry gets up. Exits. OK. I'm sorry.
When he is gone her hyperventilation calms Martha ...
noticeably. When he re-enters it increases in volume
and speed. . He curls round her on the bed and hugs her.
Henry is now carrying a brown paper bag. Expertly
· Are you my mummy?
and dispassionately he fixes it to her mouth. He starts
breathing in a deep slow regular breaths and signals She nods.
to her to do the same. She does and begins to calm.
When she is breathing regularly he takes the bag Take me home?
away and gently lowers her back onto the bed. He She nods.

20 2I
Really promise. Really try. Sort of .. .
OK? Adds to the sketch.
Then I'm sorry. You're sorry. Let's call it quits. But this
is the last time. I know I say it every time. More like that?
But I mean it. She hands it back to him.
Martha I do too. Martha You know what you're doing. /
j Let's spend the morning in bed. Be lazy.
Goes back to her book.
Henry Makes a change.
This is good. Marie Antoinette knew her rights.
Martha arranges herself on his bed. Henry She got executed.
In here? Martha I would rather have led a short life of
Martha Yur room's nicer. Better light. incomparable luxury and decadence than a long and
boring one.
They arrange themselves, Henry on the bed, Martha
in it. Martha props up the pillows. Henry clears the Henry That doesn't surprise me.
rest of the glass and then reaches under the bed and Martha If I was her and you were my little princeling,
pulls out a sketch pad and materials. Martha opens her you would have had a fleet of white horses and an army
book - a historical biography of Marie Antoinette. She of beautiful concubines. You wouldn't have complained.
is halfway through reading it.
Henry draws. Martha reads. He laughs.
After a few moments, Martha stops reading and Although you would have lasted till you were ...
starts to watch Henry work. She puts her book down Flicks back in the book and checks.
and takes the sketch pad from him.
About ten years old.
If it's through a window, the perspective is going to be Sod the concubines, then.
different. See? There is more of a gradi~nt. And you have f

to think about the glass in the window. Are those Goes back to reading. The door buzzes.
patterns for stained glass? Beat.
Door buzzes again.
Henry Not sure.
Oh, ignore it. Probably Sonia or something.
Martha If they are, and the window is divided up into
little parts, it might diffract the view out the window Henry Did you pay her?
differently- (Adds to the sketch.) See what I mean ... Door buzzes again.
Henry Think so. Did you pay her for the last time?
She does a quick rough sketch. Door buzzes again.

22 23
Jesus, Martha, you didn't, did you? Beat.
Martha I did. I bloody did. Ignore it. OK?
Door buzzes in rapid, urgent blasts. Martha It's just ...
She'll go away. Henry What?
Door buzzes in one long continual blast. Martha She always interrupts, you know?
1
Henry (sighs) Is there any cash in the house? Henry She's your daughter, act like it.
Henry's phone beeps. He checks the message and Door buzzes again.
laughs. Martha She doesn't like me.
It's Mia, it's her, she's outside. Thank God. I thought Henry She's fifteen. Just be nice, OK?
we'd have Sonia's bruiser boyfriend to deal with again.
Martha She looks at me nasty.
Martha Mia?
Henry Jesus, Martha, can I let her in ?
Henry Yes, Mia.
Martha She's not staying.
Martha Why? She should be at school. Why?
Henry presses a button. Mia's footsteps can be heard
Henry I don't know. coming up the stairs.
Door buzzes again. Henry Please. Don't make a scene.
I •
I'm letting her in. Mia enters.
Martha Why? Why's she here? Why? Mia Hi.
Henry I don't know. Pause.
Martha Little shit. Martha (stilted) How are you?
Henry Please don't. It's too early for this. Mia Been better.
Martha She can't stay here. Martha Oh.
Henry Stop it. I'm going to buzz her in? Mia I had a horrible journey. You know, those days
where everything seems to be working against you.
Beat. Ticket machine doesn't work, train stops on the track
Don't give me that, that ... expression. I know you don't for about half an hour, babies crying ... all that, today.
get on, but please be nice to her, or if you can't do that Should have been here earlier. Well, I would have been,
just don't be anything. OK? you know what I mean.
 Martha That's a big bag. Martha Excellent. Daddio is flying over to take over.
Mia Don't worry. I'm not here for long - 'Bout fucking time. You lot exhaust me.

Martha There's not enough - Mia He's flying over. To talk to the school.
Mia Room. I know. Henry What?
Henry It's a Monday. Shouldn't you be at school? Mia He's leaving tonight.
Mia shrugs. Martha You spoke to him?
Why are you in London? Did they let you out for the Mia Briefly.
day? Martha And how was the darling man?
Pause. She won't meet his eyes. Mia Brief.
Mia? Beat.
Mia I've just come for the keys. You should have these back.
Henry What? She chucks a bottle of pills on the bed.
Mia The keys to the Docklands. The keys to Dad's flat. Henry You took them from here?
Will you give them to me?
Mia Sorry.
Henry What's going on?
Beat.
Mia She knows.
Sod that. I'm not. I've been sorry all night. Enough with
Henry You know? being sorry.
Mia School called. Last night. They spoke to you. Martha You took my pills?
Martha I don't remember. Mia Yep.
Henry The phone. It did . .. That was your school? Martha I need these pills. My doctor gave me these pills.
Mia Yeah.
Mia I know, Mum, Martha, whatever.
Henry She . .. you hung up, didn't you? Christ.
Martha Don't be cheeky.
Martha I don't remember.
Mia That's not what I meant. I meant 'whatever' as in
Mia You were pissed. I think they knew that. They called whatever your name is, whatever I'm meant to call you.
Dad. Not 'whatever' as in I don't care ... I do care.
Beat. Beat.
They called Dad in Hong Kong. He's flying over. Those are ridiculous pyjamas.

26 27
 Martha You stole these. Henry You're in trouble, aren't you? You did something.
Henry Leave it, Martha. Beat.
Martha What would have happened if I'd needed them, And you don't look sick.
eh? She stole them from me. On purpose.
Mia It was really pretty.
Mia You have more. It's not as though you don't have
more. Henry Mia?
Martha How do you kn~w that, Missy? Mia I wish you'd draw me.
Mia You don't exactly hide your prescription stash. Henry Why did they call?
Martha See. See. She's always rude to me. She steals Mia Just get me the keys. Henry.
from me. She has no - Henry Not until you tell me.
Henry Leave it. Both of you. Mia Fine. I'll find them.
Heavy pause. Henry Mia, spit it out.
Martha (getting up to go, mutters) Always interrupting. Mia You don't. You won't. You don't want to know.
She exits. You'll hate me.
Sound of water running and door closing. Henry I could never hate you.
Mia flops down on the bed, exhausted.
Mia (almost to herself) What are they going to do to
Henry He's coming over? me . . . ?
Mia Just get me the keys, Henry. Henry Who?
Henry Why? Why's he coming? Mia The school, you fool. They're going to expel me,
Mia Please. Just go and get them. Hen. I just know they are. And Dad. Oh God.
Henry What's going on? Henry Mia. I don't care. I won't hate you. I promise
I won't. I promise. Just tell me.
Mia is fingering some of Henry's drawings.
Mia (into the pillows) Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Mia This is good, you know. I think you're getting
better. Henry Whatever it is. Whatever you've done. I'll support,
I'll stand by you. I promise.
Henry You're either sick, or you're in trouble. And you
don't look sick. Mia You really promise?
~ia I think I saw one of your paintings by the station. Henry Promise. What was it? The pills. You tried to sell
Dtd you do one there? On the wall behind the car park? the pills at school or something?

28
29
 Mia Sell them? No. I didn't think of that. Though I could Mia I didn't realise.
have made a fortune. They're all loaded. Could have
flogged them round exam time when everyone's stressed. Henry You know the dosage. That's tons, Mia.
Henry That's not funny. Mia No. You know the dosage.
Mia I wasn't trying to be. Henry Of course you do. You've given them to her
before.
Henry Tell me.
Mia No. You always do. She never wants me to.
Mia It was something that started as fun and ended up .. .
Henry What happened? After you gave them to the girl?
Beat. What happened to the girl?
Serious. Mia She sort of fell asleep.
Henry It must be serious if Dad's planning to show his Henry Passed out.
face. So you didn't sell them. You took them? What?
Mia No. She did wake up at one point. She was just
Mia I . .. tranquillised really. Slower. Quieter.
Henry What? Henry She told on you?
Mia I gave them to a younger girl. Mia Not exactly. We sort of told on ourselves. We~l. ~t
Henry OK. Right. How old? was obvious. What we'd done. Besides. We couldn the.
They found it in her bloodstream.
Mia Thirteen.
Henry What?
Henry Mia!
Mia She's in hospital.
Mia You said you wouldn't be angry.
Henry You're joking. This is an exeat, and you're joking.
Henry OK. Sorry. Is that it? Is that all?
Mia I wish I was.
Mia Sort of.
Henry Oh, Mia. Oh God.
Henry What do you mean, sort of?
Mia I'm sorry. I . .. I'm sorry.
Mia I gave her rather a lot.
Henry And he's coming over? Definitely?
Henry How many?
Mia Definitely.
Mia Forty mills.
Henry Oh, Mia. How could you?
Henry You're joking. Even Martha couldn't handle that.
Fuck. Mia Don't.

30
 Henry Why does he have to be involved? Why didn't Martha FORGOT MY TOWEL.
they call me? I could have come. They know me. I always
drop you off. Henry finds one and exits to give it to her. While he's
gone Mia begins to smoke one of Martha's cigarettes.
Mia I told you. They did call. Henry re-enters.
Henry I should have got to the phone. Shit. Why didn't Henry 'We'. You said 'we'. Who else was involved ?
they call my mobile? I gave that number to your house
mistress. For emergencies. Why didn't they call that? Mia Another girl. Izzy.
Mia After speaking to Martha, they decided they were Henry 0 lder?
'concerned' about my domestic situation. She must have Mia Year above.
been smashed. The look on their faces was priceless. God
knows what she said. They had to call Dad. You're Henry Which hospital is she in?
barely eighteen, Henry, you're not old enough. Mia They moved her to a London one this morning. The
Henry She was in a state last night. Angry at everything. Portland.
Everyone. Henry You have to go there.
Mia Well she's hung herself this time. 'Who looks after Mia Go there?
you in the holiday, Mia?' 'How regularly is your mother
like that, Mia?' 'Since when have you had access to your Henry Go there and find the girl. Talk to her. Apologise.
Mother's drugs. Mia?' Bla bla bla. Convince her to say it was all Izzy. That Izzy, urn ...
coerced you into it.
Henry What did you say?
Mia What's the point?
Mia The truth. That I barely lived here, just bummed at
Henry Then Dad won't have to get too involved. He
friends' houses mostly, or the Docklands place.
knows Martha's a prescription popper anyway. If he
Henry This is bad. thinks it wasn't so much you -
Mia I know. Mia Because I'm dearly such an innocent lamb.
Henry This couldn't have happened at a worse time. Henry If the school think it wasn't so much you, he'll
She's getting better. See how she left before getting nasty. just throw a bit of cash at the school and fuck right off.
She's learning some self-control. I don't want him to come here.
Mia Dream on, Henry. I've heard it all before. Just get Mia It won't work.
me the keys, OK?
Henry It might. You've got to. You've got to try. He
Martha (from offstage) HENRY! can't come here.
Henry WHAT? Mia Come with me.

32
33
 Henry You know I can't.
Mia Pussy.
Mia Why?
Henry But seriously, if · · ·
Henry If I'm around she won't drink today. She feels too
guilty. Mia Mummy's boy.
Mia Please. I want to go before she gets out. This place Henry Fine.
gives me the creeps.
He scribbles Martha a quick note and leaves it on the
Henry Hey ...
bete gives his sister a playful push towards the door.
Mia Sorry. But you know what I mean. It used to be She pushes him playfully back. He exits ahead of her.
nice. It should be nice. It's just so weirdly squalid now. While he can't see, she pockets the note he left for
Ugh.
Martha.
Henry You'll be fine. Come straight back after. Mia exits.
Pause. Martha (from offstage) HENRY!

Mia You promised, Henry. Martha re-enters. Soaking wet in a towel.

Pause. HENRY!

Henry OK. Wait. My phone.

SCENE THREE
He shoves on some clothes.
Mia Docklands keys, Henry. Later that day. A private hospital room. ~lice is in the
hospital bed, her head partially swathed tn ban4ages, and
Henry In there. hooked up to a drip. It is not clear whether she ts ~edated,
She finds the keys and jangles them. unconscious or asleep. Henry an:d Mia stand on etther
side of her. Mia is peering at Altce.
Mia Come on!
Mia Say something. Something. Please.
Henry My phone-
Beat.
He goes to grab his phone. She looks bad, doesn't she?
Mia Sod that. You want to be free as a birdie. We could Henry Jesus, Mia.
make a day of it. Hospital in the morning. Millennium
Wheel in the afternoon. Mia She's only wired up to this. Is that good?
Henry What if ... ? Henry This is frightening. You know that. You are
frightening.

34
35
 Mia Don't.
Henry You frighten me.
Henry Don't what? What do you want me to say? That
it's fine. You could have told me. Prepared me. Fuck. .
Mia Should I try and apo l ogtse.~

What had she done to you?

Henry What if we're seen?
Mia It's not that ...
Mia It was your idea.
Henry What? 'Not that' what?
Mia Simple. Henry I didn't know how bad this was, did I? If I'd have
known-
Henry It is that fucking simple. You don't go around Mia Alice ...
doing that to people. You just don't.
Henry Let's just go.
Mia You don't understand.
Mia Relax, her parents d on 't k now what we look like.
Henry No. You're right. I don't.
Henry They probably do now.
Mia In the context, what happened, what we were
Mia They dropped her off early at the start of term. So
doing.
even. It seemed OK. It seemed perfectly fine- allowed, we never met.
Beat.
Henry All right? This seemed all right-?
I've seen photos, though .. . by her bed. They looked
Mia It's different in there: different rules, different power nice.
levels ... it's messed up. Back in school, at night, when
all the teachers are in bed and the power shifts .. . when Henry fingers some paper cups by the side of the bed.
age becomes like a rank. And people are bored.
Henry Jesus, Mia. These are still warm.
Henry You can't excuse this, Mia. Nothing can excuse
this- Mia (distracted) So they've just left.
Henry So they've gone to get more coffee. I think we
Mia It's a different world, with different rules. And some should go.
stuff ... well, it seems OK. Allowed even. But in the light
of day, here. Before that, even, soon as I walked out of Mia It was your idea.
the gates and saw normal people, no uniform. Then I Henry Because I thought she'd be propped up in b~d .
realised how messed up it was, what happened. But when feeling a bit woozy. Not. Not. Looking like a war VICtim.
I was in the dorm, with Izzy, tying her up - well, I could Jesus, Mia.
only see the particles, the teeny tiny particles. Not the
whole picture. Mia But our plan -
Henry Is defunct. Let's go.

37
Mia (distracted) Have you seen the size of this? Beat.
She is examining a bruise on Alice's face. Was it you two in here before?

It's massive. Mia Yeah. h

Iz God you got me all riled up. I thought it wa~ t e
Henry Please. Let's go. This is freaking me out. Besides,
p::ents. I'was exploiting my hay fever to the maXImum.
she could wake up.
Mia I thought you wanted her to wake up? She looks around the room.
Not bad, eh? She must have had insurance.
Henry How many times? This is different to what
I thought. This is entirely different. Jesus. If she wakes Mia Shhh ... you might wake her.
up and sees you hovering here she'll probably scream.
I would. Sod the plan. Let's go. Izzy Relax. She's out cold.

They both hear the sudden sound of someone knocking Mia Or pretending to be.
on the door. Scared, they hide under the bed. Izzy (overly sweet) Alice? Honey?
Izzy enters, sniffling. She is holding an enormous,
extravagant bunch of flowers and a grotesque hand- No response.
made card. She relaxes as soon as she realises the room Henry Stop it.
is empty of visitors. She puts the flowers down on the Izzy Why are you here, then? To apologise? Spare me .. .
foot of the bed. She walks up to Alice and peers at her.
Izzy grins at Henry and Mia. she leans over and
lzzy (softly) Alice? Honey?
tweaks Alice's nipple. No response.
She tugs at her shoulder gently, no response. Tries
again. No response. Told you. She's out of it.
Pause. Izzy sticks out her hand.
She flicks her face lightly with her finger. No
response. She repeats the action harder. No response. lzzy.
Satisfied that Alice is unconscious she begins to take Henry I know.
in her own handiwork and lets out a low wolf whistle.
lzzy Henry, right? Mia talks about you a lot. I hear
Alice, honey, you're a state ... you're an artist?
Mia and Henry sneak out behind Izzy. Mia puts her Mia has just noticed the flowers.
hand over Izzy's mouth. lzzy shrieks.
Mia You brought her flowers? .
Mia Shhh ... . h 1 be a painter. I thmk
Izzy She told me you qUlt sc oo to
lzzy It's you. You scared me. that's sooo -

39
 Mia And a card -
Mia He's supporting me.
!~~~. L~~~~.' you know? I like to paint as well. I made this Izzy That's so sweet.
Henry Why bother? Henry I think we should go now, Mia.
Izzy Mummy thought it would be a . Izzy She can sign the card if you want . .. (Beat. ) I like
my deepest sympathy B .d . , ppropnate to offer your T-shirt.
. . est es, Its not gomg to hurt.
Mta She looks bad d , h ~ Sound of footsteps approaching and a hospital trolley
looking that bad. , oesn t s e. I didn't remember her passing the door.

Izzy You _seem to forget what we did to h . h 1 Mia They might come back with medicine or something.
twenty mmutes. er m t e ast
Izzy Good idea. Let's go for a drink.
Beat. Mia Won't your mum want you back or something?
Besides, bruises take time to swell d h Izzy (while arranging the flowers neatly by the bed) Stuff
Haven't you ever had a black eye? an c ange colour. it, I'm in so much trouble already it hardly matters if I get
Mia A lax ball in the face. in a bit more. What can they do? Yell? I think Mummy's
yelled herself out of oxygen.
Izzy Crap at catching.
Pause.
Henry And I suppose she was crap at catching too?
Come on. Let's go to the pub. Let's go ... somewhere.
Izzy She was just ... crap.
Beat.
Henry That's a horrible thing to say.
Izzy Lots of true things are. What's with the faces? We should be celebrating. She's
not nearly as bad as we thought.
Both girls peer closely at the bruise.
Mia As you thought.
Mia Who gave her that? You or me?
Izzy gives Alice another glance. She picks up the
Izzy Which would you prefer? clipboard at the end of the bed and strikes a comic,
Mia You. learned, doctorly pose.
Izzy Then it was me. Izzy She's not dead. She's not about to die. So we're fine.
Let's go toa.st to tough little Alice. Come on.
Henry is guarding the door. (I ·
lzzy checks him out. ' acmg away from the girls. She saunters offstage, throwing a backward glance at
Henry.
So how come you're here?
Come on.

40
 She exits. They're not here · · ·
Beat Henry enters, dripping wet with only a .t owel
Mia She fancies you. . wats. t . He searches his room for hzs clothes
. d h zs
aroun
Henry She scares me. and can't find them.
They exit. Where are all my clothes?
Alice shifts in her bed and begins to cry. Martha wriggles further down into the bed.
Where are they?
SCENE FOUR MUMMY.
Where are they?
Tuesday morning. Martha's flat. Henry's bedroom.
Martha is in his bed. There is an overflowing ashtray next She sits up.
to the bed - it should look as though she's been camping Thank you.
there all night. They stare at each o.ther. Sh~ looks at his upper body.
Sound of Henry opening the door.
She notices a love bzte on hzs neck.
Martha Henry?
Give me something to put on.
She gets out of bed.
Beat.
Henry? HENRY? If you're not going to tell me where they are, I'll find
Sound of a shower running. something temporary.
Martha sits back down. She stands up. Sits back Don't look at me like that.
down. She is clearly disconcerted. She goes to stand by
the door. She goes to leave the room, but at the last Martha Why not?
minute thinks better of it and returns to the bed. She Henry You know.
gets in the bed, sitting up. She wriggles further down
into the bed. She pulls the duvet over her head. Stays Beat.
like this for a while. Where are my clothes?
Martha sighs. Water is still running. She sits up
again. Opens a book. Tries to read nonchalantly. Can't She stares at him.
focus. Finds a cigarette. Smokes it nervously. The shower Fine. Fine. I'll wear . . . I'll wear . . . this.
sound stops. She hurriedly puts it out, dives into the He holds up one of Martha'~ dressing gowns, a long
bed and covers her body and head with the duvet.
white one with a flower deszgn.
Henry (offstage) Martha? Where are the clean clothes? Martha moves towards the edge of the bed closest
My shirts. I washed them. I strung them up in the ... to him and sits on it.

43
 Martha You're wer.
He turns away fr h Henry I was at a friend's flat. I missed the last bus.
back. He chastelyo~pse~nT::;~;re ~cratches on his Where are my clothes?
when he's covered d p h essmg gown and only Martha Who?
tightly. ro s t e towel. He ties the cord
Martha laughs at the . h f . Henry Who?
and stares down at hims~J t o hzm. He smiles, shrugs Martha Who was your friend?
Your hair is wet. Henry A . .. a .. . mate, OK? Someone I used to know.
He rubs his hair with the to we.I Martha Called?
You could ha Henry None of your business.
ve worn what you came horne m.
.
Henry It was dirty. Martha Don't get cheeky. I'm your mother, not one of
Beat. your ... mates. What was the name?
Martha ~ ' d Henry (searching) Ian.
ou re irty. What's that on your neck?
Henry (as if to a deafp Martha A boy.
clothes? erson) Where- are- my_
Henry Yes. A boy.
Mummy? MARTHA?
Martha You stayed the night, with, a, boy?
Martha (as if to a deaf person) Wh
ere - was - my _ ::> Henry Two boys.
Henry Th.IS ISO
· ,t funny. son.
She starts to laugh.
Martha Tit for tat Tit f . ,
Where were you? · or tit. I 11 tell you if you tell me. Martha Come here.
Henry Out. She opens her arms. He approaches her warily. She
hugs him.
Martha Who with?
Beautiful boy. Beautiful baby, covered in marks. You silly
Henry Friends. thing.
Martha You don't have any friends. Rocks him.
Henry You don't know everything about- You could have told me. But then, I think I always knew.
Martha About you I do ~ I don't mind ... I know some parents mind. My parents
You never had any friends. ou don't have any friends. would have really minded. God ... my father. But they
were religious, and, not as close as us, eh? No. I don't
mind a bit. I just don't want any secrets between us.

44
45
 Beautiful boy. Russian soldier. You have to tell me aU
about it- not the details mind. But we can have a gossip. Martha Sorry.
Sorry. Sorry. PSle~sei.' OK Now I know where you
To be honest, I was starting to suspect, you being so
gentle. So sweet. So utterly unlike any ... Modern times, It's OK now ee. ts · I' OK
though, modern times - S "t's
were. o 1 OK •
Now I know
b what you
· PI se are. ts .
I JUS
. t • • • No secrets. I can't ear It. ea .
Henry has reached into the bedclothes and pulled out
a strip of cut-up shirt material. Henry What am I, Martha?
Henry Jesus Christ. Martha With men. You like men.
He reaches in again and pulls out a handful. He Henry laughs.
springs up.
Henry You'd love that, wouldn't you?
Get up.
Martha I love you. Whatever you are.
She sits frozen.
Henry I was with a girl. (As if to a deaf person. ) I- was-
GETUP. 1 · g with - a - GIRL. · h
s eepm ' - h I I didn't come home last mg t
She stands. Henry yanks the duvet from the bed.
Revealed are a pile of his clothes, all cut up into teeny because I was wtth a
be. Wit~
;:o
That s w ere . was. man And that's where I wanted
I . ld have come home but
tiny strips. Henry climbs onto the bed. He picks up Itodidn't. Dtdher. ear e~\~
youNhot t a .
~huat is what I am. Just a
handfuls of the material. He starts to laugh. Martha, little bit normal.
nervous, starts laughing too.
Beat.
You- (Laughs.) You- (Laughs.) You- (Laughs.) crazy-
(Laughs.) .~
That changes things, doesn 't tt.
Beat. You don't like that so much.
But remember. You love me.
-bitch. You crazy bitch.
Beat.
Martha It doesn't matter, does it? I'll buy you more. Whatever.
I just. Had. A moment. Last night. I was angry with you.
You disappeared. Martha Take it off.
Henry Crazy - Henry What? .

Martha You disappeared and you didn't- Martha My dressing gown. 'T' take t·t o ff. It's mme. I want
Henry - BITCH. it back. · h
Silence. H No Sew me an outfit and I'll take ithoff. Stttc l"k my
enry . h d I'll take it off. Be ave t e a
clothes back tog.et . er an b . d I'll take it off.
remotely attractive human emg an

47
 Martha Was that ...
Martha Are you dean now?
Henry What?
Henry I showered.
Martha Was that your first time?
Henry Yes. Martha You don't smell? You know. Of another-

Martha Oh. Henry Person. No, Mummy.

Martha Come here. .
Henry It had to happen. It was going to happen.
H t her. She smells him and strokes his hatr. She
Martha I just thought. That. You didn't like women. h:g~%~ ~ightiy. She starts to open the front of the
Henry You thought I liked men. dressing gown.
Martha No. Yes. No. I don't know. Henry What are you domg.
. I
You're an artist. You're a gentle, perfect son. You're ... Martha I want to see you.
pretty. It made sense.
Henry Christ. Why? .
Henry Well. You clearly don't know me so well after all.
Martha It's. Just. A shock. h y: body I want to see if you look dtfferent.
Mart a our · I d t You're
If you feel different. (Urgently.} Please. nee o.
Henry That I'm straight? God. You live in an upside-
my child. . . · hs
down world, Martha. Look. It wasn't to hurt you. I had
to do something for me. Don't you see? She smells his chest and budrth'es her ~-ad ~e~t~~~~:;:.
d wraps his arms aroun er, roc mg
Martha You're not mine any more. You're hers. ~~e presses the love bite with her fingers.
Henry I'm always yours. But I'm mine as well. Does it hurt?
Martha Did she hurt you. Your back? Henry No.
Henry You should have seen her.
I'm joking. Martha Is she pretty?
Henry Yes.
Martha Why didn't you call? I got. Panicky.
. I
Martha Will you see her agam.
Henry I was busy. Doing things. Doing things I should
be doing. Don't make me feel like . .. like it's wrong. I'm Henry Maybe. .
your child, not -
She buries h:~ he:~:r~~~~~::.c:J::;·s~~ ~~=~~ts for
1
Martha Russian -
arms aroun er · b ck And
a few moments. Suddenly Henry sprmgs a .
Henry I know. Russian soldier. Whatever. Just let me go
a bit, please. This is crazy behaviour. shoves Martha away. h. k
There is now another love bite on ts nee .

49
 Martha is smiling.
Mia What?
Martha When you do. You can show her that.
Blackout. Izzy He left. Earlier.
Mia To go where? .
Izz Probably to buy some milk or something. Chtll.
SCENE FIVE y Get dressed, Izzy, you have to go. (Yanks at sheet.)
Mia
Hugh's flat at Canary Wharf. It is minimalist and Now. k"
impersonal. A businessman's bachelor flat. It is his crash Izzy H ey . · · I'm naked' you brazen hussy. Stop. Yan mg.
pad (or his rare and increasingly infrequent visits to What? Want a bit of me too?
London. The flat is filled with light (rom large glass Mia Get up.
windows. There is evidence of a small drunken party: an
iPod attached to speakers, an empty vodka bottle, some lzzy Your brother loved it · · ·
beer cans, a crammed ashtray, a twister board- all of · ·
Mia Ugh. Ugh. That is so ... disgustmg. 1 d o n't want to
these inconsistent with the overall design of the flat.
There is also a large stain on the carpet. know. · 1
. Mi~ walks in, dishevelled- she has just woken up. She
I think we have a connection, you know. A specla
Izzy t"wn . It's like we understand each other. Mentally . ..
connec
ts endmg a call on her mobile phone, having just been
talking to Hugh. She takes in the state of the room, the spiritually . · · .
stain on the floor ... . th"ts, k nowing it winds Mta up.
She really enjoys saymg
Mia Bugger. She mock-humps the air.
She begins manically to tidy the flat. Physically .. ·
Izzy! Henry! Guys .. . Mia Izzy. You disgust me. (Mocking. ) Mentally,
spiritually .. ·
GET UP. Dad just called. He's landed. Izzy. IZZY!
Come on. You have to go. She finds pants on the floor.
lzzy stumbles out of the bedroom, wrapped in a sheet. Ugh .. . physically. You can have these back.
She flops onto the sofa. Mia yanks at the sheet. Izzy catches the pants and dangles them on her finger.
Get dressed. You have to leave.
HENRY . .. Izzy R.1pped them off me · Like an animal. He's gorgeous.
So . . . manly-
Izzy Ouch. Stop shouting. My head hurts. Mia (snorts) Manly?
Mia HENRY! COME ON.
Izz So ... commanding. Like I said, I think we ~ave a
Izzy He's not here. co:nection. I noticed it as soon as we me~. It ... lt ...
crackled with intensity ... could you tell.
50
 Mia Izzy, get off your arse and help me. Dad's gonna be
here in like an hour. Look at this stain, he's going to kill Izzy (still in mock sleazy Italian ) You no want my bendy
me ... body ... Why? Is so good···
lzzy's mobile phone beeps.
Henry enters, wild-eyed. h M·a o.f.fher onto the
· b 1 p · ht s oves t 11
Izzy Ah ha ... It's from him ... listen ... 'To my darling Izzytosses
floor, ~tgbac'k and attempts to strike a sexy
stts hoert uh atr
cat'- we have nicknames- 'I can't stop thinking about pose ...
you. Our night of passionate coupling -'
Mia Coupling? Mia You bitch, I thwacked my knee.
Izzy Hey you . · ·
Izzy So? He's old school. Listen: 'Our night of passionate
coupling has blown me away and I'm lusting-' Mia Dad called. He's landed. He's on his way.
Mia Ugh! Stop. It's wrong- Izzy Well, I'm going to have a shower ... Henry?
Izzy 'LUSTING after your bendy body'- 'bendy', eh? Henry How long will it take him to get here?
Knew the yoga was worth it. 'Your velvety skin ... '
Mia I dunno. An hour maybe.
Mia interrupts her by jumping on her and beating her
with a sofa cushion. Izzy I'm going to have a shower .. . Honey?

Mia Stop it stop it stop it. It's just wrong. Let me see Mia You don't have time, Izzy. You have to leave -
that.
Izzy Don't you want to come in with me, baby ... ?
She tussles with lzzy for the mobile phone. Henry H u h ·' Oh · No thanks. I have to talk to Mia.
Izzy (in mock sleazy Italian, waving the phone tauntingly Izzy You don't know what you're missing.
at Mia) What? You no like my velvety body? You no
want to touch ... to- how shall we say?- to penetrate- She flounces out.
Mia GROSS! I'm deleting that. Mia You must be some sta ll.wn, H e n: she's
h besotted.
b b '
(Mocks Izzy. ) 'Come in the shower wit me, a y.
She grabs the phone and reads the text, then starts to
laugh.
She starts scrubbing the stain ?n the fl?or. .
Henry ts. Wt"ldlY on edge · Mta doesn t nottce.
'Where are you, darling? We are so worried. Please call
home.'
Mia What is this stuff? It looks like wine, did we have
wine? I can't-
Mia starts giggling and hitting lzzy harder with the
pillow.
Henry MIA!
Get. Up. You sad, dirty fiend. You have. To. Go. She looks up and notices his w ild eyes. She stops what
she is doing.
52
53
 Mia You went back, didn't you?
Henry nods. Izzy Well, you don't have to be so rude about it.
Stupid .. . She gropes around the room for her clothes.
(Mutters.) Can't find my bra.
:ieonuryttshakes his head softly. He looks as though he's
o cry or scream. Mia finds it and chucks it at her.
Hey. Henry. Hey. Mia Go.
Henry She's ... gone. lzzy You don't have to be a moody cow about it. Respect
Mia She left? your elders, sweetie.
Henry And you respect yours. Get the fuck out.
Henry No. She, Mum, real her, gone. She's gone
Mia What do you - · Heavy pause.
Izzy looks as if she's about to cry. She opens her
Henry Eaten up It's e t h . mouth as if to say something but doesn't. She exits.
Not her. That w~man ait~n erhup. Like body-snatchers.
· s not er ... Mia Holy moly. I don't think she'll be angling for
Mia What did she say? another round now. That was harsh, stud muffin.
Henry (to himself) I don't know what t0 d I. d , Henry doesn't smile.
know what to do . . . o. JUSt on t
Oh Henry .. . Look, whatever she said, it doesn't matter
Mia Listen, Dad's on his way_ now. Dad's on his way. He wants us to wait for him here.
~:Zf::;c%s back in, oblivious to Henry's state of He said he's been doing a lot of thinking. He's says he's
going to sort it out.
having. t e nature of the conversation they've been
Henry (to himself) Daddio's on his way ... .. . to save
Izzy, you have to go. the day . ..

~:~'t (:;:};~e~:) I'm wearing your jumper, I hope you Mia The school ... everything. He had that determined
voice, you know? He said it, and you know what? I believe
Mia NOW, Izzy. him.

lzzy It's all I could fi d H . Henry shakes his head.

free later- n · enry, I was thmking, if you're
Mia He's different, Henry. He wants to help.
Mia My dad is on his way b k N Henry How graceful of him -
here. What part of that don'ta;o~ u~~r~~a~~~r:y:,drivhing
to go. NOW · ou ave Mia Don't. Just give him a chance.
Henry He had his chance

54
55
 Mia He waited fo h
meals You r you at t ose restaurants. All those
Henr; - never came. He wanted you to. He tried, Henry (quietly, almost to himself) This has been my life.
She has been my life.
Henry You're taking his side now- Mia I know, and that's why we -
Mia I was there. (Gentler.) He's got a plan. Henry (livid) YOU DON'T KNOW. NEITHER OF YOU
Henry (quietly) He's got a plan? KNOW. NEITHER OF YOU HAVE DONE SHIT.
Mia A strategy. Pause.
Henry (quieter still) A strategy. Mia If you left, Henry, it would settle, one way or
another.
Mia (oblivious to the dan erou .
It's going to end. Don't yo~ s / ;dge m H~nry's voice) Henry What exactly do you mean?
going to take over. so you d e~. h oon as he s here, he's Mia She'd top herself or get better.
' on t ave to worry_
Henry I don't have to worry. Henry And let me guess which you'd prefer ...
Mia He said . .. Look I told hi f Mia (riled now) You made your choice to stay, Henry.
everything but I will I~ . m stu f, Henry. Not
' ' m gomg to tell him tonight I made mine to leave. It's not my fault she's worse.
Henry ( · d ·
. quzet an dangerous) You can't do that. Henry (acid) And I suppose it's mine.
Mta You tried. You reall tr· d ,
for that. But she's worse ~ Ie ' a,nd I 11 ah~ays love you Beat.
state of you . . . · ou cant handle It. Look at the Mia Maybe.
Henry Five years - Heavy pause.
Mia - are over ... Henry I will never forgive you for saying that.
Henry That's easy for you t y, . Mia Henry, Jesus, I'm sorry. It's just ... I've seen you
You didn't do anything for ~e:.ay. ou didn't do anything.
together enough, you know?
Mia That's not fair.
Henry She was right about you. You are a little shit.
Henry (hisses) Not fair? Not FAIR~ '
the meaning of unfair. · You wouldn t know Pause. Henry makes to leave.

Mia Henry, please - Mia Where are you going?

You're mad.
Henry Unfair is every other d h. .
maybe, you're getting somewhay, t thnki?~ maybe, just Henry No. You're mad. If you think he really cares. All
. ere, t at Its worth it - he cares about it his peace of mind. He'll have her locked
Mta Henry, don't_
up. On his terms. I can't allow that to happen. I can't.

57
 This won't have b £ h'
for nothing. een or not mg. This can't have been (Normal voice.) It is the most tremendously lovely
voice. I'm rather jealous.
Mia goes to touch h · li (Extreme mock-posh.) Received pronunciation. Can
. zm. e pushes her away roughly.
M1a (hurt) Henry_ only be bought. Rather unfashionable, however. Couldn't
get a job at the Beeb. Had to become -
He exits.
(Normal voice.)- a talking clock. Dreadful. How
dreadful for you. Boy to girl ...
(Extreme mock-posh.) Sir to madam.
SCENE SIX (Normal voice. ) Of course. Sorry. Sir to madam. Is it
boring? Because I myself have been looking for work ...
Early evening of the same da ' (Extreme mock-posh.) Not a chance, darling. I'm here
room. The strips of H ' y. Martha s flat. Henry's
few stray ones remain e;n~~:~:!;.s have gone. Only a
to stay.
(Normal voice.) I see. Thank you. For your ... time.
Martha is sitting on th b d h She giggles. Hangs up.
She has the phone and: e · S e has had a few drinks.
plays with the phone r e~ address book next to her. She Sound of the flat door opening.
it down. She dials a nu~%ve~ .Picking it up and dropping
down. She flicks through
another number. dial
:r,~~~ns then slams the phone
.era ress book. Chooses
Sonia. Not today. Cleaner lady, I told you, not today. I'm
busy. Spring cleaning. NO NEED for you. GO AWAY. I
am paying myself seven pounds an hour to clean my own
phone down. She sta:;sw_azts, no answ_er, she slams the hovel. No need for you.
talking clock . . . mto space. Dzals again, the
She waits for the door to slam shut.
Martha On the third strok h . Lurches unsteadily out of bed.
Accurist will be_ (Listens )eA~ e tu[;t spon~ored by
(Laughs.) Such a nice voic~. out oody time ... I thought I told you on the phone. There is to be no more
cleaning. I am servicing myself just fine . . . in fact I have
She curls up with the receiver in her ear and listen got a job. A fantastic job. Part of the package includes a
On the third stroke. s. cleaner, life insurance, dental care and my own personal
scrubber-upper, all on the company.
And forty seconds.
Tack. She has made it to the door.
Tick-tock.
SONIA! Do I have to tell you to your face?
kn:~~ have a tremendously lovely voice, don't you
She swings open the door.
(Extreme mock-posh) I d
schools. Played rugger a.H w:t:; I ucated at only the finest FUCKOFF!
the most crumpled . ong and learnt to eat
crumpets With a silver spoon. Henry is standing in the doorway. Holding flowers .

58
59
 Beat.
(Quieter.) Fuck off. Martha Very much? Because me and Harry- we were
close. But you don't have each other for long, mothers
She turns and lurches back to bed. and sons, sons and ... (Tails off. ) One of you always
dies. Way before the other. Hear that, Harry?
Henry You got a job?
You see. You don't have each other for long. So
Martha Yes. I figured, make the most of it. That's why me and Harry
Henry What job? we were so ... Just making the most of it.

Martha It's m
· . .. time
· management. Henry (collecting glasses ) I see.

Henry Seriously? Martha Young man.

Martha Yes. I start Monday. Henry Yes.

Pause. Martha I don't think you do.
Excuse me. Who are you? Beat.
Henry Your son, Henry. As it happened you came at a good time. Because. I was
going to have this little ceremony, but the thing is, I can't
He starts rapidly to tidy up the room. find the clothes to burn. I'm starting to wonder if I didn't
Martha That's funny I did h just invent little Harry. You see, the only clothes I could
actually. Well he died b a;e a son, called Harry, find were these.
upset. So if y~u would j:s~~t ve hours ago. I'm a little
She picks up some of the scraps of material from the
Henry Henry. Son called Henry. floor.

Martha Please go and leave met0 . Henry He must have been small.
a bad time, I was about t h .my gnef. You came at Martha Yes. He was. This was his towel.
o ave a little ceremony.
Henry puts the flowers in a vase. Henry continues tidying, folding clothes into piles.
Yes. A little ceremon I w
clothes, you see. To s~ t ;s .
gomg to burn some of his
He liked his clothes I r l~e~d them up there with him
0
Henry I brought you some flowers.
Beat. Henry realises she will only communicate with
without them (To th w~r n t want him to be there · him if he plays along.
dear? He loved his ol~ cet mg.) Can you hear me, Harry For your loss.
D mum ..
o you 1ove your old mum? .
He places them next to the bed.
Henry I do.
Martha-

6o
61
 Martha You know. in A£ .
wear white. ' nca, when someone dies, they
Drops the salute.
Henry I did know that actuallv M No. Stay like that. It becomes you.
J> ummy-
Martha They wear white becaus h . Henry Who am I saluting?
t<:> be sad. A death. Not sad lle t ey do not believe it
bigger ... journey. at a . Merely part of the Martha Harry. You are paying your respects to Harry.
(To the ceiling.) Hear that, boyo?
Henry You're wearing white.
Henry To Harry. Wise son. (Mutters. ) The one who got
She fingers a corner of her nightdress. away.
Martha This is cream actually. Henry salutes the ceiling. Then snaps back into
Henry Mummy_ clearing up.

Still examining her nightdress. Did you really get a job?

Martha Or is it just dirty? I can't tell an Martha Let me check.

Henry MUMMY! y more. She dials I2J, listens to the speaking clock for a split
second.
Pause.
No vacancies.
Martha Young man.
Henry You could. Get a job. It would be good for you.
Henry Henry. My name's He Get you out of the house. Get you out of this - (Gestures
landed. He wants to see y ~ry. Come on, please. Dad's at the bed.)
are. Help me sort th. 1 ou. o see us, to see how we
Is pace out. Martha I don't need one. Other people need one more
Martha Young man. then me. If I took a job there would be one less for the
Henry (sighs) At your service. proletariat. It would be against my principles.

Gives a little salute. Henry Of course. You've never had one.

Martha Hold that pose. Martha That's not true - when I was at art college I used
to go fruit picking in the summer. It was nice for the first
He does. few days, the sun, all the apples you could eat, but after
Has anyone ever told one month I hated it. I still won't drink apple juice.
you, you look remarkably like - Henry (quietly ) Maybe it would have been better for all
Henry A soldier?
of us if you had worked in a vineyard.
Martha Yi A What have you done today?
es. young soldier. So good.
Have you got up since I left this morning?
 She shrugs.
Henry NO.
Say something. (To himself.) I'm a fool.
Martha (slurs) Soldier. Martha You're a soldier-
Henry You're pissed.
Henry I thought there was maybe a sneaking chance, the
Martha laughs. tiniest chance that if I came back today, that you might,
You need food. just might, have attempted to pull yourself together. So
Dad won't realise what a mess you are. That you would
He exits to the kitchen. be a little sad, maybe. A little rough around the edges as
While he is gone Martha takes the flowers and normal. But OK. Trying to be OK. That you would at
removes the petals. S~e sprinkles them over the bed. least try to help me help us.
Henr~ re-enters wzth tears in his eyes and an open Beat.
can tn hts hand.
Have you been eating this? I'm a fucking fool.

Martha nods her head. Martha Don't swear.

When. When did you eat this? Pause.

She laughs. Henry Were you really eating cat food? Or did you just
want me to think so?
Mummy. Martha. (Getting upset.) This isn't funny. I'll never know.
Beat. Martha sits up on the bed. She shakes her head, looks
This is cat food. as if she's visibly trying to pull herself together, trying
to sober up.
She mock-miaows.
I thought we could bluff this. Convince him I had it
~::.tha Come here. Onto my bed of roses, soldier. Come under control. Tidy up, sober you up. Stupid. Stupid.
Stupid me.
Henry This- (Gestures around the room.) This Th . . Pause.
over. . Is IS
Will you go? With me? Will you go with me today, to a
Martha Come here. clinic? Will you check yourself in?
Henry No. Daddy is coming back. Do you not Martha (trying hard to sound sober) The cat food, it
understand? He's coming back · And if I d on 't sort you - was -
Martha Come here. Henry WILL YOU GO WITH ME TODAY?
 Pause.
Henry If what?
Martha The cat food. It was for the strays. I didn't- ,
Martha If you have a drink with me.
Henry WILL YOU GO WITH ME TODAY?
Martha I DIDN'T EAT IT.
Henry Too late. SCENE SEVEN
Beat.
. nt Mia and Hugh are sitting
Late that evenmg. A rbestatraf . . e and a bottle of water
You can come with me today. You can choose the place.
together. There are a ott e o wm
It will be private. Comfortable. Or. You can wait for Dad on the table and tw~hmhenus. pk . They sit in silence for
who, if he sees you like this - if he believes Mia, if he Mia is fiddling wtt er na m.
believes you are a danger to us, to yourself- will have some moments.
you taken away. Hugh clears hts. throat. M.ta looks .up. He says nothing.
Beat. She looks back down at her napkm.
Choose. Hugh It's a nice -
Mia Restaurant. .
Martha (quietly) I didn't eat it.
Henry Will you go? Hugh Yes. Nice place. Good stea~: Can't get a good
steak in Hong Kong.
Martha No. Sorry. No.
Mia Really?
Henry Do it for me.
Hugh Well. Some of the grander hotels. But it's very
Martha No. expensive. So. Not really. No.
Henry So I can go, and know you're safe. So I can look Mia Oh.
Dad in the eye when he comes. So I can know that I helped Hugh .Are you hungry?
you somehow. Please. This one thing. (Urgently.) I don't
want you to get sectioned. I won't be able to visit you. Mia Yeah.
It'll be like before, remember? I don't know where they'll
take you. I don't know if they'll let you out. Hugh What's the school food like?
Beat. Mia Terrible.

If you volunteer yourself, if you come with me, then you Hugh Mine was awful. Blood sausage, suet pudding.
can leave. Then you can choose. Please. Please. Mia Ugh.
I'm fucking begging you.
Silence.
Martha I'll go. I'll go if-
I Hugh Do you want a glass o f wme.
. ;>

66
 Mia No.
Hugh A beer?
r Hugh No. Heavy though. Listen, I -
Mia You look tanned.
Mia Water is fine.
Hugh Do I?
Hugh OK. Sure.
Mia Yeah.
Silence. He pours her a glass of water.
Hugh You should come out and visit. See your baby
Well. I thought that went we11 C "d . sister.
· onst enng.
Pause.
Mia Are there beaches?
They'U take you back That's th . . Hugh Some. I live on a hill.
digital cameras Co. ld , h e mam thmg. A few new
now, could we? · · · u n t ave m anaged a whole wing
Mia I thought -
Mia nods. Hugh We moved. Needed more room. For the baby.
I didn't like my boardin sch001 Mia Oh.
to like it much It's a p g much. You're not meant
. . assport rea11y. For your future- Pause.
Mia For my future. Is it hot there all the time?
Hugh You understand. Hugh More muggy, really. Sweaty weather.
Beat. Mia They say it's going to be a hot summer here.
So. Tomorrow- Hugh That will be nice.
Mia I think I wi11 have some wine, actua11y. Mia Global warming.
Hugh OK. Hugh At least you'll get tanned.

He pours her a glass. Mia Like you?

We'II go round there. Earl H . Hugh You could come out, you know. I'd like you to
can get your things. I can ~- enry will be at school, you come out. We all would.
Mia Henry too?
She is fiddling with her fork.
Hugh Henry too.
Mia Is this real silver?
Pause. Hugh examines the menu.
Hugh examines it.
This place has changed. More expensive. Are you starving?

68
 Mia It's only been a minute. Mia Don't what?
Hugh I'm starving.
Hugh Just co-operate. OK?
Mia You asked me that.
Mia OK.
Hugh I did.
Hugh You're not getting on. Is th at lt.
. ~
Beat.
Mia You could say that.
Listen, Mia -
Hugh She's drinking again.
Mia I think these are real silver, you know. They have a Mia nods.
mark and everything.
The pills?
Hugh Tomorrow. I want to avoid a scene.
Mia Are nothing new. Lots of people take them. Have
Mia A tiny mark, look. . ~
you read Prozac N atton.
She hands the fork to him. He takes her hand in his Hugh She's- misusing the pills? Is that it?
and puts it down on the table.
Hugh Mia- Mia shrugs.
Mia. I need to know as much as you can tell me before
Mia You're sweating. Brought the sweaty weather with I see her.
you?
Mia Why?
He wipes his palm on his trousers.
Hugh Mia- Hugh So I can be prepared.

Mia What? Mia What do you actually do?

Hugh Excuse me?
Hugh I need you to fill me in.
Mia At work these days. I'm never sure.
Mia Thought the school filled you in.
Hugh That's not the point.
Hugh They told me what they thought.
Mia Super. Mia I'm interested.
Hugh I'm a broker. You know that.
Hugh I need you to tell me about Martha.
Mia You broker deals and things?
Mia She was your wife. You know her better then I do.
Hugh Don't. Hugh Yes. Deals and things.
Mia So you have skills?

7I
 Hugh I suppose so. Listen, this isn't what this is about. Mia Pardon?
We ca~ talk about my work another time. Let's get back
on topic. Hugh This. You should be grateful.
~ia ~ack on topi~? (Snorts.) OK. Broker a deal tomorrow. Silence.
on t know- bnbe her or something. You don't need Mia?
my h~lp. You don't need preparation. You're great at
your JOb. You love it. Beat.
Hugh Mia, i~ you don't explain the situation I won't be Mia. They were going to expel you. I got you out of it.
able to solve It Understand? You have no respect.
Mia It's not Sudoku, Dad. Mia Do you?
Hugh (sighs) I know, but what's the story? Pause.
Mia It's not mine to tell. It's Henry's. Hugh What you did was unacc~ptable ..r .don't want t~
Hugh How is he? go on about it. But you are not m a pos1t10n to be gettmg
cheeky, young lady. Not in a position at all.
Mia What do you think? So would you please co-operate?
Hugh I-
Beat.
Mia Don't know, do you? OK?
Hugh Jesus. Heavy pause.
Mia Can I smoke? Now, tell me what to expect. Properly.
Hugh No. You bloody can't. Mia appears to be considering her options.
Mia I'll go outside? Mia They're fine, Dad. She just got a bit pissed that
Hugh No. night. That's all.
Mia Fine. Hugh That's all?
Hugh Since when did you smoke? Mia Sure.
Mia Since when did you care? Hugh That's not what the school think.
Hugh When did you start? Mia They're just tense about being sued, hyper-vigilant
etcetera.
Mia I was considering starting tonight. It'll be fine tomorrow. Henry will be at school. You
Hugh Is this all I get? can talk to her alone. Make up your own mind.

72 73
Hugh I think a clinic is best, don't you? Clean her up a
bit. You might not think it's necessary. We can arrange it
r Martha Fine. I'll fetch them.
Martha reac heS U
nder the bed and pulls out a large
tonight. I think the school would appreciate that. jewellery box.
Mia Like I said. It was just a wobble. She's all right, od You should have been a girl. You
Look at you. G · . k
really. In fact, I'd say she's practically better. would have been a beautiful gul. Loo at you.
Hugh There are people you can pay to ensure that. Takes . d · the jewellery box,
the pressure off. She st~rts ru~magmgda':~~ingmthem against Henry's
pluckmg out ttems an h.
He spots the food coming. face. She starts trying to put a necklace on tm.

Ah, here it comes. Finally, proper steak. Henry Don't. We need to leave.
Martha Just let me see.
SCENE E IGHT
She adjusts it around his neck.
Around nine in the morning. Henry's room. So pretty. I'll wear matching.
Henry and Martha have been up all night. Henry has
She starts putting more jewellery on herself and Henry.
been drinking with Martha, trying to convince her to go.
She has been playing games with him and seems to be Henry Get dressed. .
ignoring his plans for departure. She has dressed him up
in her nightdress and dressed herself in an evening gown. Henry tries to put shoes on her. She kicks htm away
Henry is urgently trying to dress Martha m ore sensibly in playfully and giggles.
preparation to leave. Martha Only a glass slipper will fit . . . .
Martha Jewels, I must have jewels. Where are my jewels? . to ut the shoes on her feet. Whtle
Henry keeps trymg . P he hoops more necklaces
She swigs from her nearly empty glass. his head is at her watst 1eve 1s
over his neck.
Under the bed. I hid them there. I hid them from thieves.
Who wants my jewels? Everybody wants my jewels. War spoils for my soldier. He glitters. Look how he
That, what's her name, Sonia. She wanted my jewels. glitters.
Henry takes the glass from her. she;:s~;: ';!,~!:~:d to get the shoes on. He stands,
Oh don't be a bore. · finds the cardigan and holds it for her to put on.
Henry tries to put a cardigan on her. She shrugs it off. Henry Put it on.
Fetch my jewels, soldier. Martha You haven't touched your drink.
Henry You need to change. Put this on. Henry I don't want it.

75
74
Martha Let's have a toast. Henry We'll get a taxi.

She raises her glass. Martha (giggling) Look at you.

Henry Now. We need to leave now. Henry I'll change on the way.

Martha A toast to. A toast to - The door buzzes.

Martha continues kissing Henry's face.
Henry tries to put the cardigan on her again. She
shrugs him off and stands. Who is that?
Let's have a toast. Come on. Martha Sonia.
Henry Just let me- Henry It's not -
Martha With your old mum. Come on. Martha Too early. Must be Sonia. Come to help you
She kicks off the shoes. clean up.
Door buzzes again.
Henry Jesus ...
Hide the jewels. She always tries to steal from me. Hide
Martha A toast, to my son, so good ...
them.
Martha drains the glass and hands it to him. Martha heads to the exit to answer the door.
Henry Now, you promised. Let's go. She exits. .
Panicked, Henry clumsily picks up the Jewellery box
Martha Finish yours. It's rude - there was a toast to you and shoves it under the bed. Some of the contents have
and you didn't drink. spilled out onto the ~oor. He shovels them under the
Henry Then we'll go?
~d. dk h
It is in this position, on his hands an n~es t at
Mar~ha These are ugly shoes. You can always tell the Hugh and Mia first see him, as they enter wzth Martha
quahty of a person by their shoes. Their shoes and their
haircut ... and perhaps their jewellery. I have nice jewels, behind them.
don't I .. . Pretty things. Silence. Henry stands up.

Beat. Martha Daddy's here.

Finish it. Henry You're early.
He sits down on the edge of the bed and takes his Hugh takes in the room.
glass. It is obvious he really doesn't want it, but he Hugh Pyjamas in the wash?
downs it. Martha giggles in delight. She kisses his face.
While she's doing this he slings the cardigan round her Henry You're too early.
shoulders. He tries unsuccessfully to pull her up.

77
 They all look at him for a moment. Mia I'll help you.
Henry walks over to Hugh and sniffs him.
I feel sick.
Martha Baby ... Henry You reek of duty-free.
Henry Just looking at him. I feel sick. Henry exits. Mia follows .
Hugh Why don't you go and get dressed, Henry? Hugh He always gives me that look. Even when he was
two. It's sinister.
Henry Don't you like my new look?
Hugh bends down and picks up a str~y ne_ckl~ce [rom
Hugh Go and get some clothes on. Get your stuff for the floor. He holds it in his hands as tf wetghtng tt.
school. Mia, pack yourself a few things too.
Martha You gave me all of this. Remember. All of this-
Pause.
Henry You're amazing. Beat.
Mia Come on, Hen. -tinsel.
Henry Actually amazing. Hugh gently rests the necklace he was holding on the
Mia Come on, leave them to it. side table.

Hugh I want a word with Martha alone. Hugh This place is a mess.

Hem:' I don't think she wants to be alone with you, do Martha I sacked my cleaner.
you? How's slinky-eyes?
Hugh Come on, Henry. Just do what you're told. Hugh Why was Henry dressed like that? In your
Henry Amazing. necklace?

Mia Let's get our stuff together. Martha shrugs.

Hugh runs his ~nger over a surface.
Henry Mummy?
This place is filthy.
Martha (almost to herself) Daddy's really here . . .
He notices the bottles. He sighs.
Mia And aren't you dressed for the occasion? He sits down.
Martha Henry, baby, I need some coffee, will you go and Hugh What's going on, Martha?
make me some, darling? ·
Martha You tell me, smarty pants. Its not often family
Henry Mia can do it.
number one merit a transpacific visit.
Martha You know just how I like it.

79
 She starts frantically rummaging for a cigarette.
They sit still/ike this for a moment. Martha then
Hugh What are you looking for? smells him.
Martha A fag - Martha Duty-free ... delicious.
As she says this she knocks something over. It smashes. Beat.
Hugh You're drunk. Did you bring me a present?
Martha Where are my fucking cigarettes? Hugh What?
She stands. Martha Always used to. Pockets full of presents. Cold
lips from being outside. Warm mouth. The taxi door
Hugh Martha. Sit down.
slamming.
Martha (mocking him) Hugh, stand up.
Hugh I never slammed the door.
Hugh We need to talk.
Martha Yes, you did. Slammed it and pounded up the
Hugh goes over to her and tries to guide her back stairs. You did. I remember.
down.
Hugh I didn't -
Down you go.
Martha Bring me a present? Yes you did. You're hiding it.
Martha curls up on the bed. She buries herself deeper
in the bed. Hugh comes closer. He gently pulls her up Beat.
off the bed.
In one of your pockets. Something from the east.
Look at me. Something dinky.
She stares at him. Hugh Martha. I just didn't. I didn't even get the kids one.
I'm going_ to take you to the Cromwell. I'll pay for it, I've Martha But you always do.
arranged It .. .
Hugh Did. Always did.
Beat.
Beat.
You're not well.
Martha Tight bastard.
Martha reaches out and touches his face,
Don't. Hugh Don't.
Martha Bet you got her one.
She rests her head on his shoulder. He is uncomfortable
with it, but allows her to. Hugh Not now.

8o
81
 Martha Exotic toys for your exotic toy. I'll pick you up after. We'll talk then. Right now I need to
Hugh This is not about her. deal with Martha. Off you go. You'll be late.

Martha Is it true, what they say? Henry You didn't tell him?

Hugh No. Mia shakes her head.

You don't know the fucking half of it, do you, Dad? I don't
Martha You don't know what I'm about to say. go to school any more. I dropped out. About a year and a
Hugh I don't want to. half ago, actually.
Henry reappears in the doorway. They don't see him. Henry laughs, a little giddy with his own outburst.
Martha Worried I'm going to be rude? Hugh (to Mia ) Did you know about this?
Beat. Mia nods.
Worried I'm going to be vulgar ... Henry Thought you might have noticed when the fees
stopped plopping out of your account every three months.
Beat.
Clearly not.
Because r:ou don:t like that, do you, Hugh? That's why Hugh Why wasn't I told?
you ~arned a thtrd-rate geisha. (Sexily and slowly.) Total
obedtence ... Martha You didn't ask.
Martha leans forward as if to kiss him. He springs Hugh I didn't ask because I take it on assumption that
back. my children attend school like every other normal
teenager in the country.
Hugh Don't.
A year and a half ago?
Martha (snarls) As if.
Henry nods.
Henry Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh And what, may I ask, have you been doing since then?
what fun it is to run . . .
Henry What do you think?
lb. Mia enters.
Hugh I don't know, Henry. I have no idea.
What? It must be Christmas time surely? All of us
together in one room. Oh no. I forgot. We don't even do Martha He's been at home with me.
that at Christmas.
--:.. Hugh Here? In this fetid bedroom?
Hugh Mia, take Henry to get changed then walk him to I've been teaching him art.
school. It's after nine. '
Henry Look.
Silence.
 He shoves a handful of drawings at Hugh . Henry Gee, Daddy. You look tanned.
Hugh Sketching? Martha Off you go, Missy. Of you go with your pa. Me
and Henry. Staying right here.
Martha He's good at it.
Henry Climate must suit you.
Mia starts to laugh.
Martha Come here, baby.
Hugh Why are you laughing?
Hugh Go get yourself some breakfast, here -
Mia It's just funny, that's all. Your face.
He proffers some money.
Henry starts to laugh as well.
Henry (mocking him) 'Money? You want money?'
Henry You've gone red.
Martha (to Mia) Off you trot, Missy.
Hugh IT IS NOT FUCKING FUNNY.
She waves her hand in a dismissive gesture at Mia.
Pause. Martha giggles.
Mia Don't tell me what to do.
You tell me, Martha, what the hell is going on, because
this has a nightmarish quality I don't like. Martha Piss off now, thank you.
Martha Nightmarish quality you don't like? I really am Mia Henry, come with me.
very very sorry about that, Hugh. That you don't like it. Henry I'm not leaving her with him.
That it doesn't suit you. Because you see, darling, you
relinquished parental responsibility when you fucked off Mia Please.
with your little strumpet. Martha Always interrupting.
Hugh I had to go around to that school and beg them to Mia I'm going to get you - I'm going to fucking get you.
the point of blackmail to keep her there. They tell me she
never stays here, that there isn't enough room- Hugh Mia-
Martha THERE ISN'T ENOUGH ROOM FOR THREE, Martha I want my son.
THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY FOR THREE. She stumbles towards Henry.
Hugh Money? You want money? Mia shoves Martha back on the bed.
Martha Look at how we live, while you - you shack up Did you see that? Did you see that? She's gone wild.
in some palace in the sun with that woman. Probably got Hurting me. Lying to me. Stealing from me.
servants. Look at this hole. This filthy little hole. There Mia (seething) You haven't seen wild.
isn't enough room for your children.
Martha Your daughter, stealing from me. I want my son.
Mia Hen. Let's go. Let's leave them to it. HENRY, HENRY!
 Mia Leave. Him. Alone. Henry stands up.
They are fighting now. Hugh Henry. Sit down, you look ridiculous. Martha,
Hugh STOP IT! I am not threatening you. I am making you aware of your
options.
Pause.
Martha You could have threatened me over the phone,
Mia You heartless cunt. Hughie. Saved yourself the- (Spits the word.) air miles.
Hugh MIA! Hugh Then you leave me no choice.
Mia Don't shout at me. Martha But that choice suits you, Hughie. Doesn't it?
Hugh I know this is very emotional - It's cheaper to have me sectioned, isn't it? It's not private.
You want me in an NHS loony bin 'cause it won't cost
Mia How the fuck would you know how emotional it is? you a pretty penny. Did he tell you that I calle? ?im?
You weren't there, you didn't see- That I asked for his help? I couldn't afford a chmc
Hugh Mia, please. That's hardly helping - without him. He just wanted it to come to this. I bet he
didn't tell you that in your little heart-to-heart. Don't be
Martha Oooh, Daddio's in trouble now. fooled, sweetie. He's been waiting for this.
Mia SHUTUP!
Mia Is this true?
Beat.
Hugh Of course not.
Go on then.
Martha He sat in the sun and waited. Till he could
Beat. polish me off at the expense of the taxpayer. Money's
Daddio. bound to be tight now, eh? With family number two. Bet
young slinky-eyes is developing expensive tastes -
Hugh Martha. I'm taking you to the clinic. If you won't
Mia Did she call you?
go voluntarily, I'll ... you know what I can do.
Beat. Martha Look at her. Tell her the truth.
Hugh Your mother is a very sick woman, Mia. But I
Martha Are you threatening me? (To Mia.) He's
promise you, I thought -
threatening me - he's flown all the way over to do what
he likes best. Don't be under any illusions, sweetie, your Mia What did you think?
daddy doesn't give a fuck about you. He's just a tidy Hugh I thought what you told me last night was true -
man. Used to fold his own underwear. He's a tidy man
trying to tidy me away and tidy you both up. Not for Martha Do you think he didn't know? Petal, we're just a
you. For him. Don't be fooled, little madam. Your mess to him. You're just a mess to him.
daddy's no hero. Threatening me - Hugh Of course not, Mia. We've talked about this -

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Martha He knew. Mia is clearly wavering.
Mia When you stopped hearing from us. When you Mia (quietly ) Henry. I want to go.
stopped getting Henry's school reports. Why didn't you
call? Why didn't you check? Henry stands up.

Hugh I thought you were OK. Henry What do you reckon of me? Have I grown?
Mia You wanted to think we were OK. Mia (sobbing) Please, Henry.
Martha He didn't give a shit. Henry Practically your height now. Though you never
were a tall bloke.
Hugh Why would I be here if I didn't?
Mia (crying now) NOW!
Mia So you don't have your good name sullied because
your daughter was taken into care. Hugh Take her outside, Henry.
Beat. Henry Was that an order, sir?
That's the real reason, isn't it? Martha mock-salutes.
Hugh Mia- I'm not going anywhere. This is not your problem. It is
Mia Isn't it? not your house. This isn't even your fucking continent any
more. I had things going just fine before you barged in.
Martha See him properly. Go on. See what he is.
Hugh I have flown halfway across the world to help you
Mia stares at Hugh. sort out this ... Do you think this is my idea of a splendid
Mia You could have stopped all of this. But you left. morning? I thought you were at school. I thought you
And she was sick when you left. But you left us anyway. were better than this.
Hugh When you're older- . Henry Oh Daddy Bear, have we surprised you?
Mia You won't know me when I'm older. Hugh I know you're angry with me. I know I haven't
been perfect. I know that. But right now I am trying to
Martha Good girl.
get this resolved. This is why I wanted you to go away to
Mother and daughter stare at each other for a second. school. This is why. But you didn't want to. I should have
We don't need him, do we? It's too late for him. made you. Look at you ... Christ.

Beat. Mia (under her breath) Too late.

Come and sit next to me. Hugh If you want to help her, we have to work together,
as a team. OK?
Mia does nothing. She Looks as if she's about to cry.
Silence.
Next to me and Henry. Come on.
OK?

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 Silence. Henry No. You can't just do that. You can't just. Come.
Here. In your chinos. With. Your. Solution. You can't do
Mia. I'll call a taxi. You shouldn't have to see this.
that. It's. Just. Not. Right.
Mia (sobbing) Not. Without. Henry. Pause.
Hugh Leave me with Martha. I'll deal with her. 'Cause, you see- (Spits the word.) Daddy, you left me
Henry You're not coming anywhere near her. I'm dealing here all by myself. So I did what I thought you should
with her. have done. Taken care of her. Taken very good care of
her. Like she was broken. 'Cept I thought I could fix her.
Mia No. Thought I'd do anything to fix her. Used to wish it on
Martha He's staying here with me. Aren't you, Henry? eyelashes.
Hugh Henry-
Mia Be my big brother and take me out of this. Please.
Henry You're. Not. Right. You can't just do that. It
Henry Go if you want. Go home with team Daddio. pisses on me. You're pissing on me.
Mia Henry, I didn't tell him. I didn't tell him anything. He stands on the bed, swaying slightly.
I did what you wanted, this isn't my fault. I'm sorry
about what I said. Martha Sit down. Come down. Baby boy. Come here.
Henry I had it under control. He kicks her away.

He goes to Martha on the bed. She snuggles up to him, Henry None of you understand. Do you? None of you.
Martha smiles to Mia and Hugh. Five years. I've tried. And tried. None of you fucking
understand. Anything. About it. All the blood she's
Hugh Get up, Henry. kicked. From. My. Heart. And now you piss on me too.
You piss on all I've done. I might as well piss on me.
Martha snuggles deeper into Henry. She whispers to
him. Looks down at himself.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH. Would that scare you, Hugh? Would that scare you away?
You don't like things to crazy, do you, Daddy? DO YOU?
Henry springs up. They make you run away.
Henry Had enough, have you? Had e-fucking-nough? Of He pisses himself. They are stunned.
what, Hugh? Had enough of what? Papa Bear is in a tizz
now, ain't he? Look at him. You've gone red, sir. Hugh Jesus.

Martha giggles. Martha Sit down. Next to me. Henry. Baby.

Hugh You don't have a choice. She's going. Henry Stupid me.

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 He is standing on the bed. Martha tries to pull him She does.
down. Henry turns on her. He fishes his mobile out of his pocket.
You. You promised I would be the one to have got you I am calling them now.
to go. One thing. One thing for me. So I could know that
He dials.
I helped you, so I could know it wasn't a terrible mistake,
all that trying and crying and trying for you. And you Martha No.
wouldn't. After one drink. After another drink. And you Hugh You have no choice.
wouldn't, all night you wouldn't. Of course you wouldn't.
Should have known. Trapped us here so he could see how Martha No.
bad we'd got. News flash. He doesn't fucking care. I care.
Beat.
Setting a trap for your beautiful boy. Your beautiful baby.
Well, how's your soldier boy now, Mummy? HOW'S I'll go.
YOUR SOLDIER BOY NOW?
On this Henry lurches up.
Stunned silence.
Henry No. No. No. You can't go. You can't go. No.
Martha stands and lifts her arms to Henry as if to
help him down. He crawls to her and wraps his arms around her legs.
Mia They're going to come and take her. You don't want Can't leave me. Stay with me. Belong together. Here, we
to see that. belong here. You're lying- you're lying to make them
Henry Belong here. I belong here. Leave us be- go away. Fit for you. We fit together. Please, Mummy.
Mummy, please. Stay. Stay with me. I'll lie to the doctors,
Mia I won't leave you here. I'll say she made it up. If you stay, things will be OK. I'm
Hugh You did what you could, Henry. You're a good yours I'm yours I'm yours . . . what you wanted. Me.
boy- (Sighs.) to bad parents. But it's over now. It really Yours.
is over now. She tries to gently disentangle herself from him.
Henry shakes his head again and again and again. Henry is groping up her body with his arms, burying
Henry's outburst and the state of him has shocked his face in her tummy, clinging to her, shaking his head
Martha. It seems as though only now has she realised over and over.
the destruction she has caused. Gave you what you wanted. This is what you wanted.
Martha says nothing but stares at Henry, who is I chose you. Choose me back, choose me back.
shaking his head over and over.
Martha is still, staring down at Henry.
Martha.
Hugh I'm calling now.
Martha continues staring at Henry.
Henry Choose me back.
Look at me.

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Martha Don't. Beat.
Beat. But I have to go now. I have to go away.

I don't want him to see me taken. Beat.

Mia Then fucking leave. Let go.

Martha runs her hands through Henry's hair, soothing He clings harder.
him. Always here- (Touches her belly.)
Martha (murmurs softly) Baby boy, baby boy, don't cry. Mia Let go.
He is soothed and starts just to cling to her. She lifts She gently disentangles herself from him.
his face up with her hand. They are now looking at Are you my soldier? My own soldier?
each other.
He nods.
Am I a lady?
Then be brave.
Henry nods.
He lets go of her.
Your lady? She takes her handbag, looks around the room,
at Hugh, at Mia. She opens her mouth as if to say
Henry nods.
something, but doesn't.
A lady can't be taken away. A lady must have dignity. Slowly, with twisted dignity, she exits.
A lady must go . .. herself. If I don't go, they'll take me. The door is heard shutting behind her.
To a bad place. I won't be able to see you. And I want to Henry has his head in his hands on the floor. Mia
see you. I want to see that face. My baby's face. is standing, stunned. Hugh follows Martha offstage.
They say nothing for some moments.
Beat. Mia turns to Henry.
I was so happy when I was pregnant with you. It was the Henry looks up and meets her eyes, yet says
happiest time of my life. I felt clear. Everything felt clear. nothing.
With you inside me. Everything fell away. Mia It's OK. I promise. It's OK. We're OK.
Beat. The scene stays like this for a moment, the only sound
(Very softly.) This way we have each other for ever. This being Henry's jagged breaths.
way, I'll always have you in here- (She touches her lower Lights fade to black.
stomach.) We own each other. No one can take it away, The End.
Henry. No one.

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