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Drama Scripts
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| The Winners | |
| By Norby | ||
| 13 June 2006 | ||
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This is a piece written and submitted for my English course at school. I think it's safe to put it up now, since the deadline for submissions has passed! This came about when a playwright visited our class and gave us a masterclass in drama. He handed out photos and told us to write the story that goes with the photo: Mine was a smiling couple holding a giant National Lotto cheque. If you want to know what happened to them, read on ... SCENE ONE Malcolm and Diane’s humble flat. The living room is furnished with a cheap sofa, TV and a few other home comforts. No characters are on stage, until Malcolm enters stage right, carrying a supermarket bag. MALCOLM: Diane! Honey, I’m home! I couldn’t get semi-skimmed so I just went for full cream! DIANE: (Off Stage) That’s fine! Malcolm puts down the bag and takes a seat on the sofa. He takes something out of his jacket pocket: A small piece of paper. MALCOLM: Oh yeah. Honey, I bought a lottery ticket while I was out! DIANE: (Off Stage) You stupid man, what did you go and waste your money on that for? You’re never going to win! MALCOLM: It’s only a pound... DIANE: (Enters) A pound I could have spent on groceries, but clearly you had more important designs on it! Diane sits down on an easy chair opposite Malcolm. Malcolm, muttering quietly to himself, turns on the TV with a remote control. As he does, the back of the stage (previously in darkness) lights up to reveal a beautiful woman standing on a podium with a lottery machine. There is the sound of an audience cheering. WOMAN: ...And tonight’s jackpot stands at a staggering, thirteen million pounds! So let’s find out what those winning numbers are! DIANE: You never win anything. You’ve never so much as won a raffle! MALCOLM: Ssh! WOMAN: And the first number tonight is ... number thirteen! Unlucky for some, but it may win somebody a lot of money tonight! MALCOLM: Yes! That’s one of mine! DIANE: (Sarcastically) Oh how wonderful! Only five more to go! MALCOLM: Di, would you please have a little faith? DIANE: This isn’t faith Malcolm, it’s a bloody waste of time! WOMAN: The second number of the night is ... number thirty six! Making it’s fourth appearance this year. MALCOLM: Hah! Another one! Not so cocky now are you? DIANE: I’m sure loads of people have got two numbers right dear, but you need six to win, remember? WOMAN: Thirdly, it’s number twenty! MALCOLM: Another one! Yes! DIANE: This is ridiculous. Come and help me with the washing. MALCOLM: In a second... WOMAN: Next up, it’s number forty one! Malcolm remains silent, staring fixedly at the ticket in his hands. Diane, though impatient, lingers in the living room. WOMAN: And next it’s the number twelve! DIANE: I told you it was a waste of time, you stupid man. Come on, give me a hand. Malcolm stays still and silent. WOMAN: The bonus ball tonight ... thirty two! Making our winning numbers tonight: twelve, thirteen, twenty, thirty six, forty one, and the bonus ball number thirty two! The Lottery show fades back into darkness. Malcolm continues to sit still. DIANE: What? You’re not gonna turn around and tell me... MALCOLM: I won. DIANE: Exactly. Now get a move on, this washing won’t do itself! MALCOLM: No, I mean ... I won. I won the jackpot! DIANE: Let me see! She rushes over and looks at the ticket. Convinced at last, the two cheer and dance madly around the room as the curtain falls. SCENE 2 A party in a pub. Some guests stand chatting around the stage. Diane sits, laughing, on a sofa with two stoners, smoking joints and surrounded by a cloud of smoke. The other guests give them dirty looks. Malcolm enters, and the guests move to shake his hand. The guests leave the stage, and Malcolm sees Diane. MALCOLM: Diane? (Diane gets up and stands with Malcolm) You really didn’t have to throw this huge party you know – the money’s already burning a hole in your pocket. DIANE: Oh, Malcolm, honey, don’t you just love it! It’s amazing! Everybody’s so funny! I didn’t even know John from down the road was a comedian! MALCOLM: He ... he isn’t Di. He’s an accountant. DIANE: But he was so funny! (She turns to the junkies) Wasn’t he guys? The junkies make no response. MALCOLM: Di, who are these people? I don’t think I know them. DIANE: Oh well this is ... uh, well, uh ... well, they stopped in to offer their congratulations anyway, wasn’t that nice of them? (Giggles). MALCOLM: Di, what exactly are they smoking? DIANE: What makes you think they’re smoking something? Malcolm looks at the junkies and the cloud of smoke filling the room, then looks at Diane. DIANE: Oh, right. The smoke. Well, obviously ... they are smoking cigarettes. MALCOLM: Right... Diane, maybe you should ask them to leave. DIANE: (Gasps) No, I couldn’t do that! They’re so nice! They gave me one of their ... cigarettes. We’re just having drinks you stupid man, don’t spoil our fun! Why do you always have to ruin my fun! Diane flounces away and sits down with the stoners. STONER: Dude ... chill. You’re rich now. DIANE: See! Thingy here knows what he’s talking about. He’s been to the moon! Malcolm shakes his head and exits. DIANE: Stupid man... SCENE 3 The street outside the pub. Malcolm sits outside, gazing at the sky, when Diane enters from the left, staggering wildly, with red eyes, carrying a bottle of vodka. She looks dishevelled, and Malcolm is astonished to see her like this. MALCOLM: Diane! What are you... What’s going on here? DIANE: (Shouting) Aren’t the stars pretty tonight? Everything’s so fucking wonderful! I’m rich! Whoopee! Come on you stupid man, dance with me! Diane performs a drunken twirl and falls into Malcolm’s arms. DIANE: (Almost whispering) You know Malcolm, I was so happy to get all that money. I thought, ‘now all our trouble are over.’ And you know what? All those troubles are. Problems is ... problem ... prob ... (Trails of into unconsciousness) MALCOLM: Problem is you got a whole load of new ones... Malcolm lays her down gently and takes her handbag. Inside he finds bags full of cannabis, and more bottles of vodka. He sighs, and dials a number on his mobile phone. MALCOLM: Hey John, it’s Malcolm. Sorry to bother you ... I know, I know. I’m sorry ... Look, I really need a favour. Can you come pick me and Diane up? I’ve been drinking and Diane’s ... not good. No, I’d rather not get anyone else involved. Di’s in a pretty, uh, bad state ... I trust you more than my driver, John! ... Thanks. I’m on the High Street by the bank ... See you shortly. Malcolm replaces the phone in his pocket and kneels down by Diane again. MALCOLM: Where did you go wrong sweetheart? From stage right walk on two prostitutes, Sapphire and Rose. They are giggling between themselves, and pointing at Malcolm. SAPPHIRE: Hey you! Big guy! You up for a good time? ROSE: Yeah, we got all sorts to float your boat. They approach Malcolm and start getting quite close to him, flirting outrageously. MALCOLM: Excuse me ladies, I don’t think I can help you. SAPPHIRE: You hear that Rose? He thinks we ain’t good enough for him! What’s the matter stud, you already satisfied yourself on that one? (She points at Diane). ROSE: (Laughs) Now I’m a prostitute. That there, is a slut! The girls laugh and Malcolm pushes them aside roughly. MALCOLM: That is my wife you’re talking about! Now I suggest you both leave here at once or I will call the police! The girls retreat but Malcolm is too distracted to notice them leave. MALCOLM: How dare you? How dare you say those things about my wife? Oh Di, look at you! No wonder they think you’re some cheap hooker! You’re a mess! Honey do you think I haven’t been tempted by this money? I fought! I fought, and I watched, while you fell into this ... destructive madness! How could you do this to me? Why Diane, why? Malcolm collapses, crying on his wife’s unconscious body. Diane murmurs softly. DIANE: I’m sorry... A bright light shines upon the couple as they sit, and the sound of a car pulling up. Malcolm picks up Diane and heads off stage right. MALCOLM: Let’s just go home. SCENE FOUR Malcolm and Diane’s kitchen. A counter stands centre stage, with some chairs in front of it. Behind it, against a wall, stands a gas cooker. Malcolm sits Diane on one of the chairs, and goes behind the counter. Diane, still suffering from the effects of the drink and the drugs, wobbles uncertainly on her chair. She still carries a bottle of vodka. MALCOLM: How are you feeling now? DIANE: (Sarcastically) Bloody peachy. How do you think I feel? Malcolm pulls a can of soup and a saucepan out from under the counter. DIANE: What are you doing? MALCOLM: You need some food to settle your stomach. It’s chicken soup, your favourite. You’ll thank me in the morning. DIANE: Do you want me to ring for the cook? MALCOLM: It’s four in the morning Diane. I’m not waking up Chris just to make some soup. Malcolm turns to the cooker, and the sound of it igniting and burning away is heard. As he tends to the soup, Diane faces the audience, talking to herself. DIANE: What’s the point of being rich if you can’t use the money? We pay that cook more than enough to justify waking him up at this time! Our money, up in smoke! (Turns to Malcolm) You stupid man! MALCOLM: (Turns to face her) What? DIANE: Any normal man would have left me to rot. I’ve let you down and all you can do is make fucking soup! Why would you do that? I don’t deserve it. MALCOLM: We all make mistakes Di. DIANE: Not you! Mister Perfect! I’ve never known you to make a mistake! I heard you, talking to those whores! If I were in your shoes I’d have gone with them! More tempting that a passed out drunk! MALCOLM: Honestly Di, I’m just trying to help you here. (Mutters to himself) Maybe I should have gone with them... DIANE: (Gets angry) What? You seriously would have? MALCOLM: Don’t be stupid, of course not! DIANE: Oh, so now I’m fucking stupid am I? AM I? Diane throws the bottle of vodka at Malcolm, who ducks. The bottle smashes against the wall, the vodka inside splashes onto the lit cooker, and catches light. Malcolm grabs a tea towel and tries to put the fire out. Smoke starts to fill the room. MALCOLM: Look what you’ve done! DIANE: (Screaming madly to an invisible audience – she’s in a world of her own now.) Yes, look! Come marvel at the spectacle of the wasted wife! Not content with ruining her marriage, she has now attempted to burn down the fucking house! Malcolm, abandoning his attempt to put out the fire, rushes to Diane. MALCOLM: Nothing’s changed Di, this is just a bad night! That’s all! DIANE: (Continues as if not hearing Malcolm) Her house and her life crash and burn around her! Millionaires? (Spits on the floor) You can keep your cash! MALCOLM: Diane we have to get out of here! We need to phone for help! DIANE: Phone for help! Of course! Will they help me fix my life? Diane falls off her chair in a spectacular fashion. DIANE: I don’t wanna die! Save me Malcolm! Malcolm picks Diane up and takes her outside. DIANE: (Off-Stage) No! Wait! My weed! I have to get it! Let go! Diane re-enters the burning kitchen and staggers through the smoke, trying to find her bag. Coughing, she finally grabs hold of it and slumps against the counter. MALCOLM: (Off-Stage) Di? Di! DI! Malcolm continues to shout “Di,” as Diane falls further down, still coughing in the smoke. DIANE: Stupid man... Malcolm’s shouts stop. Diane falls onto the floor, unmoving. The lights fade out, with the flickering orange being the last to go out. The End.
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