James Graham Plays 2

by James Graham

  Morris Sir.

  Smith holds up another evidence bag.

  Smith A set of car keys. Discovered to be a blue Ford parked on Highbury Grove. Inside the car –

  Holds up a bag.

  – was this bag. Inside the bag –

  Holds up a smaller bag.

  – was this smaller bag. And inside this bag –

  Holds up a wallet.

  Morris It’s like The Generation Game.

  Smith – was this wallet, and inside this wallet –

  Morris A cuddly toy!

  Smith – was this small key. We are yet to establish what this key opens – Parker, you be in charge of that. Find out what it opens, find out what’s inside.

  Parker Where do I start?

  Smith (sighing, looking at a map of London) Where indeed. What connects these places, what lures our types of target towards them? Powis Square, Grovsenor Avenue, Lavender Hill.

  Morris Nothing. It’s wherever they can kip for free, innit.

  Smith No. No it isn’t. We need to think outside the box.

  Morris We are, sir. I haven’t thought inside a box for as long as I can remember –

  Smith We’re not looking at the city correctly. What’s the pattern? Where are the dots – a squat here, a squat there, is there a pattern, is there a shape, because somewhere here, on this London map, a dot is missing. And that dot houses the four anarchists who have gone far beyond the layabouts we have in custody.

  You know, I’ve been reading up on a little thing called ‘psychogeography’. We are caged in by our city, by the grid structures, the ‘oppressive’ buildings, by its function and its form. It’s a way of seeing your urban surroundings differently. Topsy-turvy, upside down, ‘freeing’ yourself of its rigidness.

  Morris Psychotic geography.

  Smith Psychogeography.

  Morris I stand by mine.

  Smith (at the map) There’s something underneath it. A pattern . . .

  Beat. He looks a them. Tries to perch, casually, on his desk . . . offering it out to the room.

  What do you make of them? Some of the – young men and women, our contemporaries, we have in custody. Any – thoughts, any – feelings? Observations.

  Beat.

  Parker I’ve got one – no, I don’t actually, it’s fine – actually no, I do have one.

  Smith Good, good.

  Parker Well, when we – when we stormed the squats.

  (Beat, trying to laugh.) Not like my house, I can tell you, no . . . No.

  Smith Go on.

  Parker All those people. And men. And women. And . . . women and women. And men and men.

  And . . . and the baby. Little crying baby, being looked after by a dozen different mothers. A dozen different fathers. Pretending they’re like some sort of family, but that’s not a family, is it, not a family I recognise and I just, I just think, I don’t know, I think it’s rotten if I’m honest and it’s doing my head in, it’s making me – I don’t know, I don’t know.

  Smith It’s alright, Parker. You’re right to be . . . to feel that way. That’s the correct response.

  Everyone. Take a chair.

  Morris You what?

  Smith (bringing a chair out from his desk) Bring out your chair, like this. Look at it. It feels like there is only one way to sit on it, right? The way in which it was designed for you to sit. (Demonstrating.) But there isn’t. There are hundreds.

  Morris Hundreds?

  Smith Hundreds. Try one. Try one.

  Morris uncertainly moves to the chair, looking at it. He reverses and sits, straddling it.

  Smith See? What do you think? What feels different?

  Morris I don’t know.

  Smith Even the obvious, just say the obvious.

  Morris The . . . the back bits at my front.

  Smith The back is at the front. The back. Has become the front. Good.

  Let’s all try it.

  He takes his chair, as do Parker and Henderson. They begin trying increasingly radical ways to sit on the chair. Which takes as long as it takes.

  Smith (from his position) Now look. Look at the world from here. This is an angle from which the world was not meant to be seen. What does it feel like?

  Morris Like backache.

  Smith Apart from that.

  Henderson New. It feels new. Like anything is possible . . .

  Smith stands. The others follow, after a moment.

  Beat, looking at one another.

  Smith OK, we, we continue drawing connections between our suspects, continue the raids on the squats.

  They get back to normal. Parker and Morris exit.

  Smith gathers up some files – seeing a holiday brochure he slipped in there. He holds it up wearily.

  Smith Know anything about . . . about Spain? Henderson?

  (Referencing his brochure.) My Susan. Wants us to go away. She’s joined this bridge club and everyone’s talking about Spain, apparently. Apparently, that’s where everyone is going.

  Henderson Roger and me, we were round my sister’s in Haringey and she brought out this funny-shaped bottle of pink wine. Matruvius or something?

  Smith Ah yes, Mateus.

  Henderson Mateus, yes.

  Smith Yes, Susan’s had us sampling that. A ‘rosé’ – mix of red and white.

  Henderson (laughing) Who thinks of these things?

  Smith Though I do believe that’s Portuguese.

  Henderson (looking at the photos) All of them . . . being young and all that . . . they’re quite attractive, aren’t they.

  Smith Attractive.

  Henderson Just because they’re young, I mean. In any other light, if they had made different choices in life, I mean.

  Well, I’ll let you look at your holiday brochures.

  Smith Will you be going anywhere this year?

  Henderson Same as always, Margate with Roger’s family.

  (She begins to leave. Stops.) Sometimes I think I hate them.

  Smith . . . I’m sorry.

  Henderson . . . I don’t know. I’ve never . . . told that to . . . even myself.

  I’ll see you tomorrow.

  She leaves at speed. Smith watches the door for a while.

  He checks his watch. He goes back to the brochure.

  The phone rings. He answers.

  Smith Smith.

  Voice (female, off) You’re looking for me.

  Smith I’m sorry, who is this?

  Voice You’re looking for me. Hello.

  Smith How did you get this number?

  Voice Have you not been watching us? We can find anyone. We’re getting closer . . .

  Smith Now listen here –

  Voice Recently Promoted Detective Sergeant Robert Daniel Smith.

  Did you have a nice birthday?

  Did your colleagues bring in a cake?

  Smith I did not inform . . . now, look. No one else needs to get hurt –

  Voice We haven’t hurt anybody. Yet.

  Smith You’re throwing your lives away, turn yourself in.

  Voice What do you dream about? At night?

  I can hear it in your voice. A longing, contained. A longing for something else.

  Smith A . . . I . . .

  Voice It’s alright. Robert Daniel. It’s human . . .

  Smith Where are you?

  Voice Look for me.

  Smith I am looking –

  Voice No, you’re searching, but you’re not seeing.

  Smith This isn’t a game.

  Voice No. It isn’t.

  The phone line goes dead.

  Suddenly, Smith hears some footsteps upstairs – gaining in pace. People running. It sounds like a thunderstorm, growing louder and louder . . .

  Blackout – followed by the sound of an explosion.

  Another communiqué lights up on the projection screen.

/>   THE AB IS THE MAN OR WOMAN SITTING NEXT TO YOU.

  THEY HAVE GUNS IN THEIR POCKETS AND ANGER IN THEIR MINDS.

  WE ARE GETTING CLOSER.

  Scene Five

  The basement office.

  Henderson Attacks on the Ford Motor company in Gants Hill. The Territorial Army recruitment base. Our own police computer at Tintagel. And the Post Office Tower in Central London.

  Smith . . . Why? Why these? – Go.

  Morris No idea why Ford, my father drives a Ford, they’re good cars.

  Parker Read the news, Morris. Unions on strike over pay.

  Henderson Territorial Army base. Sending soldiers off to fight and die in wars they don’t believe in. The police computer, containing records of criminals they probably believe to be innocent. The Post Office Tower – no idea.

  Parker Because it’s ugly, I wouldn’t be sad to see that go.

  Henderson Parker.

  Parker Yes, DC Henderson, can I help you?

  The key found in the squatters’ car on Grosvenor Avenue. Analysts have tracked the key makers down, it’s for a locker. Euston Train Station.

  Smith Euston – excellent, we go and try every locker door in that station, retrieve the contents, and then we stake out that location around the clock, see if someone comes to find their stuff.

  Parker On my way, Smith –

  Smith Not you, Parker.

  Parker You said we should –

  Smith We, the royal ‘we’. There are men for that, Parker – we can’t be doing the beat work, the bread and butter policing –

  Parker I like the bread and butter policing –

  Henderson We’ve got to be above all that, looking down, at the bigger picture, right, Smith.

  The phone rings. Smith answers.

  Smith Hello.

  Yes, sir.

  More suspects, which squat? I’m coming up with my team to interview –

  Well, who is interviewing them?

  Sir, I really think we’re the best people to . . . We’re really beginning to understand the –

  Yes, sir.

  Phone down.

  Parker More arrests?

  Smith How are we supposed to catch these people if they won’t trust us to . . .

  Beat. He takes a breath, and goes to a record player. He removes the sleeve of a record – The Deviants’ ‘I’m Coming Home’. He places it onto a record player and plays.

  Morris Sir?

  Smith I know it’s hard.

  Morris Stone the crows, is this meant to be music?

  Smith This is what they hear. These, these are the keys to unlock it.

  Parker Haven’t you got anything a bit more –

  Smith No more half measures. Right? If we’re doing it, if we’re getting into their heads. Then let’s get into them.

  Take your ties off.

  Morris My tie?

  Smith Yes. All of you. (Taking off his tie.) That’s an order.

  Lights.

  The basement office.

  Henderson is watching a clip from To Catch a Thief – romantic and noir, a scene between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, the hunter and the hunted . . .

  The basement office.

  Morris is sat listening to a Ton Steine Scherben record on the player.

  The basement office.

  Parker is watching a clip from an adult film – the sound of orgasm. She looks in pain watching it.

  The basement office.

  Smith stands at the map, studying it, moving his finger around it, drawing patterns . . .

  The sound of footsteps above him, growing louder, almost tormenting him . . .

  Scene Six

  Another communiqué lights up on the projection screen.

  IF YOU ARE NOT BUSY BEING BORN, YOU ARE BUSY BUYING.

  ALL THE SALES GIRLS IN THE FLASH BOUTIQUES ARE MADE TO DRESS THE SAME AND HAVE THE SAME MAKE-UP . . .

  LIFE IS SO BORING THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO DO EXCEPT SPEND ALL OUR WAGES . . .

  The basement office.

  The Manager sits, dishevelled and black-faced, opposite Smith with Henderson and Parker.

  The Manager I’m sorry.

  Henderson It’s alright, you’ve had a shock.

  The Manager I’m in shock, ye–, it . . . it’s very shocking.

  Smith Do you know what happened?

  The Manager There was, there was, there was a, a bomb –

  Henderson Yes. Can we get you anything, what do you need –

  The Manager Need? Need? I need to, I don’t know, hahaha, I feel I need to scream, actually, hahaha.

  Henderson Whatever you need –

  The Manager screams, long and loud. He stops.

  The Manager Sorry.

  Henderson That’s alright.

  The Manager screams again, shorter this time.

  The Manager Fucking, ’scuse me, fucking fuckers. The entire autumn line, gone up in, in smoke.

  Smith You own the shop –?

  The Manager Manager – own?! Pah, Hahah. Own, he says. Manage.

  Smith Manage, Biba on Kensington High Street. Biba is a fashion boutique.

  The Manager Where do you get this lot from? YES! Biba is a ‘fashion boutique’.

  Smith Do you have any inclination as to why you were a target?

  The Manager Well, that’s your bloody job to find out, isn’t it? Look at me. Who are these people, tell me! Tell me! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

  Lights down.

  Another communiqué lights up on the projection screen.

  BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHAT ARE YOUR REAL DESIRES?

  SIT IN THE DRUGSTORE, LOOK DISTANT, EMPTY, BORED, DRINKING SOME TASTELESS COFEE.

  OR PERHAPS . . .

  BLOW IT UP OR BURN IT DOWN.

  Lights up on the basement office again.

  The Girl is sat opposite Smith, and Henderson and Morris. She smokes. Her legs crossed.

  Morris It’s alright, there’s no need to be alarmed. Just speak calmly and clearly.

  The Girl I met this guy. In a bookshop. He was German. I liked his accent. We went for coffee.

  Smith Did you get his name?

  The Girl He said it was Wolfgang.

  (Smokes.) We . . . ‘hung out’. Smoked and listened to music and talked about the world. Me, a good Home Counties girl. He had friends, so many friends, that were always just . . . there.

  Morris And Wolfgang asked you to collect his belongings from Euston Station.

  The Girl He said he’d lost his key. But that if I went to the manager’s office with the documents he would let me in.

  Smith What had you expected to find in there?

  The Girl Clothes, Wolfgang said.

  Smith Not dynamite?

  The Girl No. Not dynamite.

  She smokes.

  Morris (taking address book) Address book, too. This yours? (She shakes her head.) Mind if I . . .? (He starts flicking through it.)

  Smith Why do you think that when we returned you to the . . . ‘property’. That it was completely deserted?

  The Girl . . . Because he’s left me.

  Smith And why do you think he left you?

  The Girl Because he was watching me with the locker. And saw me get caught.

  Smith And why do you think he was watching you?

  Beat.

  The Girl (suddenly upset) Because he was using me . . .

  Silence. She smokes.

  Smith Some of these friends. Do you remember any of them? We’re looking for a particular set of four. Two men. Two women. Who may have looked or behaved differently to the others.

  The Girl They all behaved differently. And they can all go to hell.

  Lights down.

  Another communiqué lights up on the projection screen.

  WE BUILD PRISONS AND THEN WE LIVE IN THEM.

  WE PRODUCE SHIT AND THEN WE EAT IT.

  FROM TH
IS MOMENT, DESPAIR ENDS AND TACTICS BEGIN.

  THE BRIGADE IS EVERYWHERE.

  THE BRIGADE IS ANGRY.

  Lights up on the basement office again.

  The Prophet again. He sits opposite Smith with Henderson and Parker.

  Smith I’m disappointed, Albert. I believed you, when you said you’d changed. And yet there you were. In this address book we found in a locker. Under a different address to the one you gave us. Harbouring fraudulent cheques. To fund . . . what? Albert? You haven’t crossed back into ‘normal life’ at all. At all.

  The Prophet . . .

  Smith Who are the Angry Brigade? Names.

  The Prophet ‘Which way will you point your gun when the officers order you against the people of your own town?’

  Smith I’m not authorised for weapons handling. Names.

  Beat. He hits the table.

  Names!

  The Prophet It’s nice to see fire in your belly. Blood running through your veins. But where’s the blood running to, your head?

  Smith Mister Meltzer –

  The Prophet Or ‘down there’ – hooh, has it not run down there for quite some time, does it even know where it’s going?

  Henderson You already have a caution for –

  The Prophet But what to do with that new flicker of life, where to channel it? Sex with your wife?

  Henderson (standing) That’s enough.

  The Prophet In the ‘usual’ position, mmm? With the lights off –

  Henderson marches over to the table and turns off the tape recorder.

  Henderson I am terminating this interview at (she checks her watch), at –

  The Prophet At? At? Yes, keep hold of those crutches, time, dates, routines, how else will you maintain your balance?

  Henderson You know what gets my goat most about you people?!

  Smith Henderson –

  Henderson All that you were given in life, such privileges, such education, all being wasted to live like, like wasters –

  The Prophet That education was not wasted. It will be used in the war.

  Henderson War?! A war has armies, where’s your army?

  The Prophet It’s a war of ideas.

  Henderson (mocking) Ideas? Oh no, the ideas are coming, everyone duck.

  The Prophet In the future, there’ll no longer be wars between countries, because there will be no countries, just companies and customers. So all wars will be between opposing ideas. And if you don’t have any, then you’ll already be dead. You’re already dead NOW!