by David Hare
Frank Cocoa!
Esme I mean of course they can have what I give them …
Frank It’s thick, how you like it.
Esme I give them every penny I have.
Frank She does love it thick.
Amy But surely you don’t have to go on paying for ever?
Frank Oh Lord, are we on the forbidden subject again?
Frank grins cheekily across the room.
Amy Is it true it’s all down to asbestos?
Esme Asbestos! You name it. There’s also this silicone they stick in women’s breasts …
Amy Silicone?
Esme Millions of American housewives …
Frank It’s crazy …
Esme All suing their doctors. There’s hurricanes.
Frank Called Hugo. Elyse. Victoria.
Esme That’s right. Speeding through America, turning houses to matchsticks. In spite of their sweet little names.
Frank smiles up from stirring cocoa as Esme becomes more extravagant.
I tell you, whenever there’s a serious disaster – you fall down, fall over, your house is burnt to the ground – in every country in the world, the procedure’s the same, you turn to the victims and say: ‘Don’t fret, don’t worry, there’s really no problem. Just fill up a form and this weird British actress will pay!’
But Frank now wants to dissent.
Frank Oh please now, my dear, you slightly exaggerate …
Esme Do I?
Frank There are plenty of syndicates doing much worse than yours.
Esme How can they do worse? I’m losing everything! How can you lose more than everything?
Frank Well …
Esme It simply doesn’t make sense.
Amy But … I’m sorry … who chose these syndicates? Who actually decided which ones you were in?
Esme The man with the cocoa.
Frank is stirring the milky drinks. There is a moment’s silence.
Frank It’s true.
Amy You?
Frank Yes.
Esme You didn’t know that?
Amy I suppose I’d never quite grasped it. You personally?
Esme Frank is a commissioning agent for Lloyd’s.
Frank I am. I bring them their business. I find them their clients.
Amy I see.
Frank waits for what Amy will say next. It is a delicate moment.
I knew you did something financial …
Frank No, no, specifically.
Amy I knew you advised her.
Frank I did. I advised her in all sorts of ways. I took charge of her money. That’s what I did for her.
Esme He has that unhappy distinction.
Frank That’s right.
There is an awkward silence.
It was my job to place it. So you might say, in one sense, the whole thing’s my fault.
Amy Yes.
Frank smiles as if this idea were absurd.
But I mean … you did warn her?
Frank Of course.
Amy You did explain all the risks?
Frank Please. There’s no question. I did everything right. I did behave ethically. Impeccably.
He leans in to Amy.
Biscuits?
Amy No thank you.
Frank It’s a matter of simple bad luck.
Esme has sat down, content to let Frank explain. Frank seems equable, undisturbed.
Amy But the point is I also … I read in the paper there are certain people … it seems there’s no limit to what they may owe.
Frank Yes.
Amy Is my mother one of them?
Esme Old Muggins. Wouldn’t you know?
Frank seems unfazed.
Frank You have to understand: Lloyd’s is a great British institution. It may be said to have existed for hundreds of years. It is, you might say, without peer. But it does have one special characteristic which makes it different from any other business in the world. Unlimited liability. As an investor you put up money and then in return … your exposure may literally be open-ended.
Amy I see. And my mother knew this?
Frank Oh certainly, I’d say she was fully aware.
Amy’s tone is lower, more dangerous.
I don’t think it actually occurred to her … it didn’t occur to any of the investors in fact …
Amy Quite …
Frank An eventual disaster might one day transpire. There were few signs.
Amy But I don’t quite know how to ask this … I suppose we can take it for granted … presumably you’re in the same boat?
Frank looks to Esme.
Frank Well …
Amy Aren’t you?
Frank Certainly I do have some problems. I’ve taken bad losses. It hasn’t been an easy period for me.
Amy But?
Frank But I was in a different spread of syndicates. This is all highly technical, but I do have a slightly different portfolio.
Amy I see.
Frank’s manner is still mild. Esme is like a sphinx.
Frank It’s a question of return for your capital. For a higher return you do take higher risks.
Amy And?
Frank Well, in my own investments I admit I was always more cautious.
A decisive moment has been reached. A few seconds pass before Amy speaks.
Amy More cautious with your own money, you mean?
At once Esme gets up.
Frank Now look …
Amy All right, I understand now, I understand what’s happened …
Esme Frank, perhaps you should leave us. I was wondering, why don’t you sleep here? We can talk again in the morning.
She kisses him on the cheek.
Frank Yes. Whatever you say.
Frank moves off towards the door. But when he reaches the door he turns back.
Believe me, we all know that people are angry. When something goes wrong like this, it’s human nature: you want to lash out. But these things happen. There it is. They’re part of experience. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going upstairs.
He takes his cocoa and goes. As soon as he closes the door, Amy explodes.
Amy Oh come on, I’m sorry, but this is outrageous …
Esme Oh Amy.
Amy You know it is.
Esme Do I?
Amy Mother, it’s just simple theft. You know what he’s done to you.
Esme He hasn’t done anything. No, it’s simply too easy! I refuse to start saying that everything must be Frank’s fault.
Amy It isn’t his fault? When he’s lost all your money …
Esme So?
Amy He’s taken every penny you had! And did he ever mention … did he ever once mention that he was too nervous … no, he was too clever to take all the risks he was making you take?
Esme is trapped by the question.
Esme No. But, be fair, it’s not something I ever asked him …
Amy Oh!
Esme The subject never came up.
Amy I bet it didn’t!
Esme I refuse to start saying the whole thing’s deliberate.
Amy My God, and this man who’s destroyed you … you still let him sleep right here in the house!
Esme Why, of course. I’m allowed a companion.
Amy Yes, and, what’s more, being Esme, you choose one who’s actually ruined your life!
But Esme is already on the attack.
Esme I’m sorry, but the fact is, I did take their money.
Amy So?
Esme I used to get a cheque. I never refused it. It came in year after year. And – all right, you may think me contemptible – but I always just thought of it as money for jam.
She looks at Amy, unabashed.
I would just sit there. Open the envelope. I got all this money. I loved it. I never thought twice.
Amy So?
Esme So – please – perhaps you’ll excuse me if now I refuse to blame others. How can I blame anyone except for myself?
Amy frowns.
Esme Oh …
Amy When the money just flowed in like that? Did you never think, hang on, there must be a catch here?
Esme Well, now you say it.
Amy Did you never think this is too good to be true?
Esme shrugs, insouciant.
Esme The stuff just rolled in like the ocean. The truth is, you do start to think it’s your right. You get so you don’t even notice. You just sort of think, ‘This is nice. This is bound to go on.’
Amy But then when you started to lose some …
Esme Ah …
Amy Yes, when the losses began … then you must at least have considered, you must have thought it was time to get out?
Esme On the contrary. Frank used to say, ‘Oh good, look, there’s been another plane crash, it helps remind everyone they ought to insure.’
Esme takes advantage of Amy’s silence to try and make a joke of it.
The only thing I would say …
Amy Yes?
Esme I actually noticed when I was a girl, all the thickest people one bumped into always seemed to be working at Lloyd’s.
Amy Oh, really!
Esme There was one chap I knew, even the Church wouldn’t take him, but Lloyd’s – oh Lord yes, no problem at all.
She laughs, stubbing a cigarette out.
Amy But all right, the point is, you knew you might one day lose something …
Esme Yes.
Amy You knew there was always that chance.
Esme Oh sure.
Amy But did they actually stop and explain to you, ‘Look, you can lose every penny you have?’
Esme seems exhilarated by the question.
Esme Oh, not just every penny. Amy, I don’t think you’ve grasped it. I’m losing much more than that. If it was only everything I had at the moment, then – let’s face it – that would be nothing at all.
She stands, triumphant at her own logic.
No, this is … well, this is more awesome.
Amy How?
Esme This is everything I’ll ever earn. For ever. This is my whole working life. Whatever I do – whatever! – it doesn’t make any difference. Do you really not get it? There’s simply no end to the money I owe. I can work for the rest of eternity, but the simple fact is: I’ll always be broke.
Amy tries to keep her focused.
Amy All right, but did anyone explain to you? Was this explained to you when you first joined?
Esme Oh sure. I mean yes, very loosely.
Amy Mother, please tell me, was it or not?
Esme Yes. I mean, yes. Frank took me to London.
Amy And?
Esme We had a very good lunch. A really good lunch in the actual boardroom at Lloyd’s. And the Chairman … the point is, he’d seen my Ophelia. And … well, he’d just loved it.
Amy moves away, really furious.
Amy I cannot believe this!
Esme And pretty soon after he gave me this form.
Amy This form?
Esme A consent form.
She shakes her head, irritable.
Fair enough, I admit I was flattered. I can’t say I read it.
Amy You mean you just signed on the spot?
Esme I will swear to this day: this man really did love my Ophelia. He loved it. In that he was genuine. Whatever else may have been going on.
And now Esme is angry too.
All right, I can see! It’s partly pure snobbery. If a cockney had said to me, ‘You’ll make all this money and you don’t do a thing,’ I would have said, ‘Hold on, I wasn’t born yesterday.’ So in a way, yes, I don’t like to admit it, but it does boil down to a question of style.
She waves helplessly round the room.
You should see it. There are these big silver candlesticks. There is all this china and glass, stretching way down this fabulous oak-panelled room. All right, I can see it’s England as sheer bloody theatre. But there are times when theatre’s pretty hard to resist.
Amy But, Mother, it’s no longer theatre. You might as well face it. Those days are gone. You yourself say it: that England is finished. This is the moment you have to fight back.
Esme looks at her, not understanding.
Esme Fight back? How?
Amy Well …
Esme Oh, no doubt you want me to start signing petitions?
Amy Yes …
Esme Start saying I’m not going to pay?
Amy Well yes, to begin with. I mean, that would be quite a good start.
Esme Go and sit on some awful committee? Go to meetings in London where people talk about their money all the time?
Amy Mother, for the rest of your life you’ll be talking about money. Why not talk about getting some of it back?
Esme Join an action group? No, I don’t think so. I don’t think I want to be seen on a picket line with a load of judges and Tory MPs. No thank you. I’d much rather just take my punishment. I’ll take my punishment and shut the hell up.
Amy Oh, I suppose you think that’s so noble …
Esme No, I just think it’s sensible.
Amy I suppose you think there’s some kind of principle here.
Esme Well, I do. I do think principle comes into it. Yes.
Amy Then of course we all know there’s no question. We have to accept it. Because we know what part principle plays in your life!
Esme looks at Amy suspiciously now, not sure what she means.
Esme Of course I might do something if I thought it was worth it …
Amy Good.
Esme I’d start campaigning if I thought it would actually work.
Amy Well, it will.
Esme So what should I do?
Amy The same as all the other victims.
She pauses a second.
You sue your agent.
Esme Sue Frank?
Amy Of course. It’s essential.
Esme Oh please, I do hope that’s a joke.
Amy Why?
Esme Oh come on …
Amy Even I … I’ve read in the papers …
Esme That’s just the most crazy idea …
Amy Literally, half of Lloyd’s members are suing the bastards who got them into this mess. Why shouldn’t you?
Esme I’d have thought it was obvious.
Amy Why should you be so different?
Esme Well, I suppose I’m just slightly inhibited by the fact we’re meant to get married quite soon.
Esme has shot this joke at her, but now she turns and points at Evelyn.
And also … just think. Who looks after Evelyn? Who do you think pays for her nurse?
Amy Well …
Esme If it wasn’t for Frank and his generosity, Evelyn would have long been living in one of those homes.
But Amy is not letting go.
Amy So what are you saying? That you’re going to be Frank’s prisoner for the rest of your life?
Esme No, of course not. I’m not Frank’s prisoner.
Amy Aren’t you?
Esme And Frank, may I remind you, is a very nice man.
Amy Oh yes, a nice man who’s lost all your money.
Esme That’s not who he is. It’s just what he did.
Amy looks at her, amazed.
Amy We are what we do, for Christ’s sake. Have you never grasped that? We are nothing else. There’s no ‘us’ apart from the things that we do.
She suddenly raises her voice, infuriated by Esme’s unwillingness to fight.
Mother, they’re playing you. Do you not understand it? These people are crooks. They have posh manners, but at bottom they’re just common criminals. And they feed off people like you! You know full well this is your moment. This moment isn’t going to come twice. In your heart I think you do know that. You have to take control of your life.
Esme is suddenly provoked by this phrase.
Esme ‘Take control’?
Amy Yes.
Esme What is t
his claptrap that all of you spout nowadays? Take control! As if our lives were like motor cars. Remember, I’ve never driven …
Amy Exactly!
Esme And what’s more I never shall.
Esme is blazing now, full of contempt.
What a meaningless cliché! If you ask me why men always make such fools of themselves, it’s because they’re in love with the ludicrous notion that there’s such a thing as to be in control! And now you want women to try it, you want them to peddle this same silly myth! Oh you all say it so easily, so glibly! ‘Take control of our lives.’ Who’s in control? Finally? I ask you. The answer is no one. No one! If you don’t know that, you know nothing. It’s children who shout, ‘Look at me, I’m in charge …’ Well, I just won’t. I’m refusing. I hate the idea of whingeing. I hate the idea of not taking your medicine and saying, ‘All right, I’ve had some bad luck. But that’s life.’
She goes across the room and sits down as if the matter were finished.
You’re not going to persuade me. So please let’s change the subject.
There is a short silence.
Why are you looking like that?
Amy What, I’m meant to be charmed? Is that it? Is this some performance? My mother putting on this brave and gutsy display. Well, forget it! I’m not bloody charmed by it.
Esme Amy …
Amy Not in one single degree!
Amy is moving towards her accusingly.
On the contrary, I don’t find it charming. I find it pathetic, you see. I’ve found it pathetic for the whole of my life. Because as long as I can remember you’ve done this.
Esme I’ve done what?
Amy You’ve pretended it’s funny to live in a dream.
Esme is shocked at the depth of her daughter’s anger.
‘He just loved my Ophelia’! ‘It’s an out-of-body experience!’ ‘Oh Lord, I suppose I never checked my accounts!’ For Christ’s sake, Mother, you’re now in your sixties. Do you not think it’s time you grew up?
She gestures round the room.
This incredible privileged existence! This exhausting performance! ‘I’m an actress. Oh Lord, I know nothing at all!’ This prize-winning comedy with my cheerful, lovable mother. ‘Oh, just show me the document. Where do I sign?’ How long did you think you could do this? This refusal ever to admit or face the problems you have. When the means of solving them are there if you choose.
Esme Oh really?
Amy But no, of course you won’t seize them. And why? Because you’d think it demeaning. Because you’d have to behave like everyone else.
Esme sees her chance to retaliate.
