Out in the Open
Page 9
Tony I’ve gotta sell this flat.
Mary You can’t do that, darling. You can move on, I can’t. This is all I’ve got left of him. No one thought he’d leave it to you. I don’t mean to be rude, darling, but we all know you’re on your way out. Don’t make sense, darling.
Tony Did Frankie say he bought this?
Mary It was his name on the mortgage, darling.
Tony You really don’t know anything at all, do you?
Mary I know I ain’t educated, darling. I left school when I was fourteen. That’s the way it was in our house. It don’t mean we’re stupid though.
Tony This is my flat, Mary, and I’ll do with it what I like.
Mary You don’t wanna sell it when you’ve got it looking so lovely, darling. You’ve got a screw loose.
Tony gets up and locks the French windows with his house keys. He looks back at her.
Tony Why do you come here, Mary?
Mary To see you.
Tony You never used to like me.
Mary I didn’t know you.
Tony You do now?
Mary Cos I miss him. Ain’t nothing wrong with that, is there?
Tony It’s not grief that’s keeping you here, Mary. It’s guilt. There is a difference.
Pause.
Mary You had any thoughts about what you’re gonna plant out for next year, darling? There’s so much stuff on the telly these days about it, you’re spoilt for choice really.
He approaches her.
Tony Come here.
He gives her a hug.
Mary What you doing?
Tony Shut up.
He stands back.
Mary You’ve got a screw loose.
Tony Will you make sure you click the latch off when you go out.
Mary Oh yeah. Blows open otherwise, dunnit.
Tony I’m going the pub.
He pecks her on the forehead. He takes a last look at the place and then leaves. She calls after him.
Mary Don’t mind if I finish this wine off, do you?
Mary sits smoking the splijf on her own, lost in thought. There is some wine left over from lunch. She picks up a glass and drinks some. Maria Callas starts to play. ‘f’ai Perdu mon Eurydice.’ The lights fade.
Methuen Drama
2 4 6 8 1 0 9 7 5 3 1
Copyright © 2001 by Jonathan Harvey
The right of Jonathan Harvey to be identified as the author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act, 1988
First published in Great Britain in 2001 by Methuen Drama
Methuen Drama, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Methuen Drama
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
36 Soho Square
London W1D 3QY
www.methuendrama.com
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-40811-805-4
Typeset by SX Composing DTP, Rayleigh, Essex
Caution
All rights in this play are strictly reserved and application for performances etc.
should be made before rehearsals begin to ICM,
76 Oxford street, London WIN 0AX. No performance may be given
unless a licence has been obtained.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of
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any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and
without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on
the subsequent purchaser.