Mr Loveday's little outing

Mr Loveday’s little outing ACT I [ Música inicio de la obra]-pista- 1 [ Diapositiva : psiquiátrico]-1 [Atención: luces en el escenario y foco en la intérprete siempre] (Scene 1 : Lady Moping and Angela are at the asylum. It’s Angela’s first visit, and she’s curious about the asylum) Lady Moping: You will not find your father very changed.

Angela: Will he be wearing a uniform?

Lady Moping: No dear, of course not, he’s receiving the very best attention.

Angela: But, what happened exactly ten years ago?

(Ten years back in time)

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Diapositiva: Ten years ago…]-2 [ Diapositiva de un jardín]-3 [ Focos abajo del escenario] [ Música de fiesta]-pista-2 (Scene 2 : Everyone’s already at the party. They’re chatting and drinking champagne and tea.)

Lady Moping: (Talking in a group) Oh dear, you look so beautiful today. I love your dress!

Woman1: Oh thanks a lot. Thanks for inviting me! What a wonderful party!

Woman2: (Talking to Woman3) Honey, tell me, is that your hair? (touches Woman3’s hair) I don’t think so… (being offensive) (Woman3 fakes a smile) Lady Moping: Excuse me for a second, honey.

(Lady Moping goes into another group of people) Lady Moping: (She repeats again) Oh dear, you look so beautiful today. I love your dress!

Woman4: Well thank you! You look good for being 40 years old!

Lady Moping: Erm…thank you. Would you excuse me for a minute? (LM walks away offended but smiling) (She joins a different group of people) Lady Moping: I’m so happy you’re here. Are you having fun?

Woman5: Sure! The food is just ok, but it’s a lovely party!

Lady Moping: Eeeh…thanks dear. Oh, look! There’s the Chestermartins! (pointing) Oh thanks a lot for coming!

Chesterwoman: Oh hello dear! What a lovely party, it’s a pity the weather is getting so bad and you don’t have a cover from the rain… (being sarcastic).

[ Efectos : lluvia y tormenta- música sigue de fondo] -pista-3 (It starts to rain, all the women start screaming

“oh god, my hair!” “oh no my dress!!!” etc,. Everyone runs around trying to find cover from rain) (Somebody screams. Somebody asks for help, and they find Lord Moping hanging by his braces) Lady Moping: Oh no, not again…!

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Focos sobre el escenario] [ Diapositiva : psiquiátrico] (Scene 3 : Lady Moping and Angela still at the asylum ) Lady Moping: You were only a child. Everything was ready for my annual garden party.

At first, it looked like it was going to be a great day, but suddenly, everything went wrong.

Angela: (Trying to remember) I can remember the weather. Wasn’t it raining? And, I think I remember all the guests running around trying to shelter from the rain.

Lady Moping: Yes, you’re right. (Lady Moping gets a bit sad) Then, about six o’clock your father was found black in the face, hanging by his braces in the orangery. Some neighbours set him on his feet again, and before dinner a van took him away to the asylum.

Angela: Have you ever visited him at the asylum?

Lady Moping: (Lady Moping sighs) Yes, I have. But I have always returned in time for tea.

Angela: And What’s the asylum like? Is Papa comfortable there?

Lady Moping: Well, he is not an ordinary inmate. He lives in a separate wing of the asylum, with the wealthier lunatics. They can choose their own clothes and they can have private dinner parties with other inmates every year.

Angela: But it’s still an asylum, right? A county home for mental defectives…

Lady Moping: (Lady Moping gets very serious) Your father is better off than he deserves.

He betrayed me in my garden party, in front of everyone, just when I looked for loyal support. He is where he has to be.

(They see a group of lunatics shuffling and loping about the park) Angela: Who are those people?

Lady Moping: Oh, those are the lower-class lunatics. Look! There is a very nice little flower garden for people like your father.

Angela: Shall we go inside?

Lady Moping: Yes, dear, let’s walk inside.

[ Música]-pista-4 (Scene 4 : Lady Moping and Angela walk into the building.They are in the visitors’ room).

Doctor: Oh, here you are. Lord Moping is ready to see you.

Angela: How is he?

Doctor: Very well, very well indeed, I’m glad to say. He had a terrible cold some time ago, but apart from that his condition is excellent. He spends a lot of his time in writing.

(They hear a voice from behind the door. Lord Moping’s voice seems stressed ) Lord Moping: I have no time, I tell you. Tell them to come back later.

Mr Loveday: Now come along. It is a purely formal audience. You need to stay no longer than you like.

Doctor: This is Mr Loveday . He is Lord Moping´s attendant.

Lord Moping: Secretary.

(He moves with a jogging gait and shook hands with his wife).

Lady Moping: This is Angela. You remember Angela, don´t you?

Lord Moping: No, I can´t say that I do. What does she want?

Lady Moping: We just came to see you.

Lord Moping: Well, you have come at an exceedingly inconvenient time. I am very busy.

Have you written that letter to the Pope yet, Loveday?

Mr Loveday: No, my lord. If you remember, you asked me to look for some information first?.

Lord Moping: Ah! Ok. Well, I think the whole letter will have to be written again. A great deal of new information has come to light since lunch. A great deal...You see, my dear. I am very busy. ( He turns his restless, quizzical eyes upon Angela).

Lord Moping: I suppose you have come about the Danube, the river. Well, you must come again later. Tell them it will be all right, but I have not had time to give my full attention to it. Tell them that.

Angela: Very well, Papa.

Lord Moping: (rather petulantly) Anyway. It is a matter of secondary importance. There some other rivers as well, the Elbe and the Amazon and the Tigris to be dealt with first, eh, Loveday?...Danube indeed. Nasty little river. I´d only call it a stream myself. Well,

can´t stop, nice of you to come. I would do more for you if I could, but you see how I´m fixed. Write to me about it. That´s it. Put it in black and white.

(And with that he leaves the room).

Doctor: You see. He is in excellent condition. He is putting on weight, eating and sleeping excellently. In fact, the whole tone of his system is above reproach.

(The door opens again and Loveday returns).

Mr Loveday: Forgive my coming back, sir, but I was afraid that the young lady might be upset at his Lordship´s not knowing her. You mustn´t mind him, miss. Next time he´ll be very pleased to see you. It´s only today he´s put out on account of being behindhand with his work. You see, sir, all this week I´ve been helping in the library and I haven´t been able to get all his Lordship´s reports typed out. And he´s got muddled with his card index. That´s all it is. He doesn´t mean any harm.

Angela: What a nice man!.

Doctor: Yes, I don´t know what we should do without old Loveday. Everybody loves him, staff and patients alike.

Lady Moping: I remember him well. It´s a great comfort to know that you are able to get such good warders.

Doctor: Oh, but Loveday isn´t a warder.

Angela: You don´t mean he´s cukoo, too?

Doctor: He is an inmate. It is rather an interesting case. he has been here for thirty-five years.

Angela: But I´ve never seen anyone saner.

Doctor: Well, in the last twenty years we have treated him as a sane person. He is the life and soul of the place. Of course, he is not one of the private patients, but we allow him to mix freely with them. They have a funny time together because Loveday plays billiards, does conjuring tricks, repairs their gramophones and helps them in their puzzles and some other hobbies. We allow them to give him small tips for services rendered. He is an invaluable man about the place.

Angela: Yes, but why is he here?

Doctor: Well, it is rather sad. When he was a very young man he killed somebody.

[Se apagan las luces] [ Diapositiva: Thirty years ago...]-4 [ Diapositiva: parque]-5 [ Focos abajo del escenario] [ Música dramática]-pista- 5

[This person was a young woman quite unknown to him. He knocked off her bicycle and then throttled ].

[ Se apagan las luces abajo del escenario] [ Luces en el escenario de nuevo] He gave himself up immediately afterwards and has been here ever since.

Anglea: But surely he is perfectly safe now. Why is he not let out?

Doctor: Well, I suppose if it was to anyone´s interest, he would be. He has no relatives except a step-sister who lives in Plymouth. She used to visit him at one time, but she hasn´t been for years now. He´s perfectly happy here and I can assure you we aren´t going to take the first steps in turning him out. He´s far too useful to us.

Angela: But it doesn´t seem fair.

Doctor: Look at your father. He´d be quite lost without Loveday to act as his secretary.

Angela: It doesn´t seem fair. No, it doesn’t seem fair.

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Música]-pista- 6 ACT II [ Diapositiva: Biblioteca]-6 [ Focos sobre hija y madre alrededor de la mesa] (Scene 1: At the library, mother and daughter sitting around a table) Angela: (oppressed by a sense of injustice) Think of being locked up in a loony bin all his life.

Lady Moping: (unsympathetic) he attempted to hang himself in the orangery.

Angela: I don´t mean Papa. I mean Mr Loveday.

Lady Moping: I don´t think I know him.

Angela: Yes, the loony they have put to look after Papa.

Lady Moping: Your father´s secretary. A very decent man and very suited to his work.

Angela: Mum, what does one have to do to get people out of the bin?

Lady Moping: The bin? Good gracious, child, I hope that you don´t anticipate your father´s return here.

Angela: No no. I’m talking about Mr Loveday.

Lady Moping: Angela, you seem to me to be totally bemused. I see it was a mistake to take you with me on our little visit yesterday.

Angela: No, his situation is unfair. I don´t understand it.

(She goes out of the library) In two weeks it is my father´s eleventh certification party at the asylum and I’m very excited. I’ll see what I can do about Mr Loveday.

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Diapositiva: psiquiátrico]-7 [ Luces en el escenario] [ Música]-pista-7 ( Scene 2 : At the asylum) Angela: Good evening, I’d like to see Mr Loveday. Where is he?

Doctor: Good evening, Miss Moping, he is busy because he is making a crown for one of his companions “The Emperor of Brazil”. Maybe he wants to leave his work and talk to you. Oh! Look, he´s coming.

Angela: Good evening Mr Loveday. Could I talk to you? Just a minute please.

Mr Loveday: Good evening, How may I help you?

Angela: I have been talking to the doctor about my father´s health, what do you think about my father?

Mr Loveday: He is all right, he´s a very strong person.

Angela: do you think my father feels at ease here?

Mr Loveday: Yes, indeed. The asylum is very comfortable.

Angela: And you? don't you ever want to get away?

Mr Loveday: I've got very well used to the life here, miss. I´m fond of the poor people here, and I think that several of them are quite fond of me. At least, I think they would miss me if I were to go.

Angela: But Don't you ever think of being free again?

Mr Loveday: Oh yes, miss, I think of it - almost all the time I think of it.

Angela: What would you do if you got out? There must be something you would sooner do than stay here.

Mr Loveday: Well, miss, it sounds ungrateful, but I can´t deny I should welcome a little outing once, before I get too old to enjoy it. There is one thing I often wish I could do.

You mustn´t ask me what… It wouldn´t take long and if I could do it, then I would die quiet.

Angela: But… (Mr Loveday goes away ) Angela: ( tears in Angela’s eyes) He shall have his little outing, I promise.

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Música]-pista-8 ACT III [ Diapositiva: biblioteca]-8 [ Focos en escenario sobre la madre e hija tomando el té] (Scene 1 : Library, mother and daughter are sitting around a table and having a cup of tea).

Angela: (Soliloquy) I can’t believe that a man like Mr Loveday is confined to a place like that one. I can’t allow it . He must be out ! I won’t stop until I get it.

Lady Moping: Angela, are you listening to me?

Angela: Oh! Sorry mother. May I serve you a another cup of tea (Smiling and and being extremely kind) Lady Moping: Honey, are you ok? you have been very distracted lately and too kind to me. Do you have something to tell me?

Angela: Me? No mother, nothing special.(Smile) Would you like to eat some pastries?

Lady Moping: No, thank you Angela, and by the way, talk to me about that boy...what´s his name?...the Egbertson boy.

Angela: Paul?? What do you mean??

Lady Moping: Nothing, just talking … I hope you are not getting involved with him?.

Angela: Oh please mother!!! I’m leaving.

(Angela stands up and and walks to a side of the stage, before she leaves, she stops and has a soliloquy) You just go on thinking about that, in this way I’ll have a chance to do all I need to take Mr Loveday out of the asylum. I promise, I won’t rest until I see that man in freedom.

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Diapositiva: psiquiátrico]-9 [ Luces en escenario] [ Música alegre de fiesta]-pista 9

(Scene 2 : At the asylum’s garden, in front of the fence, at a goodbye party. There are the doctor, Angela, Lord Mopping, Mr Loveday and other insanes).

Doctor: (He is looking at some papers, not very happy) Well, it seems that everything is correct. All the papers are signed and I’m afraid I can’t do anything for him to stay here any longer. I have no choice but to let him out.

(Inmates are sobbing. Mr Loveday, Lord Mopping) Lord Moping: It will be very hard to stand in for you, I hope everything goes well for you.

Take this as a token of my appreciation. (He gives Mr Love a cigarette case) Mr Loveday: Oh, thank you very much, I’ll really miss you sir.

(The emperors give him decorations and titles of honour) Doctor: Remember that you leave behind lot of people who love you. You are bound to us by ties that none will forget. If in the future you get tired of your life in the world, you will always be welcome here.

(Mr Loveday gets close to the fence while the inmates cry, Mr Loveday stops and has a soliloquy ) Mr Loveday: I would go to London and enjoy myself a little before visiting my step-sister in Plymouth.

[ Se apagan las luces] [ Música]-pista-10

(Scene 3 : At the asylum garden, in front of the fence. There are the doctor, and some insanes) (Two hours later)

[ Diapositiva: Two hours later]-10 [ Diapositiva: psiquiátrico]-11 [ Luces en el escenario] Mr Loveday: I have came back, I think that now I shall be here for good.

Doctor: But, Loveday, what a short holiday. I’m afraid that you have hardly enjoyed yourself at all.

Mr Loveday: Oh yes, thank you, I’ve enjoyed myself very much. I’d been promising

myself one little treat, all these years. It was short, sir, but most enjoyable. Now I shall be able to settle down again to my work here without any regrets.

(Big big smile and a crazy look in his eyes).

[ Se apagan las luces] [ M煤sica ambiental-buc贸lica y en crescendo...]-pista- 11 [ Diapositiva: two hours before]- 12 [ Diapositiva: camino]- 13 [ Luces abajo del escenario] ( Scene 4 : A road, Mr Loveday is walking and a young girl riding home to her tea overtakes him).

Mr Loveday: Good afternoon Woman: Good afternoon. (Lights turn off ) AHHHHHHGGGGG!!!!!!

[ Se apagan las luces] END