Wrexham, LL114EF
07776183742
jonescaitlin431@gmail.com
Silent Night
written by Caitlin JonesSCENE 1 - HOME
The room has a somewhat old-fashioned interior. Tinsel, baubles and marked boxes of other various Christmas decorations are littered across the floor. The door is slightly open - it is covered in Christmas cards. Cheery Christmas jingles play quietly from the small radio, placed upon the cupboard in the corner of the room - it is surrounded by photo frames; school photographs and holiday snaps.
A family - a mother, father and a 13 year old girl - are decorating the Christmas tree. The father singing and dancing along joyfully to the music, passing baubles to his child. The mother is digging through the boxes on the floor.
The door opens, slightly creaking. A teenager enters the room - LUCY. The are wearing oversized blue pyjamas and have a blank, almost dull, expression upon their face.
MUM:
(taps DAD’s lower leg gently) The vampire has finally decided to leave her cave!
She looks at LUCY, her hands still in the cardboard box.
DAD: Ah, good morning Lucy! Merry Christmas!
LUCY: There are still two weeks until Christmas. (Blankly, almost questioning)
DAD: Come on, Luce, get in the spirit!
He continues to dance.
LUCY: Okay I’m just, uh, going to get a drink first.
She walks slightly towards the kitchen.
MUM: Wait!
She puts her hand up, a ‘STOP’ signal.
LUCY turns.
MUM holds up two decorations - personalised baubles, coloured pink, reading ‘Lucy’ and ‘Sophia’.
MUM: (CONT'D) (gasping with joy, almost emotional)
The decorations Grandma got when you were little! Quick! Put them on the tree so I can get a photo. Oh, she’ll be so chuffed with this!
LUCY and SOPHIA take the decorations from their mother.
[CLOSEUP] LUCY places the decoration onto a free branch on the tree. The decoration hangs, moving slightly. Lucy pauses, staring at the decoration - she almost winces.
MUM: (CONT'D)
Put your arm around your sister, Luce!
She snaps back into reality, turning to see her MUM, who is already holding her phone camera in position to take the photograph.
DAD: Merry Christmas, girlies!
SOPHIA: (almost singing) Merry Christmas!
She giggles.
LUCY smiles awkwardly.
The phone camera clicks.
TITLE - SILENT NIGHT
SCENE 2 - BEDROOM
The room is unfamiliar to the audience. The walls are covered in posters - a maximalist effect.
The focus begins on a record player - the music is playing quietly, the record spinning. In the background, out of focus, LUCY is sat on her bed - her arms around her knees. The focus shifts to her. She is no longer wearing her pyjamas. She is breathing slowly, though heavily. It is evident that she has been crying.
She takes the laptop from her bedside table - stickers cover its outer casing. She turns it on, and opens the browser.
A website pops up - ‘Holidays with Gender Dysphoria’. There are many tabs open with similar headlines. She begins to scroll, then opens Twitter.
We see her profile - instead of saying ‘LUCY’ in her display name, it reads ‘GEORGE - they/he’.
The bedroom door opens, the handle pushed down almost forcefully.
They slam the laptop shut.
SOPHIA enters, one hand is behind her back.
LUCY: What do you want?
SOPHIA: (looking confused)
Were you downloading dodgy films again?
LUCY: No, why?
SOPHIA: You know Dad said that if you get another one of those viruses then he’s not paying to have it fix-
LUCY: (Raising their voice slightly)
I was doing homework, okay?
They pause, and speak calmly. What do you want?
SOPHIA presents a dog lead from behind her back.
SOPHIA: (Emphasising her words) Jasper wants to go for a walk but I want to go see my friends.
LUCY sighs.
LUCY: So, it’s my job then?
SOPHIA beams.
SOPHIA: Pleaseeee?
LUCY: Fine. I’ll be down in a sec.
SOPHIA: You’re the best sister EVER!
She throws the dog lead on the floor and runs down the stairs. She does not close the door.
LUCY lifts themselves off the bed, picks up a zip-up hoodie and a black beanie from their desk chair - putting them on, and slip on their shoes. They grab their phone from their bed, stuffing it into their hoodie pocket.They pick the dog lead up off the floor and exit the room, almost slamming the door behind them.
The music continues to play.
They walk down the stairs and into the hallway, where Jasper is waiting.
They clip Jasper onto his lead, wrapping it around their wrist.
They pull their phone out of their pocket and begin to untangle their slightly knotted headphones. They place a headphone in their left ear.
LUCY: (Shouting to their parents)
I’m just taking Jasper for a walk!
DAD: Okay sweetheart, just be back by teatime!
They open the door and exit the house, the dog following.
SCENE 3 - WALK
They walk along the garden path - Christmas lights hang from the windows of their house.
They exit the garden, closing the gate behind them. They walk down the street - no other/very few houses are decorated in such a way.
They walk with their head down, rarely looking up at the strangers passing them. They walk for a short while, and then cross the road.
[CLOSEUP] Shoes crossing the road.
[THE CAMERA PANS UPWARDS] They enter the park. A group of chattering youths occupy the area surrounding its entrance. They glance at LUCY momentarily, before returning to their conversation.
LUCY walks through the park - upon spotting a bench, they sit down, Jasper on the floor beside them.
They begin to people watch; young couples walk past, groups of teenagers giggling and play-fighting, children playing with a visibly damaged football.
A look of defeat and longing appears on their face.
They look down at Jasper.
LUCY: (Whispering softly)
At least we’ve got each other.
They snap back into reality, shaking their head slightly, and return to their people watching.
A young man - early 20’s - walks past, a can of energy drink in his hand.
LUCY: (CONT'D) (Greeting)
Alright?
Their voice sounds slightly lower than before.
JOSH: Alright Luce? Bloody hell, I haven’t seen you in months! How’re you doing?
LUCY: As good as I can be, I suppose. What about you?
JOSH: Yeah, yeah, I’m alright thanks. Look I’ve got to rush off, I’ve got an interview in ten. You’ll be at the party tomorrow night though, yeah?
LUCY looks puzzled.
LUCY: Uh, yeah, I’ll see you there.
JOSH: Nice one, tell your lot I’m asking after them alright?
LUCY: Will do.
LUCY smiles slightly. JOSH walks away.
LUCY sits for a moment - the smile still on their face. Their phone pings.
They remove their phone from their pocket.
{Text message}
MUM: Tea ready in 5 x
They put the phone back into their pocket. They stand up.
LUCY: (Almost cheerfully) Come on, Jasper.
The walk towards the park’s exit.
SCENE 4 - TEATIME
LUCY opens the door. The Christmas music from earlier is still playing. They kick off their shoes, and unclip Jasper from his lead.
They walk through the house and into the living room, slouching into the sofa.
MUM momentarily pops her head around the door.
MUM:
There’s my favourite girly! Just plating up tea now, love, won’t be a minute. Can you do us a favour and go shout your dad for me please?
The smile from earlier has now disappeared entirely.
They exhale and get up from the sofa. They walk into the hallway, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
LUCY: (Shouting)
DAD! TEA’S READY!
They walk back into the living room, sitting on the sofa once again.
MUM enters, carrying a tray. She places it onto LUCY’s lap.
MUM: There you go, love.
LUCY: (Bluntly) Thanks.
MUM: (Sounding concerned)
What’s up, Lucy? Have I done something? You know you can always tell me if I-
LUCY: No, you haven’t. They shake their head slightly.
MUM: And what’s with the hoodie and that hat.
She points at LUCY’s head, sounding almost sick of the ‘hat’ comment, as though she had mentioned such before. You can’t be cold, the heating’s on full!
LUCY: (Harshly)
I’m wearing it because I want to wear it, alright?
MUM: (Firmly)
Less of the lip, young lady. I was only asking.
LUCY stands up, placing the tray on the floor.
LUCY: (Tearfully)
I can’t fucking do this right now.
They run out of the room, barging past DAD, who had just entered the doorway.
They run up the stairs, their feet banging loudly against the steps, and into their room - slamming the door loudly behind them.
They stand with their back against the door, and slide down it until they are sitting on the floor. They place their head into their arms, crossed upon their knees, and begin to cry. The music once emitting from the record player is no longer playing. Everything looks darker than before.
Their parents are talking downstairs, their noise audible; though muffled; through the door.
MUM is crying.
MUM:
I just don’t know what to do Mark. I’m trying, I really am.
DAD:
I know darling, but you know how stressful things are for her at school right now with those mock exams and whatever. Just give her a bit of space and see how she’s feeling in the morning.
MUM: (Softly)
Okay. Okay.
LUCY lifts their head from their arms, looking guilty.
They stand up, and walk over to their bed. They get into itstill wearing their hat and hoodie, and hide in their duvet.
Everything falls silent.
SCENE 5 - READY FOR PARTY
The day is new. A harsh light enters the room through its window.
LUCY pulls the duvet from over their head. They turn over and look at the floor, where their phone is situated - screen down, headphones still connected.
They reach their arm out of the bed, stretching, and pick up their phone.
They turn it on.
The clock reads 13:23PM.
They lift themselves out of the duvet and onto the top of the bed. They open the camera app on their phone and frown. They remove the hat and look at their image in the ‘selfie’ camera. They mess with their hair, flatten it, and then mess it again.
LUCY closes their phone and place it on the bed. They get out of bed and remove the hoodie, throwing it carelessly onto the floor.
They open their door and ascend down the stairs yet again. The living room door is open.
LUCY walks slowly towards the door, and peers around it cautiously.
MUM is sat on the sofa. LUCY’s appearance causes her to jump.
MUM:
Christ love! You nearly gave me a heart attack! Come on
She pats the sofa next to her.
I’ll go make us a brew.
LUCY sits down. They shuffle their hands about with anxiety, looking at the floor. The faint sound of the boiling kettle can be heard.
MUM returns, holding two mugs. She gives one to LUCY and sits down, gripping the other mug now in her two hands.
MUM: (CONT'D)
So, what’s the plan for today?
She beams at LUCY, looking at them adoringly.
LUCY: Well, I saw Josh yesterday and he mentioned something about a party tonight so
MUM gasps, an over-exaggerated panic, placing her mug down.
MUM: Auntie Carol’s party! Oh my- I completely forgot about it. Erm-
She thinks for a moment, flailing around in her continued panic.
MUM: (CONT'D)
I’m going to have to pop to the shop and get some gin or something for her.
She pats LUCY on the shoulder.
MUM: (CONT'D) You finish that brew and go get yourself ready, alright?
She stands up and walks hurriedly towards the door. She grabs it and turns back to LUCY. She exhales, giggling slightly.
MUM: (CONT'D)
I’ll tell you what, it’s a good job I swapped that shift with Sandra tonight isn’t it? You know how your Auntie Carol gets!
She continues to make her way into the hallway.
MUM: (CONT'D) (shouting)
Sophia! Are you coming to the shops with me?
A door upstairs slams, heavy feet bang against the stairs.
MUM: (CONT'D) (shouting)
I’ll see you later Lucy!
LUCY: (at a slightly raised volume) Bye.
The front door slams shut.
LUCY takes a sip of their drink, clutching it in their hands. They place the mug on the floor and return to their room.
They open their wardrobe and dig through the clothes, most of which fall on the floor. They pull out a pair of distressed black jeans and a red button-up shirt.
They lift the messy pile of clothes up and shove them into the wardrobe, closing it. They look into the long mirror on the back of the wardrobe door.
They put on the button-up shirt over their tshirt, button it up, and pause to stare at themselves. They turn, their side profile now visible in the mirror where they are still looking. They run their two hands downwards across their chest twice, look down slightly, and blink. They take their left hand and run their fingers down the middle of their chest, breathing heavily. They hunch their back, slouching, pulling the shirt away from their body.
LUCY opens their bedside cupboard and pulls out a can of men’s deodorant. They cover themselves in the spray.
Time passes.
The front door opens. SOPHIA runs excitedly up the stairs, clutching a bag of shopping, rustling with her every move.
LUCY walks onto the upstairs landing. They lean on the banister of the stairs, and look down at their MUM, who is holding a large bottle of pink gin.
LUCY: (CONT'D) (playfully)
How’d it go?
They walk slowly down the stairs, holding the banister.
MUM: (sighing with relief)
That child is a nightmare. Please remind me not to take her with me next time.
She shakes her head, smiling and laughing. LUCY also laughs. MUM turns to them.
MUM: (CONT'D)
You look nice.
LUCY smiles.
They both walk to the kitchen.
MUM places the gin onto the counter. She removes her handbag from her shoulder, placing that alongside the gin.
She begins to dig through the bag, and pulls out a small pocket mirror and a lipstick.
LUCY opens the cupboard and removes a mug, turning and holding it up to their MUM.
LUCY: Fancy a cuppa?
MUM: Ooh go on then. Two sugars.
MUM looks into the mirror and begins to apply her lipstick.
LUCY turns back to the cupboard and removes another mug before closing it. They fill the kettle with water, and make the drinks, placing one in front of MUM.
Sophia runs into the room.
SOPHIA: (whining) Lucyyy
LUCY turns to SOPHIA.
LUCY: You’re about to ask me to do your makeup for the party, aren’t you?
SOPHIA sniggers and nods, running out of the room. LUCY follows, not matching her speed.
MUM:
We’re leaving in ten!
She continued applying her lipstick and closes the mirror.
LUCY and SOPHIA enter LUCY’s room. They open their bedside cupboard, removing an eyeshadow palette and a bag of brushes.
SOPHIA sits on the desk chair. LUCY opens the palette, removes a brush from the bag, and begins applying a red shadow to their sister’s eyelids. She creates a ‘basic’, glittery look with the shadows.
MUM shouts from downstairs.
MUM: (CONT'D) Come on girls!
LUCY closes the palette and places it on her desk.
LUCY: There we go, all done.
SOPHIA removes her phone from her pocket, opens the camera and begins to admire her makeup.
SOPHIA: (excitedly) How are you so good at this?
LUCY: I don’t know, I don’t even wear it myself.
They smile and turn away from their sister. They walk towards the door and turn to their sister once again.
LUCY: (CONT'D) Come on.
They nod their head towards the doorway. They pick up the tote bag which is hanging from the door handle and place it on their shoulder.
SOPHIA gets up from the chair and follows LUCY down the stairs.
MUM appears in the hallway, the noise of her heeled shoes banging against the floor. She is clutching the bottle of gin in one hand, her car keys in the other. DAD is behind her, buttoning up his shirt.
SOPHIA and LUCY put on their shoes. MUM opens the door. They follow her out of the house.
SCENE 6 - PARTY
LUCY, SOPHIA, MUM and DAD walk down the path of an unfamiliar house. Loud music and laughter can be heard from inside. The house’s exterior is covered in decorations.
MUM knocks on the door.
SOPHIA fidgets slightly.
The door opens.
MUM holds up the bottle of gin.
CAROL: Linda! (joyfully shouting)
She raises her arms in greeting.
CAROL: (CONT'D) Come in! Come in!
She ushers the family indoors. MUM cups the bottle in her two hands once again. She turns, giving her family a humorous, confused glance.
They make their way into the house. Shows and coats are scattered carelessly across the hallway floor.
They walk into the living room. The music blares.
CAROL points at the bottle MUM is holding.
CAROL: (CONT'D)
Let’s go pour a glass, shall we?
CAROL leads MUM into the kitchen.
A male figure waves. DAD walks over to them.
SOPHIA runs over to a small group of teenage girls, who are playing on their phones in the corner of the room.
LUCY sits down on the only free seat in the room.
They remove their phone from their trouser pocket and turn it on. They pay no attention to their surroundings.
Heavy, fast footsteps can be heard on the stairs.
JOSH enters. He appears breathless.
JOSH: Luce! (shouting over the music)
LUCY looks up at him.
He signals them to follow him with his hand.
They stand up, returning their phone to their pocket, and walk towards him.
JOSH grabs LUCY’s arm, leading them hurriedly to a small room down the hallway.
They enter and he closes the door.
LUCY: Are you okay? You seem-
JOSH: I need to talk to you about something.
(He has a serious, stern expression on his face)
LUCY: What? Has something bad happened?
JOSH hesitates.
JOSH: I found your Twitter profile.
LUCY begins to panic.
LUCY: Twitter?
(they pretend to think)
Oh! The joke profile I made with my friends! Yeah, no, that’s uh-
JOSH: Stop.
He walks over to an ottoman container on the other side of the room. He opens it, and removes a box, covered in conventional Christmas wrapping paper.
He walks back over the LUCY, and holds out the box to them.
JOSH: (CONT'D) This is for you.
LUCY takes the box and sits down on the sofa behind them. They remove the wrapping paper slowly. Their hands shake.
A card is placed on top of its contents, the envelope reading ‘GEORGE’.
LUCY gasps. They hold the envelope for a moment before placing it on the sofa next to them.
They dig through the box, examining its contents. A dark blue shirt, a bottle of men’s aftershave, a transgender flag, before finally removing a chest binder. They hold it up.
LUCY becomes tearful.
JOSH: (CONT'D)
I didn’t really know what to do when I found out that you were... trans. I’ve only ever encountered one other trans person in my life, a guy I went to school with, Shaun. I hope you don’t mind, but I reached out to him for help. I just. I just want you to know that I’m here for you, George, I promise.
LUCY places the box down next to them and grabs JOSH in a tight, long hug.
They put the box inside the tote bag on their shoulder.
More laughter can be heard from the living room.
JOSH: (CONT'D)
It seems like we’re missing a pretty decent party in there, come on.
He walks out of the room. LUCY follows.
SCENE 7 - COMING OUT
[CUT] The family are back home.
LUCY enters their bedroom, closing the door behind them. They sit down on their bed, remove the tote bag from their shoulder, and place it next to them.
They remove the box and place it onto their lap. They open it and remove the envelope.
They place the box down alongside the bag and look at the envelope, rubbing their thumbs along the edges of its cover.
They place the envelope down on their bed. It remains unopened.
They pick up their laptop and turn it on.
The bedroom door opens. LUCY looks up from the laptop screen.
SOPHIA enters.
SOPHIA: Lucy can I borrow yourShe pauses and points at the box.
SOPHIA: (CONT'D) What’s that?
LUCY: Oh that?
They also point at the box.
Just a Christmas present from a friend at school.
SOPHIA walks towards the bed. LUCY quickly grabs the box, placing it closer to them on the bed.
SOPHIA notices the envelope and picks it up. LUCY panics, and tries to snatch it.
SOPHIA: Who’s George?
There is a silence. LUCY appears visibly distressed.
SOPHIA: (CONT'D)
Oh my god, Luce! Have you got a boyfriend?
LUCY: No!
SOPHIA runs towards the door and out of the room, still holding the envelope.
SOPHIA: MUM! (shouting)
LUCY throws the laptop down and chases their sister down the stairs and into the living, where their MUM and DAD are sitting.
SOPHIA: (CONT'D) Look at this!
SOPHIA hands the envelope to MUM. She looks at the envelope.
SOPHIA: (CONT'D) Lucy’s got a boyfriend! (singing playfully)
MUM cheers.
MUM: Ahh Luce! You didn’t tell us you had a man in your life! How long have you been with this George?
DAD: Hold on a minute.
He sits up straight in his seat.
DAD: (CONT'D) How have you met this lad then? Not over the bloody internet is it? I’m telling you, you need to get off that thing!
(jokingly)
SOPHIA and MUM cheer, waving the envelope in the air. The noise becomes mildly overstimulating.
LUCY:
I haven’t got a boyfriend! (shouting)
The room falls silent.
LUCY: (CONT'D) Just.
They pause.
LUCY: (CONT'D) Open it.
MUM quickly opens the envelope, removing a Christmas card from inside.
[CLOSEUP] It reads: To George, I know Christmas must be hard as a trans person. I just want you to know I care about you a lot. I’m only a call away!
Welcome to lad’s club! Lots of love, Josh
MUM pauses, shocked. She holds the card to her chest and looks at LUCY.
DAD and SOPHIA look at LUCY also.
MUM: You’re...
LUCY: Transgender.
They pause, collecting their thoughts, and take a deep breath.
LUCY: (CONT'D)
I’m a boy. And I want to be called George.
(sounding nervous and guilty)
MUM gets up from her seat, and hugs George tightly.
MUM: Oh, baby. I love you so so much. Thank you for telling me.
(Slightly muffled, into George’s shoulder)
SOPHIA: Does this mean I have a brother now then?
DAD looks at her, nods, and smiles.
DAD: I think it does, Soph! I’ve always wanted another lad in the family.
He laughs, softly and joyfully.
He walks over to MUM and GEORGE, hugging them also.
SOPHIA joins. They hug for a moment.
MUM breaks away from the hug, causing it to separate, and walks over to the Christmas tree. She removes the pink bauble, reading ‘Lucy’ from the branch.
MUM:
We won’t be needing this anymore, eh?
She tosses the bauble onto the sofa.
The family laugh.
MUM hugs George once more, still laughing.
ON SCREEN MESSAGE
Christmas can be a difficult time for LGBTQ+ youth.
Not all parents are like George’s.
Only 47% of transgender people feel able to discuss their gender identity with everyone in their family.
Almost 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ people will experience homelessness at some stage of their lives.
Be there for your loved ones.
MESSAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS - MAY BE EDITED. INFO TAKEN FROM STONEWALL.