Home By Jim English This short play was commissioned by Hull Truck Theatre to be part of the 2018 Grow Festival. Premiering in Hull Truck Theatre’s Studio, audiences were able to see three punchy 15-minute plays by Hull writers Lydia, Jim English and Josh Overton Plot The play follows the lives of Eddie and protester Laura as they attempt to stand-up against the demolition of Eddie’s home to make way for HS2. Notes: Recommended for 14+. This play contains strong language. When a character speaks it says their name in bold on the left side of the page with their dialogue on the right. About the playwright: Jim English is an actor and writer from Hull. He trained at Rose Bruford College in London and has performed at Hull Truck Theatre in Richard III and Dancing Through the Shadows.
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HOME JIM ENGLISH
Scene 1 – Monday Laura:
Mr Sayle?
Eddie:
Yes?
Laura:
Hi my names Laura, I’m a vlogger. I’m in charge of vlogging at/
Eddie:
No sorry I don’t want my birch tree chopping down. I’ve told that floppy haired idiot. I know it blocks the sun from coming through the window/I don’t care.
Laura:
No... a video logger. Beat You know like a blogger but with video. I work for ‘STOP! High Speed Rail 2. NO!’. We’re an organisation, supporting the victims who have been betrayed by this Government.
Eddie:
You’re a protester?
Laura:
Yes!
Eddie:
Don’t like protesters.
Laura:
We’re nice people and we care about things.
Eddie:
If you care about things do a sponsored walk or become a vegetarian.
Laura:
I am a vegetarian. Beat Look this train line they’re building; everyone thinks its amazing. Like you can get to London in an hour. I could go shopping down Oxford Street and come back in a day! But then looking at it. People are having to leave their homes. That’s not fair. I can’t imagine what’s that’s been like.... for you Mr Sayle.
Eddie:
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Aren’t you a bit young to be a protester?
Laura:
I’m eighteen. Birthday in April. All me mates turned eighteen before me. They stopped drinking in the park and started drinking in town. They were like ‘come out Laura’. And I was like ‘No I can’t’ And they were like ‘Get a fake ID’ or ‘borrow one from your cousin’ and I was like ‘my cousin’s called Freddie. They’re goner know its not me!’ They all went to the pub and left me so I became a protester. Beat I don’t know why I just told you that. Can I interview you Mr Sayle? I know I’m a bit intense. All my friends say I’m ‘intense’. I hate that word. ‘Intense’. I’m not intense! I’m just PASSIONATE!
Eddie:
How did you know about me?
Laura:
Someone was talking about you on Twitter. Except for them squatters you’re the only guy on the street. Every house is boarded up except yours. Beat Look I’ll be dead quick. Pause Please Mr Sayle.
Eddie:
5 minutes and that’s it? `
Laura:
10?
Eddie:
5.
Laura:
Deal. She walks in. Wow. I wasn’t expecting this. Really nice. That tele is HUGE! Panasonic. 4K? Panasonics last ages.
Eddie:
Right clocks ticking. She gets a piece of paper out with her questions.
Laura:
I’ve written some .... (questions) She gets a piece of paper and her phone out.
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Eddie:
What you doing with that?
Laura:
Interviewing you.
Eddie:
Are you recording me?
Laura:
Yeah, that’s what a vlogger does.
Eddie:
Right well you’re not interviewing me.
Laura:
Please Mr Sayle!
Eddie:
Just write what I say, that’s what we did in the olden days.
Laura:
That’s boring. Silence Okay then. Beat First question. Are you angry about the Government building a train line down your street?
Eddie:
Yes.
Laura:
On a scale of 1 to 10. If 1 was like, yeah, I’m angry to 10 being like, I am that angry I could/
Eddie:
10
Laura:
Got it. How long have you lived here?
Eddie:
A long time.
Laura:
How long?
Eddie:
Long.
Laura:
Got it.
Laura:
So, what’s happening with the train?
Eddie:
What do you mean?
Laura:
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Like where are they putting it?
Eddie:
The line is going through the street, so all of us have to move out. No one wants to live 15 metres from a 200 mile an hour train. So everyone’s sold up. Except...me.
Laura:
Why haven’t you?
Eddie:
I don’t want to.
Laura:
I get that, but why?
Eddie:
Why should I? Music can be heard.
Laura: Eddie:
Is that Music? It’s them Squatters. They usually start playing at this time. Goes on through the night.
Laura:
Have you told the police?
Eddie:
The police don’t care. They want me out. The bulldozers are coming.
Laura:
Bulldozers?
Eddie:
Don’t you know the street is due for demolition on Friday. The whole street... gone.
Laura:
That’s four days! What you goner do?
Eddie:
They can’t knock down my house if I haven’t told them they can.
Laura:
They can. They’ll move you, sweep you under the carpet. You need to get the public on your side. My dad’s second cousins husband’s works for the Manchester Evening News. We could get hold of him and interview you.
Eddie:
I don’t want anything to do with that. This isn’t a circus, this is my home.
Laura:
You’ve got to fight them! If people just heard your story. You could be that thing. The inspiration, for the hundreds of victims. 96 hours left. We’ve got to move fast. This has to be a 24 hour a day operation. I’m goner have to stay with you.
Eddie:
You’re not staying.
Laura:
I’m dead easy. I’m a bit of a milk stealer but I always go out and replace it.
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Eddie:
No!
Laura:
Fine. I’ll buy a tent. I like camping.
Eddie:
You’re not camping outside.
Laura:
I’ve got my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award. I’ll be fine. I’ve come to help you Mr Sayle.
Eddie:
I don’t want your help! Interview over. Get out my house!
Laura:
Fine! You might not appreciate my support. But the families who have lived down this street will.
Eddie:
You’re too late, they’ve gone! Pause
Laura:
People said on Twitter the only reason your staying is because you’re trying to swindle the council for money!
Eddie:
Well people on twiddle don’t know me and neither do you!
Scene 2 – Tuesday Ben:
You joined a protest group?
Eddie:
No.
Ben:
Some train protester was talking about you on Granada reports.
Eddie:
So?
Ben:
Dad, fighting is just goner make you more stressed as it is. Listen right/
Eddie:
She knocked on the door and asked me if I wanted some help.
Ben:
What you say?
Eddie:
I said thank you, but no.
Ben:
Why she camping on Pistol Pete’s patio then?
Eddie:
It’s not me she’s protesting for. It’s for the victims.
Ben:
You’re the only victim left Dad.
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Eddie:
She runs this organisation. What she call it.... ‘No trains stop fuck off’
Ben:
How many is there outside? 5, 10?
Eddie:
Just her.
Ben:
Right. Beat I need to talk to you about… we’ve got to start packing. I know you don’t want to. Realistically, it’s goner take more than 2 days to box up all your stuff. We need a removal van. We can put some in my flat and the rest in storage. I’ll phone in sick.
Eddie:
I’ll sort it.
Ben:
You won’t sort it Dad. You not watched Beat the Bailiff on tele? Friday they’re goner send some big bloke round to move you out. Chucking about all of Mum’s stuff. Her David Bowie Mug. You’re goner be homeless.
Eddie: Ben:
I know this is hard Dad. It’s hard for me too. Look, you know Greg from work? He told me about these flats. His Grandad’s in one in Stockport. They’re great, and if you have a heart attack. There’s a piece of string you pull over your bed and someone comes and gets you. It sounds perfect. Let’s ring up and see if we can get you in one of them.
Eddie:
A old peoples’ home? I’m 60 Ben.
Ben:
It’s not an ‘old’ peoples’ home. It’s called ‘assisted’ living. It’s for people like you who live on your own in the same boat as you. You have your own space but in a community. Greg described it as like students halls but for ‘old..er’ people. Sounds class. I’ve got the brochure in the car. I’m goner pop to Spar and get some card board boxes. Bubble wrap! I’ll get bubble wrap. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Scene 3 - Wednesday It is heaving with rain.
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Laura:
Mr Sayle. Hey. How you doing? Look we got off on the wrong foot. I shouldn’t have said, what I... obviously. I think before I speak me. No... I speak before I / think.
Eddie:
What do you want?
Laura:
A lighter...Yeah. I was wondering if you had a lighter. I’m trying to boil some water on my tranjee for my pot noodle. But my lighter’s stopped working...I can’t. I thought well, I wonder if...actually second thoughts, there’s a Spar isn’t there somewhere.
Eddie:
I haven’t got a lighter. Sorry.
Laura:
I should have thought that. You don’t look like a smoker. You’ve got really nice skin. Beat Don’t know why I said that.
Eddie:
How you finding it... the rain?
Laura:
Yep. Great. Anyone who lives in Manchester complains about the rain. I’m like it’s the North of England it rains all the time! Stop moaning. Nope, I was wrong. Manchester is in a league of its own and I’ve been to Wales! Heavy rain, steamy rain that condenses on your nose and waterfalls down your chin. Sideways rain which I didn’t even know existed! And this. The rain, that fucking hurts your head. I should have brought my bike helmet. Laura looks like she could burst into tears.
Eddie:
I might have matches. Think they’re in a draw somewhere. Might take me a while. Do you want to wait… inside?
Laura:
I don’t mind.
Eddie:
You don’t have to?
Laura:
No, no I will. Silence
Eddie:
I was gonna put the kettle on/
Laura:
Honestly/I’m.
Eddie:
Digestives.
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Laura:
Digestives?
Eddie:
I have digestives.
Laura:
I love digestives.
Eddie:
I saw what you said on Granada reports. Nobody has ever... you know what you’re doing. Beat
Laura:
Two more nights though, running out of time. I thought of two ideas for Friday. I could get up on a roof of one of the houses and chuck a load of eggs and stink bombs at them or B&Q do this really strong super glue. I reckon, I could stick myself onto one the wheels the bulldozer then they won’t be able to move it. Which idea you prefer?
Eddie:
They’re both really good.
Laura:
Maybe start off on the roof and if that doesn’t put them off, try the glue.
Eddie:
Yeah. Good idea. Beat
Laura:
I wonder what the squatters are doing? I was thinking about asking them to join forces but then I thought it’s a bit like…
Eddie:
They’ll just leave and find the next empty house.
Laura:
They’re loud, aren’t they? It’s not even good music. Just sounds like a load of constipated camels.
Eddie:
Where are you from?
Laura:
Hull.
Eddie:
Isn’t that in Yorkshire?
Laura:
Oh no. Yorkshire decided it didn’t want Hull anymore. So, they lumbered us with Grimsby and Scunthorpe and called it Humberside. Then they wanted us back. If I was the mayor of Hull, I’d be like ‘fuck off Yorkshire we’re starting our own country. We’ll call it the ‘costa del Hull’ or summit. People can come here on their holidays instead of Scar-bay-dos.
Eddie:
You’re strong, aren’t you?
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Laura:
My accent, yeah.
Eddie:
I mean (points to his head). My wife was strong. You’d have got on with her. She’d have been a good protester.
Laura:
What was she called?
Eddie:
Molly.
Laura:
I like that name. Beat
Eddie:
Ben. My son wants me moving into an assisted living flat.
Laura:
Is that a nice word for a “old’ people’ home’?
Eddie:
So, I’m not on my own.
Laura:
What do you want to do?
Scene 4 - Thursday Ben:
Laura isn’t it?
Laura:
Yeah.
Ben:
I’m Ben. I’m/
Laura:
Mr Sayle’s son. Yeah, he told me about you.
Ben:
Yeah? Beat What he said?
Laura:
That you’re his son.
Ben:
Yeah. Beat
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Ben:
Look I get why you’re doing all this. The Government. Idiots. We tried fighting um but ... you know. Look, Dad’s stressed as it is. He doesn’t need you camping outside with a banner that says, ‘Teressa’s a twat’.
Laura:
I like alliteration and she is a twat.
Ben:
Right. He’s a fucking ghost in there. It’s killing him. The best thing you can do is leave him alone. He doesn’t need you giving him false hope.
Laura:
You lived in that house?
Ben:
Yeah.
Laura:
When you were a kid? Can understand why your Dad might not want to leave. If there’s a chance. Maybe this house isn’t ‘killing him’, actually it’s keeping him alive.
Ben:
What’s he said? I bet he hasn’t told you the house is as much mine as it is his. He promised Mum. He’d sell it as soon as... Beat Enjoy the cold.
Scene 5 Ben:
I got a load of cardboard boxes in the boot. Van’s hired for Friday too. You know them flats in Stockport what Greg was telling me about? Good news someone’s died, there’s one going. Can have a look if you want? Get in the car and shoot down. Beat. Eddie looks away. Do you think Mum would have wanted you to just sit around? Stuck in the house, firing pellets at squirrels.
Eddie:
I hate squirrels. They keep nicking the seeds from the bird feeder. Beat
Ben:
You signed the compensation contract they sent you?
Eddie:
No.
Ben:
Do you think you should?
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Beat Where is it? Eddie:
Somewhere.
Ben:
The sooner we can get that sent off to the council the sooner we can get things rolling. This flat in Stockport sounds perfect. Eddie is struggling a bit
Eddie:
I’m not signing anything Ben.
Ben:
Dad you’ve had three years to say goodbye to this place. They’re kicking you out anyway.
Eddie:
I want it to go to a family. A nice family. Not demolished.
Ben:
They’re giving you a shed load more than what the house is actually worth!
Eddie:
I don’t give a flying monkey’s about money!
Ben:
What would have Mum said?
Eddie:
She’d have told the council to lamp it. The whole street might still be here if she was alive.
Ben:
She wouldn’t have.
Eddie:
You’re wrong.
Ben:
Wake up Dad! She’s not here!
Eddie:
I know. That’s the problem. This house goes, the last bit of Molly goes. Do you know what keeps me alive, this house! These four walls. I don’t care if they knock it down Friday. I am not signing anything. I couldn’t live with myself. And I’m not letting your Mum down.
Ben:
She’s not here! She’s scattered on some fucking shitty bit of grass with the other 1000.
Eddie:
Get use to that spot Ben, cos I’m doing the same! Laura enters
Laura:
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I swear your street is like the mecca of fox dogging. It keeps happening outside my tent. 4 times! I’ve only been here two nights. Have you heard two
foxes have sex before? I woke up thinking someone had been murdered. And their music! I’m sick of it. I thought with tomorrow happening they might have found somewhere else to live. But no. Eddie:
What’s that?
Laura:
It’s a radio transmitter. I’ve got an idea! What sort of electrical device do you think they’re using to play the music?
Eddie:
A CD player.
Laura:
That’s what I thought. Beat If we can make the field strength on the transmitter bigger than inside the CD player. I’m telling you some shit is goner go down. Somethings goner happen trust me! Where in the house is the music loudest when its on?
Eddie:
The front usually.
Laura:
Let’s set this up in the front room then. Pause
Eddie:
The front has stuff in it. Junk.
Laura:
Are we okay to try in here?
Eddie:
Yeah fine.
Laura:
The house is looking emptier.
Eddie:
My son’s been helping me pack.
Laura:
Ben?
Eddie:
Sorry about him.
Laura:
It’s alright. Beat
Eddie:
I love my son, but I can understand why people don’t like him.
Laura:
I don’t get it cos you’re not a twat Mr Sayle. Beat
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Eddie:
He’s angry at me. I was going to sell the house after... I didn’t realise how difficult it was going to be. I feel like she’s still here like she’s upstairs or in the front room. Funny how your mind plays tricks.
Laura:
Yeah. Lot’s of memories here. Maybe she’s a ghost? There’s two ghosts in my Mum’s house. We went on holiday once, came back and all the taps we’re turned on. She was proper fuming with Um. You go on holiday with Molly? I wanna see the world but no one wants to go with me.
Eddie:
She was scared of flying so we never really... We drove the car to Croatia once. She always wanted to go to America. My brother lives there. We were goner get the boat over then a train. New York to Arizona...we never really got round to doing it. Beat She said after she’s gone I should do it. Beat Wouldn’t be the same. Beat
Laura:
What happened to her?
Eddie:
(Cancer?) She couldn’t get up the stairs. Moved her bed in the front room. I’ve barely been in since. Keep it locked. All her stuff in the same spot she left them. Bit weird I know.
Laura:
I don’t think it’s weird. Beat We’re all a bit weird. I’m really weird me. I don’t like being hugged....makes me...uncomfortable. I wish it didn’t. One time my Mum gave me a big hug right she had me in this tight squeeze so I couldn’t escape, cos she knew. My chin lying on her shoulder. And it felt....it was the first time it felt...alright. I started to cry. Tried to cover it up hoping she wouldn’t notice... If there’s a heaven Mr Sayle she will fucking kill you if you don’t go on that trip. I think you should do it. Beat
Eddie: 14
I feel like I’ve let her down if I sign the contract.
Laura:
You haven’t let her down. You have all these memories in this house. You don’t have to be in it look back on them, to feel close to her. She’s here.
Eddie:
You want me to fight them?
Laura:
Stop thinking about anyone else. Ben enters
Ben:
Dad.
Eddie:
Hello. Ben sees Laura
Ben:
Hello. Pause
Laura:
Hey. Pause I’m goner see if I can get this transmitter working Mr Sayle.
Eddie:
Eddie.
Laura:
Eddie. Beat
Eddie:
Before you say sorry Ben. It’s fine. Beat
Ben:
I’m not here to say sorry. I’m here cos (struggling) if you think Mum wanted you to fight this. Then I’m with you Dad. He shows the pair of fluffy handcuffs. I’m goner handcuff myself to the sink in the bathroom. Tried Toys R Us, Mothercare. The only place I could find any decent ones we’re Ann Summers. You literally can’t get out of them unless you have the key.
Eddie:
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No Ben.
Ben:
I’m doing it Dad. I like the bathroom anyway. It smells (nice). You know that shampoo Mum always used. I swear she must have spilt a whole bottle of it in the carpet. She were dead clumsy wasn’t she?
Eddie:
Three years. All those memories we’ve got in this house. I thought if I kept it, it would keep her memory alive too. It’s not I’m destroying it. I don’t want to get out of bed. I don’t open the curtains, I can’t remember the last time I went in the garden. It’s sunny today. If your Mum were here we’d be having a barbecue. I don’t want to live without her. But I have to.
Ben:
You don’t have to Dad. I keep having this nightmare like I’d forgotten her face... what it looked like. I found this disc. In my old uni stuff. I recorded her voice for my dissertation. She was on about Altringham... walking around the park. I put it on to my phone. Play it when I’m feeling... (down) stressed and that.
Eddie:
Want she good Ben? How lucky were we?
Ben:
Proper lucky.
Eddie:
I’m goner sort the stuff out in the front room. I don’t think I can do it on my own. Will you help me?
Ben:
Yeah course I will. There’s a bang.
Ben:
What were that?
Laura:
I’ve done it! There fucking stereo! Blown it to smithereens. Don’t bother with the ear plugs tonight Mr Sayle cos tonight you’re sleeping like a baby!
Blackout
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