Dancing Through the Shadows by Richard Vergette by Hull Truck Theatre

Dancing Through the Shadows By Richard Vergette Dancing Through the Shadows was first performed at Hull Truck Theatre in 2015 and started its life as a short play called Harry’s Luck which was staged at Hull Truck Theatre as part of Ring Around the Humber in 2011. This play is the first of a trilogy of plays about Hull’s rich history staged between 2015 and 2017. The other plays in the series were The Gaul by Janet Plater and Mighty Atoms by Amanda Whittington. About the play: It’s a long way from Hessle to Hessle Road. When Tom and Sylvia meet on the dance floor in 1938 they begin a romance that crosses the class divide. Tom’s aspirational mother Grace is horrified that her son has taken up with a girl who works in the fish house, whilst Sylvia’s brother David has no time for her daft bank clerk boyfriend. That’s until the divided families are thrown together when the Second World War reaches Hull. Suddenly class means nothing and all that matters is surviving. As the Blitz shatters their world apart, Tom and Sylvia struggle to hold their relationship together. About the playwright: Richard Vergette lives in North Lincolnshire and for most of his working life was a Drama teacher, working in the Yorkshire and Huber region. In 2009 his play As We Forgive Them was nominated for the Manchester Theatre Award Best New Play and won best Fringe Production. In 2013, American Justice ran in the Arts Theatre in the West End with Ryan Gage in the leading role. Currently Richard is under commission with the Playground Theatre in London and has just completed an Arts Council funded Research and Development process on a new play called Hunt the Tiger. Richard also reviews regularly for the British Theatre Guide. Other work for Hull Truck includes Harry’s Luck, one of four short plays that made up Ring Around the Humber. In 2018, with his friend Nick Lane, he adapted the bestselling novel Dark Winter which played to packed houses in firstly the studio and then the main house.

DANCING THROUGH THE SHADOWS A FAMILY DRAMA SET IN Hull between 1938 and 1945 Note on the original production The script that is presented for publication here is the production script performed by Hull Truck in the Summer of last year. In their production they were able to use members of their youth theatre for the 'crowd scenes' (in the dance hall and in the air raid scenes) and also show film footage on a screen. Accepting that other companies may not have access to the same facilitites I have chosen to submit the final version rather than the 'signed off' rehearsal draft which I completed last Summer. I am happy to provide that version if preferred.

PART ONE: September 1938 – May 1941

PART 1 Scene 1 A section of the 1936 film, ‘Things to Come.’ The actors mingle onstage, watching the film. Chamberlain’s speech from 29th September 1938 “This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine...We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.” Caption - SEPTEMBER 1938 Music of a dance band – ‘Little Brown Jug.’ A couple – SYLVIA (18) and TOM(20) emerge from the shadows, meet and dance. They are a lovely couple, enraptured by the moment and each other. Suddenly, TOM makes a wrong step, treads on SYLVIA and the couple stumble. The music continues but quieter. TOM: Newington Hall, 1938. I’m standing next to Albert Swan. Dirty bugger. I’d only gone because he wanted me to keep him company. He’d got two tickets and his girl had let him down. He said we could go and look at the wallflowers. “WALLFLOWERS”: OI! TOM: Sorry! He soon found someone else. SYLVIA: I was there as a birthday treat. I felt sorry for you, all on your own. (To Tom) Excuse me? Excuse me! Oi! Twinkle-toes! I need a partner and you’re standing here looking vacant. TOM: I’m very sorry, but I don’t care to dance. SYLVIA: Oh come on. TOM: It’s not very ladylike to come up to a stranger and ask him to dance. SYLVIA: That’s alright. I’m not a lady. TOM: I’m not that fond of Glenn Miller. Come back when there’s a Henry Hall. SYLVIA: On your feet..! (She grabs him and makes him dance.) Caption - 6 MONTHS LATER SYLVIA: Ow! TOM: Sorry, was that your foot? 3

SYLVIA: You gormless bloody arse. TOM: Oi language! SYLVIA: You always tread on the same spot TOM: Then you should be ready for it. SYLVIA: I’ll bloody swing for you, Tom. TOM: Stop making a meal of it. SYLVIA: How many times have we danced to this? TOM: I don’t know. Fifty? SYLVIA: You should have got the hang of it by now. TOM: I have- nearly. SYLVIA: Nearly! TOM: I’m getting better, you’ve got to admit. SYLVIA: So were my bruises. TOM: We’ll get it right one day - Oh - ey up. Don’t look, it’s Violet Crawshaw. SYLVIA: What about her? TOM: I said don’t look. She doesn’t get smaller does she? SYLVIA: No, she doesn’t. TOM: Who’s that with her? SYLVIA: The butcher’s lad I reckon… Works in Dewhurst’s. 4

TOM: If any pies go missing, they’ll know who to blame. SYLVIA: At least her young man doesn’t tread on her feet. TOM: He wouldn’t dare. She’d flatten him. SYLVIA: And you think I won’t? TOM: Is that what I am then? Your young man? SYLVIA: Maybe. TOM: Am I? SYLVIA: I said maybe! TOM: So we’re officially courting then? SYLVIA: Again, maybe. TOM: I’ll tread on your other foot if you don’t tell me. SYLVIA: Yes!! (softer) daft lad. Yes They kiss and the music swells loudly again. The pair dance off.

PART 1 Scene 2 The scene changes to GILBERT and GRACE’s house in Hessle. GRACE is wrapping a large black umbrella, while GILBERT reads the newspaper. GRACE: He’s out with her again.

GILBERT says nothing. He is an older and rather wiser version of TOM. GRACE is Lady Bracknell on a tighter budget. GRACE: Gilbert! GILBERT: Hardly surprising, she’s a pretty girl. GRACE: Pretty!? GILBERT: Yes, very. GRACE: In an earthy, Daily Mirror sort of way I suppose. GILBERT: What are you doing? GRACE: I’m wrapping an umbrella. GILBERT: I can see that but why? GRACE: I’m sending the prime minister a gift. GILBERT: Is it his birthday? GRACE: No but he has achieved a great diplomatic triumph. GILBERT: Has he indeed? GRACE: And we should all show our appreciation. ‘Peace in our time’ . GILBERT: Bunkum. GRACE: I beg your pardon GILBERT: Not for the first time in his life, and I suspect not the last, our prime minister was talking bunkum. GRACE: You're talking like a communist again.

GILBERT: Herr Hitler played him for a fool. At best we may have bought ourselves a little time. At worst – GRACE: What? At worst what? GILBERT doesn’t answer and GRACE continues her wrapping with re-newed vigour. GRACE: Here – make yourself useful. Finger please. GILBERT places his finger on the knot of the string. GILBERT: Thats a very tidy parcel Grace. GRACE: It isn’t finished yet. I shall seal it with Uncle Cedric’s ring. GILBERT: I really wish you wouldn’t. GRACE: Why not? GILBERT: Is it one that he stole? GRACE: He did not steal anything! When the staff at number 10 see that seal, they’ll know that this has been sent by people of standing. GILBERT: Oh will they indeed? GRACE: One can’t be sure that the Prime Minister will receive all his gifts personally, but this one will go straight to him. GILBERT: It’s more likely to go straight to Scotland Yard. GRACE: I thought you would be pleased that your umbrella was going to such a distinguished home! GILBERT: My umbrella!? GRACE: I can’t afford a new one. GILBERT: Then don’t send one at all. 7

GRACE: You never use it – depite my constant reminders. GILBERT: It doesn’t mean I want him to have it. GRACE: The Prime Minister needs to know that he has at least one loyal supporter from this household. GILBERT: I’m sure that will come as a great relief to him. GRACE: He is doing his best at a very difficult time. GILBERT: Perhaps his best isn’t good enough. GRACE tries to interject but GILBERT presses his point. GILBERT: There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Grace, than are dreamt of in Neville Chamberlain’s philosophy. And one of them is the guile and persistence of Herr Hitler. GRACE: That’s two things. GILBERT: So it is. Now if only you had been in Munich I’m sure you would have been more than a match for the Fuhrer. GRACE: We have to trust him, Gilbert. We have a son GILBERT: I know. GRACE: He’s still not back. GILBERT: Let him dance, Grace. Let him be young while he can. Music swells as GILBERT gently takes the umbrella away from GRACE and they dance off. PART 1 Scene 3 DAVID enters – a scruffy kid of 14 – SYLVIA’s brother. He is followed by BRIAN, a 16 year old ‘rum lad’. He runs in front of DAVID. BRIAN: Hiya Dave! DAVID: Get lost Brian. 8

BRIAN: Don’t be like that. DAVID: I’m not to have owt to do with you. BRIAN: Who says? DAVID: Me Dad. BRIAN: Where you off? DAVID: Shopping with our Sylvia. BRIAN: Shopping? You? You great lass! DAVID tries to exit but BRIAN gets in his way. BRIAN: I’ve got a message for you from Brenda. DAVID: What? BRIAN: Now you’re interested? DAVID: I’m not. BRIAN: Do want to come with us to the Mayfair? DAVID: What’s on? BRIAN: Does it matter when we get on that back row with them lasses? DAVID: We’d see better near the front. BRIAN: We’re not going to be watching the film...are we? DAVID: What’s the point in going then? BRIAN: David, if you landed in a bucket of tits you’d come out sucking your thumb. 9

DAVID: I’m off. BRIAN: Just a minute. Brenda says she wants to meet you there. She likes you. DAVID: Oh aye. BRIAN: Come on it’ll be a laugh. DAVID: Might do. BRIAN: Listen; thing is I need to get the tickets now cos it’ll sell out. DAVID: You what? BRIAN: Yeh cos this film it’s latest Roy Rogers and it always gets full so I need to buy the tickets first. DAVID: I never heard of that before. BRIAN: Come with me if you don’t believe me. DAVID: No, you’re alright. BRIAN: Can you lend us the money? Only I’d get ‘em but I had to buy me old lady’s bronchitis medicine. She’s real bad. DAVID: She looked alright coming out of the pub at dinner time. BRIAN: Come on, don’t be tight. DAVID: Haven’t got any. BRIAN: What you getting the shopping with, then? DAVID: That’s for shopping! BRIAN: I’ll give it you back tomorrow.

DAVID ‘Course you will! BRIAN: Tell you what, you give it to me, I’ll take it to Sylvia and ask if it’s alright. DAVID: Not likely. BRIAN: I might ask her out at the same time. DAVID: She’d never go with you. BRIAN: Oh aye, she’s going with that daft bank clerk. She ought to come out with a real man. DAVID: What would you know about that? (BRIAN grabs hold of him, twisting his arm. With his free hand he reaches into DAVID’s pocket and pulls out some money.)

DAVID: Get off me. BRIAN: If I’m not a real man what does that make you? DAVID: I don’t know. BRIAN: It makes you a big soft lass. BRIAN grabs hold of his chest. BRIAN: Are these your little tits soft lass? DAVID: Get off me you bastard! BRIAN: Ey language! Young ladies shouldn’t talk like that. DAVID: I have to meet our Sylv. BRIAN: Well of course you do. 11

DAVID: Give us me money back then. BRIAN: Why don’t you take it from me? BRIAN begins a game of goading DAVID into trying to snatch the money as he repeatedly dodges him. DAVID gets increaingly frustrated and lunges at BRIAN who overpowers him easily and gets him in a headlock.

BRIAN: Now listen, I’m going to take this money and just maybe I’ll give it to your lass. And then again maybe I won’t. And maybe me and her will get together. Maybe sweet music will happen and the sparks will fly. Unseen SYLVIA has entered.

SYLVIA: The only sparks that are going to fly, Brian Andrews, are the ones from the rocket I’m going to stick up your arse! BRIAN: Sylvia! We were only larkin – weren’t we David? DAVID: No! BRIAN: It got a bit out of hand. Sorry, David. My fault. Gives him the money back BRIAN: There, no harm done. So what’s new Sylvia? SYLVIA doesn’t respond. BRIAN: Why don’t we go somewhere? Just you and me? SYLVIA: Not if you were the last lad on earth. BRIAN: Well as I’m not the last lad on earth, that’s a ‘yes’ then? SYLVIA: Brian, you’re a thief, you’re a bully, you’re a liar and you’re pig bloody ugly. I will never, never, never go out with you, stay in with you or come anywhere near you. 12

BRIAN: You’re weakening, I can tell. Silence. DAVID rubs his arm, SYLVIA looks coldly at BRIAN who wanders out, embarrassed. DAVID: You didn’t have to say all that. SYLVIA: Why do you have owt to do with him? DAVID: He can be alright sometimes. SYLVIA: Look at the state of you. DAVID’s jumper has got a tear in it and his face is dirty. SYLVIA: Don’t get like him, David. Dad doesn't need the worry. DAVID: Like he's bothered. Pause SYLVIA: Come on. If there’s any change I’ll get you a sherbert dab. DAVID: I’m not a bairn! SYLVIA: ‘Course you’re not.

PART 1 Scene 4 Caption – 3RD SEPTEMBER 1939 People gather around the radio to listen to the Neville Chamberlain radio broadcast from 3 rd September, 1939. “This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final Note stating that, unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were

prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.â&#x20AC;?

PART 1 Scene 5 Beverley Westwood, September 3 1939. TOM and SYLVIA come running on. TOM: I meant it, Sylvia Pause TOM: I really meant it. SYLVIA: That’s nice. TOM: Now you? SYLVIA: What do you want me to say? TOM: You know! SYLVIA: You’ve got a bit of ice cream on the end of your nose. Pity to waste it. (She kisses his nose, he grabs her and tries to kiss her for longer, she pulls away).

SYLVIA: Lets walk a bit more. TOM: Do you want to go back home? SYLVIA: Of course not! I just don’t want to talk....not serious like that. TOM: I love you. Are you listening? SYLVIA: Why did you tell me? TOM: Because it’s true! SYLVIA: But why did you tell me today? Didn’t you love me yesterday or last week? TOM: Yes – and for longer than that.

SYLVIA: First sight even? TOM: Maybe. SLYLVIA: So why are you telling me today!? TOM: It’s the day to say such things. If we don’t say it today...... SYLVIA: People will say it today just to say it. They’ll panic and say things to make people feel better. TOM: Saying it hasn’t made you feel better. SYLVIA: Let’s walk up to Willow Grove. TOM: Just say it. They’re not big words are they? SYLVIA: I’m scared. TOM: Not today. Don’t be scared today. SYLVIA: Tell me again. TOM: I love you. SYLVIA: Thank you. TOM: And? SYLVIA: Very much. TOM: I’ll walk you back to the bus. SYLVIA: I’m only 19. TOM: How old do you have to be? SYLVIA: I don’t know. I just.....today, I don ‘t want to be serious. 16

TOM: Did you listen to the broadcast? SYLVIA: Of course. ‘We are at war with Germany’ Dad looked right at David when Chamberlain said that. TOM: He doesn’t have to worry. He’s too young to go. SYLVIA: At the moment. TOM: I was going to tell you today anyway. I’m not using whats happened as an excuse. I’d planned it all. It’s not my fault Hitler’s invaded Poland. SYLVIA: Isn’t it?? There was me thinking it was all down to you. TOM: You know what I mean. SYLVIA: You’re not going are you? TOM: I’ll get called up soon enough. I might as well – SYLVIA: No! TOM: I’m glad you care. SYLVIA: Of course I........what do your mum and dad say? TOM: Dad just tuts and sighs every time he picks up a newspaper and Mother polishes the silver. Doesn’t need doing. She just keeps doing it, making it shine, harder and harder as if she’ll never get the muck out. SYLVIA: I want to stay here. TOM: Alright. SYLVIA: No, I mean stay here. Forever. If we stayed here, you know for as long as it takes. TOM: Just sit it out? SYLVIA: Let the world carry on without us. Let them get on with it if they have to. 17

TOM: And they can come and find us when it’s all over. SYLVIA: Yeh. TOM: There’s a thought. He looks at her and wants her to say something more. She doesn’t.

PART 1 Scene 6 We move to the home of MAURICE, SYLVIA and DAVID. MAURICE is painstakingly painting a model of a fishing boat he has made himself. He is absorbed in his activity. DAVID is looking on moodily. DAVID: Are you gonna say owt? Silence DAVID: Right. Silence DAVID: Sorry. MAURICE: No good to man nor beast, that Brian. DAVID: He’s my mate, in't he? MAURICE: Oh aye he’s a real mate! Making you break into Reckitt’s. DAVID: We were only larkin’. MAURICE: It’s not larkin’, it’s theivin’. DAVID: Didn’t take owt! MAURICE: Only cos you got caught. Good job it were Trevor. DAVID: Flathead. MAURICE: Havin’ a burglar smack a shovel on your head is no joke. Trevor’s a good friend! And if he weren’t you’d be locked up now. You’ve to start getting serious about things. DAVID: What do you mean? 19

MAURICE: You’ll not keep your job for long if they reckon you’re a thief. DAVID: How are they going to find out? MAURICE: Stay away from him. He’ll get you into all kinds of bother, that one, I’m telling you. DAVID shrugs Pause MAURICE: Where is your sister any road? DAVID: With that soft bank clerk. MAURICE: I know. DAVID: So why do you ask? MAURICE: I said where? Not who with? DAVID: I don’t know. MAURICE: David. DAVID: What? MAURICE: Think on lad. TOM and SYLVIA enter SYLVIA: Alright? MAURICE doesn’t look up SYLVIA: Tom’s here Dad. MAURICE: Aye. 20

SYLVIA: It was lovely on the Westwood. TOM: It was. Pleasant, very pleasant. MAURICE: Make a brew Sylvia. SYLVIA: Aye. TOM: I’ll come with you. SYLVIA: No you stay and chat to Dad. TOM mouths his objections, but SYLVIA exits TOM: You’re getting on with it then? MAURICE: Do you recognise her? TOM: Yes...yes it’s a fishing boat. MAURICE: Trawler. TOM: So it is. MAURICE: Which one? TOM: You’ve got me there. DAVID: It’s 'The Trinidad'. TOM: So it is. MAURICE: How do you know? TOM: I think...I think I might have seen her. MAURICE: She sank before you were born. 21

TOM: Maybe I’ve seen a picture. MAURICE: Have you? Where? TOM: Or maybe not. I can’t remember. Pause TOM: What’s new with you then David? DAVID: Nowt. TOM: What you been up to? DAVID: None of your business. MAURICE: That’ll do! Who’s said he’s been up to anything? TOM: You what? MAURICE: Who’s been saying owt? TOM: No one! SYLVIA reappears SYLVIA: Who’s been saying what? TOM: Nothing, I was just asking David SYLVIA: What’s he been up to? MAURICE: Leave it Sylvia. SYLVIA: I said what? MAURICE: Not in front of strangers. TOM: Strangers! 22

SYLVIA: David? DAVID: I was muckin’ about with Brian – round Reckitt’s. It were nowt. SYLVIA: Trespassing? Again? MAURICE: Trevor Featherstone caught him. He let him off. SYLVIA: Can he do that? MAURICE: He’s a good friend. SYLVIA: He’s a shit policeman. MAURICE: Sylvia! SYLVIA: Now listen you! Isn’t it enough you got kicked out of school for nicking – DAVID: That were nowt . SYLVIA: Ah yeh that were nowt! I know you’ve told me before. Just a few pens and that, and little bairns' dinner money. Course it were nowt, David. And now you’re still getting mixed up with Brian Andrews. And he’s the biggest pile of nowt in Hull. MAURICE: I told him, Sylvia. SYLVIA: Then he’ll not mind me telling him again. You stay away from Brian. Do you hear? I said do you hear!? DAVID: Ah what do you care when you’re off with this yard of pump water? SYLVIA: David, I’m warning you MAURICE: That’s it. Go to your room. DAVID slinks off SYLVIA: I’ll finish the tea.

She returns to the kitchen. Horrible silence TOM: So....what do you think about the international situation Mr Gibson? MAURICE: The what? TOM: The war. MAURICE: Why didn’t you call it that then? TOM: It’s a bad business isn’t it? MAURICE: I’ve had better Sundays. TOM: Did you hear the broadcast? MAURICE: Aye. TOM: I don't know about you, but I though the Prime Minister sounded terrible. MAURICE: Did you? TOM: Yes! Didn’t you think so? MAURICE: What kind of a set have you got? TOM: Set? MAURICE: Is it an old Crystal type? You see if you only got three valves and an accumulator then that might explain why he sounded terrible.

TOM: Oh, I see. Well we have got a crystal set but that's not quite MAURICE: Exactly. So in your accumulator you’ve got a series of chambers which contain lead and sulphuric acid. As your battery wears down you’re left with the H2O –an excess of liquid; a dilution. So you’ll probably find that you need to re-charge your accumulator. In the long run you might be 24

better off with a 5 valve set. As MAURICE explains this fascinating piece of information to TOM he draws a diagram in his notepad. SYLVIA re-enters. SYLVIA: Dad if I’m to set the table can you move your mess? MAURICE: Think on lad. MAURICE exits with the model. Silence TOM: I need to get home. SYLVIA: Tom! TOM: I can’t just sit here. SYLVIA: What’s the matter? TOM: I told my parents I’d be back. SYLVIA: Stay and have your tea. TOM: No, love. Sorry. SYLVIA: What’s this about? TOM: I can’t sit there drinking tea as if nothing’s happened. SYLVIA: Don’t let David bother you. Or my Dad. TOM: They don’t. Yeh they do. David’s such a SYLVIA: He’s just a kid. TOM: It’s more than that. 25

SYLVIA: He just needs to grow up. That's all. TOM: You live in a different world. SYLVIA: Hessle Road not good enough for you? TOM: I don’t mean that. You have both of them to look after. SYLVIA: I don’t have a choice about that. TOM: I know you don’t, but – I need there to be something left for me. SYLVIA: I spent nearly the whole day with you! TOM: I needed something from you today. And.....It doesn't matter. Look after yourself. TOM leaves passing MAURICE. SYLVIA looks after him for a moment. GRACE enters and she and SYLVIA lock eyes. As SYLVIA exits Grace takes her place at the table.

PART 1 Scene 7 GRACE and GILBERT’s house. GRACE is listening to classical music and wrapping some silverware in newspaper. TOM enters. GRACE: Thomas there you are! I’m putting the silver away. I think it best. TOM: Where’s Dad? GRACE: He went out to check the oil in the car. TOM: Oh I see. GRACE: 40 minutes ago. TOM: Perhaps it needed topping up. GRACE: It’s a Hillman not a tanker. He’ll be smoking his pipe. TOM: Oh dear. GRACE: Quite apart from making an appalling smell, it’s an air raid risk. A German bomber could spot the glow in his bowl and be on us in a minute. TOM: I’m not sure thatGRACE: I know; it seems so improbable.The Germans are such a fastidious race. I can’t think that they would care much for the mess caused by bombs. I had a German friend I met on a walking holiday in the Rhine. I visited her home in Hamburg; mess was her chief source of irritation.

TOM: They’re making a hell of a mess of Poland

GRACE: Hildegard her name was. I merely left a pair of shoes in the hall and they were swept up with indignation. What did you say?

GILBERT enters. GILBERT: Hello Tom, have you had a nice afternoon? TOM: Yes thanks. GILBERT: Listening to Schubert on the first day of war dear? I’m not sure that would go down well with the Townswomen’s Guild. GRACE: Don’t be facetious, Gilbert. Where have you been? GILBERT: Checking the oil. I think there might be a leak. TOM: Do you want me to have a look at it Dad? GILBERT: Oh no, don’t trouble Tom. How was Sylvia? Thomas shrugs to his Dad rather sadly , unnoticed by his mother. GRACE: ‘Who is Sylvia?’ TOM: Not again. GRACE: ‘What is she that all our swain command her? Holy, fair and wise is she...’ Those words are by Shakespeare.

TOM: Yes I recognise them. GRACE: Later put to music by Schubert. Two great artists from each of our nations. We are such natural allies. I do think Mr Chamberlain has been impulsive.

GILBERT: Impulsive is not how I’d describe him. A silly old ditherer might be more accurate. GRACE: It’s very upsetting. I’m taking the silver upstairs. Would someone care to give me a hand? GILBERT and TOM do not offer a hand. 28

GRACE: Your great Uncle Cedric brought them all back from China. TOM: I never understood why. GRACE: An affair of the heart. GILBERT: Uncle Cedric fell in love with the daughter of a Chinese war lord. He managed to escape with his life and the war lord’s family silver. Not, alas, with the daughter.

GRACE: He left China a broken man Gilbert! GILBERT: Oh I don’t know. That silver's worth a few bob. TOM: Look, I need to talk to you. GRACE: Gilbert, leave the room. TOM: Both of you. GILBERT: I have a feeling sherry might be called for. GRACE: Are you making an announcement? TOM: In a way. GRACE: Surely there’s been enough announcements for one day. GILBERT: Grace. Let him speak dear. TOM: I told Sylvia I loved her today. GRACE: I see ...where was this? TOM: On the Westwood. 29

GRACE: In public? TOM: Only the cows could hear me. GRACE: My son plights his troth in front of livestock! GILBERT: And what did she say back? Tom shakes his head TOM: Nothing. GRACE: I’m very sorry. I know you’re fond of the girl – despite my concerns. TOM: Concerns? GRACE: She is...not ‘one of us’. TOM: Mother! GRACE: I’m sorry but its true. Hessle and Hessle Road. What a difference a thoroughfare makes. GILBERT: Oh Grace stop putting on airs.I’m a gents outfitter mortgaged to the hilt. GRACE: You are a bespoke tailor, a member of a skilled profession! And as for you, If it hadn’t been for a chance meet at a dance hall, Thomas, your path would never have crossed with that girl’s.

TOM: I wanted to ask Sylvia to marry me. GILBERT: She’s only a child.

TOM: She’s not Dad. She’s more of a grown up than most girls of her age. But it doesn’t matter. She wasn’t interested. GILBERT: And that’s your announcement? 30

TOM: Only half of it. GILBERT: Go on. TOM: I’d really wanted to sort things out with Sylvia before I go. GRACE: Go where? TOM: Sooner or later I’ll be called up. I might as well not wait for that to happen. GRACE: No! TOM: I’ve made up my mind. GILBERT: You’ve never mentioned this before. TOM: It’s never seemed real before. Just talk. Now it’s here. And I know now.....what I have to do. GILBERT: But what about your job? Your position at the bank? TOM: I think they’ll find someone else to fill the window. GRACE: Thomas...Tommy, think carefully what you’re doing. You don’t have to go yet, you have a good job and you are well thought of. If you are doing this because you are disappointed in love it seems peculiarly extreme.

TOM: It isn’t just that. GILBERT: No, but if this is a reaction to being rejected -

GRACE: Heart break is part of being young. Before he met me your father had been disappointed in love a number of times. GILBERT: Had I? GRACE: Couldn’t you just put on a pair of shorts and run energetically until the heartache goes away? 31

TOM: This isn’t just about Sylvia. I want to go. GILBERT: But why go before you have to? TOM: You did. GILBERT: I’m not sure it was the right thing. TOM: There’s a point to it this time. GILBERT: There is, yes. Which regiment? TOM: The East Yorkshires. GILBERT: I wish I could dissuade you... TOM: You can’t I’m afraid. GRACE: I assume you will apply for a commission TOM: I certainly won’t. GRACE: Heroism can be so vastly overrated. GILBERT goes to a drawer and brings out a piece of jewellery. GILBERT: If you must go then I would like you to take this. TOM: It’s your Saint Christopher! GILBERT: Your mother gave it to me in 1916. It carried me through the last unpleasantness. I hope it will do the same for you. TOM: You sure you want me to have this? GILBERT: I won’t let you leave without it. 32

TOM: I’ll take care of it. You can be sure. GRACE: And it – God willing – will take care of you. TOM: Thank you Mother. TOM exits. GRACE and GILBERT look on after him. GRACE: He’s as pig headed as you are. GILBERT: I’m afraid you’re right dear. GRACE: Why couldn’t he have inherited just a little of my frailty? GILBERT: He gets his courage from you. Music, GILBERT and GRACE exit.

PART 1 Scene 8 SYLVIA and DAVID enter in a huddle as if hiding under the stairs. The sound of an air raid warningvery early morning on Monday September 4 1939

DAVID: Ow! I can’t see a bloody thing. I need to turn a light on. SYLVIA: Well you can't it's a blackout. DAVID: Keep your voice down. SYLVIA: Why? DAVID: They might hear us. SYLVIA: Who? DAVID: The Germans. SYLVIA: They’re either flying very low or they’ve got bloody good hearing. DAVID: Well I don’t know – they’ve maybe got devices. Secret bits of machinery for listening to us. SYLVIA: If they’re that clever we’ve no chance. DAVID: Or they could have things planted in the house to hear us with. SYLVIA: Why would they want to plant things in our house? DAVID: They might have put them in everybody’s house. SYLVIA: Who? DAVID: The Germans!! SYLVIA: When was the last time a German was in this house?

DAVID: They’ve got spies haven’t they? SYLVIA: Alright, when was the last time we had a German spy in the house? DAVID: We wouldn’t know he was a spy would we? Thats the whole point. SYLVIA: Nobody ever comes here anyway. DAVID: Stan Donaldson was here the other day to help Dad mend the guttering. SYLVIA: I don’t think’s he’s one. To be honest if I was going to employ a spy I wouldn’t choose one with a wooden leg. It wouldn’t allow for a speedy get - away that’s for sure.

DAVID: I was round there once when his landlord knocked on the door for the rent. He moved bloody quick then. So what was up with Pump water?

SYLVIA: Who? DAVID: Tommy the bank clerk SYLVIA: You, mostly – the way you talked to him! DAVID: Yeh, well he’s always poking his nose in SYLVIA: No he’s not! I bring him home for tea and all you can do is have a lot off. DAVID: So why did he go off like that? SYLVIA: It’s complicated. DAVID: Is he joining up? SYLVIA: He won’t have a choice now. Silence

DAVID: Nothing’s happened yet. SYLVIA: Count your blessings. DAVID: We are in the safest place aren’t we? SYLVIA: Course we are. DAVID: So what do we do now? SYLVIA: Wait. DAVID: Wait for bombs to drop? SYLVIA: Ssh! DAVID: I can hear your breathing. SYLVIA: Thats a relief. DAVID: I mean your breathing’s shakey. SYLVIA: I’m scared!! DAVID: Yeah......so we just wait then? (pause) How long’s it going to takSYLVIA: Oh David I don’t bloody know! DAVID: No need to shout. I only asked. Silence DAVID: It’s a false alarm it’s got to be. SYLVIA: I‘m not going anywhere yet. DAVID: Ah come on. 36

SYLVIA: No! Wait for the ‘all clear’. DAVID: Do you think the German’s have mastered a silent bomb? SYLVIA: I wouldn’t have thought so. DAVID: Maybe we’re both dead and we don’t know it yet. SYLVIA: Does that mean I have to put up with you for all eternity. DAVID: Or maybe you’re a ghost and you’re haunting me? SYLVIA: And Heaven is Hessle Road. Bloody hell. DAVID: I’ve had enough of this. DAVID runs out from the cupboard and pulls SYLVIA with him. SYLVIA: David I said no! The All Clear is sounded DAVID: Is that it? SYLVIA: That was the 'all clear'. DAVID: All that fuss for a false alarm! SYLVIA: Are you complaining, cos I'm not! DAVID: This better not happen every night. Some daft beggar getting over eager with the air raid siren. SYLVIA: Everyone's nervous. DAVID: Aye, maybe. SYLVIA: Aye. Best get back to bed then. 37

DAVID: Yeh SYLVIA: What's matter? DAVID: Do you reckon there is a Heaven? SYLVIA: You what? I don’t know. DAVID: I don’t reckon there is. I reckon there's a boring life and then there’s nowt. SYLVIA: Blimey you look on the bright side don’t you? Pause SYLVIA: Thinking about our Mam? DAVID: No. SYLVIA: Liar. DAVID: Why do you bloody ask then? SYLVIA: You got me there, kid. DAVID: You thinking about pumpwater? SYLVIA: I’ll belt you if you call him that again.....yeh. DAVID: He won’t be going straight away. There’ll be training and that. SYLVIA: Yeh – I know. I just DAVID: I’m joining up SYLVIA: You’re 15! DAVID: When I’m old enough. 38

SYLVIA: Don’t wish your time away. The sound of footsteps is heard. DAVID: The Germans! The pair hide under the table. Unseen MAURICE enters. He shines his torch on them, causing them to jump and bump their heads. MAURICE: What are you doing here? DAVID: We were under stairs. MAURICE: Should have been in shelter. DAVID: False alarm anyway. MAURICE: You should have been in shelter! SYVIA: We were late...we didn’t get organised and I knew if we went under the stairs we’d maybe be alright. MAURICE: You shouldn’t have stayed here. DAVID: I couldn’t find gas masks. SYLVIA: It was my fault. I put them in the wash house. MAURICE: Should have gone anyway. DAVID: There wasn't a bomb! MAURICE: No...no there weren’t. SYLVIA: Do you want some tea? MAURICE: No I’m off to bed. 39

SYLVIA: Aye, right then. MAURICE: Work tomorrow – you too David. DAVID: Aye, I know. MAURICE: If the siren goes, you go. You hear me? DAVID: Aye, right then. MAURICE exits DAVID: I wouldn’t have wanted to be in his shelter. SYLVIA: David. DAVID: Bet it was a right bag of laughs wasn’t it? Bet he kept spirits up with a sing song and a few Jokes. SYLVIA: Don’t be rotten. DAVID: (mock Tommy Handley) It’s that man again! MAURICE: (re-enters) Are you coming up or what? DAVID exits MAURICE: Sylvia! SYLVIA: I’m alright for a minute. MAURICE: Don’t get cold down here. SYLVIA: No........ MAURICE: He’s going in’t he? SYLVIA: What you talking about? 40

MAURICE:Tom. I reckon he had that look about him.. SYLVIA: I don’t know what to think, Dad. MAURICE: I've seen it before on lads' faces. They think they have to go, that it’s their duty.

SYLVIA: Did you have that look before you went? Pause MAURICE: Don’t hang about down here. You’ll need to be up soon MAURICE exits, SYLVIA remains for a while.

PART 1 Scene 9 ‘Riptide’ plays. Soldiers in uniform, including TOM, march on to depart for France. They say goodbye to their sweethearts, but TOM moves away before SYLVIA reaches him. GRACE – in another part of the stage – enters reading a newspaper. The contents alarm her and she rushes off. Churchill’s speech plays - “We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” During the speech SYLVIA and her colleagues from the Smoke House (known as a Fish House on Hessle Road where fish is taken for smoking) enter. SYLVIA’s work requires her to put orange dye on the fish. She dons the overall of the fish house and enjoys a teabreak with her friend BETTY.

PART 1 Scene 10 Caption – MAY 1940 GRACE appears in a light outdoor coat looking distressed. SYLVIA: Mrs Craven? GRACE: I have to know what's happened to him. SYLVIA: Tom? I don't know. GRACE: Please, anything you know, you must tell me. SYLVIA: Mrs. Craven I've heard nothing from Tom since the first day of the war. GRACE: The East Yorkshires are being evacuated. I'm terrified he may be at Dunkirk. SYLVIA: Oh God. GRACE: You must know something! He mentions you constantly in his letters. SYLVIA: I'm ever so sorry but I don't. GRACE: (Distracted by the women’s workwear) What’s that on your aprons? BETTY: Dye. GRACE: Dye? SYLVIA: For the fish before we smoke them. They don't get orange by themselves, do they Betty? BETTY is quietly unimpressed by GRACE’S ignorance. GRACE: Oh I see. So you've heard nothing from Thomas? SYLVIA: Nothing at all. GRACE: But he saw you over Christmas. He would leave the house saying he was going to meet you. 43

SYLVIA: It must have been someone else. GRACE: So you’re not.....together? SYLVIA: No. I think I might have upset him. I’ve thought of coming to see you ....... GRACE: I wished that you had. SYLVIA: I’m not sure if I’d have been welcome. GRACE: I'm trying to find out if my son is still alive. SYLVIA: Sorry. GRACE: The King has asked us all to pray, and why would he do that if he were not afraid? The invasion is surely imminent. SYLVIA: Sit down.

She guides her to some old pallets. GRACE: On that!? SYLVIA: Don’t worry. If you get a splinter in your arse Betty’ll dig it out for you, won’t you Betty? BETTY nods threateningly. GRACE: Most kind. GRACE sprays the pallet with her atomiser and sits. She sprays herself briefly. SYLVIA: Can I get you a cup of tea? There’s usually some on the go. It’ll taste of fish but it’ll be alright.

GRACE: No thank you. SYLVIA silently makes “please leave” gestures to BETTY and her colleagues who take the hint and exit. 44

SYLVIA: There's not really much I can tell you. GRACE: Any reassurance at all would set my mind at rest. SYLVIA: I’ve heard nothing but you never know: no news might be good news. GRACE: I shouldn’t have come. You're not even worried. SYLVIA: I am. Very. GRACE: He told us he loved you and that he wanted to marry you – just before he left. He’s a romantic. He can’t help it – like his mother he has a soul filled with poetry. He’s not equipped to deal with the ravages of war. You broke his heart -

SYLVIA: I didn’t mean to. It was all a mess. GRACE: Oh what does it matter? In a week we could all be dead. SYLVIA: I wouldn't worry. It'll take them longer than that to find Hull now they've got rid of all the road signs.

GRACE: It’s all a joke to you, isn't it? You’re a flighty girl who danced a few dances with a handsome young man.

SYLVIA: Flighty? GRACE: You couldn’t believe your luck. And he fell in love – or he thought he did. And now he’s gone and he may never be back. Can you imagine how that feels? SYLVIA: I’m sorry. GRACE: Is that all you can say? Can you even remember him?.... I daresay you’ve known a dozen men since. SYLVIA grabs GRACE’s arm. She recoils in fear. Both realise they have gone too far. 45

GRACE exits hurredly. Distant sound of artillery.

PART 1 Scene 11 MAURICE and DAVID seated at the table. DAVID: It were nowt. MAURICE: Nicking another bike! DAVID: I’ve ...what’s the word....reckoned it. MAURICE: Requisitioned!? DAVID: Aye, it’s part of my volunteering. If communications fail I’ve got to take messages on me bike. DAVID starts laying the table with cutlery. MAURICE: You’ve got to own a bike first. DAVID: Well now I do. MAURICE: Give it back. DAVID: It’s needed for the war effort. Besides it had just been dumped . MAURICE: Just dump it back where you found it. DAVID: Aye I will later. Pause MAURICE: They’ve been asking for all sorts of boats to go. There’s trawlers gone an’ all. DAVID: Trawlers? They must be bloody desperate. MAURICE: They’re as tough a boat as any other. DAVID: Aye, so you say. MAURICE: A trawler has to be suitable for all seas, it has to weather storms, go through ice fields and that. They're sending them as minesweepers now you know? 47

DAVID: Oh aye? MAURICE: Are you listening? They're picking up lads at Dunkirk beach and trawler's just the job for that; once you clear the deck of the trawl you’ve got an open space where 20 or 30 men can stand.

DAVID: Bloody interesting, this, Dad.

MAURICE: If it’s been adapted as a minesweeper - it’ll probably be fitted with anti aircraft guns too, here see He explains his theory by use of a diagram. SYLVIA interrupts. SYLVIA: He's being evacuated. DAVID: Who is? SYLVIA: Victor Sylvester, who do you bloody think? SYLVIA searches in the table drawer for her papers for travel and money. MAURICE: What are you doing? SYLVIA: His mother reckons he's been in Dunkirk. MAURICE: Does she know for sure? SYLVIA: No. I’m going to London to try and find him. MAURICE: That's about the daftest ideaSYLVIA: That's where they'll bring them to isn't it? MAURICE: Aye, but you can't just SYLVIA: I’m going Dad, there's no arguments. 48

MAURICE: You shouldn't use trains unless the journey's essential. SYLVIA: This is essential. I'm going to need some money. MAURICE: I haven’t got it to burn. SYLVIA: Dad! Reluctantly he passes her some notes. MAURICE: It'll take you hours to get down there and you’ve no idea where he might be. DAVID: Old pumpwater’ll be alright, I reckon. He’s so wet the bullets’ll slide off him. SYLVIA: One more word from you and I’ll shove this fork right up your snivelling arse. DAVID: Dad, tell her! MAURICE: Just give the fork a wipe afterwards. Sylvia. SYLVIA: And another thing – you blackout the house tonight cos Dad’s on duty. Understand? DAVID: Aye. SYLVIA looks at both of them and exits DAVID gets up and starts tidying MAURICE: What you doing? DAVID: I’m putting the bloody forks away. Pause DAVID: Dun’t seem real. Any of this. MAURICE: It’s real enough lad. 49

DAVID: Only reason I know there’s a war on is cos I’m not eating as much for tea. And a lot of lads who used to live around here don’t anymore. But nowt much has changed has it? And like, we evacuated the bairns out to the countryside but they’ve come back because bugger all has happened.

MAURICE: Let me show you something.

MAURICE draws a map of Britain in his notepad and uses it during this next speech to explain to DAVID.

MAURICE: You see we’re here – the nearest major port to Germany. And we’ve got Gas works, water works, Sculcoates Power station and an oil refinery at Saltend. And we’ve got six docks. They’ll bomb London and the ports, and if I’m right Liverpool and us are really going to get it. If its foggy or planes haven’t enough fuel to get to Liverpool then we’ll get what they don’t. They’re coming right enough David, sooner or later. They’ll be here lad.

Urgent music and distant artillery

PART 1 Scene 12

SYLVIA is at GRACE’s house

SYLVIA: I want a word with you. I'm sorry! I shouldn't have got mad with you but you were very rude to me. GRACE: I may have forgotten myself momentarily. I, too, must apologise. SYLVIA: Thank you. GRACE: But I've no time to chat. Gilbert stock takes this time of year; it gives me chance to spring clean.

SYLVIA: You told me that I didn’t remember him. He has a freckle on his nose and he folds his arms when he’s made up his mind. Left arm over right. He hunches his shoulders when he’s nervous or can’t think of the right words to say. He whistles and he sings, horribly out of tune which doesn’t stop him from trying either. I’m worried sick and I’ve been worried sick since he left. So yes, Mrs Craven I do remember him. And what’s more I’m going to find him.

SYLVIA exits hurriedly. GRACE, deeply moved by SYLVIA's words but terribly anxious starts to pray.

PART 1 Scene 13 A train whistle indicates that SYLVIA is catching a train. Silence. The sound of a plane in the distance. GRACE looks up. Air raid siren. GRACE prays with greater urgency. GILBERT joins her on the stage. GILBERT: It's the worst sound of all and I thought I'd forgotten it. Incoming enemy fire. A huge explosion leads us into hellish chaos in Dunkirk, King’s Cross Station and Hull. A waltz plays under. GRACE exits leaving GILBERT to observe the air raid in Hull. In London wounded soldiers and exhausted nurses limp on wearily. They attempt to hold each other up. From the shadows THOMAS emerges in uniform with his rifle. He is terrified on the beach at Dunkirk talking to another soldier (unseen). TOM: Jesus Christ. We need to get out of here. Mother‘ll be pleased to know I’ve been to the beaches of France. I was never allowed to tell people we went to Scarbrough for our holidays. (spots incoming danger) We can't stay here! An explosion and machine gunfire sends TOM to the ground. He stands and sees his friend, dead. TOM: I'm sorry pal, sorry to leave you, your blood in the sand. "Blood and sand", I remember you saying that Dad. "Blood and Sand, Grace what's wrong with Scarborough?" Another huge explosion. A military nurse joins TOM in Dunkirk and supports him. He has been wounded. GILBERT: Lord keep my son safe, and watch over him this night (exits) A train whistle and SYLVIA emerges into King’s Cross Station. As she tries to communicate with the nurses and soldiers they rush/march past her, sporadically collapsing onto one another. No one acknowledges her. SYLVIA: Excuse me.....excuse me....I’m looking for a Thomas Craven...... Private Thomas Craven ...... 52

TOM: If I ever get off this beach, Sylvie, I'll come home and dance with you forever and never tread on your toes again, I promise. SYLVIA: Private Thomas Craven. He’s with the East Yorkshire’s. Please have you seen him? TOM: I love you, Sylvie. SYLVIA: Excuse me....please.......he’s with the East Yorkshire’s. But do you think you might have seen him? I’ve come a long way, please can you help me find him?

The music starts to reach its crescendo. The nurses and TOM waltz off in a Danse Macabre. The soldiers march off, blank faced and robotic. SYLVIA is left alone to slowly return home.

PART 1 Scene 14 The scene reverts to DAVID at home with SYLVIA sat at the table. DAVID: You’re back then? Did you find him? SYLVIA: Course I bloody didn't. I got down there and just wandered about. How was I ever going to find him when there's God knows how many troops there? SYLVIA: Poor buggers, looked more like tramps. Dead from the ankles up most of them. And their faces - white and filthy like old paper. DAVID: Where were they going? SYLVIA: They'd come back! From Dunkirk. I don't see how we can stop Hitler now. MAURICE enters. MAURICE: You're back then? SYLVIA: You two are more alike than you know. MAURICE: Did you find him? SYLVIA: He might have walked past me 100 times but I wouldn’t know it. MAURICE: I knew you wouldn’t. DAVID: What time is it? MAURICE: Just after 7. DAVID: I'd best be off. SYLVIA: Me too. Can’t miss another day. Fish House'll wonder what I'm playin' at. MAURICE: You’re tired out. SYLVIA: I’ll be right. DAVID: There's tea in the pot Dad. MAURICE: Aye. DAVID: How were it? MAURICE: Yeh. No one dead. SYLVIA: No one dead? How were what? 54

MAURICE: I’m off to Stan's allotment, he's letting me have a couple of lettuces. SYLVIA: How were what!? MAURICE: We had a raid here last night. SYLVIA: Oh God! MAURICE: It were nowt. And his cucumbers are coming through now. DAVID: It'll be nice to have some'at fresh. MAURICE: He’s got strawberries coming through as well has Stan. He’s doing well with it. SYLVIA: Where was it? MAURICE: Field in Marfleet Road, few houses in Buckingham Street. Pause DAVID: Maybe that'll be the end of it. MAURICE: It won't.........Aye, he’s got all sorts has Stan. Pause DAVID: Do you reckon we’ll have to talk German if they win? MAURICE: They’ll have a job on round here if we do. SYLVIA: If you’d seen what I’ve seen you might want to get yourself a phrase book. DAVID: I'll think on that then. Ta ra. DAVID exits SYLVIA: Oh, God what was I thinking? I should've been on the ambulances last night - and there was a raid! I'm a stupid cow, going all that way. 8 hours - train packed with soldiers, thousands of 'em and I was only looking for one. Don't mind me, I'll get myself sorted. MAURICE: Sylvie..... I’ve been thinking a lot about your mam.......she used to get anxious. Last few days, you’ve reminded me of her. I could never fettle her.....she worried herself about owt. And I see you......and I know you’re worried love, but you have to try to get topside of it or it’ll kill you like it did her. SYLVIA: Right. MAURICE: Don’t go racing off to work yet. Just sit a bit. 55

MAURICE exits SYLVIA sits at the table and falls asleep.

PART 1 Scene 15 TOM appears in the doorway. He makes his way carefully to the table. As he reaches it, SYLVIA senses him and wakes up. TOM: You going to sit on your arse all day then? SYLVIA seizes TOM and kisses him. Then pushes him away SYLVIA: You're a thoughtless bastard, going off without a word! TOM: I’m sorry. SYLVIA: You could have written. You could have told me you were alright. TOM: You didn’t want me to. SYLVIA: I never said that. And your leave? When you were on leave your mother thought you were coming to see me. TOM: Aye thats what I told her. I went to the Westwood. Just walked. Kept hoping you might turn up. SYLVIA: I didn’t want to come by myself. TOM: I didn't want to come here in case you weren't bothered. SYLVIA: Not bothered!? I’ve been down in bloody London. TOM: What did you go there for? SYLVIA: I thought I’d do a bit of sight seeing. You know, watch the changing of the guard, pop up to Buck House and swap knitting patterns with Princess Lizzie. What the hell do you think I came down for? To find you. TOM: They took us up to Andover first. I’ve got a bit of leave now. SYLVIA: So you must have got back just as I went tearing off. I’m an idiot. TOM: You are a bit. SYLVIA: I bloody must be – going after you! TOM: I’m ever so glad that you did. SYLVIA: Are you? 57

TOM: Of course I am. I missed you, missed you all the time. Kept thinking about you. Wondering if you still go dancing and who with. SYLVIA: I go to work, I get home. Then I work on the ambulances. TOM is confused. SYLVIA: (explaining) Everyone has to volunteer. TOM: And David? SYLVIA: He’s a runner. If communications fail, he has to take messages. TOM: Bloody hell. Is he staying out of trouble? SYLVIA: Aye, mostly. Growing up a bit at last. TOM: That’s good. And your Dad? SYLVIA: Dad’s Dad. He’s alright. TOM: I wondered if you’d started seeing anyone else. SYLVIA: I’ve had offers. TOM: Oh have you? SYLVIA: Trawlermen asking a girl for a kiss and a dance. The usual. It’s a laugh but its not what I want. TOM: What do you want? SYLVIA: A house in Pearson Park, what do you think? TOM: I love you, Sylvia. SYLVIA: I love you too, Tom. There, I’ve said it. Are you happy now? TOM: Yeh, I am. Very. He stands to embrace her, but winces and gasps in obvious pain. SYLVIA: You okay? TOM: It’s alright. SYLVIA: What happened? TOM: I got a bit of shrapnel on the beach. It’s sorted. I’ve to be a bit careful but it’ll mend. 58

SYLVIA: Let me look. TOM: Just.....no, Sylv. It’s a bit of shrapnel, that’s all. Other lads....got a lot worse. SYLVIA: You alright? TOM: Yeh I’m fine. SYLVIA: You’re not are you? He is becoming distressed. TOM: It's just that.. when I was on the beach I thought I was going to die. SYLVIA: But you didn’t TOM: No, just listen. ...listen. When I was there.......there was this lad. I was walking beside him one minute and then he was ....you know in the sand. And maybe there was a girl waiting for him at home.......And I thought of you..... I never wanted anything as much as to see your pretty face and feel you near me. And I shouldn't have stayed away, I should have come round here and I'm sorry, Sylvie, I'm that sorry.

He completely breaks down. SYLVIA: But you came home Tom. You came home to me didn’t you?

PART 1 Scene 16 There is the sound of the air raid siren and we see MAURICE in his role as an ARP warden ushering people to safety. Then the All Clear.

PART 1 Scene 17 We are in the Central Library, where GRACE works part time. SYLVIA has received a letter from TOM and has taken it to GRACE. A couple is sitting reading at the table.

SYLVIA: I thought you might like to see this. GRACE: Very thoughtful, although I received one too. SYLVIA: I’ve crossed out the rude bits in mine. GRACE: I beg your pardon? SYLVIA: I’m joking. GRACE: It's very kind fo you to come and see me during your lunch hour. SYLVIA: Dinner. SYLVIA: Anyway, he says that he’s pleased that I’m seeing more of you and Gilbert... Mr Craven GRACE: So he does. SYLVIA: See this bit here... he calls us the two most important women in his life. GRACE: A kind thought but I wished he’d use the word ‘lady’. Pause SYLVIA: Do you think he knows how bad things are getting here? GRACE: I hope not. He has enough to think about. SYLVIA: There were six killed in Gipsyville last night. GRACE: I'd heard. Gilbert keeps trying to persuade me to leave the city in the evenings. SYLVIA: There's plenty that do. GRACE: I've made it clear to him: I'm not sleeping in a field. Silence SYLVIA: Funny isn’t it? How people read books. GRACE: What else should they do with them? SYLVIA: No...I mean – just coming in here and getting out books and that, as if nothing’s happened.

GRACE: They aren’t. A lot more romantic fiction goes out these days. People lose themselves in stories. SYLVIA: Gives them some'at to do in the shelters too I suppose. GRACE: Quite. SYLVIA: I’ve enough on reading Tom’s letters. GRACE: Yes, a little longer than the ones he sends me. SYLVIA: He hasn’t known me for as long there’s more to tell me. Pause Over Christmas did he say much to you. How he's getting on. GRACE: Nothing really. He told me that his sergeant says that he runs like a fat girl with Piles. (louder) I thought that a distinctly unmilitary comment. The lady of the couple at the table slams her book down in annoyance. They leave, disgusted.

SYLVIA: Yeh he tells me all the silly stuff too – jokes lads play on each other but nothing else.

GRACE: What else do you want to know? SYLVIA: I'm not sure butGRACE: His father was at the Western Front for two years. He spoke not a word of it then and hasn’t since. Tom will be the same. Sinister music starts.

PART 1 Scene 18

Nightfall. A man enters. As he waits, DAVID starts to walk past. He’s dressed in the uniform of a messenger. He’s now nearly 17. The man is BRIAN.

BRIAN: Oi. David. DAVID: What? BRIAN: What you up to? DAVID: Bloody hell. Look what the cat spewed up. BRIAN: Yeh, love the uniform - messenger boy! DAVID: Thought you’d be wearing a prison one. BRIAN: Don’t be daft, they’d have to catch me first. DAVID: Yeh well I haven’t got time to chat. BRIAN: I’ve got some'at for you. DAVID: What you talking about? BRIAN: When a shop gets hit in a raid, you get in quick and nick a load of stuff. Look at this. He opens his coat to reveal stockings and other ‘loot’. DAVID: How do you get all that? BRIAN: By being as quick as a flash and knowing where they keep the good stuff. DAVID: You could get yourself killed. BRIAN: Nah not me –too swift on me feet. DAVID: Yeh – good luck. BRIAN: Hang about. You could get a bit of the action if you liked. Listen I’m making a fortune on the black market.

DAVID: How much? BRIAN: No kidding, more in a week than I used to make in a month. DAVID: Doing what, you’ve never worked? 63

BRIAN: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done plenty of jobs. DAVID: What do you want me to do? BRIAN: When you're doing your little messenger boy bit during the raids keep a look out for shop windows getting broken and nip in there sharpish. And then let me know about it. I won't be far away. What do you think?

The air raid siren sounds DAVID: I think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost it Brian. If you ever had it to lose (exits). BRIAN: Take a risk, David, be a man for once. (takes out a cigarette) Think about it. Might see you later.

PART 1 Scene 19 The sound of bombs falling, still at some distance but getting closer. MAURICE is in his ARP uniform ushering people to the shelter. One young woman runs past him in the opposite direction. SYLVIA enters. MAURICE: (to young woman) Oi, where do you think you’re going? WOMAN: Back for me Mam’s false teeth. MAURICE: False..? Get in shelter, they’re dropping bombs not meat pies! DAVID runs on to join MAURICE and SYLVIA

SYLVIA: David, where the hell have you been? DAVID: I’m here now aren’t I? SYLVIA: You should have got here sooner. MAURICE: There’s a mist in the air. We’re for it now. DAVID: Thanks, Mr Gloom. SYLVIA: I have to get to the ambulances. MAURICE: Get in shelter. SYLVIA: But I need to get out there. DAVID: I might be needed too. SYLVIA: Get in there David. DAVID: But they might need messengers – SYLVIA: The last thing they need is you getting in the way. Get down there!

Another explosion, closer. DAVID exits during the distraction SYLVIA: God I hope they don’t drop anymore. I can't see shelter holding up if they do. MAURICE: That depends on the proximity of the blast and size of bomb. SYLVIA: You what? 65

MAURICE: If the blast happens near enough, it’s possible that that the walls could shake down. Those walls are made of 14” wide brick but the roof is made of concrete.

SYLVIA: Dad, Dad!!! Where’s David gone. Where is he?? Another bomb, closer still. MAURICE: Get in the shelter!! David? David?! SYLVIA tries to exit to find DAVID but is bundled into the shelter by two of her friends. MAURICE: (sees approaching plane) Jesus… Jesus… Oh Jesus Christ! A final bomb that feels like a direct hit.

Blackout.

Siren slowly winds down.

END OF ACT ONE

PART TWO: May 1941 – June 1944

ACT TWO PART 2 Scene 1 In the middle of the air raid. DAVID is talking to an ARP warden. The sound is overwhelming and we can only just hear the dialogue.

POLICEMAN: Now listen; communications are down so you and your bike will have to do. We can’t use phones, radios or owt like that. We need more fire crews at Jameson Street and Prospect Street – we’re going to have to take some away from the docks. It’s getting out of hand here. Can you get there sharpish?

DAVID: Course I can. POLICEMAN: Hang on a minute. DAVID: What? POLICEMAN: Come straight back here afterwards. It’s going to be a long night. DAVID: Right. Is that it? POLICEMAN: Go on. Pedal like buggery. As DAVID is about to cycle off someone jumps out and grabs the back of his bike. It is BRIAN.

BRIAN: Come on! Hammonds has taken a hit. We can help ourselves. DAVID: Get off me bike Brian! BRIAN:You’ve never seen owt like it! DAVID: I’ve got to get a message to Prospect Street. BRIAN: I’m going in! BRIAN and DAVID tussle as BRIAN tries to get in the building. He shakes DAVID off and moves to the doorway. There is an explosion and BRIAN is knocked onto his back. DAVID is also knocked down but not out. He stirs and spots BRIAN lying unconscious in the doorway. DAVID: Brian! 67

With great difficulty DAVID pulls BRIAN to safety. BRIAN comes round.

BRIAN: Thanks Dave. DAVID: You alright? BRIAN: Aye, my head hurts a bit… Never mind that. Let's go back and nick some stuff! DAVID looks at BRIAN a moment and then with a massive swing of his fist knocks him to the floor. Two first aiders enter and look on, stunned.

DAVID: I think he’s had a relapse. DAVID exits The music swells then fades out and there is a sense of a weary re-establishment of order.

PART 2 Scene 2 The family – MAURICE, SYLVIA and DAVID gather in the kitchen. No one says anything.At length MAURICE breaks the silence

MAURICE: I baked some bread. SYLVIA: Did you? MAURICE: Aye, thought it would go further like. SYLVIA: I’m not that hungry. MAURICE: No, I’m not. DAVID: I am. MAURICE and SYLVIA glare at DAVID DAVID: I’ll maybe get some’at later SYLVIA: I could murder a drink of tea though. MAURICE: Aye, make a fresh pot Sylvia. She doesn’t move. DAVID: No chance of any toast is there? MAURICE: Good job we’re electric. Gas has gone. SYLVIA starts to nod off. MAURICE: Ey, ey. Get to bed. SYLVIA: I’m alright. MAURICE: D’you hear about him and Brian? SYLVIA: You could have left him in there for me. DAVID: Is that all you can say? SYLVIA: No, you did alright kid. MAURICE: What did that copper say to you? DAVID: Just, 'well done' and that. MAURICE: Took a long time about saying it. 69

DAVID: Aye. MAURICE: What else did he want? DAVID: Nowt. SYLVIA: David? DAVID: Alright! Turns out it was his bike I nicked. Gradually both MAURICE and SYLVIA start to laugh. SYLVIA: Only you could nick a copper’s bike. DAVID: He let me off. Said I could keep it! Laughter subsides. SYLVIA: Prudential got hit. DAVID: I’d heard that. Tower’s still standing. MAURICE: Not for long. DAVID: Solid tower is that. MAURICE: It isn’t. The bombs will have compromised the structure of the buildling. He takes out his notepad but SYLVIA says:SYLVIA: Not now Dad. We pulled six out of there. MAURICE: We’ll pull out more before we’ve done. SYLVIA: They thought they’d be alright, sheltering in Prudential.

MAURICE: I’m back there later. We’ll have to make a tunnel I reckon. It’s a case of getting the right balance between the struts and the trusses. It can take 10 hours to clear a building like that.

DAVID: And all the others. I can’t see anyone getting out of Prospect Street alive. SYLVIA suddenly rises. DAVID: What? SYLVIA: I need to go back.

PART 2 Scene 3 GRACE enters with GILBERT’s jacket around her shoulders. SYLVIA gently approaches her.

SYLVIA: He was stock taking wasn’t he? This time of year, that’s what he does, you said so. GRACE: You have a good memory. SYLVIA: What’s happened? GRACE: He didn’t get to the shelter. They pulled him out an hour ago. They told me he wouldn’t have known a thing.

SYLVIA: No. GRACE: What if that isn’t true? What if he did know a thing and was frightened and I wasn’t there? SYLVIA: Don't. GRACE: I have to try to remember every day I spent with him. You have to help me do that. SYLVIA: I didn’t know him that well. GRACE: You remembered so much about Thomas. All his little ways, all his habits. I have to try to remember everything about Gilbert. Just like you did.

SYLVIA: Let's get you inside.

GRACE: And you knew all that from so little time. I knew Gilbert for 30 years and I’m not sure I made those same observations. His smile, his shoulders shrugging...I don’t know.

SYLVIA: Don’t do this now, come inside. GRACE: It’s not safe inside. SYLVIA: It is now. They’ve sounded the all clear. GRACE: Sometimes I think he stayed out so long just to avoid me. SYLVIA: No. GRACE: ‘I’m just popping out for a minute’ he’d say. He’d take an hour. Always found something to do. A rose needed pruning, a weed pulling, he’d call in for a paper, he just needed to tinker with the 71

car. ‘I just need to stock take’. (gathering herself) You’ve been very kind but I’m afraid I can’t stand and talk. There’s much to do.

SYLVIA: Have a rest first Grace. GRACE: There’s no time to rest! Others have suffered loss too; I am only one of many . SYL VIA: Does Tom know yet? GRACE: Tom...I need Thomas. He’s the head of the family now. TOM enters in uniform with a black armband SYLVIA: I’ll get a message to him. We’ll bring him home. GRACE: He can’t be dead. He’s my heart! GRACE exits

PART 2 Scene 4 The aftermath of GILBERT’s funeral. TOM and SYLVIA at the graveside.

TOM: She’s lost without him. SYLVIA: She’s a strong woman. TOM: Not as strong as she pretends to be. SYLVIA: Was ‘Fight the good Fight’ her idea? TOM: Definitely his. And he didn’t mean the war either. SYLVIA: She can’t complain at the turnout. TOM: All these people , they’re more acquaintances than friends. Townswomen’s Guild. Staff at the library. Mum and Dad didn’t socialise much.

SYLVIA: They’ve turned up. It counts at a time like this. And anyway, she always gives the impression of being – I don’t know -

TOM: Well connected? I know. It’s all rubbish. She was convinced her Uncle Cedric was royalty. He claimed to be the illegitimate son of Edward V11.

SYLVIA: I’d laugh if it turned out to be true. TOM: He looked more like Stan Laurel. Dad told me he was a con man. I always thought Dad had been a disappointment to her – until now. He had his little shop in the city, his house here in Hessle and us and thats all he ever wanted. Seeing her the last few days has made me realise thats all she ever wanted too. Now she’s lost him and I’m not sure it matters how strong she is.

SYLVIA: It matters. Seen it at work; you know, girls who’ve had the telegram. Some carry on almost as if nowt’s happened. Some just collapse. Better to be strong I reckon.

TOM: There’s such a lot I wanted to say to him. When I was studying for my school cert he’d put his head round the bedroom door and say ‘Are you winning Tom?’ Always ‘Are you winning?’ And I’d get a bit irritated and say ‘I’m fine Dad’ and he’d bustle off again. And I wish... I could just go back and say ‘You know what Dad, let’s you and me have a cup of tea and I’ll forget about studying for one day’. Can't turn the clock back. 73

SYLVIA: Yeh but no one ever talks to their parents like that do they? My Dad hardly ever talks about Mum. TOM: Neither do you. SYLVIA: Not much to tell. TOM: How did she die? SYLVIA: She was always bad with her nerves. Always fretting about this or that. One Friday afternoon, she was fine, Saturday morning she’s in a fever and Monday morning she’s dead from pneumonia. Me Gran kept telling me and David that Mam had gone to a better place. David was only six and asked me if she meant Beverley. Monday afternoon, Dad goes back to work and David and me go back to school.

TOM: It must have been tough. SYLVIA: It was alright. TOM: Has your Dad finished that boat yet? SYLVIA: Oh aye his model. TOM: I reckon I’m marrying into a family that’s even weirder than mine. SYLVIA: Are you? TOM: Sounds like it? SYLVIA: Was that a proposal? TOM: I don’t know. I said it without thinking really. Sorry. But actually, yeh, I suppose it was. SYLVIA: It was a shit proposal. TOM: Alright then I’ll do it properly. He starts to get down on one knee. SYLVIA: No, love, don’t. TOM: Isn’t it what you want? SYLVIA: The night your Dad died I pulled six bodies out of the building you used to work in. My Dad went back with a team and spent the day pulling out 10 more. What’s the point in making plans?

TOM: We have to. I’ll bloody go mad without a future to think about. 74

SYLVIA: I want to live for now though. Don’t you? Can we go somewhere? Please? It takes a moment for him to realise what she means. TOM: It’s my Dad’s funeral. SYLVIA: I’m sorry. TOM: No it’s fine. SYLVIA: I just want to feel alive. TOM: Maybe we could....later. SYLVIA: No love. No, I’m not thinking. We need to get back to your Mam. They leave. PART 2 Scene 5 The sound of the All Clear. MAURICE is in the street outside his shelter saying goodnight to those under his watch. Apart from MAURICE, there are ordinary people from Hull. There’s a young couple – he’s on leave, an older couple,, a professional gentlemen – a cross section of the community. MAURICE is finally left with a young mother who cradles a small baby close to her. He smiles at her. Suddenly he is transfixed to a point on the horizon. As he stands and stares we become – almost imperceptibly aware of the drone of a lone bomber. With mounting horror he watches as it heads straight for them at rooftop level, machine gun strafing the streets. As the noise grows MAURICE shouts:MAURICE: Down! Get down!!! A bomb is dropped ear-ringingly close and all three are thrown to the ground.

As MAURICE comes to he hears the sound of a baby crying, weakly. He checks the mother - dead. Very carefully, he picks up the baby. The crying stops. He looks at the bundle again, sees the blood, listens for a breath; there isn’t one. MAURICE pulls the bundle to him tightly.

PART 2 Scene 6 MAURICE’S house. SYLVIA and DAVID. The model boat is broken. SYLVIA: How could you be so bloody careless? DAVID: I wasn’t careless! I was groping around in the dark trying to find my coat. SYLVIA: God knows what he’s going to say. DAVID: He won’t say anything. He never does. SYLVIA: I reckon he might this time. You know how much time he spent on it. DAVID: Oh I know! Any spare minute he’s got; it’s pathetic. SYLVIA: Give over calling him that! DAVID: Will you listen to yourself? I should be scared of me dad because I’ve trod on his boat. Any night of the bloody week we might get a 500lb bomb on our heads and you tell me I should watch out cos I might get a bollocking from my Dad. Bloody hell.

SYLVIA: Alright! DAVID: Stop treating me like a bairn Sylvia. I’m not your little brother anymore. SYLVIA: I’m not. I’m just saying Dad might be upset. DAVID: Aye well, I can’t help that. SYLVIA: Are you going to tell him? DAVID: He’ll see it for himself. SYLVIA: I don’t mean that. I’m talking about you joining up. DAVID: I'm still thinking about that. SYLVIA: You're not old enough! DAVID: Other lads have gone. SYLVIA: You wouldn’t have told me if I hadn’t seen you walk into the recruitment office. DAVID: We’ve not been brought up to be great talkers, let’s face it. SYLVIA: He’s done his best. DAVID: You always have to stick for him, don't you? Picking up the model and then throwing it down For Christ’s sake, bloody toy boats!! 76

MAURICE enters unseen, dazed.

SYLVIA: Leave him alone. He deserves a hobby. DAVID: What, playin’ about with bits of wood!? SYLVIA: This boat meant a lot to him. DAVID: Bloody pity we don’t. SYLVIA: That’s not fair. DAVID: Well it isn’t normal is it? A man of 50 bloody odd sitting and whittling away at a piece of wood.

SYLVIA: It’s his way of relaxing. DAVID: Why doesn’t he go down the pub like anyone else?

SYLVIA: Because he doesn’t alright? He never has.

DAVID: Aye it’s a bloody shame an’ all. He might be better company if he did. I don’t know. He hasn’t got a word to say to either of us. Well not to me any road. Can’t even look me in the eye most days. I tell you this Sylvia, if you think I’m going to wet my bloody knickers in fear cos I trod on his little toy boat then you’ve got another think coming.

SYLVIA: It’s not a toy. It’s a model. MAURICE drops his helmet on the floor alerting his children to his presence. They leap up and stand nervously. He enters the kitchen and sees the broken model. Despite his previous bravado, DAVID is taken aback.

DAVID: I’m ever so sorry Dad. I trod on her. I was looking for my coat and it was dark. The warning went off and –

SYLVIA and DAVID notice there is something amiss. MAURICE is worryingly quiet.

MAURICE: She was a grand boat, The Trinidad. I was a machine gunner on her. There was a German sub off Whitby suddenly surfaced… and then there’s three of me mates lying in front of me... on the deck, dead... I was stood there frozen. Frightened like a little… And then Terry Dowson slapped me. Big, hard man… No, you’re right. Daft getting upset over a few bits of wood…

MAURICE takes the baby’s blanket from his satchel. It is badly stained with blood. MAURICE: They sounded the all clear. The stupid bastards sounded the all clear. Why would they do that eh? Why would they do that? MAURICE exits leaving SYLVIA and DAVID alone with the wreckage of The Trinidad.

PART 2 Scene 7 Music as GRACE enters in the uniform of a WVS lady The upstage screen shows the silent film shot of King George and Queen Elizabeth during their visit to Hull. She is with TOM at GILBERT’s grave. She tidies it and puts flowers down. TOM watches. Caption – AUGUST 1941

GRACE: His Majesty simply couldn’t have been nicer Gilbert. I was introduced to him as someone who had volunteered following the recent death of her husband. I thought that was perhaps a little more information that His Majesty needed to hear, but he said that he was so sorry for my loss but proud that I was showing a good spirit and fighting back.

TOM: I’m proud of you too. GRACE: Tell him. TOM: I’m proud of her too Dad. GRACE: There is something about His Majesty that is naturally regal, Gilbert. Even if one didn’t know he was a king one would realise that he was someone of high birth. Your Great Uncle Cedric had a similar bearing. TOM: You didn’t mentioned “Stan Laurel” to His Majesty did you?

GRACE: Don’t be ridiculous. I had no desire to remind His Majesty of his grandfather’s indiscretions. TOM: Well it’s a turn up them coming to see what the ‘North east coast town’ looks like. GRACE: Oh Tom… TOM: Big of them I’m sure.

GRACE: It was wonderful that he had time to come and visit us at all with his responsibilities. ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’.

TOM: Did you meet the Queen as well?

GRACE: No, I was spared that. TOM: Would you have preferred Wallis Simpson? 79

GRACE: Please don’t mention that woman’s name in consecrated ground. TOM: I thought Her Majesty looked lovely and – what was it – regal? GRACE: Ghastly little woman, isn’t she Gilbert? Terribly Scottish. Her family drink you know. Famous forit. Did you hear what she said when Buckingham Palace was bombed? ‘Now I can look the East End in the face’. She was at Windsor Castle at the time – more’s the pity.

TOM: She’s no worse than any of the rest of them. I don’t see what you’ve got against her. GRACE: I can only explain by recourse to poetry:I do not like thee, Doctor Fell, The reason why - I cannot tell; But this I know, and know full well, I do not like thee, Doctor Fell.

(referring to the grave) There, thats looking better, isn’t it?

TOM: Yes, much. Did you want a moment alone?

GRACE: No, no I don’t think so. We must all bear up; (weakening) I had thirty wonderful years....even if he didn’t.

TOM: He was the happiest man I knew. GRACE: It’s kind of you to say so. TOM: You’re doing wonderfully well. GRACE: Shall we go? TOM: I’m on my way to Sylvia’s. GRACE: I see. TOM: Don’t be resentful, please. GRACE: I’m not...it’s just when you’re here it makes such a difference. 80

TOM: I know. GRACE: I’m sorry I shouldn’t burden you with this. Of course you want to be with Sylvia. TOM: The thing is, her Dad’s not well. GRACE: Poor man. TOM: He pulled a baby out of an air raid. The baby died... GRACE: Dreadful. TOM: Then you should understand. GRACE: I do. Of course I do. I’m sure it’s very difficult for him. TOM: Why don’t you come too? GRACE: Me? TOM: Yes. It’ll be a chance to get to know them better. GRACE: I wouldn’t wish to be an inconvenience. TOM: You wouldn’t be. The family are always asking after you. GRACE: How awfully nice of them.

PART 2 Scene 8 The scene is in MAURICE’s house. He is in his pyjamas and his mind is clearly elsewhere. There is an untouched bowl of soup in front of him. SYLVIA is wiping the table and chattering energetically.

SYLVIA: It’s all go at the fish house – as usual. Bernice thought she’d lost her dog during the raid on Scarborough Street, but it turned up next morning right as rain. Sheila keeps going on about her bairns and how she can’t live without them and she’s going to get them back; then another bomb drops and then she starts going about how glad she is that they’re evacuated to Pocklington. (MAURICE continues to stare into space) Dawn’s leg dropped off and it turns out Freda’s a German spy and has been entertaining the Nazi high command – as well as half the men off Hessle Road... You’re not listening are you?

MAURICE: How did Dawn’s leg drop off? Has she got leprosy? SYLVIA: No just a nasty case of impetigo. That was a joke, Dad. And Freda’s not a German spy. But she does entertain more than half the menfolk off Hessle Road.

MAURICE: Nice for the lads to have a bit of comfort when they’re on leave. SYLVIA: You’re back with us then? MAURICE doesn’t answer. SYLVIA: I know something I haven’t told you. Connie Barrass is expecting again. Her third.... Pause MAURICE: It’s alright love. I’m glad for her. SYLVIA: (the soup) Come on Dad. Just try a bit. You’ve got to eat something. (no response) I’ll just leave it here then. TOM and GRACE enter. It’s GRACE’s first time in MAURICE’s house TOM: Hello – only us. Thought we’d see how you are. SYLVIA: Grace - Mrs Craven! What a surprise. We didn’t expect you. GRACE: No... well don’t go to any trouble on my account. SYLVIA: I didn’t. (hisses to TOM) You might have warned me. (Aloud) You’ll have to take us as you find us I’m afraid.

GRACE: It’s a lovely house, Tom. I can’t think why you led me to believe otherwise. And you’ve been most imaginative with your use of space. Very compact.

TOM: Our house isn’t much bigger mother. GRACE: Indeed it isn’t. But you know, if I could make one tiny suggestion..... TOM and SYLVIA loook at her in such a way that she realises she couldn’t. GRACE: No, no, it’s all lovely......Hello, Mr Gibson, I’m sorry to see you’re down in the dumps. MAURICE: I’m alright. TOM: I think you’re looking better Mr Gibson. GRACE: Thomas told me what happened. About the air raid. I’m so very sorry. MAURICE: They’d sounded the all – clear. GRACE: Yes I heard that. Dreadful. Still it must be a comfort to you to have both your children around you. TOM: Have you been out at all? It’s a lovely day. MAURICE doesn’t reply. GRACE: We all have had our crosses to bear. This war has been cruel to so many of us. Heaven knows I’ve not exactly had an easy time of it either. But we have to keep our chins up don’t we? Now, Sylvia’s made you this lovely soup. How about you give it a try?

MAURICE turns to her and sees her as if for the first time. He stands up and, without speaking, leaves the room.

SYLVIA: Mrs Craven, I'm afraid my father’s very unwell. GRACE: Yes I can see that. SYLVIA: You can't expect too much from him at the moment. GRACE: I don't expect anything from him, but he really needs to bear up. SYLVIA: It's not just a case of bearing up. GRACE: Many of us have suffered because of this war. SYLVIA: Oh here we go. 83

GRACE: ‘Here we go’? My husband‘s barely cold in his grave and you tell me ‘here we go’. SYLVIA: I know he is. I came to his funeral, remember. I stayed with you when Tom went back to his regiment. I shopped for you –

GRACE: And told me that I had to carry on, no matter what. And you were right. And I was grateful. SYLVIA: My father’s in shock. It’s not grief. GRACE: Sylvia, you dragged me back to the Library and told me that I needed to look forward and not back. ‘Tough love’ you called it. I can see the love in you my girl, but the toughness is getting decidely wobbly.

SYLVIA: He came home with the blood of a baby on his clothes. I’m not just going to make him cocoa and tell him to pull himself together.

MAURICE enters wearing a jacket over his pyjamas SYLVIA: Dad? What are you doing? MAURICE stands in front of GRACE, almost to attention. GRACE: You look very smart Mr Gibson. MAURICE: I knew your husband. He managed the Fifty Shilling Tailors didn’t he? He tailored this for me when I got wed; when I hadn't two ha’apennies to rub together. He told me what a good fit it was. I daresay a kinder hand never turned a piece of cloth. He was a gentleman, and I’m very sorry for your loss.

He holds out his hand to GRACE who, uncertainly, shakes it. As GRACE, SYLVIA and TOM exit and MAURICE sits the radio comes to life with a Churchill speech:-

“Some months ago I requested the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security and his principal colleagues, the Minister of Health and others, to make every preparation for the autumn and winter war as if we should have to go through the same ordeal as last year, only rather worse. I am sure that everything is being done in accordance with those directions. The shelters are being strengthened, improved, lighted and warmed. All arrangements for fire-control and fire-watching are being improved- perpetually. Many new arrangements are being contrived as a result of the hard experience through which we have passed and the many mistakes which no doubt we have made…” 84

PART 2 Scene 9 Caption – OCTOBER 1942 Paragon Station. The radio broadcast of Churchill plays as more soldiers say goodbye to their sweethearts. DAVID is in uniform with a kitbag. SYLVIA joins him.

SYLVIA: I hate this. DAVID: It’s alright. SYLVIA: I can’t quite get my head around you being a soldier. DAVID: Why not? SYLVIA: You’ve always been such an annoying little pillock. DAVID: You should meet the sergeant. Putting someone in a uniform doesn’t stop them being a pillock.

SYLVIA: I mean you look grown up. (weakening) You’re only a bairn. DAVID: I'm 18! SYLV IA: Burma. Never heard of the place till now. DAVID: Warmer than Hull any road....you’ll say cheerio to him won’t you. SYLVIA: I wish you’d said some'at to him yourself. DAVID: He’s on the mend I reckon. It’d spoil it if I gave him a shock. SYLVIA: He’s still not right. DAVID: He’s never been right. I wouldn’t know what to say to him Sylv. I just wouldn’t. SYLVIA: I’ll think of something. SYLV IA: I’ll miss you. DAVID: Ah you won’t. You’re pleased to see the back of me. SYLVIA: I want a letter a week from you – at least. DAVID: With my handwriting! Are you sure? SYLVIA: I’m sure. DAVID: You’ll not have time to read it with all the ones you get from Tom. 86

SYLVIA: It’ll make a nice change to hear from someone else. DAVID: You having a change of heart? SYLVIA: No, course not. DAVID: I know I wasn't always struck on him but he makes you happy I reckon. SYLVIA: I’m not sure I know what happy is any more. DAVID: Has he done some’at wrong? SYLVIA: No he’s lovely. I just sometimes can’t find the words back. DAVID: Most of the lasses in Hull can’t get their menfolk to say owt. You shouldn’t complain. SYLVIA: Yeh, you’re right. DAVID: Anyway, look on the bright side. Just a matter of time, that’s all. SYLVIA: Is that all? And how much time have any of us got? DAVID: Ey, don’t get like that. Train whistles. SYLVIA: Now listen. You take care of yourself. You’re a daft lad but a good one. And I’d like you to come home much the way you are now.

DAVID: Just as daft? SYLVIA: Just as daft. Steam and an engine whistle. DAVID and SYLVIA hug and DAVID moves away as on a train . She stares after him for a while. She is about to depart the station when a stranger appears. He is on crutches as part of his leg has been amputated.

STRANGER: Sylvia ? SYLVIA: Who wants to know? The STRANGER lifts his head properly and looks her in the eye. SYLVIA: Bloody hell! Brian! What happened to you? BRIAN: I got a girl in trouble. 87

SYLVIA: (looking at his part amputated leg) By God, she didn't half get her own back. BRIAN: I ran off and joined up to get out of it. SYLVIA: You’ll not be doing a lot of running now. BRIAN: No. Jerry artillery at Dieppe put paid to that, the bastard. SYLVIA: How are you copin’? BRIAN: I get by. Living back with my old ma. SYLVIA: You mind you look after her. BRIAN: To be honest she does the looking after. She recognises that he’s a shadow of his former self. BRIAN: We used to get up to some scrapes your kid and me. SYLVIA: From what I hear, he got you out of one and all. BRIAN: He did that. I’d have come and said some’at to him but.. SYLVIA: You should have done. BRIAN: I didn’t want to him to see me like this. SYLVIA: Don’t be daft. BRIAN: He’ll be alright I reckon. I’m not there to screw things up for him. SYLVIA: Long time ago Brian. Different world. BRIAN: Same world, different enemy. I’d best get on. SYLVIA: Why you down here anyway? BRIAN: Some’at to do in’t it? Somewhere to go. Exercise is supposed to be good for me! SYLVIA: Hey, come and see us. When David’s on leave. BRIAN: Aye I might just do that. SYLVIA moves off, BRIAN moves out in the opposite direction..

PART 2 Scene 10 MAURICE is at home; his health is better than before but he's noticeably more edgy. The soup from the previous scene has remained on the table. SYLVIA: Dad. MAURICE: Post’s been. Another two letters. SYLVIA: Great. DadMAURICE: David’s gone hasn’t he? SYLVIA nods MAURICE: I knew he’d been thinking about it. SYLVIA picks up the letter. She opens it looks at it wearily. SYLVIA: I’ve to get ready. I’m on duty for 6. MAURICE: So am I. SYLVIA: I don't think you're well enough. MAURICE: I'm standing aren't I? What’s the news from Tom? SYLVIA: (looking over the letter) No news. Just........same as ever. MAURICE: He’s a good lad - remember that. SYLVIA: (indicating the letter) I'm not likely to forget it. SYLVIA: Did you eat any tea? MAURICE shakes his head. SYLVIA: Can you try? We might as well give back your coupons. I bloody hate to see good food go to waste.

MAURICE: You have it, if you're that bothered.

SYLVIA: No, suit yourself.

MAURICE: David should have said some’at to me.

SYLVIA: Well he didn’t.

MAURICE: Well he should have done.

SYLVIA: (violently) Well he didn’t!! (calmer) He didn’t want to upset you.

MAURICE: It’s upset me more, him not saying owt.

SYLVIA: Do you? Ever say anything to anyone? If he doesn’t say much, I reckon we can all work out where he gets that from.

(pause)

MAURICE: He had that look about him yesterday. SYLVIA: What look?

MAURICE: Guilt. Guilt for being alive; SYLVIA: Don't talk daft. MAURICE: Guilt for being here and not wherever the war is. You see it on their faces; ‘We shouldn’t be here’.

SYLVIA: Wherever the war is!? Would you listen to yourself? How many bodies have we dragged out between us? The war’s here, Dad. Right here in this street and in every bloody street in this city. No one here has owt to feel guilty about; apart from pretending to be cheerful all the time. Making the thumbs up sign to a photographer so that the idiot on the newsreel can call us ‘plucky northerners who are keeping a stiff upper lip’. I tell you Dad If my lip were any stiffer I could do the sodding ironing on it. I mean – sometimes, don’t you just want to kill someone?

MAURICE goes over to her and puts his arms round her.We get the impression that this is not a common occurence.

MAURICE: Funny how it gets you in’t it? SYLVIA: Is it? MAURICE: I couldn’t kill anyone....even when I was supposed to. I’m a coward you see. SYLVIA: You’re not, you’re just not yourself at the minute. MAURICE: I’m a great barrel o’ nowt. SYLVIA: You’re the strongest man I know. MAURICE: I didn’t save the bairn.

SYLVIA: It wasn’t your fault.

MAURICE: You can tell me all you like. SYLVIA: You need to understand it though Dad. (weakening) Please Dad, I need you to be strong again.

MAURICE: Aye. MAURICE picks up his jacket and the tray of soup. SYLVIA picks up the letter. SYLVIA: I don’t see how he gets much soldiering done all those words he writes. MAURICE remains silent. SYLVIA: I just wish he wouldn’t go on. MAURICE: You’d best make up your mind whether you want a man that talks or a man that doesn’t. SYLVIA looks back at the letter and then back at MAURICE. MAURICE makes his way out. Music.

PART 2 Scene 11

Six young women enter with letters and read them with expressions of concern. The screen shows disturbing images of battle. SYLVIA pulls letter after unopened letter out of the table drawer indicating the passage of time to show that we are moving into 1944. April/May Finally as the women exit SYLVIA pulls one last big stack of unopened letters out and exasperatedly sweeps the whole pile back into the drawer. She gathers her belongings and moves into the next scene.

PART 2 Scene 12 Caption – APRIL 1944 Central library. GRACE is sorting books on the trolley as SYLVIA joins her – slightly awkwardly. Eventually GRACE notices her. GRACE: I see less of you these days Sylvia. I hope you are well. SYLVIA: I’m alright. GRACE: You must be relieved there have been no raids recently. SYLVIA: Just take each day as it comes. GRACE: You seem out of sorts. SYLVIA: I don't go to libraries as a rule. GRACE: I don't go to Hessle Road as a rule. Strange times. Thomas hasn’t heard from you. SYLVIA: Since David went there’s only me and Dad at home and..... GRACE: How is he? SYLVIA: Getting there. And you? GRACE: I’m very well, although SYLVIA: It’s 3 years isn’t it? GRACE: Almost to the day. SYLVIA: Is there anything I can do? GRACE: Remember Gilbert in your prayers – if you do pray. SYLVIA: I do. Sort of. If praying is the same as hoping. GRACE: Thomas is home next week. I’m sure he’s told you that. SYLVIA: Often. GRACE: And he writes once a day – sometimes more? SYLVIA: Oh yes, sometimes more. GRACE: Why have you stopped writing to him?

SYLVIA: I don’t know....I just......He pours himself into those letters; it’s like everything he feels rushes out onto the page.

GRACE: He was always a poetic little boy. He could recite the entirety of Tennyson’s 'Charge of the Light Brigade' by the time he was 10.

SYLVIA: David could do a few limericks – mostly filthy. GRACE: Really? SYLVIA: I don’t know what I’m supposed to say back. GRACE: Tell him what he wants to hear. Reassure him. SYLVIA: I’m not sure I can. GRACE: I see. SYLVIA: I don’t mean that. Of course I love him. We’re almost engaged. GRACE: How can you be almost engaged? SYLVIA: We are engaged . GRACE: I suppose the Queen is almost royalty. So what do you mean? SYLVIA: I feel empty. I don’t know what I can give him. I feel like I’ve nothing left. GRACE: You have. When you see him again, you’ll know that you have. SYLVIA: I wish I could be sure. GRACE: You should be pleased that he needs you. SYLVIA: I didn’t mean that I don’t need him back. GRACE: They bombed the Yorkshire Post Building. I can’t say that I’m particularly fond of local newpapers: they seem to feature only rotund aldermen and soap adverts. But the point is they soon started printing it again. Nothing’s changed.

SYLVIA: You can’t say ‘nothing’s changed’. GRACE: We've weathered the storm. SYLVIA: We're not through it yet.

GRACE: The worst is over and we're keeping going. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only way. I have to get on. And, please, if you can, remember Gilbert in your prayers, I would be grateful (exits)

PART 2 Scene 13 A church. Organ music- a hymn - 'Eternal Father strong to save'. SYLVIA stands awkardly, unsure what to do. Six women enter with candles. One of them hands SYLVIA a candle and lights it for her. The women bow their heads in prayer. SYLVIA is uncomfortable. She blows out her candle and exits. The women leave.

PART 2 Scene 14 There is a change of light and we imagine it is now a few days later and SYLVIA is meeting TOM at GRACE's house. TOM: You look lovely. SYLVIA: Oh, I’ll bet. TOM: You do – you always do. It’s good to be back. SYLVIA: Nice to have you back. TOM: Your Dad alright? SYLVIA: Yeah. Yeah, he’s alright. Beat TOM: How’s David? SYLVIA: We haven’t heard much. TOM: It must be a worry for you. SYLVIA: Aye, a bit. Beat TOM: Does he ever write? SYLVIA: He does. .....Not as often as you, mind. TOM: Yours haven’t always been getting through.......I’m not sure they do anyway. SYLVIA: I maybe not send quite so many as you. Pause TOM: That would explain it. SYLVIA: Saw your mother last week. TOM: How did she seem? SYLVIA: Same as ever. Busy. Beat TOM: She’s organising a WVS tea dance this afternoon. 97

SYLVIA: You go if you want to. TOM: I don't. Beat SYLVIA: Is it true that you could recite Charge of the Light Brigade when you were ten? TOM: Why did she tell you that? SYLVIA: She described you as ‘poetic’. Pause TOM: We’re not doing very well are we? SYLVIA: What do you mean? TOM: Talking was never difficult with you. SYLVIA: We’re both tired that’s all. TOM: I thought you'd be better now raids have stopped. SYLVIA: War's not over; they could always start again. TOM: There's something else. SYLVIA: Just leave it, it doesn't matter. TOM: Course it matters. SYLVIA: Why don't you write a letter about it then? TOM: Come off it Sylvia, there's no need for bloody sarcasm. SYLVIA: Sorry. TOM: Are we breaking up? SYLVIA: We are broken. Broken into bloody pieces. TOM: You’re the woman I love and you’re amazing. And I know you’ve had a difficult time with your Dad and everything and I want you to know I’m so proud of you.

SYLVIA: No, no, no. I’m.....just lost in all your words. TOM: I get it, you don't like my letters SYLVIA: I stopped reading them months ago. 98

Pause

SYLVIA: I’m sorry. I just can’t. I'm not like you, I can’t find any words.

TOM: And what about now? Can you find any words now? SYLVIA says nothing. TOM: Well I tell you what Sylv, why don't you think about it? SYLVIA: I’m sorry. TOM: You think I don't know we're not bloody broken. I travelled the length of this country to be here - town after town, street after street - broken. We might be winning this war now but you wouldn't know it. I got off the train and on the way here I saw a house that 'd been bombed. Broken. Outer wall had gone and you could see right in - horrible orange wallpaper. And I thought 'Oh how embarrassing for them, everyone being able to see their horrible wallpaper' and then as I was looking someone told me that the whole family's dead - nothing'll embarrass them anymore. Do you reckon they'd rather be broken right now than dead, because I sure as God would. What's broken can be mended -if you want it to be. I was going to give you this, but -

He produces a ring box from his pocket and puts it firmly down on the table. He storms off. SYLVIA: I’m sorry I didn't write back. TOM: Doesn’t matter. SYLVIA: Yes it does. I should have done. I've kept all yours and I will read them. TOM: Don't if your heart isn’t in it. SYLVIA: I don’t know what I feel anymore. TOM: Look at yourself. You feel plenty. SYLVIA: There’s this lass down at the smoke house. Bernice –mouthy, sings out of tune, can’t say a sentence without swearing. Then one day we’re there and someone says ‘Where’s Bernice?’ And someone else said ‘Oh she copped for it last night. Direct hit on her house’. And we talked for a few minutes about how dreadful it was and her fella away and all and then we went back to work. And that was one of my mates, someone who I used to have a laugh with and she’s gone. And we haven't had a raid for a while and I should be glad but I'm not. And then I think I should be sad because so many folk Like Bernice have gone but I'm not. Not very. What does that make me? 99

TOM: Same as everyone else I reckon. SYLVIA: You’re not like that. TOM: Aren’t I? I’ve played cards with men one day and buried what’s left of their guts the next. We’re not the kids who took to the dance floor, Sylvia. We’re not likely to be.

SYLVIA: You’re not dead inside. TOM: And neither are you! SYLVIA: I need something to make me feel alive again and it's not bloody letters.

TOM: So what do you want ? SYLVIA: I don’t know. TOM: I’m here, I’m right in front of you. SYLVIA: For how long? TOM: A few days. SYLVIA: And then you’ll go away again. TOM: I can’t help that! Tell me you don’t love me and I’ll never write you another letter and I’ll walk out of here right now.

TOM moves nearer to her. Sylvia kisses him SYLVIA: You can’t do that in a letter. TOM: The Sergeant Major would have something to say about it if I tried. SYLVIA: Bugger the sergeant major. TOM: He'd certainly have something to say about that. They fall onto the table and kiss passionately. TOM: We can still go to Mother’s tea dance if you like? SYLVIA laughs Music

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PART THREE June 1944 – August 1945 PART 3 Scene 1 GRACE, TOM, MAURICE and SYLVIA are shown in spotlight. SYLVIA is reading a letter that TOM speaks aloud. GRACE holds her prayer book. MAURICE also holds a letter.

The following dialogue is underscored by Faure’s requiem ‘In Paradisum’

GRACE: Gilbert, on the night our son left, you gave me my prayer book open at Psalm 91. If I have a favourite, that has to be it. I was never terribly enamoured of 23 – resting by still waters always seemed far too laconic for the active Christian. But the words of 91 are a comfort to me. I hope they are to you. TOM: By the time you get this you’ll know about the invasion. When the books are written about it, they’ll say that the Yorkies were in the forefront of it all. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of you too. I’m glad we spent some time ‘together’, if you know what I mean. Silly really to have got to this age and........... But there we are.

GRACE: No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. May God keep you safe with him Gilbert and preserve our beloved son. TOM: You musn’t worry about all we said. There’s no part of you that's ever stopped loving me or stopped feeling for others. I think you and I...we’re the kind of people who get a bit lost now and then and just have to stop to find ourselves. Thanks for reading this one at least.

MAURICE: After successfully moving up Sword Beach, at approximately 08.30 D Company received a direct hit on the Head Quarters from a mortar bomb, killing a number of personnel including the company commander and your son, Corporal Thomas Craven. 101

PART 3 Scene 2 GRACE sits, dazed. SYLVIA is similarly shocked and makes no attempt to respond to GRACE. GRACE: I don’t know what to do. MAURICE: What needs doing? GRACE: I don’t know what to do with myself. There’s no point to anything. There’s no point. I was a wife and a mother and now I'm not. You still have a purpose. MAURICE: Yes, I do. GRACE: You’re well again? MAURICE: Much better thank you. GRACE: More yourself? MAURICE: Yes. GRACE: Glad to be alive? MAURICE doesn't answer GRACE: Exactly. Your children need you, you have a purpose. MAURICE: Can I get you GRACE: What? Can you get me what? I don’t want to eat. anything. I don’t want to live. In a few months we will have won this war and everyone will celebrate. What am I supposed to do then? Look at this place. Photographs, books, little mementoes of lives snuffed out. Everything, everything is a reminder of what’s gone, what I’ve lost. I wish someone would come and take it all away and me with it. SYLVIA: ‘He can’t be dead, he’s my heart’. GRACE: You’re young. You’ll find someone else. SYLVIA: You think that..? 102

GRACE: I have no one! There’s nothing left! SYLVIA: Yes there is!! GRACE: Shadows only. MAURICE: That’s not what she means. Tell her. SYLVIA: (she touches her stomach) I’m certain. I know it. GRACE: You.....? Out of wedlock? The shame! What do you want from me? Approval? Support? If there is one single ounce of comfort, it's that I will never have anything more to do with you. SYLVIA: I lost him too. SYLVIA starts to leave. MAURICE: Just wait Sylvia. SYLVIA: What for? (exits) MAURICE: When her mother died........I looked at Sylvia but all I could see was Kate. My Kate. I didn’t want to know David, had no time for either of them. Did what I had to do and that was that. Shut out my own bairns. You’re stronger than me, I’m sure of that. We’re your family now, like it or not. And when Sylvia has that baby, you’ll bring it up with us. You’ll not turn your back on your grandchild, Grace. I’ll not let you. GRACE exits

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PART 3 Scene 3 Caption – MAY 1945 People gather to listen to a radio broadcast describing the surrender in Germany. MAURICE is at home and sets the table for two, unable to join in quite yet with the celebration. He switches off the radio and ‘Bless ‘em All’ plays. There is once again a sense of dance hall celebration as the people joyfully hug each other. One soldier proposes to his sweetheart. As the people drift away MAURICE puts on his coat his coat and hat to make his way to Paragon Station.

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PART 3 Scene 4 Caption – AUGUST 1945 DAVID appears in uniform. He has gone from being a boy to almost prematurely middle aged. He walks to greet MAURICE and tentatively hold out his hand to shake. MAURICE ignores it and grabs his son in a huge bear hug of relief. DAVID is taken aback. They part, a little embarrassed at the unfamiliar show of emotion. DAVID: You’re lookin’ well. MAURICE: Not bad – for an old 'un. You? DAVID: Aye. MAURICE: Good. DAVID: How is she? MAURICE: Bearing up. DAVID: And the bairn? MAURICE: Aye, grand. DAVID: I was sad about Tom. MAURICE: We all were. DAVID: I shouldn't have said those things about him. MAURICE: It's done now. DAVID: I shouldn't have said them. Tough on his mam and 'all. MAURICE: What about you? DAVID: I’m here aren’t I? 105

MAURICE: Aye, you are. DAVID: Well then. MAURICE: You alright, lad? DAVID: I will be. MAURICE: When we stopped hearing from youDAVID: There wasn't time to write. MAURICE: No. DAVID: They've made a mess of the old place then? MAURICE: Nothing we can't fix. DAVID: They can make bombs now that can put us all beyond fixing. MAURICE: Aye. Ended it though didn't it? DAVID: Oh aye it ended it alright. MAURICE: Let's go and meet your sister. (no response) David? MAURICE takes DAVIDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitbag and leads him away. Music

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PART 3 Scene 5 Caption – SEPTEMBER 1945 GRACE and SYLVIA enter, SYLVIA pushing a pram. They are on the Westwood. GRACE: I'm still not used to the idea. SYLVIA: It's been well over a month, Grace. GRACE: It still doesn't seem right, somehow. Poor old Mr Churchill. SYLVIA: I think a lot of it was the boys coming back home; you know voting for the first time. GRACE: Yes, quite. Off with the old. SYLVIA: Mr Attlee’s not exactly a bairn. GRACE: No, and he’s always struck me as a very sober gentleman. Not exactly the image of a firebrand socialist. I don’t particularly care for the moustache mind you. SYLVIA: Tom tried to grow one once. GRACE: Yes he did! SYLVIA: He said he wanted to look like Ronald Coleman. I told him he looked more like Fu Manchu. GRACE: So thats why he got rid of it. I did wonder. SYLVIA: (looking into the pram) So who are you going to look like? GRACE: I fancy he has his father’s eyes. SYLVIA: Yes, yes he does. A bit dopey but very romantic. GRACE: Sylvia! SYLVIA: Maybe not dopey. 107

GRACE: But certainly romantic.It’s a fine day. Plenty of folk have had the same idea. SYLVIA: It’s nice to walk in the open air and not be afraid. I’ll not take that for granted again. GRACE: I have decided to stay put for the time being .

SYLVIA: Are you sure? It’s a squeeze but you can stay with us.

GRACE: You are very kind but I could never pretend to be a Hessle Road girl. I mean that nicely, obviously. But, I wouldn’t settle. I do think, however, you might consider staying with me.

SYLVIA: I will from time to time – that would be nice, thank you. But I am a Hessle Road girl! Don’t be all on your own -

GRACE: I shan’t dwell on things. Perhaps from time to time but not much. It’s a comfort to be where they both lived and feel close to them. And if I do start to mope , then I shall visit you and my little man.

SYLVIA: He needs you, you know. GRACE: You’re very kind. SYLVIA: I do too. GRACE: There’s no need to say that SYLVIA: I think there is. He’ll know everything about where he came from. All about his Dad and his Granddad.

GRACE: Grandpa. SYLVIA: If you like. GRACE: I would like him to be christened, Sylvia. 108

SYLVIA: He will be. In the Fisherman’s Bethel on Hessle Road . GRACE: Oh. SYLVIA: Please, Grace… GRACE: If Tom had lived he wouldn’t have argued with you. The fishermen’s bethel it shall be. SYLVIA: Thomas Cedric Craven. You didn’t want Gilbert in there? GRACE: No, no. Gilbert never liked his name very much. SYLVIA: Did he have a middle name? GRACE: Humphrey. SYLVIA: Poor bugger. GRACE: Quite. Gilbert would have been more than happy with Thomas Cedric. (to baby) Cedric was your Great-great Uncle. A distinguished adventurer and related to royalty, you know. SYLVIA: Is he the dodgy one who looked like Stan Laurel? GRACE: There are some things about my husband I don’t miss! SYLVIA: Thomas Cedric. Thomas Cedric – yes. Good names. GRACE: So, will he be a fisherman or a tailor? SYLVIA: You wouldn't mind him being a fisherman? GRACE: I'd prefer him to stay on land - but if it's in his blood SYLVIA: There's no hurry. GRACE: Sylvia? SYLVIA: Yes. 109

GRACE: I’m very glad that.....that Thomas met you. SYLVIA: Thank you. GRACE: And that I still have a family. SYLVIA: We’re very glad too. GRACE: You’re thinking about him aren’t you? SYLVIA: I’m always thinking about him. GRACE: Me too. Both of them. SYLVIA: But I think about this little bairn more. GRACE: It’s hard though, to look forward. SYLVIA takes her hand GARCE: I’m going to walk him over to Willow Grove. You coming? SYLVIA: You go on. We’ll catch you up. GRACE nods and exits leaving SYLVIA alone. Music plays. As SYLVIA thinks back the memory of TOM appears and moves towards her and the pram. He puts his arms arround her and the Westwood is transformed into a memory of the dance hall where they first met. They move into a slow but fleeting dance hold. TOM looks lovingly at his son and moves away as the memory fades and the Westwood returns. SYLVIA is left alone with her son in the present day, with TOM’s memory never far away, and a future to look forward to.

Blackout

END OF PLAY

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