MS-UoR-1227-7-12-4

[0001] Stage dark but for

MOUTH, upstage audience right, 8' above stage level,
faintly lit from close up and below, rest of face in
shadow. Invisible microphone.

[0002] AUDITOR, downstage audience left, tall standing figure
enveloped from head to foot in loose black djellaba,
fully faintly lit, standing on invisible podium 4' high,
shown by attitude alone to be facing diagonally across
stage intent on MOUTH, dead still throughout but for
single brief ^{[place = margin left] 4 slight} movement ^{[place = inline] s} wg ^{[place = overwritten] h}ere indicated. ^{[place = inline] See note below.}

[0003] As house lights down MOUTH's voice unintelligible behind
curtain. House lights out. Voice continues unintelligible
behind curtain, 10 seconds. As curatin curtain rises
ad-libbing as required leading when curtain fully up ^{[place = margin left] , & silence [⁁] [place = supralinear] attention sufficient} into

[0004] ...birth...into this world...this world...tiny little
thing ^{[place = margin left] ...before its time}...in a godfor - ...whar ^{[place = overwritten] t}?...girl?...yes...tiny little
girl...birth into this...godforsaken hole...in the bog...
named - ...what?...what?...no...no!...the bog...godfor-
saken hole in the bog...namedw ^{[place = overwritten] .}..named...gone...no matter...

[0005]parents unknown...unheard of...he having vanished...thin
air...no sooner buttoned up his trousers ^{[place = supralinear] breeches}...she similarly...
eight months later...almost to the minute ^{[place = supralinear] tick}...[0006]so no love...
such as normally showered on the...speechless infant...
in the home...no...nor indeed for that matter...any of
any kind...at any subsequent...stage...so usual affair...
nothing of note

[0007] till...coming up to sixty when - ...
what?...sixty-five ^{[place = margin left] seventy}?...yes ^{[place = supralinear] my [place = supralinear] God [place = supralinear] !}...coming up to sixty-five ^{[place = margin left] seventy}...
wandering in a field...looking aimlessly for cowslips...
to make a ball...stop and ^{[place = margin left] a few steps [place = margin left] [place = supralinear] then stop...}stare into space ^{[place = margin left] ...so on...wandering round}...when sudden-
ly...gradually...all went out...all that early April
morning light...and she found herself in the - ...what?...
who?...what?...no...no!...she ... ^{[place = margin left] movement 1 [place = margin left] pause & M.1} [⁁] ^{[place = supralinear] she} found herself in the
dark...

[0008]and if not exactly...insentient...insentient...
no...for she could still hear the buzzing...so-called!...
in the ears...and a ray of light...came and went...came
and went...such as the moon might cast...drifting...in
and out of cloud...but dulled...feeling...feeling so
dulled...she did not know...what oi ^{[place = overwritten] po}sition she was in...
imagine!...what position she was in!...whether standing...
or sitting...but the brain - ...what?...lying?...yes...
wha ^{[place = overwritten] e}ther standing...or sitting...or lying...

[0009]but the barin
brain still ^{[place = margin left] ...still}...in a way...for her first thought was...oh
long after...brought up as she had been to believe...
with the other waifs...in a merciful ^{[place = inline] ...}(laugh)...God ^{[place = inline] ...}( ^{[place = supralinear] long [place = supralinear] good} laugh) ^{[place = margin right] ...}
[0010]first thought was...flash in the dark...she was being
punished...for her sins...a number of which then...further
proof if proof were needed...flashed through her mind...

[0011]then dismissed as foolish...this thought dismissed...as
she ^{[place = margin left] suddenly realized...}gradually realt ^{[place = overwritten] i}zed...she was not suffereing suffering..
imagine ^{[place = inline] !}...not suffering!...indeed could not remember...
when she had suffered less...unless of course she was...