MS-UoR-1227-7-12-5

[0001] Stage dark ^{[place = margin left] in darkness} but for

MOUTH, upstage audience right, ^{[place = margin left] about} 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
four brief movements where indicated. See n ^{[place = overwritten] N}ote below ^{[place = inline] .}

[0003] As house lights down MOUTH's voice unintelligible behind
curtain. House lights out. Voice continues unintelligible
behind curtain, 10 seconds. As curat ^{[place = overwritten] ta}in rises ad-libbing
as required leading when curtain fully up and attention
sufficient into

[0004] ..birth..into this world..this world..tiny little thing..x
before its time..in a godfor - ..what?.. tixlxxxgirl?..
yes..tiny little girl..into this..before her time..godfor-
.. ^{[place = overwritten] sa}ken hole..in the bog..named - ..what?..what?..no..no!..
the bog..godforsaken hole in the bog..named ^{[place = margin left] [₰] called}..named ^{[place = margin left] called}..gone.. ^{[place = margin left] [₰] called}
no matter..

[0005]parents unknown..unheard of..he having vanished
..thin air..no sooner buttoned up his breeches... ^{[place = overwritten] s}he sim-
ilarly..eight months later..almost to the tick..[0006]so no love
..spared that..no love such as normally showered ^{[place = supralinear] visited} on the..
speechless infant..in the home..no..nor indeed for that
matter.. ^{[place = margin left] [₰]} any of any kind ^{[place = margin left] ..no love of any kind..}..at any subsequent..stage..so
typical affair..nothing of note

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

[0008] and if not exactly..insentient..insentient..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..drifti; ^{[place = overwritten] n}g..in and out of cloud..but
dulled..feeling..feeling so dulled..she did not know..
what position she was in..imagine!..what position she
was in!..whether standing..or sitting..but the brain - ..
what?..kneeling?..yes..whether standing..or sitting..or

[0008] kneeling..but the brain - ..what?..lying?..yes..whather
standing..or sitting..or kneeling..or lying..[0009]but the brain
still..still..in a way..for her first thogu ^{[place = overwritten] ug}ht was..oh long
after!..sude ^{[place = overwritten] d}en flash..brought up as she had bed ^{[place = overwritten] e}n to be-
lieve..with the other waifs..in a merciful..(brief laugh)..
God..(good laugh)..[0010]first thought ^{[place = inline] w}as..oh long after!..
flash in the dark... ^{[place = overwritten] s}he was being punished..for her sins..