MS-UoR-1227-7-12-7

[0001] Stage in darkness but for

MOUTH, upstage audience right, 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,
sex undeterminable, enveloped from head to foot in loose
black djellaba with hood, fully faintly lit, standing
on o ^{[place = overwritten] i}nvisible podium about 4' high, shown by attitude
alone to be facing diagonally across stage intent on
MOUTH, dead still throughout but for four brieg ^{[place = overwritten] f} move-
ments where indicated. See Note 1.

[0003] As house lights down MOUTH's voice unintelligible behind
curtain. House lights out. Voice continues unintelligible
behind curtain, 10 seconds. With rise of curtain ad-libbing
from text as required leading when curtain fully up and
attention sufficient into

[0004] ..out..into this world..this world..tinu ^{[place = overwritten] y} little thing..
before its time..in a godfor- ^{[place = margin left] p} ..what?..girl?..yes..
tiny little girl..into this..out into this..before her
time..godforsaken hole called..called..no matter..[0005]parents
unknown..unheard of..he having buttoned.. vanished..thin
air..no sooner buttoned up his breeches..she similarly..
eight months later..almost to the tick..

[0006]so no love..spared
that..no love such as normally vented on the..speechless
infant..in the home..non..nor indeed for that matter any
of any kind..no love of any kind..at any subsequent stage..
so typical affair..nothing of any note

[0007]tillt till coming
up to sixty when - ^{[place = margin left] p} ..what?..seventy?..good God!..coming
up to seventy..wandering in a field..looking aimlessly
for cowslips..to make a ball..a few steps and stop..stare
into space..stop and stare again..so on..drifting around..
when suddenly..gradula ^{[place = overwritten] al}ly..all went out..all that early
April morning light..and she found herself in the - ^{[place = margin left] p} ..
what?..who? ..what?..no ^{[place = margin left] [₰]} ..no!..SHE! ^{[place = margin left] P} ..(pause and movement 1)..
found herslef in the..dark..

[0008]and if not actually in-
sentient..insentient..for she could still hear the buzzing..
so-called..in the ears..and a ray of light came and went..
came and went... ^{[place = overwritten] s}uch as the moon might cast..drifting..in
and out of cloud..but so dulled ^{[place = margin left] numbed}..feeling..feeling so dulled ^{[place = margin left] numbed}..
she did not know..what position she was in!..imagine!..