Entwined
A short play by Louise Breckon – Richards
A / indicates overlapping dialogue.
Scene 1.
Present day. Celebration of one hundred years since women's suffragette movement helped give women the vote. Near parliament are a huge crowd of women. An interviewer thrusts a microphone in to Sasha, early twenties. Brian 20's films them.
Int: And what does this mean to you today ...errr
Sasha: Sasha.
Int: Sasha. Look straight to camera there. No…no just there can you see?
Sasha: Oh yeah. Sasha Pankhurst.
Int: Ah how wonderful,you're using her name today.
Sasha: No I really am Sasha Pankhurst.
Her friend Carla interjects.
Carla: She is! She changed it by de poll last year.
Int: Really? How....all encompassing. Well that it just a fantastic commitment to the cause! Well done girls (straight to camera) and well done to all of you out there celebrating such a momentous thing in history.
Carla interrupts and takes the mic of her again.
Carla: And to prove just how committed we are, we will, very shortly, totally be chaining ourselves to these railings to honour Emmeline Pankhurst.
Int: Oh.... right. Hearthat people? Presumably you’ve remembered the key to unlock yourselves?
Sasha: Oh yes! We're not stupid.
Int: Does your mum know?
Sasha: Oh yeah!
Int: You know… just in case she needs to rescue you! You hear that Sasha Pankhurst’s mum out in…?
Sasha: South Ealing.
Int: In South Ealing!
Sasha: And we don't need rescuing. That is the impressive voice of the patriarchy booming its controlling voice again! We rescue ourselves. Women died giving us the vote and we will honour that today.
Carla: Andwe are prepared to stay there all night with our protest. We the young women of this country are now on fire! We have a love and respect for each other as women which supports and carries each other. We understand what these women sacrificed for us, death, starving, brutality and public shamingbut we will rise and show our colours and... and ... I am just so full of love right now ... and... you are filming this right? When I had my first sexual experience it was awful but when I discovered my cl-
(Sasha suddenly puts her hand over her mouth)
Int: Well that's just great.
(Whispering to Brian)
Cut there... cut there Brian.
Interviewer signals to the camera to now cut.
Int: And that's … a wrap. Err can you pass me the microphone now.
Carla has passed it on through the crowd.
Carla: What? Oh yes. Sorry. It's over there.
Sasha: (Whispering to her) I thought you said you never went all the way with Jamie.
Carla: Course I did. I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings cos I know you haven’t with Sean yet. You’re not-
Sasha: No, god no. But thanks for thinking of me. Love you Carla.
Carla: I love you Sasha Waller my soul sister.
They do their own mini dance and fist pump
The interviewer leaves tries to get through the audience to get the microphone back but it keeps getting passed on.
Int: Can you just, I really need to. Erm, yes… you…. could you possibly. I need to get it back now. Could you please?
She is suddenly held aloft in the air and passed around gently.
Int: Brian!! Brian!! Help me help me! Get them off me!
Brian films it and smiles as she gets lost in the crowd.
Sasha and Carla smile excitedly around them.
Sasha: Howcool us this?
Carla: I think it's like the coolest thing we've done. Ever.
Sasha: Thank you for coming.
Carla: You're my sister. Well not blood but sister as a woman. I would never have missed it.
Sasha: So are we ready to put the cuffs on?
Carla: Yeah let's do it. Where did you get them from?
Sasha: Ann summers.
Carla: Oh.
Sasha gets them out of her bag they have red fluffy Pom poms attached to them
Sasha: That's why they've got these on. They're my mums.
Carla: No way! So they-
Sasha: Don't - I don't want to even think about it. Found them on top of her wardrobe.
Carla: How did you -
Sasha: Heard them rattling some nights along with the grunting!
Carla: Gross!
Sasha: Totes.
Carla: Bleurgh.
Sasha: I mean why would you want a man to handcuff you to a bed?
Carla: God I don't know!! Urgh
Sasha: Anyway let's do it.
Carla: I dunno, feels all wrong now knowing where they’ve been…
Sasha: Oh come on, it was your idea.
Carla: What if she sees them…on the TV or something?
Sasha: She won’t. She’s out at boxing anyway.
Carla: Oh alright then.
Sasha and Carla spend some time trying to work out how to clip them onto a railing. The finally do it and look very happy.
Sasha: There! We did it. Look they’re whooping us over there!
They both whoop back.
Carla: I think we should do our chant now.
Sasha: Yeah let’s do it.
Carla/ Sasha: Votes for women! Votes for women! The suffragettes were the friggin best! The suffragettes were the friggin best!!
The chanting catches on and there is a whole chorus of chanting. Carla and Sasha look the happiest they have ever been.
Scene 2.
Later that night. It is dark. Carla and Sasha are still chained to railings.
Carla: Oh my god I need to pee
Sasha: Me too. Really badly.
Carla: Don't say that.
Sasha: What, me too?
Carla: Yeah.
Sasha: What, you mean I can’t actually say ‘Me too’ now in the right context?
Carla: I dunno sorry, I’m getting a bit cold.
Sasha: I’ve don’t that thing for half an hour now where you scrunch your toes up to stop yourself wanting to go but it isn’t working.
Carla: We could use my plastic bottle if I put my coat around you?
Sasha: It would go everywhere!
Carla: Well hold on then.
Short pause.
Sasha: I can’t.
Carla: But what else can we do?
Sasha: Just unlock it then come back?
Carla: But we wouldn't be honouring them properly then. Think what they had to bear. They weren't worried about getting a little bit of pee on their Nike's.
Sasha: But can you imagine the stink on the way home? Its ten stops on the Piccadilly line. Old lady pee smell. I'm committed to the cause but I'm not totallyrancid.
Carla: Ok, you’re right. We're here aren't we?
Sasha: I'll unlock us.
Sasha desperately looks in her pocket for the key but can't find it. She looks at Carla.
Carla: You are kidding me? Check again.
Sasha checks again but still can't find it.
Sasha: Shit. Now I really need a pee!!
Carla: You retard!!!
Sasha: I’m so so sorry. I must have dropped it. Shine your phone on the floor.
Carla: No battery! Shine yours!
Sasha: Mine has gone too. There’s a spare key. But it’s at the top of the wardrobe too.
Carla: Shit.
Lights go down.
Scene 3
2am
Lights come up. A short while later. Carla is holding a coat around Sasha as she tries to pee into a plastic cup.
Sasha: Coast clear?
Carla: Yes! Just do it.
Sasha: Promise?
Carla: Yes. And let's never talk of this again.
Sasha: Now I can't go!! Oh yes I can ... ooh now I can't. Make a water rushing sound.
Carla: No!
Sasha: If you love me you'll do it!
Carla: Fine.
She makes a ssshhh sound. Sasha pees.
Sasha: Oh my god /oh my god / Jesus I can't get it to go in the plastic
Carla: It's going everywhere. You've got it in your coat./Aim aim
Sasha: I can't control it/I can't ... oh shit and now I can't get it to stop. I can't aim/ it's not a dick
Carla: Oh my god. Please stop. What is wrong with you? It's like Niagara Falls
Sasha: It's stopping ... I think it's stopping.
Carla: Thank god
Sasha: No... no I think it's starting again.
Carla: Please don't ever tell anyone about this ever ever again...
Brian suddenly re – enters filming it. Carla and Sasha look horrified and freeze.
Brian: Anything else you’d like to add to what you’ve enjoyed most about today ladies? Great to see you keeping each other warm. That’s true friendship, right there. Sisterhood. And…You’re on in…
(counts back form 5)
The red light of the camera goes on.
Carla: Erm…
Sasha: (Whispering) Don’t drop the coat, please don’t drop the coat.
Carla: Erm…we have enjoyed the whole day. It’s been an honour to celebrate this important day and…
Sasha: (whispering) It’s starting again.
Carla: (whispering) So stop it. Clench!
(normal voice) And now all we want to do is get home to our nice warm beds.
Brian: And cut. Thanks so much ladies.
He goes to leave.
Carla: Oh Brian.
Brian: Yes?
Carla: Sasha couldn’t use your phone for a minute could she?
Brian: Yeah, Course. Not stuck are you?
Carla: Oh God, no, no way, we’re not stuck we’re just…I just need to tell let someone know something. It’s just about…about...
Sasha: A neighbour’s pet that needs feeding.
Carla: Yeah, a friends family dog.
Brian: Hmm. O.K. . . . Not like you’re going to steal it is it? Not like you’re going anywhere are you?
They both stare at him as he laughs.
Brian: Sorry. Here.
He passes his phone. Carla passes it to Sasha. Sasha shakes her head.
Carla: Come on. Emmeline endured more than this.
Sasha dials a number.
Sasha: Hello Mum? Mum hi. I just need you to do me a favour.
Carla and Sasha look at each other and laugh. Brian looks confused. Lights fade.
Entwined by Louise Breckon – Richards Feb 2018