Trapdoors

By Gary Kittle

This collection of claustrophobic stage dramas begins with ‘Chalk for Cheese’, a play about guilt, loss and reconciliation between a father and son, with a distinctly peculiar resolution. ‘Stitching the Cherry’ is a three-act family drama, again centered on the unfinished business of guilt and loss, this time between two rival siblings. The third play, ‘Walking Through Wire’ is the only one to be staged to date (2014), and tackles the subject of homosexuality, both in Germany’s Belsen-Bergen concentration camp, and in Great Britain with code-breaker Alan Turing, during the Second World War. ‘This is a sharply acted, stripped-back play that lays bare some difficult questions about the barbarism of human nature,’ said Anna Croft Sawa of the Camden Review. David Hennessy of the Irish World added, ‘this is a play with the emphasis on performance and such productions are always enjoyable.’

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gary Kittle
• Release date: Nov 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463937013

Gary Kittle

Gary Kittle is the author of thirteen eBooks. He was twice shortlisted for the Essex Book Festival Short Story Competition and his play 'Walking Through Wire' was staged (and filmed) in London in 2014. Many of his shorter screenplays have been filmed by Film Colchester and DT Film Productions. 'Data Protection', written by Gary for Dan Allen Films, was shortlisted for the Sci-fi London 48 Hour Film Competition. He has won the 1000 Word Challenge with 'The Uncertainty Principle', and twice been shortlisted, finishing runner-up with 'Kismet'. He was also runner-up in the Storgy Halloween Short Story Competition with 'The Gag Reflex'. He is also the author of a serial horror novel, 'A Town Called Benny', with episodes published fortnightly. Outside of self-publishing, Gary is also heavily involved with DT Film Productions. Their first full feature film, Dragged Up Dirty, on which Gary is an executive producer is due for release in 2023. The full-length documentary, Hearts Without Homes, on which Gary contributed as a writer, is also out this year. 'Crowded House' follows on from the success of 'The Hanging Rail'. Gary lives and writes in Wivenhoe, Essex, and strongly suspects that given his frantic writing schedule, he has developed the ability to travel through time. Visit him now at https://gkittle.wixsite.com/gary-kittle-author Where darkness rises.

Book preview

Trapdoors: A Collection of Original Stage Plays

Copyright 2018

Gary Kittle

Published by Gary Kittle (2018)

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to the vendor or your favourite retailer and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Trapdoors: A Collection of Original Stage Plays. Copyright Gary Kittle, 2018

This eBook is a work of fiction. While reference may be made to actual

places or events, the names, characters, incidents and locations within are

from the author’s imagination and are not a resemblance to actual living persons, businesses, or events. Any similarity is coincidental.

*

Dedication:

To my remarkable son, Arun.

*

Cover design and illustration by

‘germancreative’

Contents

Introduction

CHALK FOR CHEESE (Single Act)

STITCHING THE CHERRY Act One

STITCHING THE CHERRY Act Two

WALKING THROUGH WIRE Act One

WALKING THROUGH WIRE Act Two

WALKING THROUGH WIRE Act Three

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INTRODUCTION

I’d been writing short stories on and off for years, without any success, when I happened to hear an interview on local radio with a well-known author. Her name escapes me now, but she said that one of the biggest mistakes would-be authors make is to stick to one particular form, no matter what. In my case this was short stories and a couple of failed novels. Her advice was so convincing I decided to have a stab at a one-act stage play. The result was ‘Chalk for Cheese’, the first play in this collection. When my wife read it, she stated enthusiastically, ‘Now that’s what you should be doing!’ I wrote a couple of three-act, ‘full fat’ stage dramas, ‘Stitching the Cherry’ being the second play here. By now I was a member of a local playwrights’ support group run by the Mercury Theatre in Colchester and working on something a bit more ambitious. The result was the third play in this collection, ‘Walking Through Wire’. Unfortunately, local theatres were largely unsupportive of my attempts to produce this play, and I was forced to go further afield, eventually teaming up with Tom Begley and Susan Cummins of the Irish Network of the Performing Arts in London. An early read-through highlighted clear weaknesses in Act Three, so I tore it up and wrote a completely new ending. Tom agreed to direct, actors were auditioned and hired, and a venue was found at the Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar in Islington. I took on the role of producer, and after months of rehearsals and frequent train journeys to and from Colchester, I finally realised my ambition to stage a play I had written. It’s hard to describe the emotions I experienced as the lights went up and there were my characters speaking my lines. I will be eternally grateful to the cast and crew of ‘Walking Through Wire’ - as well as to my dear wife, Kaushali, of course – but I also have to say a big thank you to Donna and Robin of DT Film Productions who filmed the Saturday matinee performance in its entirety (link). I lost money overall, as so many unknown writer/producers do, so it turned out to be the beginning and end of my life in the theatre. But I think my skills and confidence as a writer were greatly enhanced by playwriting. Subsequently, I wrote for the screen and radio, too, tried my hand at self-publishing, flash fiction and film script supervising, all of which can be found on my website. I hope you enjoy reading these plays as much as I enjoyed writing them. My only regret is that I didn’t get the chance to do more, but other avenues have opened up for me instead, and so far the trapdoors have remained metaphorical.

CHALK FOR CHEESE

SETTING:

The scenes in this play alternate between JACK and SIMON on one part of the stage, and Carol spotlighted in a variety of locations both on stage and elsewhere. Thus Carol is never seen together with JACK and SIMON, though there is some spoken cross-over during selected scenes. SIMON and JACK perform in a flat furnished with two ramshackle chairs either side of a coffee table strewn with in newspapers, food wrappers, mail, mugs/plates, etc. Some of this litter has fallen to the floor.

It is Saturday, mid-morning.

CAST

JACK (Father) 38

SIMON (Son) 18

CAROL (Mother) 36

ACT ONE

SCENE 1:

Lights go up to reveal JACK seated in an armchair, chin resting on his steepled hands. SIMON remains standing behind the other chair, staring down at the older man.

SIMON:

Must be quite a shock, this.

JACK:

Not really. I’ve been expecting you.

SIMON:

Really? You don’t look too pleased about it.

JACK:

How did you find me?

SIMON:

Same way anyone finds anything these days. Internet.

JACK:

Should have sent a friend request first.

SIMON grips the back of the chair he is standing behind.

SIMON:

You must get lonely – on your own, I mean.

JACK:

How do you know I live alone?

SIMON:

(grinning) Internet.

JACK rests his hands in his lap.

JACK:

So how is she?

SIMON:

Remarried. Bloke called Harry.

JACK:

What’s he like?

SIMON:

Reliable. Honest. Around.

JACK:

I meant with you.

SIMON:

Isn’t reliable and honest enough?

(Pause)

JACK:

I never meant to…

SIMON:

But you did, didn’t you?

(Pause)

JACK:

Bet she still can’t cook to save her life.

SIMON:

Is that why you left her?

JACK:

She used that cooker like it was a cry for help.

SIMON:

But you’d already lost your appetite, hadn’t you?

(Pause)

JACK:

I guess you’ve come for an explanation.

SIMON:

But you’ll only have excuses.

JACK:

Listen…

SIMON:

(Loudly) So don’t you want to know what I’m doing with myself?

JACK:

All right, then. What are you up to?

SIMON:

Interrailing.

JACK:

Where to?

SIMON:

All over Europe.

JACK:

Weeks? Months?

SIMON:

Till the heat dies down.

JACK:

The heat? What heat?

SIMON leans forward over the back of the chair.

SIMON:

Let’s just say, the heat of the moment.

JACK:

You in trouble?

SIMON:

Why? Going to bail me out, Dad?

JACK:

You’ve not called me that for a while.

SIMON:

Well, I’ve not had the chance, have I?

JACK:

I’m sorry.

SIMON:

Could become a nasty habit that, remorse. Not like walking out on someone. You only have to do that once.

SIMON finally sits down.

So what do you do to afford this luxury?

JACK:

Telephone engineer. Pay’s not bad, as it happens.

SIMON:

Never thought of getting remarried?

JACK:

No.

SIMON:

Why not?

JACK:

Once bitten…

SIMON:

You blame Mum?

JACK:

Not exactly. It’s complicated.

SIMON:

She blames you.

JACK:

These things happen.

SIMON:

What, accidently? Like, you went for a walk one night with a suitcase and lost your bearings for two decades?

JACK:

It must have been hard for you.

SIMON:

Only the first ten years.

JACK:

What did your mother tell you?

Spotlight on CAROL, wringing her hands and talking down to someone unseen.

CAROL:

No. No, he’s not coming back. Not tomorrow. Not for Christmas. Not ever. I don’t know- Simon, I don’t- (becomes highly agitated) Because he doesn’t love us anymore. OK? That’s why he’s gone. Because he’s a heartless, self-centered failure of a man who’s only interest is in himself.

CAROL goes down on one knee and reaches out her hand as if to gently caress someone’s face.

But you listen to me, my boy: it’s a good thing. D’you hear? You deserve better than the likes of him for a father. And I promise you that one day you’ll get what you deserve. (Looking out towards the audience) And so will he!

Spotlight on CAROL