This issue will mark the start of a new series of scripts. These scripts are scenes for a play, adapted by me (Lilia le Fay) from a book by Author Eva Ibbotson (I take no credit for the characters, content or storyline, I am simply adapting it). If you would like more information on these scripts, click the link here to a previous preview article on them.

Characters in this scene:

Talitha (Tally) Hamilton – Protagonist of play, aged twelve (almost thirteen). Recommended to be portrayed by an actress between 12-15 years old.

Dr James Hamilton – Tally’s father, a man in his late thirties-forties. Recommended to be portrayed by an actor over thirty years old.

May Hamilton –  Tally’s Aunt (Dr Hamilton’s elder sister), a woman in her early fifties. Recommended to be portrayed by an older actress over forty years old who is also part of the ensemble.

Hester Hamilton - Tally’s Aunt (Dr Hamilton’s elder sister), a woman in her early fifties. Recommended to be portrayed by an older actress over forty years old who is also part of the ensemble.

Maybelle – One of Tally’s friends from home, aged roughly fourteen. Recommended to be played by member of child ensemble aged between 13-16 years.

Kenny – One of Tally’s friends from home, aged roughly thirteen. Recommended to be played by member of child ensemble aged between 12-15 years.

Mrs Dawson – A patient of Dr Hamilton’s who owns a dog that Tally walks for free. Recommended to be played by an actress in her sixties or fifties (made to look older) and who is a member of the ensemble.

Joe Smithson – A patient of Dr Hamilton’s who has an invalid wife whom Tally reads to. Middle aged, recommended to be played by ensemble member.

Martin Myers – A patient of Dr Hamilton’s. Can be any age, though it is recommended the role is played by a younger actor who is a member of the ensemble.

Scene One: Act One

Lights come up; soft and dim but with slightly brighter lights for the three scenes on stage.

Up stage left,  Dr Hamilton’s patients are seated in a row with a white board behind them with war posters (i.e. ‘Dig for victory’) pinned on it. One of them should possibly hold a magazine. They are in the Doctor’s waiting room.

Down stage right, May and Hester are sat at a table upon which a wireless is sat, a faint noise of a news report playing, both characters staring into space.

Up stage left, Kenny is sat on a wooden block and is fiddling with a coin absent-mindedly.

All remain frozen until the dim spotlight on the patients in the waiting room comes up and the actors start to speak after a small pause.

MRS DAWSON: D’you think she’s really going?

JOE SMITHSON: She can’t be. Old Dr ‘Amilton’d never let go of her.

MRS DAWSON: But she might. Joan Fields says it’s true.

JOE SMITHSON: Gossip is never the real thing. Wait till we ‘ear from James ‘imself.

MARTIN MYERS: I reckon it’s true. After all, Kenny said it was and he’s ‘er best friend.  But if it is, it means bad news for us – for every patient of Dr. ‘Amilton’s.

JOE SMITHSON: And why is that?

MARTIN MYERS: Doctor ‘Amilton won’t be happy without ‘er – he won’t be able to cope as well. And ‘e’s already bad enough as it is.

JOE SMITHSON: You can’t make presumptions like that.

MARTIN MYERS: It’s not a presumption, it’s a prediction.

MRS DAWSON: She walks Horace for me, Tally does. She’s the only one who’ll do it for free and doesn’t call him a Nazi pug like the other children. Even punched that boy who made fun of him for being a dachshund.

Pause.

JOE SMITHSON: She reads to my wife as well. Jean’s always cheerful when Tally’s been round – which is rare, you know, with her being stuck in bed like she is. They’re in the middle of The Prisoner of Zenda at the moment, with all that swashbuckling and them pirate ships.

MARTIN MYERS: Doc’ll go downhill if she goes. And then the whole street will. She’s only the first, though. The rest’ll start to go soon, you’ll see. All because of the bloody war.

MRS DAWSON: But Tally going isn’t the same. It’s…

MARTIN MYERS: No – but it’s the start.

The spotlight dims on that area and the spotlight comes up brighter over Hester and May. May sniffs then reaches into her pocket to get a handkerchief.

HESTER: I don’t think you ought to be crying at your age. People of fifty-two don’t cry.

MAY: I’m not crying. Not really. And besides, I heard you blowing your nose three times last night when you went to the bathroom.

HESTER: Anyone can blow their nose.

MAY: Not three times. And you’re older than me.

HESTER: Never mind about blowing noses. It’s a particularly fitting topic of conversation right now.

Pause.

MAY: The house is going to be a tomb without her. She’s too young to go away. It’s too soon.

MAY: Of course we knew she’d go away to get married.

HESTER: People don’t get married when they’re twelve years old. Except in the olden days. Or in very hot countries.

MAY: Yes, but it’s 1939 and England is not a hot country. The daffodils are only just coming out.

HESTER: I think we’re going off track here; she’s not getting married. She’s going to school.

MAY: A boarding school. We won’t see her for months.

HESTER: (sharply) We can’t make her feel bad about it, May – we have to support James. This is his decision – she’s his daughter – and we have to help him.

MAY: Of course. I wasn’t say I wasn’t going to. I just…

HESTER: (peering at May) Are you wearing powder?

MAY: Oh – yes – I thought it might help. So she can’t see that I’ve been a little upset.

HESTER: Well it certainly covers that up - you look like a clown. What powder did you use?

MAY: Well the only powder I could find is that talc you put on your feet in hot weather.

HESTER:  Ah. That explains why your face is completely white.

MAY: Should I wash it off?

HESTER: Yes. It won’t help Tally to bear the blow that waits her under the eyes of a foot-powder ghost.

May exits, walking up stage to an exit in the middle of the left side of the stage. Hester then sits down on one of the chairs and, a few seconds later, Dr James Hamilton enters via the front left stage entrance, entering as if it were a front door. Hester stands up but before she can say anything, James speaks.

JAMES: Is she back yet, Hester?

HESTER: Not yet, I’m afraid. She’s due to be back any minute though.

JAMES: Ah – right, well, I’ll wait for her in my office.

(James moves to walk by the table, as if heading for another room.)

HESTER: I presume you’re going to tell her once she’s back?

JAMES: Yes…yes.

HESTER: Are you sure about this, James?

JAMES: I don’t want her to go, either. But you, as her aunt, know I have to do this. She won’t be safe in London. And it’s better than being evacuated to a family she doesn’t know, away from us all year. This is a school – and an excellent one as well. I’m very lucky that patient of mine managed to get her a scholarship.

HESTER: As long as you think you’re making the right decision, James, May and I will help in every way we can.

JAMES: I do. Of course I do.

HESTER: And you’ll be alright whilst she’s away?

JAMES: (pausing) It’ll be difficult, I’ll admit… after her mother went I became… detached. And Tally brought me back from that.

HESTER: It’s been twelve years since then, James – and there’s a war.

JAMES: (laughing) It seems like we’ve switched places all of a sudden – you sensible and sure and me undecided.

HESTER: You just said you were decided, you nincompoop. Don’t doubt yourself and just tell her.

JAMES: I know – I’m not going to back out of it. But Tally won’t have it, you know.

HESTER: Of course she won’t – she was named after her grandmother, a woman who was determined enough to wash the socks of drunken tramps – but if you want it, she’ll agree to it.

JAMES: (pausing) Yes.

(He moves away, heading for the exit that May used.)

Anyway, show her in when she gets in. And leave it to me to tell her, Hester.

HESTER: Of course.

May re-enters via the front entrance.

MAY: Was that James?

HESTER: (nodding) He’ll tell Tally when she comes back in.

There is a pause as Hester looks slightly emotional.

MAY: Don’t get emotional, Hester. We must be past that.

HESTER: (taking a deep breath and looking at May) I think I need some of that foot powder.

The spotlight goes dim on the aunts. The dim spotlight over Kenny sitting on the wooden block fiddling with the coin then comes up brighter. Maybelle then appears, striding stormily from the back entrance on the stage left. Kenny jumps as she throws down a metal scoop, the kind of one used in old sweet shops. She then turns to him.

MAYBELLE: Have you heard?

KENNY: Yes.

Maybelle sits down next to him on the cart.

MAYBELLE: It’s not fair. Why can’t children just be left alone?

KENNY: It’s because of the war.

MAYBELLE: I know that, you ninny – but Tally doesn’t have to go. When they tried to evacuate me I kicked and screamed and bit and now here I am, safe and sound.

KENNY: Yes but Tally wouldn’t do that. She certainly isn’t as violent as you.

MAYBELLE: (scowling at Kenny) Well no – it’s her father so she won’t stand up to him.

KENNY: No. So how’re we going to stop it?

MAYBELLE: That’s up to Tally to figure out. We can’t do anything.

KENNY: Well she’s going then.

ENTER: Tally, walking from the upstage right entrance, appearing as Maybelle says her line. She sees Kenny and Maybelle and makes her way over to them.

TALLY: Hallo! I didn’t expect to see you here. Aren’t you meant to be working at the shop, Maybelle?

MAYBELLE: I was released.

Tally spots the metal scoop and goes to pick it up, turning to them with bemusement as she holds it up.

TALLY: As was the scoop, I see.

Maybelle comes to take it off her and Tally looks from her to Kenny.

TALLY: Is anything wrong? You both look utterly miserable.

MAYBELLE: Well you-

Kenny comes forward quickly, stepping on Maybelle’s toe and cutting across.

KENNY: Your father wants to see you, Tally.

TALLY: And I want to see him – like I do after school every weekday. But I also want to know what’s wrong.

KENNY: As we said – you need to go home and see your father.

MAYBELLE: ‘We’?

TALLY: Nothing’s happened to him, has it?

MAYBELLE: Of course not! He just wants to tell-

KENNY: (kicking Maybelle but addressing Tally) Just go and see him.

TALLY: What are you up to?

KENNY: Look, your father wants to tell you something and it’s up to him to say, not us.

TALLY: Should I be nervous? It appears as if somebody has died or something.

MAYBELLE: (over dramatic) It’s worse than that.

TALLY: What?

KENNY: As we say, you need to speak to him.

TALLY: Alright…well, I’ll go. See you later.

KENNY: Goodbye.

MAYBELLE: (sardonically) Cheerio.

Tally exits via the middle stage left entrance.

MAYBELLE: (shoving Kenny) Why wouldn’t you let me tell her?

KENNY: Because you’d have the wrath of Hester upon you, that’s why.

MAYBELLE: And you’ll soon have my wrath upon you if you continue being so infuriating.

KENNY: Well I’m going to go now, anyway.

MAYBELLE: Where to?

KENNY: I’m going to go and see Primrose.

MAYBELLE: Why on earth would you go and see a horse?

KENNY: Horses are very comforting, especially Primrose.

MAYBELLE: I’m very comforting, I’ll have you know.

KENNY: Horses also do not throw metal scoops as if they want to murder people. Cheerio, Maybelle.

Kenny exits via the upstage right exit. Maybelle looks at the metal scoop and throws it down once more before storming off, using the upstage left exit.

The lights go down on the block and a single spotlight comes up on the Aunts, who both jump as Tally enters warily from the downstage left entrance.

MAY: (jumping up) Tally! (hugs)

TALLY: (pulling out of the hug) Hallo Aunt May – erm - could you tell me what’s going on?

HESTER: (looking at May sharply) Your father would like to see you, Tally.

TALLY: I know – Kenny and Maybelle told me. But why?

HESTER: He’ll tell you. Go, Tally darling.

Hester moves aside, ushering Tally as she looks confused and walks past. The lights then go down, except for the spotlight on Tally as she appears to walk down a corridor, open a door to the left, then turn and walk back round. The lights then come up on Dr Hamilton sitting in his office, the table from the previous scene having been moved round to face the audience diagonally. One of the chairs has been placed behind the desk and Dr Hamilton is seated upon it. It then begins a dialogue scene between Tally and her father.

End of Script Segment

Thanks very much for reading this! I’m sorry for the poor quality - I’m still experimenting with the characters and set up. Hopefully you can get the feel of it though, and do read the book, as my interpretation does not express its brilliant quality.

Do you have any feedback or recommendations regarding this script? If so, please tell me via the form below, as it could really improve their quality.