Killing Time one act play script

ONE ACT PLAYS

KILLING TIME
Modern/historical drama for youth by Liz Niven.

PLOT RESUME
This play tells the story of a family on holiday in present day Wigtown, south of Scotland. The children discover the story of the Wigtown Martyrs, an old lady and a young girl who were drowned at the stake on Wigtown sands in 1685. During this century, at least 93 people were executed for their religious beliefs. Many Presbyterians would not sign a declaration which agreed with the 'Divine Right of Kings' which placed the monarchy above God. The children re-enact the events leading up to the martyrdom in a series of flashbacks, or was it an amazingly realistic dream? The events are told in an accessible Scots, the language of Galloway past and present.

CAST 2 MALE 4 FEMALE 3 MALE/FEMALEPARTS

MAJOR MINOR

Margaret/Maggie Wilson, 18
Agnes/Aggie Wilson, 13
Thomas/Tam Wilson, 16
Margaret McLauchlan, 60s Gilbert Wilson, Father
Mrs Wilson, Mother
Covenanters 1, 2 & 3

1 SET
Interior of an old uninhabited cottage.

TIME - present day/1690
DURATION - approx. 35 minutes

Script Sample

The following extract takes place when Thomas Wilson arrives back home to break the terrible news of his sister's capture to his parents

MOTHER Thomas.
MR WILSON Ma son.
MRS WILSON Ye're filthy and thin as a rake..Ye've no been eatin.
MR WILSON Be quiet, woman. Here Thomas, sit doon. Whit's happenin?
MRS WILSON Where are the girls?
THOMAS A'm we're doon frae the hills.
MRS WILSON Where are the girls?
MR WILSON Is there somethin wrang?
THOMAS They're in Margaret McLaughlan's in Kirkinner.
MRS WILSON Who's Margaret McLaughlan?
THOMAS She's an aul wumman - ower sixty at least. She was up in the hills an aw. She's been helpin the Covenanters.
MRS WILSON You should hae come here. This is yer hame. Whit's left o it.
THOMAS So the soldiers hae been back, even when we wir gan?
MRS WILSON Never heed that, are ye hame tae stey?
THOMAS A cannae stey, even if A wantit tae. Ye ken there a price oan ma heid noo A've been wi the hill folk.
MR WILSON A'll hae tae gan. A must gan tae Margaret McLaughlan's tae see the lassies.
THOMAS Dinna! Ye cannae! (He shouts)
MRS WILSON Of course he must. We've got tae try tae convince them tae come hame. They must tak the Oath.
MR WILSON Hae ye telt us everythin? Is there somethin wrang?
MRS WILSON Oot wi it,Thomas, or A'll beat it oot o ye..ye ken A will.
THOMAS Aye, mither. A ken ye wid. Well, we got doon tae the village an went intae the aul wumman's hoose. We were only there a meenit an the door wis chapped an a man wis there. We thocht naethin's chynged, they ayeweys ken ye're comins an goins, even in the daurk.
MR WILSON An wha wis he? Wha wis the man?
THOMAS Some aul villager, Patrick Stuart's his name. In he came oniewey an sat talkin like a frien. Next thing we kent, aul Margaret had pured us a drink o mead. Patrick Stuart says 'Come, let us toast the King's health'.
MRS WILSON An did yes?
THOMAS Of course no. Oor Margaret plain refused. 'He's jist as bad as the last yin', she says. At that Stuart left an in twa meenits Winram's soldiers were there. 'Won't drink to our King, Master of all?' they says. An' . . an'. (He starts to cry)
MRS WILSON They're no in the jail? No ma lassies. (She weeps bitterly)
THOMAS Aye. The Thieves' Hole. The Wigtown Tolbooth.

from Killing Time

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