Remembrance one act play script

ONE ACT PLAYS

REMEMBRANCE
Mark Rees's poignant and at times disturbing account 0f under-age soldiers in the Great War.

PLOT RESUME
The story of a group of teenagers in 1915, and how they react to pro-war propaganda and peer-group pressure to join up despite being under age. The play also looks at the doomed love affair of two 16 year-olds, Emily and Tom, and the scandal of indifferent politicians.
ISBN 1 904930 53 0

CAST FIVE BOYS FOUR GIRLS

BOYS
BILLY, 15/16
TOM, 15/16
EDWARD, 15/16
ROBERT, 15/16
JOHN, 11/12 GIRLS
MAGGIE, 12
EMILY, 15/16
GRACE, 15/16
ALICE, 15/16

SET
A public park

TIME - a hot summer's day, 1915
DURATION - approx. 40 minutes

Script Sample - On parade

Emily (aged 16) and Maggie (aged 12) are sitting in the park reading poetry when they are rudely interrupted by Billy, Tom, Grace, Alice, Edward, Robert and John (who is banging a toy drum) marching in formation. Billy is being the Sergeant Major while the others march in carrying broom handles over their shoulders like rifles. They are ‘playing’ soldiers

Billy Right you men! Left, right, left, right. Quick as you can, quick as you can. No slacking that man, no slacking! I’m going to make soldiers out of every man jack of you! Even your mothers won’t recognise you when I finish with you! After this you’ll be able to give the Hun more than a bloody nose! You’ll be giving him six inches of cold steel and then he’ll be on the run! Cease marching! Stop! You’re supposed to stop when I say stop! Right. Attention!

By the end of the speech they are standing roughly in a line in front of and below Emily and Maggie. Billy blows his bugle one more time

Right, you men, bayonet practice. Wait for my signal to charge and then give it everything you’ve got! Stick it in the dirty Hun, show them no mercy, twist it in, the only good Hun is a dead Hun! Remember what they did to little Belgium? Right, men ...
John Billy.
Billy Yes?
John I can’t charge, I haven’t got a rifle. I’ve only got this drum.
Billy Well, stand over there and drum!
John Can I have your bugle as well?
Billy No.
John I could play it and the drum at the same time. While you’re all charging.
Billy No, the bugle’s mine.
Tom Let him have the bugle!
Billy No! I’m in charge and the bugle’s mine.
Grace Don’t be so beastly, he may as well have it if he hasn’t got a rifle to charge with.
Alice Oh let him have it, Billy!
Billy No, it’s a symbol of my authority!
Tom Authority? Who said you were in charge anyway?
Grace He did!
Robert Can’t I be Sergeant Major? It’s my turn to be the Sergeant Major! You said I could!
Edward He did, he said you could, I heard him!
Billy Quiet in the ranks. I won’t have this insubordination! Right, attention, men! Get ready to charge on my command!
Emily What on earth are you doing?
Billy Training. Training to kill the Hun! We’re going to be soldiers!
Emily You shouldn’t be training to kill anyone. Killing’s despicable and should only be a last resort in any civilised society. And it says in the bible, ‘thou shalt not kill’. I’m surprised at you, Tom Clarkson, playing games. Playing games is just for children.
Tom Sorry, I was coming to see you, honestly, but I just got caught up in it all.
Emily Silly boys playing soldiers.
Billy We’re not silly! And it also says in the bible ‘life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe! Exodus chapter 20, verse 23! It also says, ‘The Lord is a man of war’! Exodus chapter 15, verse 3. So God’s on our side, we can’t lose, that’s why we’re going to join up and take the King’s shilling!
Emily Join up! You’re all too young and in case you hadn’t noticed Grace and Alice are female and can’t join up!
Grace We’re going to be a V A Ds.
Emily Since when were you two interested in nursing?
Grace If it’s the only way I can get to the Front, I’m interested.
Alice Me too!
Emily (to Grace) But you faint at the sight of blood!
Grace I do not! You are such a liar!
Alice Such a liar!

from Remembrance

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