greta alone

8/8/2019 Greta Alone

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Greta, Alone ©Bridgette Burton 2010

Greta, Alone.

By Bridgette Burton

Greta – female

One - female

Two - female

Three – Male

Any lines preceded with a slash “/” are spoken simultaneously.

Greta lies on the floor in a small room. Next to her is a bucket. She lies awkwardly as if she may have

fallen that way. There is a chair to one side. And some magazines.

She stirs. Slowly lifts her head. She looks appalling, sweaty, pale, unfocussed and very, very ill. She is

suddenly wracked by a stomach pain and curls in a ball.

Greta: Mum!

Silence.

Greta: I want my Mum…Someone help me!

She crawls to the door and bangs on it.

Greta: Help me! Help Me! Please.

Silence.

Greta sits for a minute, she is frightened and vulnerable. She suddenly moves to the bucket and vomits.

A woman enters the room and sits quietly on the chair. She is called One. She is, generally, warm and

friendly.

One: You poor old thing.

Greta screams.

Greta: Jesus Christ! How did you get in here?

One: Walked in. How are you doing?

Greta: Walked in? Not possible.



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One: Yes, I did. You were chucking and I walked on in. Don’t think about it too much.

Greta has curled in a ball again during this. More pain.

One: Wow, you’re in a bad way.

Greta: Oh, fuck off.

A second woman walks on stage, unseen by Greta. She is called Two. She is, generally, abrupt and

acerbic.

Two: Hi, sorry I’m late. Anything happen?

Greta reels around.

Greta: Oh God, I know who you are.

One: Nothing happened. (Mimes a chuck) and then “how did you get in” and then “fuck

off”.

Two: Oh, good. Only up to fuck off, excellent. Where’s Greta?

Greta: What?

Two: I’m not talking to you.

Greta: I am Greta.

One: (Kindly ) We know, we weren’t talking about you.

A man enters, again on an angle unseen by Greta. He is called Three, he is generally volatile and

emotional.

Three: Here.

Two: There you are.

Three: I was busy.

Two: Breaking things, were you? Getting annoyed for no reason? Having a tantrum?

Three moves towards Two menacingly.

One: Stop bickering. We’re working.

Greta: Please go away. (to the door ) HELP ME! Some-one.. please…



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Three: I think you know that no-one’s coming to that door.

Greta: Why did you say that?

Three: Let’s see now, you’ve been in here, what, four days? And no-one has talked to

you, have they?

Two: They push food through, they take your bucket when you’re asleep, but they don’t

actually talk to you.

One: Those two are a bit brusque, but those are the facts.

Greta: I know who you are.

Two: Really?

Three: That was quick.

One: Are you sure sweetie?

Greta: Why do you all keep coming back?

One: Probably because you’re /lonely

Two: /Insane

Three: /hallucinating.

The door opens and a plate is pushed through. Greta reels around and crawls to the door.

Greta: Hello! Please, please talk to me. Please! Help me. I need Help, I’m sick… please I

don’t deserve this..

Two: Oh, now that’s debatable.

Three: (Inspecting the plate) What’s for dinner? Mash, chops, brussel sprouts.. /I hate

brussel sprouts.

One: /I hate brussel sprouts.

Two: /I hate brussel sprouts.

Greta: /I hate brussel sprouts.

Three: May as well just throw the whole lot in the bucket anyway. Let’s face it, one way

or the other it’s going to end up there.



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One: Why don’t you sit up properly pet, you’ll feel better. Hop into the chair.

Greta: No, I don’t feel well.

One: That’s ok, Greta will help you.

Greta: Who?

Three advances menacingly on her and looks like he is going to heft her into the chair. She scuttles to it

and sits up.

Two: Hands up those whose name is Greta.

One, Two and Three all raise their hands. They look at Greta who also eventually raises hers.

One: And why is Greta locked in a room?

Three: (with his hand up) Ooh me, pick me. I know.

Two: Teachers pet.

Three: What of it, so I know the answer…

Two: We ALL know the answer..

One: Let’s let Greta field this one.

Greta looks around, they mean her.

Greta: I really can’t do this. I don’t understand why you all keep appearing. Please go

away.

Three: Ok, let’s go.

One and Two look at him.

Three: No, not really, we have to stay.

Two: Otherwise you’ll be completely alone.

Three: No-one to talk to.

One: Not a friend in the world.

Two: Let’s face it when your parents lock you in a room, things are looking bad.

Greta: They’re trying to help me.



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Two: You’re sick.

Greta: Yes, I am. That’s what they don’t understand. I tried to explain that to them, that

I’m sick. That it’s not my fault that..

Three: (taking up) that my work is very stressful and I’m responsible for a lot of expensive items. When I need to unwind..

One: (taking up) I just really need to let go, I work hard. I worked hard. It’s not my fault

that I lost my job, you turn up..

Two: (taking up) late once

Greta: Or twice..

Two: And everyone starts to look at your sideways. So suddenly I had no money and my

parents wouldn’t help me.

Three: Unless I went to rehab, /which I don’t need!

Two: /which I don’t need!

One: And I was going to pay them the money back, when I got another job. I just really

needed to clear my head and think. They have no idea how bad I felt.

Greta: How bad I felt.

Two: No idea. I was going to buy the necklace back too, when I got a job. I was going toget it back.

Greta: Dad gave it to her when they got married.

Three: (Snapping out of it ) Wow, how low can a person get? You took Mum’s necklace?

One: And you were so promising, such a promising young student.

Two: (Playing Greta as a teenager talking about her dreams) And then I’m going to get

my Masters and I’ll travel all over the world, and I’ll visit Art Galleries everywhere and I’ll

be like a famous Art Curator and people will ask my advice about artworks.

Three: (taking up) and then I’ll meet this guy called Derrick, who’s incredibly gorgeous

and great, but I’ll break up with because I’m so driven and can’t let myself slow down..

One: (Taking up) and I’ll meet lots of really nice men, but they all can’t quite fit in my life

and I really need to keep achieving, I know that’s what my parents love and I love it too.



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Three: but then I get really tired and a bit stressed and so I need a pick me up.

One: and I meet another great guy who introduces me to heroin.

Two: and then I really start to fly. I can afford the good stuff. For a while. Then it gets a

bit more pricey. Then I can’t afford the good stuff.

Three: Then (makes crash and burn noise) Kaboom. You know the rest. Locked in

parent’s house with a bucket, a chair, old magazines and three versions of yourself.

Greta: Please go away. And it wasn’t like that. I am not driven above all else. That’s not

true. You make me sound completely selfish. You make me sound like some fucking

crappy morality tale. And I’m not. I’m not like that. So what, I’m an addict. Big deal.

Practically everyone I know takes something. (Three goes to speak ) Oh, yeah you’re

going to say not all of them are locked in a bedroom. Well, I guess I’m just too

committed. You could say that my drive and ambition extend to all areas. (she laughs) Ireally am a perfectionist. (Two starts to speak ) Yes, alright, don’t say something smart

alecky about how far from perfect I am. I know. I know. (One goes to talk ) Please don’t

say anything kind. I really couldn’t bear it.

Two: (Whispering) Derrick was a great guy.

One: And Marco.

Three: I liked Jake the best, he was dreamy.

The other two look at him

Three: What? Shut-up! You try being the male part of a female ego. I’m conflicted. It’s

very confusing.

Greta: I miss Derrick sometimes. But he wasn’t… /part of the plan

One: /part of the plan.

Two: Ok, enough reminiscing, we need to move on.

One: What do you need right now Greta?

Greta: A hit.

Three walks to her and smacks her hard in the face. She falls off the chair to the floor, where she lays,

unmoving, eyes open.

Two: Very literal.



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Three: I’m her fucking subconscious, she didn’t have to react.

One: That’s quite enough violence. I think that we’ve all had enough of that.

Greta covers her face.

Greta: Please don’t.

One: There’s only a bit more to go pet. Hang in.

Two: I fell in love with art when I was 9 years old. My Mum has this big,

One: amazing

Three: book.

Greta: Please…

Three: It was a giant hardcover full of pictures of art works, from all over the world. So

beautiful. I was only allowed to look at it with Mum. She carefully turned each page.

One: Incredible.

Two: All that colour.

Three: and I loved them. All of them. But most of all, above all else..

Layle: /Egon Schiele.

One: /Egon Schiele

Two: /Egon Schiele

Three: /Egon Schiele

(pronounced “Egg-on Shee-la”)

Greta: That work was so strange and angular. All those people that looked lost, or used,

but kind of

Two: Real.

Greta: They crushed me, took all the air out of my lungs. I knew that those pictures

existed somewhere for real and I would see them.

Two: And I did.



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Three: I’ve seen nearly everything in that book.

Greta: I have. I’ve been lucky.

One: What happened to that book, it was a lovely book. ( pause) Greta?

Greta is silent.

Three: Quite a rare book too.

Two: Worth some money.

One: Yes it was.

Three: Greta?

Greta: I took the book. To sell it.

Three: Did you sell it?

Greta: Yes.

Two: How did you take it?

Greta: God. I can’t stand this. Day after day. Why are you making me do this?

One: I went to Mum and Dad’s house and let myself in. They were at work. They were

meant to be at work. I got the book and was leaving.

Three: I was going to buy it back, once I got another job.

Two: That’s what I said to Mum.

Greta: Home with a migraine.

Three: (as the mother ) What are you doing here? Why have you got that?

Greta: I just wanted to look at it Mum.

Three: (as the mother ) Liar! Liar! You were taking it! You were going to sell it! Greta isthere nothing you won’t do? Get out! Put it back, it’s not yours. Put it back!

Greta: She tried to take it.

Two: It’s a big book.

Greta: I hit her, with the book. I broke her nose, and part of her cheekbone.



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Three: (meaningfully ) and..

Greta: I left her there. She had to call the ambulance herself. I left my Mum on the floor

bleeding. I sold her book and then I got high, and I felt better. I forgot about my Mum,

and no job, and the people that were gone. I forgot about Egon Schiele and art and

colour. It was wonderful.

One: (consolingly ) Until it stopped being wonderful.

Greta: Yes. I feel sick.

She vomits into the bucket again, and sits up.

Three: Well done.

Two: We got there. Good work.

Three: High five for the subconscious.

They high five. Three leaves the stage, Two follows behind him. Greta looks up and sees that they are

gone.

Greta: (hopeful ) Is that it?

One: You’ve made good progress.

Greta: (Relieved ) You’re going?

One: Yes. (warmly ) It’s going to be ok Greta.

One strokes her hair gently.

One: (Meaningfully, into her ear ) See you tomorrow.

Greta lays down, broken.

Finish.

greta alone

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