The Thrill of Love

Amanda Whittington

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781848423169
• eBook ISBN: 9781780012711
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

A gripping drama about Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

A divorcee with a young child to care for, Ruth works in the kind of nightclubs wherethere's more than just a drink on offer. The girls work hard, play hard anddream of a movie-star life. Then she meets the wealthy, womanisingDavid, a racing driver with whom she becomes obsessed.Fame comes - but not in the way she imagines.

Why does their relationship end in murder? Why does she plead not guilty but offer no defence? Why does she show no remorse? And who is she trying to protect?

Amanda Whittington's play The Thrill of Love dramatises the true story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, and takes a fresh look at the woman behind the headlines.

The Thrill of Love was first staged at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, in 2013.

ACT ONE

Scene One

From the scratch and hiss of a gramophone comes Billie Holiday singing ‘T’ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do’.

RUTH ELLIS appears in a hazy bedroom light. She wears her undergarments and spike heels. She puts on a skirt and blouse.

As she dresses, the record begins to jump. RUTH doesn’t allow it to distract her.

RUTH puts on her coat, ties on a headscarf and puts her handbag over her arm.

RUTH looks in the mirror, her gaze unflinching. We see the archetypal blonde bombshell, the femme fatale.

RUTH puts on her spectacles, reaches into her handbag and pulls out a gun. She feels the unfamiliar weight of it in her hand.

A figure (JACK GALE) emerges behind her.

The record hits a scratch and begins to repeat the same phrase. RUTH takes the gun in both hands and extends her arms, holding it before her.

RUTH. David?

RUTH turns to the figure and fires the gun.

Six gunshots sound in an irregular pattern. They bring a cacophony of cries in the street, police bells and flashing blue lights.

Scene Two

GALE takes off his overcoat and trilby hat. As the chaos subsides, he addresses the audience. He is military-sharp, with a hint of the streets.

GALE. Hampstead Station, 5th Division, eleventh of April, 1955. I’m at home with my girls: Ella, Billie, Sarah Vaughan. Whisky and lemon, bit of a cold coming on. Curtains closed, rain on the window, telephone rings at a quarter-to-ten. ‘You need to get down here, sir. Now.’

RUTH sits in a chair in the centre of the floor.

Midnight, Easter Sunday. But if Christ really rose from the dead, He’s not in the city tonight.

GALE turns his attention to RUTH.

Mrs Ellis? I’ve just seen the dead body of David Blakely at Hampstead Mortuary. I understand you know something about it?

RUTH doesn’t respond.

Mrs Ellis, I’ve just –

RUTH. I am guilty. I’m rather confused.

GALE looks to the audience.

GALE. She’s given a statement. Clear voice, cool as ice. But it’s my job to turn up the heat.

GALE opens the file and reads from the statement.

‘I understand what’s been said. I am guilty. I’m rather confused.’

RUTH. Yes.

GALE. ‘About two years ago, I met David Blakely when I was manageress of The Little Club, Knightsbridge. My flat was above that. I had known him for about a fortnight when I started to live with him and – ’

RUTH. That’s not quite… He lived with me.

GALE amends the statement and continues to read, monitoring RUTH’s responses as he does.

GALE. ‘He lived with me… and has done so until last year, when he went away to Le Mans for about three weeks, motor racing. He came back to me and remained living with me until Good Friday morning. He left about ten o’clock a.m. and promised to be back by eight p.m. to take me out. I waited until half-past nine and he had not phoned, although he always had done in the past.’

RUTH. Yes.

GALE. ‘I was rather worried, as he’d had trouble with his racing car and had been drinking. I rang some friends of his named Findlater at Hampstead but they told me he was not there.’

RUTH sneezes.

RUTH. Excuse me.

GALE hands RUTH a white handkerchief from his pocket.

GALE. It’s clean.

RUTH. I’m sure.

GALE. ‘I took a taxi to Hampstead, where I saw David’s car outside Findlater’s flat on 28 Tanza Road. I telephoned from nearby, and when my voice was recognised they hung up on me. I went to the flat and continually rang the doorbell. I became very furious and went to David’s car and pushed in three of the side windows.’

RUTH. Correct.

GALE. ‘David did not come home on Saturday, and at nine o’clock this morning – Sunday – I phoned again, and Mr Findlater answered. I said to him – ’

RUTH. ‘I hope you are having an enjoyable holiday.’

GALE. ‘And was about to say – ’

RUTH. ‘Because you have ruined mine.’

GALE. ‘And he banged the receiver down.’

RUTH. Hard.

GALE. Shall I add…?

RUTH. No.

GALE. ‘I waited all day today for David to phone but he did not do so. About eight o’clock this evening, I put my son Andréa to bed.’

RUTH. Yes.

GALE. ‘I then took a gun which was given to me about three years ago in a club by a man whose name I do not remember.’

RUTH. No.

RUTH picks at the stitching of the handkerchief.

GALE. The club or the man, Mrs Ellis?

RUTH. J.

GALE. J?

RUTH. Your initia...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Original Production
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information