Acting Leader

Joy Wilkinson

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9781780015965
• Topic: Literatur
• Subtopic: Britisches Drama

After the sudden death of John Smith, Margaret Beckett finds herself hurled into the position of Acting Leader of the Opposition, and the sole female candidate in the race to lead the party. She embarks on her campaign with the support of Clare Short in the contest that saw the birth of New Labour.

Joy Wilkinson's short play Acting Leader was first performed at the Tricycle Theatre, London, as part of the Women, Power and Politics season in June 2010.

ACTING LEADER

Joy Wilkinson

Characters

MARGARET BECKETT

WOMAN, plays all other parts

LEO BECKETT

JOHN HUMPHRYS

CLARE SHORT

TONY BLAIR

PETER MANDELSON

EXTRAORDINARY GIRL

MARGARET. There are few people the announcement of whose death would bring tears to the eyes of everyone who knew them; John Smith was such a man. He was, as the Prime Minister said, a man of formidable intellect, of the highest ethics and of staunch integrity.

He said to me recently, ‘Why would anyone bother to go into politics, unless it was to speak up for people who cannot speak up for themselves?’ That feeling for others, along with his hatred of injustice, was the force which drove him – the service to which he gave his life.

Last night, he spoke at a gala dinner in London. He was in fine fettle and in high spirits. He spoke not from a text but from notes, and when he sat down I congratulated him especially on his final sentence – spoken, as it was, off-the-cuff and from the heart. They were almost the last words I heard him say. He looked at the assembled gathering, and he said: ‘The opportunity to serve our country – that is all we ask.’ Let that be his epitaph.

The WOMAN hurtles, on pulling two wheelie suitcases behind her. She stops, waits, impatient. She opens one of the suitcases and gets out a box of tissues. She gives a tissue to MARGARET.

Thank you.

MARGARET dries her eyes.

WOMAN. Come on.

MARGARET. I know, sorry.

MARGARET blows her nose.

WOMAN. May 12th, 1994. A Bailey Pageant Champagne caravan outside the house of Margaret and Leo Beckett.

MARGARET (looks around, confused). Leo?

WOMAN. A Bailey Pageant Champagne caravan.

The WOMAN hands MARGARET the other suitcase. MARGARET opens it, takes out a duvet and a duvet cover. The WOMAN becomes LEO.

LEO. Margaret? What’re you doing out here?

MARGARET. I wanted to get things ready, for when we go away.

LEO. Let me do that.

MARGARET. I can manage.

MARGARET busies herself, trying to put the duvet cover on the duvet.

LEO. You did well, love, from what I could tell. Got a bit emotional myself.

MARGARET. Interns in the corridors. Old men in the dining rooms. Everyone weeping. Almost everyone.

LEO. It takes a bit for the loss to really hit some people.

MARGARET. Lord Healey went on the radio. Blair and Prescott are the dream ticket.

LEO. You don’t want to take any notice of that.

MARGARET. You don’t think it’s true?

LEO. I think they should wait and see what my girl can do. We mightn’t be able to go away after all.

MARGARET. I’m not giving up our holiday.

LEO. You’ll have your hands full being leader till October, at least. And at most, who knows?

MARGARET. I can’t win, Leo.

LEO. You’re making a right mess of that. (The duvet, he takes it off her and helps.) Mind must be on something else.

MARGARET. I just want to get on with the job.

LEO. The job isn’t keeping the seat warm for what’s-his-name.

MARGARET. I know, but I can’t [win] –

LEO. ‘Why would anyone bother to go into politics, unless it was to speak up for people who cannot speak up for themselves?’ That’s the job. The dream. Whatever happens, you can’t lose that.

MARGARET. I need to think.

The WOMAN grabs a nicotine inhaler from her suitcase. She sucks on it, as CLARE SHORT.

CLARE. For fuck’s sake!

MARGARET. Clare?

CLARE (aside). Short. (Sucks.) At Millbank. (Sucks.) Mid-May. (Sucks, end of aside.) That Blair’s a wanker.

MARGARET. We’ve got to focus on the elections now.

CLARE. The elections will mean sod all at this rate. That wanker’s got it all stitched up. It’s a good job I’ve kicked the ciggies because right now – (Sucks.)

MARGARET. The European elections, Clare? June the 9th?

CLARE. Fuck Europe.

MARGARET. I wish I could, but as I happen to be Acting Leader.

CLARE. Repeat after me. ‘I am not Acting Leader. I am actually Leader.’ Check the constitution if you don’t believe me.

MARGARET. I need to speak to the National Executive.

CLARE. They’ll tell you the same thing. They all think you’re doing a cracking job. So do the women and a fair bit of the Left, but we need to show everyone else. Get them questioning his inexperience, wondering what he actually stands for. We’ve got four months to turn this around.

MARGARET. I’m going to tell the NEC to bring the leadership elections forward, to July.

CLARE. You what? Why the fuck would you [do that] –

MARGARET. Lots of reasons. Mainly 1992.

CLARE. That’ll never happen again.

MARGARET. You see how far John’s brought us on?

CLARE. You and John.

MARGARET. We can’t risk losing that momentum, getting caught up with Party issues.

CLARE. This isn’t just a Party issue, Margaret.

MARGARET. If we start questioning ourselves, imagine what the rest of the house will do, the press.

CLARE. Fuck the press. We’re picking the next Prime Minister.

MARGARET. As long as it’s a Labour Prime Minister.

CLARE. A proper Labour Prime Minister.

MARGARET. I know, but Tony’s going to win. He’s very good, maybe we should just –

CLARE. Who turned this party around?

MARGARET. John. (Pause.) And me.

CLARE. Out of all those up for it, who’s had the most leadership experience?

MARGARET. Me.

CLARE. Who’s the Leader – the actual Leader – of the Parliamentary Labour Party?

MARGARET. Me.

CLARE. Hon...

Table of contents

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