debbie tucker green plays: one

debbie tucker green

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781848427631
• eBook ISBN: 9781788501224
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Very few playwrights can be identified from a single line of dialogue – debbie tucker green is one of them. This collection of her first six plays, together with a short introduction by the author, shows a dramatic artist in full control of her craft.

born bad (Hampstead Theatre, 2003; winner of the Olivier Award for Best Newcomer) dives headlong into the heart of a conflicted family, unleashing wit, ferocity and verbal dexterity on the way. 'One of the most assured and extraordinary new voices we've heard in a long while. Electrifying' Independent on Sunday

dirty butterfly (Soho Theatre, 2003) is a mesmerising study of voyeurism, power and guilt. 'There is a sly, controlled power in this writing… And now I cannot get it out of my head' Guardian

generations (National Theatre Platform performance, 2005; Young Vic, 2007) follows three generations of a Black South African family comparing cooking skills – but food isn't the only topic and the family numbers are declining. 'Devastating… will last you a lifetime' Guardian

stoning mary (Royal Court Theatre, 2005) confronts the reality of global conflicts, transposing them to the West. 'The words fly around the theatre piercing the dark like gleaming shards of shrapnel' The Stage

trade (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2005) shines a light on the world of female sex tourism. 'Poetry laced with shards of broken glass' Guardian

random (Royal Court Theatre, 2008) is set over one day, following one family and the effects of one random act of violence. 'The writing seems to penetrate the very heart of grief' Telegraph

'debbie tucker green uses language as deftly as a composer might use notes.' Financial Times

stoning mary

for sam and luke

thanks to ruth little, caryl and maria

stoning mary was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs, London, on 1 April 2005. The cast was as follows:

WIFE	Emily Joyce
WIFE EGO/OLDER SISTER EGO	Heather Craney
HUSBAND	Peter Sullivan
HUSBAND EGO/BOYFRIEND EGO	Martin Marquez
MUM	Ruth Sheen
DAD	Alan Williams
CHILD SOLDIER	Cole Edwards
OLDER SISTER	Claire Rushbrook
YOUNGER SISTER	Claire-Louise Cordwell
BOYFRIEND	Rick Warden
CORRECTIONS OFFICER	Gary Dunnington
Director	Marianne Elliott
Designer	Ultz
Lighting Designer	Nigel Edwards
Sound Designer	Ian Dickinson

Characters

WIFE

WIFE EGO

HUSBAND

HUSBAND EGO

MUM

DAD

CHILD SOLDIER (SON), his hair shaved down to a number one

OLDER SISTER

YOUNGER SISTER (MARY)

CORRECTIONS OFFICER BOYFRIEND

BOYFRIEND EGO

OLDER SISTER EGO

The play is set in the country it is performed in.

All characters are white.

All characters start onstage.

Scene titles to be shown.

Names without dialogue indicate active silences between those characters.

/ marks where dialogue starts to overlap.

During ‘The Prescription’, two actors play each character simultaneously.

One

‘The AIDS Genocide. The Prescription.’

WIFE ‘If you’d putcha hands – put your hands on me –

If you’d put your hands on me then you’d know – ’

WIFE EGO said.

WIFE ‘Put your hands on me to know’

WIFE EGO said

WIFE ‘handle me to know’

WIFE EGO I said

WIFE ‘handle me. Handle me – handle me – go on.’

WIFE shows her shaking hands. ‘Go on.

Go on.

See… can’t.

Putcha hands on / me’

WIFE EGO he gives it –

HUSBAND ‘no.’

WIFE ‘Putcha’ –

HUSBAND ‘no.’

WIFE ‘Go on’ –

WIFE EGO says –

HUSBAND ‘I know.’

WIFE EGO Says –

HUSBAND ‘I know how to handle’

WIFE EGO says

HUSBAND ‘I know how to handle you. Know how to handle you to know – ’

WIFE EGO asks me –

HUSBAND ‘why don’tchu put your hands on me?’

WIFE EGO Says –

HUSBAND ‘why don’tchu put your hands on me then?’

HUSBAND EGO Eyes to the skies it.

HUSBAND ‘Go on, put your hands on me – ’

HUSBAND EGO she eyes to the skies it – focus on the floors it

HUSBAND ‘what if I want you to that – or you don’t want me to get from you what you want from me…? Put me hands on meself if I wanna feel that. Can get me to feel me to feel that can’t I? Or you sayin your shakes is somethin special?’

WIFE EGO Shows me his hands

HUSBAND ‘Anyone can do nervous.’

HUSBAND EGO Hands in pocket

HUSBAND ‘Anyone can do nervous well.’

WIFE EGO Hands in pockets then –

HUSBAND ‘Anyone can play nervous well better’n you’

WIFE EGO hands in pockets doing defiant – doin defiant badly.

HUSBAND EGO Why would I wanna put my hands anywhere else?

HUSBAND ‘Why would I wanna put my hands on anyone else?

Why would I wanna put my hands on / you?’

WIFE ‘You wouldn’t know.’

WIFE EGO Face off the floor – look him in the eye.

HUSBAND EGO Looks me in the eye now, now she thinks she got somethin to say

WIFE ‘You wouldn’t...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Born Bad
• Dirty Butterfly
• Generations
• Stoning Mary
• Trade
• Random
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information