Moth

Declan Greene

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781848423374
• eBook ISBN: 9781788501835
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

By turns dark and shimmering, Moth is a fast, funny and heartbreaking story about two young people with nowhere to go.

Sebastian is "that kid" at high school. He's weird. He smells. He's obsessed with comics, and talks to himself. But after a catastrophic fallout with his only friend, Claryssa, he wakes up with a moth in a jar by his bed, and a calling to save the souls of all humanity. And so begins the Passion of Sebastian: a journey into a terrifying and starless night.

Declan Greene's play Moth was first produced by Arena Theatre and Malthouse Theatre at the CUB Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, in May 2010. It was premiered in the UK at HighTide Festival and the Bush Theatre, London, in 2013.

1

Total darkness.

Then – a huge halogen floodlight begins to flicker.

SEBASTIAN and CLARYSSA appear suddenly, frozen: holding hands, staring up at the light in terror and wonder.

The light flickers off.

2

CLARYSSA and SEBASTIAN, side by side.

SEBASTIAN stares at CLARYSSA.

CLARYSSA looks away, ignoring him.

SEBASTIAN. Hey.

Pause.

Hey, Claryssa. Hey.

Pause.

CLARYSSA ignores him.

CLLLLLLaryssa. CLLLLL – (Searches.) Chlorine. CLLLLL – (Searches.) Chlamydia. CLLLL – (Searches.) Clearasil. Ha-ha, Clearasil.

Pause.

(Softly.) Claryssa. Claryssa.

Pause.

(Loud.) CLARYSSA.

Pause.

Are you ignoring me, Claryssa?

Pause.

Claryssa, are you ignoring me?

Pause.

SEBASTIAN takes a huge breath – his cheeks puff out.

There is a long pause.

Gradually his face turns red.

CLARYSSA. Stop it, Sebastian.

Stop it.

I’m not talking to you.

I’m not talking to you, no matter what. So you can just give up right now.

His face turns purple…

Sebastian. SEBASTIAN!

Stop it, Sebastian!

STOP IT! STOP IT! SEBASTIAN, STOP IT!

He pleads with her.

FINE!

SEBASTIAN exhales, laughing.

Oh my God, you are so annoying.

SEBASTIAN. HA-HA-HA.

CLARYSSA. SO fucking annoying. Your head looks disgusting when you do that.

SEBASTIAN. Does it?

CLARYSSA. It looks like you’re going to pop.

SEBASTIAN. Sweet.

CLARYSSA. Um. No. It’s gross, actually. It’s completely gross.

SEBASTIAN. At least I can help it.

CLARYSSA. What?

SEBASTIAN. – If my face looks gross. HA-HA.

CLARYSSA. OH, get / fucked!

SEBASTIAN (laughing). AT LEAST I CAN HELP IT IF MY FACE LOOKS GROSS. HA-HA-HA. HA-HA-HA! HA-HA–

CLARYSSA punches him.

OW! Ow, Claryssa! Ow! That effing HURT.

CLARYSSA. Then stop being a prick.

SEBASTIAN. You’re such a psycho. I wasn’t even doing anything.

CLARYSSA. You were pissing me off!

SEBASTIAN. You’re so mean. I’m going to get a bruise.

CLARYSSA. It’s not my fault you’re a little pussy.

SEBASTIAN. It’s not my fault you’ve got huge guns.

She punches him again.

AHH! That was exactly the same spot!

She punches him again.

AHHHHHH! CLARYSSA! Don’t!!!

SEBASTIAN starts to cough violently.

Pause.

CLARYSSA holds out a handkerchief.

CLARYSSA. Spit.

She holds out a handkerchief. He spits into it.

SEBASTIAN. Is it…?

CLARYSSA. Blood.

SEBASTIAN. A lot?

CLARYSSA. Quite a lot.

SEBASTIAN. I feel okay.

CLARYSSA. You look okay.

SEBASTIAN. Can you not ignore me please?

CLARYSSA. You’re so clueless!

SEBASTIAN. What?

CLARYSSA. You think this is fun for me?

SEBASTIAN. What did I do?

CLARYSSA. SHUT UP, SEBASTIAN!

Beat.

Whenever they talk about you at school… Whenever I hear your name, even… I feel sick. I feel so, so sick. Like my heart just vommed everywhere.

SEBASTIAN. Gross.

CLARYSSA. SHUT UP.

Beat.

And the thing is… I think about you… All the time.

I just… I close my eyes… I start to drift… And I’m –

Floodlight.

SEBASTIAN (whispered). ‘Claryssa. Claryssa.’

CLARYSSA.…I’m in my bedroom. And there’s a tapping at the window.

SEBASTIAN. ‘Talk to me, Claryssa. Claryssa. Please talk to me.’

Pause.

CLARYSSA. And then we’re back here. We’re back at the start. And we have to do it all again.

SEBASTIAN. Do what again?

CLARYSSA. Right from the start.

SEBASTIAN. Do what? What is it?

CLARYSSA. I can’t tell you.

SEBASTIAN. Why?

CLARYSSA. Because you won’t want to do it.

SEBASTIAN. Why?

CLARYSSA. Because it hurts.

EBASTIAN. So?

CLARYSSA. And you’re a pussy.

SEBASTIAN. You’re the pussy. I’m hella bad, bitch.

CLARYSSA. Don’t call me a bitch, you little bitch.

SEBASTIAN. Don’t call me a bitch, you big bitch.

CLARYSSA. I swear, Sebastian. If you don’t shut the fuck up I will kick your ass.

SEBASTIAN. You’ll what?

CLARYSSA. I’ll kick your ass.

SEBASTIAN. You’ll – you’ll lick my ass?

CLARYSSA. I’ll KICK your ass.

SEBASTIAN. You’ll lick my ass?

CLARYSSA. I’LL KICK YOUR ASS.

SEBASTIAN. That’s gross! Why would you even want to lick my – ?

CLARYSSA punches SEBASTIAN in the head.

3

SEBASTIAN. AH!!!

CLARYSSA. ‘OOOOOOH, SORRY, BRUV!!!’

SEBASTIAN. What was that for?! I didn’t even do anything!

CLARYSSA. It wasn’t me. It was Clinton.

SEBASTIAN. Awww. It’s a sandwich.

CLARYSSA. Throwing shit at you.

SEBASTIAN. It’s tuna. I’m gonna stink!

CLARYSSA. He’s like – (Clinton.) ‘DID I HIT YOU, BRUV? – AWW, I WAS AIMING FOR THE BIN!’

SEBASTIAN. And you’re like – (Claryssa, screeching.) ‘THAT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY, CLINTON!’

CLARYSSA. I don’t sound like that!

SEBASTIAN (Claryssa). ‘YOU CHAV PRICK!’

CLARYSSA. I DON’T SOUND LIKE THAT!

SEBASTIAN (laughing). Yes you do!

CLARYSSA (Clinton). ‘EYYY, SHITTY! SHIT-BASTIAN! YOU GOTTA KEEP YOUR WOMAN IN CHECK, YEAH?! SHE’S A PSYCHO!’

SEBASTIAN. ‘Ha-ha-ha!’

CLARYSSA. And I’m like – ‘That’s fucking IT, I’m gonna take him.’

SEBASTIAN. ‘Stop it! You’re embarrassing me!’

CLARYSSA. ‘Don’t let him shit on you! He’s a fucking chav!’

SEBASTIAN. ‘Shut up!’

CLARYSSA...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Contents
• Original Production
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Characters
• Setting, Note on Text
• Moth
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information