Bright. Young. Things.

Georgia Christou

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781848428621
• eBook ISBN: 9781788503426
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

On a reality television show, six remarkable – and remarkably young – geniuses are competing for the coveted Golden Brain trophy and the title 'Britain's Brainiest Child'. As the contestants battle it out round after round, the pressure mounts, the spotlight gets harsher, and each is faced with questions they were never expecting. Who will win and who will lose – and what exactly does winning mean anyway?

Georgia Christou's Bright. Young. Things. is a funny, fast-paced play about identity, truth and the challenge of finding out who you really are. It is part of Platform, an initiative from Tonic Theatre in partnership with Nick Hern Books. Aimed at achieving greater gender equality in theatre, Platform comprises big-cast plays with predominantly, or all, female casts, written specifically for performance by young actors.

1. Everything Follows From Here

Lights up.

Either side of the stage are chairs. These are for the cast. The changes in this play should be fast, so it’s going to be helpful to have your actors on hand at the drop of a hat.

On stage are six blocks arranged in a V-shape, with the pointy bit at the back.

Behind each of these blocks is a child, with a backpack next to them – AMBER, BERNIE, HESTER, JASMINE and SHEARA. These are the contestants. They are all frozen, focused on something in front of them. Something we can’t see.

And on the final block is a large phone – maybe an old- fashioned one.

Behind that phone stands a man – this is ROCHELLE’S DAD. He stares at the phone, twitchy.

SHEARA. Do you remember the moment just before everything changed?

ROCHELLE, early teens, enters.

ROCHELLE. Dad?

JASMINE. A door opens.

AMBER. A storm breaks.

HESTER. A phone rings.

BERNIE. And everything, your whole life as you now know it, follows from there.

ROCHELLE. Dad?

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Oh hello, love.

ROCHELLE. What you doing?

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Nothing much.

ROCHELLE. I’ve been shouting you.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. In my own world.

ROCHELLE. You coming down for breakfast?

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Yeah.

ROCHELLE. I did eggs.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Lovely.

ROCHELLE. We can decide what we want to do today. Museum? Film?

Beat.

Next door have just painted their front wall. We could watch it dry if you like?

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Sounds good.

ROCHELLE. Dad!

ROCHELLE’S DAD. What?

ROCHELLE. You’re doing that thing again. That ‘not listening’ thing.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Sorry, love.

ROCHELLE. Your eggs are getting cold.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Yes. Right.

The PRODUCERS enter, holding a mobile phone.

(A word on the PRODUCERS: they should feel – breathe, move – like one person, even if there’s twenty of them. They are strange and slightly other-worldly. Their props could be oversized or they might wear bits of the same costume – like different components of a matching suit. Shirt, tie, jacket, etc. You can split their lines as you see fit – they can speak separately or together or a mixture of both. It might help to think of them as a single, many-headed beast.)

ROCHELLE. You know staring at it won’t make it ring.

Then the sound of a phone ringing. It’s not in ROCHELLE’s world. ROCHELLE and her DAD freeze.

JASMINE, SHEARA, AMBER, HESTER and BERNIE all answer their phones.

JASMINE, SHEARA, AMBER, HESTER and BERNIE. Hello?

PRODUCERS. It’s the producers calling.

From the studio.

We’re phoning with the result of your application.

A light drum rolls.

We were overwhelmed by this year’s applicants.

The competition was very tough.

I’m afraid it’s not good news…

The drum stops.

Beat.

It’s great news!

You made the show. Congratulations.

The CONTESTANTS celebrate, punch the air. Squeal with happiness. The actors at the side of the stage cheer too!

At the same time FRANKIE enters with a cup of coffee.

FRANKIE hands the PRODUCERS the cup (or cups – maybe she hands one to each of them). The cup(s) get dropped with a clatter.

PRODUCERS. DRAT!

Everyone stops cheering.

Oh. I wasn’t talking to you.

Everyone makes a loud sigh of relief.

FRANKIE scrabbles around, picking up cups.

Be at the studio for eleven. And remember this moment. Everything you’ve ever wanted…

JASMINE, SHEARA, AMBER, HESTER and BERNIE. Everything?

ALL PRODUCERS. Everything follows from here.

The line goes dead.

The CHILDREN pick up their backpacks and turn upstage.

All except ROCHELLE and her DAD – who keep staring at the phone.

ROCHELLE. Come on, Dad.

Her DAD turns and walks away.

The phone rings.

ROCHELLE’S DAD grabs it.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Elaine?

PRODUCERS. Not the last time I checked.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Oh. Sorry, boss. I thought you were someone else.

PRODUCERS. We need you to come in today.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Today?

PRODUCERS. We wouldn’t ask but it’s urgent.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. As in today, today?

PRODUCERS. Is there a problem?

ROCHELLE’S DAD. No.

PRODUCERS. Good. Then I’ll see you –

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Actually, yes. My daughter. We were supposed to be spending the day together.

PRODUCERS. We totally understand.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. You do?

PRODUCERS. Absolutely.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. I really appreciate it.

PRODUCERS. It will be no trouble, just bring her with you.

ROCHELLE’S DAD (disappointed). Bring her…

PRODUCERS. No need to thank us.

ROCHELLE’S DAD. Right. Yes. Thank you, I’ll see you.

The line goes dead.

(To ROCHELLE.) Change of plan.

Theme music plays.

The PRODUCERS exit and at the same tim...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Platform
• Introduction
• Production Note
• BRIGHT. YOUNG. THINGS.
• Original Production Details
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information