The Girl in the Yellow Dress

Craig Higginson

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781849430821
• eBook ISBN: 9781849435338
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

South African writer Craig Higginson's powerful new play is a dark, witty and sexually-charged psychological drama told through the eyes of a beautiful English teacher and her French-Congolese pupil. A 'state of the nation' exploration of the tensions between the first and third worlds the play explores issues around language, power, identity, sex, past trauma, class, exile and refugees. An exciting new co-production from the internationally-renowned Market Theatre from South Africa and two of the UK's most prestigious theatre companies.

Part One

THE PASSIVE

CELIA’s apartment. Her sitting-room is modern and impeccable, giving a suggestion of wealth. The bookshelves are filled with books. On a mantelpiece, there’s a vase filled with daffodils. A half-visible kitchen adjoins the sitting-room. There are also entrances from the front door and CELIA’s bedroom.

CELIA’s mobile phone is on a glass table. It buzzes like an angry bee.

CELIA emerges from the bedroom. She has just had a shower and is still getting ready. Perhaps she is brushing her hair. She is in her late twenties, pale and beautiful.

She ignores the phone and moves through to the kitchen area to prepare a coffee tray. The phone stops buzzing. Then it beeps.

The doorbell rings. CELIA goes to the door.

CELIA: Hello?

PIERRE: Hello.

CELIA: Are you Pierre?

PIERRE: I am him.

CELIA: Then you’d better come in.

PIERRE enters. He is French-speaking. Of African heritage. About twenty. He has dreadlocks and wears a dark blue polar neck jumper. While CELIA closes the door behind him, he regards the books.

CELIA: Would you like to take off your coat?

PIERRE: Thank you.

He removes his coat and hands it to her. She hangs it up by the door.

CELIA: I hope you drink coffee.

PIERRE: Yes.

She moves through to fetch the coffee tray.

PIERRE: It’s generous of you to see me.

CELIA: It’s what I do.

PIERRE is gazing around surreptitiously. He sees CELIA’s row of notebooks on the shelf.

PIERRE: What’s the name of this yellow flower, la jonquille – en anglais [the daffodil – in English]?

CELIA: Daffodils.

He smells them, but they have no smell.

PIERRE: Daffodils –

CELIA enters with the tray – on which is a cloth, two small, glazed mugs, a bowl of sugar and the coffee. Each object is beautiful, selected with care. She sets the tray down.

CELIA: Please make yourself at home.

PIERRE: At home?

CELIA: Take a seat.

PIERRE: Make myself at home. This is a way of saying please sit?

CELIA: It’s a way of saying please relax.

He sits in an armchair at a right angle to the couch.

CELIA: So you’re Pierre. You were very insistent on the phone.

PIERRE: Yes.

CELIA: Celia.

She offers her hand. He takes it and holds it.

PIERRE: I know.

CELIA: Pleased to meet you in the flesh.

PIERRE: Pleased to meet you. In the flesh.

CELIA: You look familiar. Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?

PIERRE: I don’t – perhaps.

She withdraws her hand, flushing slightly.

PIERRE: I have the money.

He tries to give her a few notes.

CELIA: Not now.

PIERRE: I must pay you every time, yes?

CELIA: I prefer it that way.

PIERRE: At the end?

CELIA: Yes.

PIERRE pockets his money.

PIERRE: You think once a week is enough?

CELIA: It’s what we agreed to, isn’t it?

PIERRE: Every Wednesday morning. Ten o’clock. For one hour and a half.

CELIA: Can you afford that?

PIERRE: Why not? You think I look too – what?

CELIA: I didn’t mean anything by it.

PIERRE: I saved up.

CELIA: Well, let’s see how we get along. If you’re quick, perhaps we can meet a couple of times a week. For shorter periods.

PIERRE: I will like it.

CELIA: Would, not will. We’re still being hypothetical.

Silence.

PIERRE: These books. They are impressive.

CELIA: Books are not in themselves impressive.

PIERRE: I mean you. To read these.

Silence.

PIERRE: And you always work from home?

CELIA: I try to. Although I’ve been cutting down on my working hours.

PIERRE: You said this in the phone.

CELIA: I’d decided not to take on anyone new. But you wouldn’t take no for an answer.

PIERRE: No.

CELIA: There are several other places in Paris you could have gone. Why me?

PIERRE: You were recommended by one of the other students at the Sorbonne.

CELIA: I suppose you saw one of my notices. I didn’t know they were still up.

PIERRE: They aren’t.

Silence.

PIERRE: I kept your number with me. As I’m saying – I had to save up.

CELIA: I was a student there too. For a bit.

PIERRE: Why have you left?

CELIA: It’s the past simple, not the past...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Authors
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Characters
• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Part Five
• Note on the author
• By the same author