Roadkill

Cora Bissett, Stef Smith

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781849431989
• eBook ISBN: 9781849435635
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Winner of the 2012 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievment In An Affiliate Theatre. A world away from you, but a world right on your doorstep. A powerful story of the terrifying complexities of sex trafficking today based on real experiences. Moving away from generalised narrative accounts of trafficked women, this explosive, site-specific production combines direct, chilling performances with video and animation. RoadKill exposes the brutal and hidden truth behind the newspaper headlines as audiences share in the intimate, harrowing details of a young woman trapped in a living nightmare.

SCENE 1

MARTHA and MARY arrive into the flat, MARY is excited, revealing her youthful playfulness. MARTHA is also seemingly excited.

MARTHA: Come in, come in. See how big this flat is? Eh. Look, you can leave the tap on for ever. Lot of money is spent making this place look nice. We want you to feel comfortable here. Now, there are other girls here. Roommates to make sure you never get lonely. That’s Crystal’s room, she is from Poland.

MARY: So far away Auntie!

MARTHA: Yes my dear. But none as far away as us! That is Sofia’s room, she’s been in the UK for a long time, originally from Italy. And guess whose room is downstairs?

MARY: Mine Auntie?

MARTHA: Yes my dear, but all in good time.

MARY: Wow! A room just for me. Just for me!

MARTHA: And this is the parlour, where we shall receive our guests.

The usher leads the audience into Room 1 and they all take seats or stand where possible, keeping a clear view for the TV.

MARY: It’s so beautiful and tidy, I never want to leave Auntie!

MARTHA: Oh my dear from now on you call me Martha okay? None of that auntie business. They do not understand it over here. They will think that I am older than I am! Eh! No woman wants that. Now let’s do the Scottish thing and have a cup of tea!

MARY: Oh thank you Martha.

MARTHA: Good girl... Sugar and milk?

MARY: Yes Martha.

MARTHA: Now you put the TV on, watch whatever you like. Oh hold on. Before we get wrapped up in all this excitement. Give me your passport and papers eh. I’ll put them away in a safe place. So they don’t get lost.

MARY: Oh, yes. Thank you Martha! I don’t want to lose them!

MARTHA: Oh no. We wouldn’t want that. Now relax, I’ll make tea.

MARTHA exits while MARY stays in the room, dancing to the Beyoncé DVD on the TV. DJALL emerges to stand in the doorway. MARY is momentarily embarrassed by being caught; he has been watching a while. DJALL is Eastern European, he is ‘The Boss’ and here to ‘break’ MARY... His demeanour is calm, yet chilling, charming, yet foreboding.

MARY: Oh hello... Sorry I didn’t know you were...

DJALL: No, no, don’t worry. I was just watching you dance.

MARY: Are you a friend of Martha’s?

DJALL: Yes, I am a friend of Martha’s. My name is Djall. You are a beautiful dancer.

MARY: Thank you... How bodi?

DJALL: Pardon?

MARY: Sorry... sorry. I am still learning Scottish. How are you?

DJALL: Do not worry my dear. We will teach you lots here... I am fine... And you like Beyoncé?

MARY: Yes, yes I do.

DJALL: I have more of her CDs in here if you want to see.

MARY: Even the songs with Destiny’s Child?

DJALL: Yes, yes and more besides.

MARY exits the room with DJALL; after a few moments we hear noises, possible shouting in a foreign language, laughing meanwhile MARTHA runs a bath, occasionally coming into the room, looking a little agitated. The TV which was playing Beyoncé fades to an animation; it is MARY, recognisable, the little girl in the white dress; she is breathing heavily, figures loom towards her; men’s faces morph into wolves ripping a ragdoll that is MARY apart. We see their faces from her point of view, aggressive, morphing, melting, one becomes a melted clown’s face, another is growling down upon her; effectively we witness MARY’s rape through the medium of a child’s animation.

DJALL: (Albanian, written phonetically.) T’i qifsha trut, Ti qifsha byth, shkërdhat e qelbur, To qifsha to bardhot e syve [Fuck your brains out, fuck you in the ass, dirty slut, fuck your white eyes].

...Screen cuts out and turns to white noise.

SCENE 2

MARTHA returns to the room we are in, and waits for DJALL.

DJALL enters, he is gathering his things, redoing his belt. MARTHA waits and watches diligently.

DJALL: I’m done in there... She’s good. Tight.

MARTHA: I think she will be very valuable.

DJALL: You better hope so.

MARTHA: Well, there aren’t a lot of African girls on the market at the moment.

DJALL: None as good as you eh... She is young. She will be popular. Make the money Martha. Then no problems.

MARTHA: Yes Djall. Of course. I’ll look after things for you. I will look after her.

DJALL: Make me money, Martha. Money, money, money, money!

DJALL kisses her and leaves.

SCENE 3

MARY exits the bedroom and stumbles through the hallway. MARTHA comes from the kitchen and comforts her.

MARTHA: Haba! Haba! [Good grief! Good grief!] Oh child. Look...let me clean up your legs. Oh your dress got ripped. Don’t worry child I’ll get you another. Come, come. We will get your cleaned up.

MARY makes a feeble attempt to walk to the door.

MARTHA: Aw now, now. Now, now. Do not go out there. Djall always waits outside you hear. Lots of men wait out there. Don’t go out. It is not safe out there without me. Okay? I know it hurts. I know it hurts. But you must be strong and brave, do you hear? Come, we’ll get you cleaned up.

MARY looks at MARTHA with horror, realising what just happened. MARTHA has an odd sense of comfort in her voice – she can take her time in between holding her silently and whispering to her.

MARTHA: It has to ha...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Author
• DIRECTOR’S NOTE
• CHARACTER
• Contents
• Bus Dialogue
• Scene 1
• Scene 2
• Scene 3
• Scene 4
• Scene 5
• Scene 6
• Scene 7
• Scene 8
• Scene 9
• Scene 10
• Scene 11
• Scene 12
• Scene 13
• Scene 14
• Scene 15
• Scene 16
• Scene 17
• Scene 18
• Scene 19
• Scene 20
• Deleted Scenes