The Glass Room

Ryan Craig

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781840027129
• eBook ISBN: 9781849435703
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

In a safe-house in the suburbs, human rights lawyer Myles Brody meets with a high-profile and controversial historian. She has been charged with denying the Holocaust, and he has agreed to defend her in court. But as her guilt becomes apparent, Myles is forced to doubt his most sacred principles, question his belief in the right to free speech and acknowledge that he too has been denying the past. The Glass Room premiered at the Hampstead Theatre in November 2006.

Act One

SCENE ONE

Room in a flat in central London.

MYLES enters carrying a smallish cardboard box full of books, files, CDs etc. Balancing on top of the box is a chessboard. He looks about the fairly empty room and takes it in. This will be his new home. He is hoping that no one is about.

MYLES: Hello?

TARA enters in a pair of tatty dungarees. She has been painting.

TARA: Hi.

MYLES: Hi. I didn’t think you’d be in.

TARA: I am.

MYLES: You’re red.

TARA: Actually it’s Tequila Sunrise.

MYLES: Right.

TARA: I was painting your room.

MYLES: Tequila Sunrise?

TARA: It’s a sort of vermillion. I hope you like it.

MYLES: I’m sorry, it’s all been very quick hasn’t it? Just things at my last place…got complicated. What I mean is I don’t know how long I’ll need the room…

TARA: Oh. You hate it.

MYLES: No. What?

TARA: You’ve barely walked over the threshold and you’re already talking about moving out.

MYLES: I move a lot. I’m always… I never stay in one place for too long.

TARA: There’s a word for that.

MYLES: Peripatetic.

TARA: Good word.

MYLES: Thanks. Mind if I put this…

TARA: Please.

MYLES puts down the box. Then he takes the chessboard off the top of the box.

Do you play?

MYLES: A little.

TARA: I bet you’re a grand mufti.

MYLES: Master. Hardly. I’ll teach you if you like?

TARA: Teach me?

MYLES: If you like.

Awkward pause.

TARA: So. Here you are then.

MYLES: Here I am.

TARA: But be honest, it’s the vermillion isn’t it? You hate the vermillion.

MYLES: No I love the vermillion.

TARA: Really?

MYLES: Absolutely. It’s my favourite hue. It’s bright, it’s ebullient…

TARA: Oh God, you really hate it.

MYLES: I love it. Honestly. Please…

TARA: The truth is…the heating doesn’t really work in your room, so I thought if I paint it a really, you know, warm colour, you might not notice.

MYLES: Why don’t I see for myself?

TARA: Brilliant.

MYLES goes off. TARA flicks through his CDs.

(Shouting off. ) Is it all right?!

MYLES: (Off. ) I love it.

TARA: It doesn’t make you want to vomit or anything?

MYLES returns. He watches her looking at his things. She looks at him, finally.

MYLES: Not at all. I love it.

TARA: It’s sweet of you to lie. (Before he can respond.) This your CD collection?

MYLES: Why? No good?

TARA: Arctic Monkeys. Coldplay. Snow Patrol. It’s a pretty frosty assortment.

MYLES: I never thought about it like that. I just get what I’m told.

TARA: What you’re told?

MYLES: By society. For my demographic. Age, gender, race, learning.

TARA: That’s extremely sad.

MYLES: I’ve got some Arvo Part.

TARA: Is that a band?

MYLES: It’s a… He’s a composer. I’ll show you.

TARA: Please don’t.

MYLES: Right. So I should say…you know…thanks for choosing me…you must have had loads of applicants. It’s such an excellent location. I’m flattered I came out on top.

TARA: Yeah. Oh well, I mean, you know, with my track record I didn’t want to live with anyone I found attractive or anything, you know, you never know what’ll happen.

MYLES: Right. Well, so, that’s good then…

TARA: Oh no I don’t mean…not that you’re not attractive.

MYLES: OK.

TARA: Just that you’re not my type.

MYLES: Excellent.

TARA: I like chunky men.

MYLES: That’s a relief then.

TARA: So there’s no danger of…you know…

MYLES: Totally.

TARA: …winter nights…too much red wine…

MYLES: Very sensible.

TARA: And what with you being a lawyer. Sorry, no offence or anything, but…

MYLES: I totally understand….

TARA: I usually go for the off-the-wall types. All ego and hair mousse and lots of friends who are girls and who they confide in. Your general nightmare.

MYLES: Is it? Is it?

TARA: Oh yes. And I don’t really get along with passionless, lawyer boys from public schools with their severe collars, d’you know what I mean?

MYLES: Intimately.

TARA: I mean I don’t mean to be rude, you know, not to your face…

MYLES: You obviously feel strongly about…

TARA: I mean I’m sure you’re really passionate and wacky.

MYLES: I’m not even a tiny bit wacky.

TARA: All the guffawing and the rugby and the sodomy, it’s not for me.

MYLES: Right…

TARA: Plus I’d only aggravate them.

MYLES: Probably.

TARA: (Beat.) Just…

MYLES: Oh. I mean…I don’t mean…

TARA: …I needed the cash you see. The job doesn’t pay much. I needed to get in a lodger. But I want to make a break for it. Do something more…you know. Be part of the solution, not the problem. No offence. Again.

MYLES: OK.

TARA: So it suits me that you won’t be here long.

MYLES: You said something about being a writer.

TARA: God no. Well. Sort of. I write for the Daily Mirror. I know it’s a bit…

MYLES: No, no....

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two
• Acknowledgements