Navigating

Katherine Thomson

• Publisher: Currency Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781925004564
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

A small seaside town drifts in the wake of its painful past and the corruption of its leaders. An embattled woman is determined to expose the truth when she finds herself in possession of damaging documentary evidence.

ACT ONE

Out of the darkness comes the sound of a piano being played with heavy hands. It is joined by twenty or so voices of a small-town, amateur choir doing their best with ‘Va pen siero’.

One voice will begin to be heard above the others. It’s BEA, oblivious to the fact that her singing becomes louder with each breath she takes. BEA is in her late forties—an open soul, capable and trusting.

Her sister, ISOLA, is in another pool of light. ISOLA is ten years younger, more delicate in appearance. Withdrawn and vulnerable in demeanour. Her style of singing is much more reticent. She glances at BEA, reacting to her rather robust singing.

Nearby, PAM SHAW, a woman in her fifties, sings meekly, and in the men’s section her husband, DICK SHAW, sings with determination. BRENT, a man awkward in his own body, fidgeting even as he sings, can’t help but glance at ISOLA. Near him, wrapped up in his own voice, the confident, charming IAN DONNELLY is only too aware of how much the musical burden is falling on his shoulders.

The singing ends, there’s the sound of applause. They all nod little bows as they pick up their music, but IAN steps forward, in a gesture that is unplanned.

IAN: Thank you. That was the prisoner’s chorus from Nabucco. In the capacity of secretary of the choir, on this glorious Sunday, I wonder if I might take the liberty of leading us in prayer.

BEA looks a little surprised, but bows her head with the rest of the choir. IAN is unused to praying, let alone leading the prayer.

Dear Lord, we pray for guidance to the Minister of Justice, other Honourable Members of Parliament visiting our town this weekend, for the citizens of our Shire present here today. For their representatives—the councillors and members of Dunbar Development Group gathered here before you. We ask you to bless us with employment and growth as it pleaseth you, and as we know could be so enhanced from the proposed new prison in our Shire. We have been sorely hit by hard times of late, Oh Lord, but we know with your help we can flourish once again. We have lived, Oh Lord, with the old prison up on the hill for as long as most of us have been alive, and until it closes next year, a daily reminder of our own fortune, freedom and of the true path. We ask you to bless us, and the other shortlisted sites, we thank you for the opportunity to show the Honourable Members the site our Shire and… the facilities we offer. We ask your blessings too, Oh Lord, the representatives of Carter Corrections, American Detention Industries and Silver Security Systems who have travelled so widely to be with us today.

A few mumbles of ‘Amen’, but IAN is inspired to continue.

For we are a people who have always looked to the future, Lord, with your guidance in our enterprise… and faith. Amen.

Sound of ‘Amen’. IAN is, uncharacteristically given his usual confidence, deeply relieved.

Thank you. And now Peter Greig, Chairman of Dunbar Development Group…

Sound of applause.

TRANSITION to a riverside patch of land, not far from the entrance bar. ISOLA and BEA are waiting near a wheelbarrow on which is sitting a figurehead, covered with a canvas cloth.

ISOLA stares out to sea. BEA idly twirls a smooth old stick in her hand—a diviner’s stick. BEA looks at her watch, then has a quiet laugh to herself.

ISOLA: What?

BEA: Ian Donnelly praying. Ian Donnelly’s no more religious than I am. I’ve heard the language at work, thank you. Once he started it was like he was tangled up in some dreadful w...