Furious

Michael Gow

• Publisher: Currency Press
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781760621698
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

A family secret, a terrible betrayal and an obsession to rewrite the past combine in an explosive cocktail of fact and fiction. This is Michael Gow's most uncompromising play. %##CHAR13##%%##CHAR13##%Available in print in Australian Gay & Lesbian Plays.

SCENE ONE

Old-people’s home. ROLAND enters smoking a cigarette. He looks around the room, then sits. After a moment KATHLEEN rushes in.

KATHLEEN: And where have you been? Where have you been?

ROLAND: I’m sorry, I don’t know you.

KATHLEEN: Where have you been?

ROLAND: No. You’re mistaking me for someone else, I’m sorry.

KATHLEEN: Out with it! Right here and now.

A NURSE comes in.

I want to hear you say it. Now!

NURSE: Stop it. Kathleen, you’re a naughty girl. [To ROLAND] I’m really sorry, we’re so—

KATHLEEN: Where have you been?

NURSE: Stop this now. Stop it. What are you doing here anyway?

She goes to the door and calls.

Brian? Brian! [To ROLAND.] We’re short staffed. Which one are you here to visit?

ROLAND: No, I’m not visiting anyone, I’m here to collect some things someone—

NURSE: Where is Brian? Never around when you need them. Sorry. You’re here to see …

ROLAND: No, I’m not here to see anyone. You contacted me about some things that someone has left for me. Someone who died.

NURSE: Bonny! You’re Mr…

ROLAND: Henning.

NURSE: Mr Henning. You’re here for Bonny’s things. [To KATHLEEN] You knew, didn’t you? Kathleen was devoted to Bonny. Best friends. Weren’t you? Poor old thing. Since Bonny died she’s been off the air, permanently furious. Real problem. [To KATHLEEN] We get what Bonny left for the man? Back in a sec.

The NURSE takes KATHLEEN off. ROLAND is left alone for a moment. A YOUNG WOMAN comes in. She is very distressed. She watches ROLAND for a moment.

YOUNG WOMAN: Do you have a cigarette?

ROLAND gives her a cigarette. He lights it for her. She takes a long drag.

Thanks.

She goes. ROLAND paces. An OLD MAN shuffles on. He stops in the middle of the room and starts to sway.

ROLAND: Are you alright?

OLD MAN: Yes.

ROLAND: Should I get someone?

OLD MAN: Yes.

ROLAND goes to the door and calls.

ROLAND: Excuse me? Is anyone around? [Back to the OLD MAN] Do you want to hold my arm?

OLD MAN: Yes.

ROLAND offers the OLD MAN his arm. Instead, the OLD MAN grabs ROLAND’s head, staring into his face. ROLAND tries to pull away, but the OLD MAN’s grip is strong. BRIAN comes in.

BRIAN: What are you doing here? You’re in the wrong place. Aren’t you?

OLD MAN: Yes.

BRIAN: [to ROLAND] All he says. ‘Yes. Yes. Yes.’ Isn’t it?

OLD MAN: Yes.

BRIAN: You’re an old cunt, aren’t you?

OLD MAN: Yes.

BRIAN: [laughing] You can say anything.

BRIAN and the OLD MAN go. ROLAND is left alone again for a moment. The NURSE, with a clipboard, comes back with KATHLEEN, who’s carrying a shoe-box. She hands the shoe-box to ROLAND.

ROLAND: Thank you.

NURSE: Now back you go, you’ve given him the box.

She goes reluctantly. Just as she is leaving the stage she looks back at ROLAND.

Can you sign for it please? Here. [To KATHLEEN] Off you go now.

ROLAND: Do you know what’s in it?

NURSE: Photos mainly. She had them all in the cupboard by her bed. She gathered them all up and put them in the box a couple of days before she died. Old photos are pathetic aren’t they? Red Rid...