Bloody Elle (NHB Modern Plays)

Lauryn Redding

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781788504027
• Topic: Literatur
• Subtopic: Britisches Drama

Eve's eyes are green like guacamole, she has posh hair, a freckle on her chin (it might be chocolate), and when she puts her hand on Elle's arm…

Bloody Elle – A Gig Musical is a heart-warming and belly-achingly funny story about falling in love for the very first time, stuffed full of stomach-flipping, time-stopping moments, touches, glances, kisses.

Written and originally performed by Lauryn Redding, this one-person gig musical, set to an original score, was first performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in June 2021. It was directed by the theatre's Joint Artistic Director Bryony Shanahan and co-produced with Rebel Productions.

BLOODY ELLE

A Gig Musical

Lauryn Redding

ACT ONE

Pre-show music floods the auditorium.

The stage looks more like a gig than a play.

There are mics and mic stands,

an electric guitar

and an electro/acoustic guitar.

Loop pedals and guitar pedals.

The wires and the workings of the music aren’t hidden.

They are laid bare for all to see.

The music is created live on stage and

all characters are voiced

by the actor.

The lights go down.

Anticipation.

ELLE enters with a bottle of beer.

She takes a swig.

She picks up her guitar

and begins.

UNPROLOGUE

Guitar loops are layered up.

Most shows start with a prologue,

Which I’ve always found quite odd.

Why tell the whole story? Wrap it up in a bow?

Like a giant fucking spoiler just to ruin your whole show?

So I won’t start with a prologue.

As I said, I think they’re quite odd.

Instead I’ll just say, I hope you enjoy

It’s not your average love story about a girl and a boy.

Loop builds vocally with beat boxing and harmonies.

It starts with a girl called Elle,

Yeah, she’s not your average leading lady as well.

She has a heart the size of a moon,

She’s been far from brought up with a silver spoon

In her gob.

She talks only the truth,

For her age she was long in the tooth.

–

Life was tough, she was tougher.

When life got rough, she got rougher.

Music builds.

Her head was in the clouds like hot air balloons,

Her heart was a full moon.

She knew the words

but she couldn’t find the tune.

I’ll stop, coz this sorta sounds like a prologue,

As I said, I think they’re quite odd.

Instead I’ll just say,

enjoy the play.

And oh

Music cuts out.

I’m Elle by the way.

Now then you lot.

How you doing?

You alright?

She encourages the audience to respond.

Thanks for coming.

It’s a bit of punt coming to the theatre innit?

Bit risky.

Could be shit.

Could wish you hadn’t bothered.

Coulda stayed in binge-watching Homeland on Netflix – Which is fucking brilliant by the way, if you haven’t seen it! Goes down hill in the end tho, so wouldn’t bother with about season three onwards. Clare Danes is (Makes an ‘amazing’ gesture.) in that! Although, I think she was at her best in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, but hey that’s just me.

–

So, cheers – thanks for coming.

She raises her glass to the audience.

Most people I know only go to the theatre if they win tickets int paper or it’s got Ben from A1 in it or something.

So, ta, really appreciate it.

–

I’m going to tell you all a story.

My story.

I’m gonna sing some songs, make some music and patch my way thru.

Amber’s (Or who ever is on the desk.) on the desk making some magic too. Hi Amber!

See – music is my way of expressing – the lid comes off, no compressing.

We all feel it.

Them hairs – stand up – tingle.

We breathe it – arms open at a festival.

We mingle like the notes that intertwine and hit our ears.

Like the memories that flood back when you hear a song you haven’t heard in years.

Some sit in an opera – clapping.

Some mosh pit – nose bleeds – guitar strings snapping.

Rapping.

Some bloke busking, commuters’ feet tapping.

–

It’s for people like me. That sound like me, look like me, feel what I feel – and for everyone else too.

So basically – if you’re in here, it’s for you!

–

Right – If you’re sitting comfortably, I’ll begin.

I hope you’ve got a pint or a gin in. Chin chin!

Let’s rewind – back in time – to the summer of 2009.

We feel it is about to begin.

Oh.

One more thing.

I’m a potty mouth – I swear a lot.

Soz about that – it just falls out!

MAM. Gob shiiite…

That’s me mam.

MAM. If you don’t get your arse down here now, I’m chucking this casserole ont A64…

We live on floor ten.

Ten’s the best floor –

Like – ten outta ten.

Like – Acting like you’re ‘ten men’.

Like – ten for the ‘win’.

If you look down from up here, you feel like Simba or Mufasa, looking out over the city like you own it.

We don’t.

Obviously.

Own it.

But we feel like we do.

It’s in our bones, this place.

In our blood.

When you live here it’s like you’re instigated into some mad club –

Where everyone know...