ACT ONE
Scene One
A theatre.
Loud growling in the dark.
Noisy spotlight lights up a cage. The growling continues.
We catch a glimpse of a tigerâs paw.
Light out.
Spotlight lights up another cage.
A glimpse of a tigerâs tail.
Light out.
Light up on another cage.
A glimpse of a tigerâs back legs.
Light out.
Light up on SALLY. She wears tiger print. And holds a whip.
SALLY. Grrrrr.
Ladies, gentleman, good evening.
Now I know you have not come here to see me. Itâs my boys behind me that you want.
But first a little story.
From my youth.
My mother would tell me I was a troublesome child.
Wild.
Iâd come inside with tears in my tights, and mud on my shoes, ants in my pants and a bee in my bonnet.
Literally.
Mother was at a loss.
Canât you ever sit still, child? This is not how a girl ought to behave. Itâs a like a three-ring circus whenever youâre about. Why donât you go play with your dolls like a good little girl?
I felt alone. I felt misunderstood. I felt⊠caged.
Father got a job in Africa. How exciting, I thought.
But Mother kept me on an even closer leash.
Which only made me pull harder on it. (Pulls the whip.)
And then one day we were out in the savannah, and I wandered off, and I returned to find Motherâs worry turn to anger. She was at her witâs end.
I am at my witâs end, child!
She didnât know what to do with me.
I donât know what to do with you.
And then she did.
Youâre so set on running off, doing as you please, then I shall leave you here. Find your own way back. Maybe then youâll finally learn.
And she left me there.
She disappeared amongst the tall grass. Her bobbing head but a speck.
For the first time in my lifeâŠ
Iâm scared.
Growls from the tigers behind.
Iâm thirsty.
I see the sea. I run to it.
A mirage.
Iâm lost.
And then:
Bam. The stage is flooded in lights â all of the tigersâ faces pressed hard against their cages.
What do I do? I know my small legs canât outrun them.
And then:
Loud jangle of one of the cage doors opening. The tiger comes out.
One of them approaches me. Slowly.
Stares into my eyes.
And then another.
Another cage opens, tiger out.
I keep my head moving back and forth to keep them both in my sight.
But then:
The remaining cages open. The tigers out.
They circle me. But then I see. In their eyes. That they know, they see. That inside, itâs as Mother said.
I am wild. Wild like them.
She whips the ground. And the performance begins. The tigers are all obedient. Obeying her every command. Itâs almost like a dance. The music grows in tempo, and the performance seems to get more and more daring. And then we dissolve into:
Scene Two
Stage door.
SALLY smokes opium from a pipe by the stage door.
SALLY. Come on, boys, Iâm freezing out here.
Yâalright, love?
JEKYLL. Iâm. Yes. I just.
SALLY. Had a fright, have you? Here, you want a smoke?
JEKYLL. No, no. Iâm fine.
I just. You were spectacular. Tonight. I saw the
SALLY. Oh did you? Aw thanks.
JEKYLL. It was truly
Iâve never seen anything like it
And I
Iâve never done anything like this
SALLY. Like this?
JEKYLL. Talking to, well, people I donât know and
Iâve never been to the theatre before. And I asked and they said there was a stage door and
SALLY. Wow, a virgin. Glad I could be your first.
Beat.
So you here with your husband or what?
JEKYLL. Uh no no. I came
On my own
Which must seem
SALLY. Good on you
JEKYLL. And that story. My goodness. I really. It must have been hard with a mother like that. What happened after?
When you returned home, after your mother left you like that â what did she say?
SALLY. Dunno, darling, have to ask the writer. Itâs just a story.
JEKYLL. Oh right. Course. I feel
SALLY. Donât. I take it as a compliment! That it was convincing.
JEKYLL. I should leave you. I just wanted to say well what I said. Thank you.
SALLY. We go to The Fox and Hounds. You should come.
JEKYLL. Now?
SALLY. Now, tomorrow, whenever. Ciao. (Exits.)
JEKYLL hesitates. Should she join SALLY? A policeman, OFFICER ROSE, strolls by.
OFFICER ROSE. Miss?
JEKYLL. Goodness, sorry, you scared me.
OFFICER ROSE. Can I help you with something? Are you lost?
JEKYLL. IâmâŠ
OFFICER ROSE. I donât think you mean to be around parts like these.
JEKYLL. No. I made a turn somewhere and I.
OFFICER ROSE. Where are you meant to be?
JEKYLL. Home. Grosvenor Square. Mayfair.
OFFICER ROSE. That thereâs Shaftesbury. Follow it down, youâll hit Regent Street.
JEKYLL....