Wuthering Heights (NHB Modern Plays)

Emily Brontë, Andrew Sheridan

• Verlag: Nick Hern Books
• Jahr: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781788503297
• Thema: Literature
• Thema: British Drama

'Will you be happy when I'm just dust, floating in the air?'

When two souls collide, the impact can resonate for all eternity. So it was – and so it is – with Heathcliff and Cathy. But if they can't be together, the world that struggles to contain them will simply shatter and burn…

Andrew Sheridan's gripping reinvention of Emily Brontë's classic novel Wuthering Heights is a searing and ferocious celebration of passion, of desire – and of the female imagination that created this indelible masterpiece.

Exposing a very different but essentially truthful side to literature's most electric couple, it premiered at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in 2020, in a production directed by Bryony Shanahan, joint Artistic Director of the theatre.

PART ONE

Darkness.

Light.

Liverpool.

We find a BOY on a tree lying centre.

At a point a man, EARNSHAW, enters.

Song.

He comes with Western winds

With evening’s wandering airs

With that clear dusk of heaven

That brings the thickest stars

Broken bird you burn to fly

Broken bird you burn to fly

Broken bird you burn to fly

Broken bird you burn

The MAN watches the BOY.

The BOY growls.

EARNSHAW. Apple?

The BOY slowly calms. Becomes more childlike. An infant.

Small and innocent. A stinking, dirty, beautiful child.

He watches EARNSHAW with big black beautiful eyes.

Song.

Broken bird you burn to fly

Broken bird you burn to fly.

EARNSHAW. Apple.

The BOY nods.

Yours.

EARNSHAW rolls the apple to the BOY.

The BOY picks it up.

He sniffs it.

The BOY growls.

It’s okay. Don’t be scared. I’m not going to hurt you.

The BOY licks the apple.

He bites it.

He eats it whole.

When he’s finished he looks at EARNSHAW for more.

EARNSHAW laughs.

The BOY watches him. Probing, enquiring.

The BOY laughs, mimicking EARNSHAW.

EARNSHAW steps towards the BOY.

The BOY growls.

– – –

Wuthering Heights.

CATHY and HINDLEY play.

HINDLEY. Sister, your troops are no match for my army. We will crush you like beetles and drink your blood.

CATHY. Brother, you will not be victorious today, you bucket of disappointed dreams. You will die like a slug swimming in a sea of salt.

HINDLEY. Your confidence in your abilities is your weakness, wizard.

CATHY. I’m a witch, Hindley.

She hits him hard.

HINDLEY. Sorry.

CATHY. Say it.

HINDLEY. Witch.

Your confidence in your abilities is your weakness, witch.

CATHY. And your faith in your own is yours.

HINDLEY. Enough of this verbal trickery. Your mind games are no match for me. Draw your weapon and we shall end this once and for all.

CATHY. Agreed.

They draw imaginary weapons, ready to battle.

– – –

EARNSHAW. I don’t have much to give you. I’m just a simple man on a simple journey.

Here.

EARNSHAW gives the BOY some coins.

It’s all I have. If I had more you’d be welcome to it.

The BOY takes the money. He looks at it. He gives it back.

Yours. Take it.

The BOY growls.

Okay.

It’s late. I have to think about getting home.

Take care of yourself.

It was nice to meet you.

He holds his hand out for the BOY to shake.

The BOY doesn’t.

Goodbye.

EARNSHAW goes to leave.

– – –

HINDLEY. Soon you’ll be dead and your troops destroyed. Surrender and I will show you mercy.

CATHY. Piss off.

They fight.

HINDLEY. If you kill me I’ll become stronger than you can possibly imagine. Join me and we can rule the world together.

CATHY. Never. You’ve failed. I’m an Earnshaw like my father. I will never join the forces of evil.

HINDLEY. Then die.

They fight.

It looks like HINDLEY might be victorious but CATHY produces an imaginary magical staff.

– – –

EARNSHAW turns back to the BOY.

EARNSHAW. You shouldn’t be out here on your own, you know. Not a child your age.

Where’s your father?

The BOY just looks at EARNSHAW.

Your mother?

The BOY looks at the sky.

I’m sorry.

EARNSHAW battles with what he should do.

I have two children. A boy and a girl. They lost their mother too.

EARNSHAW swallows hard.

She would’ve loved you, you know, your mother. More than anything in the whole wide world.

The BOY just looks.

You can’t stay here. I’m not leaving you in this place on your own.

Come.

EARNSHAW holds his hand out.

I’m going to take care of you.

I’ll take you home and keep you safe.

The BOY offers his hand.

You’re trembling.

The BOY looks at his own hands.

EARNSHAW holds his hand.

The BOY climbs up EARNSHAW like a creature.

He sits on EARNSHAW’s shoulders.

Settle yourself, lad.

I’ll tell you a story for the journey.

Night fell fast like crisp and powdered snow melting in January thaw. The man and the boy…

– – –

CATHY waves her imaginary staff and incants a spell.

CATHY. High waving heather, ’neath stormy ...