i-love-maynard
Member
Hey anyone who reads this. Well we have been asked to write in the gothic genre in extension english. But we are allowed to challenge the genre/ add elements of other genres. This is a "gothic" script i have been working on. I need ideas for where it should head, it has to be 2000 words max. Thankyou, your help is really appreciated as I have only read 3 gothic texts and...well i have no idea. I'm having trouble uploading this too, sorry..
Christine McCabe
Act One
A musical box is heard playing. The melody is light and telling of a children's playground and grass and trees. The curtain rises. Shown is a suburban street, towering shadows surrounding large, square houses. The crimson glow of the setting sun falls upon the forestage.
[From the left, Lucretia, a pretty and charming youth, enters, carrying a single red rose. The music plays on, however she appears unaware of it. She approaches the end of the drive-way and settles on the kerb, fingering the rose's stem. A cry escapes her lips as she pricks her finger on a thorn, and immediately scarlet drops of blood stain petals on her floaty,white dress. The music stops abruptly.]
Lucretia [sighing]: It's always the red ones.
[She applies pressure to the cut to cease the bleeding.]
[Bernard enters from the left and smiling, creeps up behind Lucretia.]
Bernard[offering a handkerchief]: Allow me....
Lucretia[smiling sweetly]: Bernard! What a pleasant surprise!
Bernard: I was on my way to my dear Uncle's and thought of you. [Producing a large bunch of tulips from behind his back.] Although, it appears some other young man has already been here.
Lucretia: Oh, Bernard, it has been most peculiar. Every afternoon for a whole month a single red rose has been left at my doorstep. I can only assume that the roses are intended for me. My father has never been quite popular.
Bernard[frowning slightly]: I assume that this...uh, Casanova, is unaware that you have been promised to me? That since we were children it has been both of our parents' greatest wish to see us in union?
Lucretia[giggling]: You do humour me, Bernard. But this is such a mystery! I must confess, I have never had an admirer before. I do not recall ever receiving such a gift. Roses! My favourite!
Bernard[looking down at the tulips]: Yes....of course.
Lucretia: I can only imagine what such a man would look like. Perhaps he is foreign. It would explain these romantic tendencies of his. Why, I would not be surprised if his beauty matched his charm!
Bernard[puzzled]: His beauty...
Lucretia: Tall, dark and handsome.
Bernard [lifting his chin]: I'm tall.
Lucretia: Oh, Bernard! If only I could meet this mysterious fellow! We could talk about physics, astronomy. I am certain that he is a cultured, pleasant and gentle being.
The lights dim and a thunder clap is heard. The scene has changed and black drapes hang over a grey window. The house is dark and a strange sense of neglect lingers. A figure emerges from the right. His silhouette is oddly distorted and hunched. A light flickers from above and he is bathed in a sudden glow. His face is the colour of ivory, sunken and shadowed. Long, dark hair hangs in his eyes and he limps slightly as his right leg is shorter than the left. He is the epitome of loneliness.
Samael: We left another flower for her. She likes them, I see her smiling and sniffle it. But sneaky snakey snarls at it!
[ He pulls back the drapes to stare at the street below, frowns, and then rips the hangings to the floor.]
Samael: How very slippery of you, Bernard. Clever, clever, only lovely Lucretia doesn't like tulips, does she? So we ripped them from the ground, every neigborhood garden. Tore their little heads off, it was soothing.
[ He limps over to a rickety table and picks up a newspaper, glancing at the front page.]
Samael: But silly Mr Gardener kept planting them. Digging and fixing and singing and laughing. [ He smiles] But we had the biggest laugh of all!
[ A cat stalks silenty from the right and lingers around Samael's feet. He picks the cat up.]
Samael: He forgot to breathe! Inhale, exhale but Mr Gardener only stared at us. He was as red as his tulips in the end. Chokey, chokey...[ His tone changes and it is gentle, softer] You know what, Lucretia Jr? I think she likes us. No, I'm being serious. I know we do silly things sometimes like what we did to Mr Gardener and Mrs White from down the street, but we are good people. She's so smart and pretty, I bet she likes us alot!
[ The cat mews.]
Samael[ shocked]: Of course not, that would be foolish! No, we are not going to do that, and I cannot believe you even suggested it! [ He places the cat down and shakes his head, accusingly.]
Samael: None of this was my fault! Mr Gardener, Mrs White.... Lucretia's puppies! I couldn't sleep! Noisy, noisy!Besides, you weren't complaining when we fixed the lovely soup. I must say, I was surprised that Mr Gardener made such a good main course...
[ Defensive, he draws himself to his full height.]
Samael: So don't judge us! None of you judge us, because I'm a good boy and you don't have to see it all in sleep time! See them all, laughing and smiling and dancing and playing....
Samael[ his voice fading]: Jeering and screaming....and bleeding and crying...atichoo, atichoo..
[ The light dims and the musical box plays]
Samaelsinging]: They all fall down....
[The scene has changed and Lucretia is facing her father Henry in their kitchen. It is quite small but very clean and the window is wide open. A warm breeze plays with the curtains.]
Lucretia: I fell down.
Henry: I told you to be more careful!
Lucretia shrugging]: Its only a graze, father.
Henry[suspiciously]: What were you doing, anyway?
Lucretia: I was just playing with the children of the neighborhood, father..
Henry: You are much too old for them, Lucretia. Why must you always play with such young children?
Lucretia[sadly]: I haven't any friends my own age.
Henry: Oh, yes...ah..well, where were you playing?
Lucretia [quietly]: The lane..
Henry[angrily]: The LANE? I told you not to, Lucretia! I told you to keep away from there and to not stray from our street lamp! Do you know how many children, young ladies have gone missing from that lane?
Lucretia: Eleven...
Henry: The streets are dangerous, Lucretia. More and more people are moving to inner city suburbs, seeking work. And as more and more people move here, the crime rate increases. Murder, Lucretia. You think that it is coincedence that 11 people have gone missing in our neighborhood alone?
Lucretia: No...its not coincedence.
Henry: I'm glad that you realise that. I would feel much more at ease if Bernard accompanied you.
Lucretia: Bernard..
Henry: Yes, Lucretia. He is a strong and sensible young man. He would be very handy to have around, especially to protect you from that secret admirer of yours, who might very well be the kidnapper.
Lucretia[angrily]: He is not the kidnapper, father. He is a charming, generous and amiable gentleman!
Henry: You don't know that. You are not to take any more of the roses that he leaves at our doorstep, do you understand?
Lucretia[stubbornly]: You can't stop me!
[ She storms off stage, leaving Henry looking worried.]
Christine McCabe
Act One
A musical box is heard playing. The melody is light and telling of a children's playground and grass and trees. The curtain rises. Shown is a suburban street, towering shadows surrounding large, square houses. The crimson glow of the setting sun falls upon the forestage.
[From the left, Lucretia, a pretty and charming youth, enters, carrying a single red rose. The music plays on, however she appears unaware of it. She approaches the end of the drive-way and settles on the kerb, fingering the rose's stem. A cry escapes her lips as she pricks her finger on a thorn, and immediately scarlet drops of blood stain petals on her floaty,white dress. The music stops abruptly.]
Lucretia [sighing]: It's always the red ones.
[She applies pressure to the cut to cease the bleeding.]
[Bernard enters from the left and smiling, creeps up behind Lucretia.]
Bernard[offering a handkerchief]: Allow me....
Lucretia[smiling sweetly]: Bernard! What a pleasant surprise!
Bernard: I was on my way to my dear Uncle's and thought of you. [Producing a large bunch of tulips from behind his back.] Although, it appears some other young man has already been here.
Lucretia: Oh, Bernard, it has been most peculiar. Every afternoon for a whole month a single red rose has been left at my doorstep. I can only assume that the roses are intended for me. My father has never been quite popular.
Bernard[frowning slightly]: I assume that this...uh, Casanova, is unaware that you have been promised to me? That since we were children it has been both of our parents' greatest wish to see us in union?
Lucretia[giggling]: You do humour me, Bernard. But this is such a mystery! I must confess, I have never had an admirer before. I do not recall ever receiving such a gift. Roses! My favourite!
Bernard[looking down at the tulips]: Yes....of course.
Lucretia: I can only imagine what such a man would look like. Perhaps he is foreign. It would explain these romantic tendencies of his. Why, I would not be surprised if his beauty matched his charm!
Bernard[puzzled]: His beauty...
Lucretia: Tall, dark and handsome.
Bernard [lifting his chin]: I'm tall.
Lucretia: Oh, Bernard! If only I could meet this mysterious fellow! We could talk about physics, astronomy. I am certain that he is a cultured, pleasant and gentle being.
The lights dim and a thunder clap is heard. The scene has changed and black drapes hang over a grey window. The house is dark and a strange sense of neglect lingers. A figure emerges from the right. His silhouette is oddly distorted and hunched. A light flickers from above and he is bathed in a sudden glow. His face is the colour of ivory, sunken and shadowed. Long, dark hair hangs in his eyes and he limps slightly as his right leg is shorter than the left. He is the epitome of loneliness.
Samael: We left another flower for her. She likes them, I see her smiling and sniffle it. But sneaky snakey snarls at it!
[ He pulls back the drapes to stare at the street below, frowns, and then rips the hangings to the floor.]
Samael: How very slippery of you, Bernard. Clever, clever, only lovely Lucretia doesn't like tulips, does she? So we ripped them from the ground, every neigborhood garden. Tore their little heads off, it was soothing.
[ He limps over to a rickety table and picks up a newspaper, glancing at the front page.]
Samael: But silly Mr Gardener kept planting them. Digging and fixing and singing and laughing. [ He smiles] But we had the biggest laugh of all!
[ A cat stalks silenty from the right and lingers around Samael's feet. He picks the cat up.]
Samael: He forgot to breathe! Inhale, exhale but Mr Gardener only stared at us. He was as red as his tulips in the end. Chokey, chokey...[ His tone changes and it is gentle, softer] You know what, Lucretia Jr? I think she likes us. No, I'm being serious. I know we do silly things sometimes like what we did to Mr Gardener and Mrs White from down the street, but we are good people. She's so smart and pretty, I bet she likes us alot!
[ The cat mews.]
Samael[ shocked]: Of course not, that would be foolish! No, we are not going to do that, and I cannot believe you even suggested it! [ He places the cat down and shakes his head, accusingly.]
Samael: None of this was my fault! Mr Gardener, Mrs White.... Lucretia's puppies! I couldn't sleep! Noisy, noisy!Besides, you weren't complaining when we fixed the lovely soup. I must say, I was surprised that Mr Gardener made such a good main course...
[ Defensive, he draws himself to his full height.]
Samael: So don't judge us! None of you judge us, because I'm a good boy and you don't have to see it all in sleep time! See them all, laughing and smiling and dancing and playing....
Samael[ his voice fading]: Jeering and screaming....and bleeding and crying...atichoo, atichoo..
[ The light dims and the musical box plays]
Samaelsinging]: They all fall down....
[The scene has changed and Lucretia is facing her father Henry in their kitchen. It is quite small but very clean and the window is wide open. A warm breeze plays with the curtains.]
Lucretia: I fell down.
Henry: I told you to be more careful!
Lucretia shrugging]: Its only a graze, father.
Henry[suspiciously]: What were you doing, anyway?
Lucretia: I was just playing with the children of the neighborhood, father..
Henry: You are much too old for them, Lucretia. Why must you always play with such young children?
Lucretia[sadly]: I haven't any friends my own age.
Henry: Oh, yes...ah..well, where were you playing?
Lucretia [quietly]: The lane..
Henry[angrily]: The LANE? I told you not to, Lucretia! I told you to keep away from there and to not stray from our street lamp! Do you know how many children, young ladies have gone missing from that lane?
Lucretia: Eleven...
Henry: The streets are dangerous, Lucretia. More and more people are moving to inner city suburbs, seeking work. And as more and more people move here, the crime rate increases. Murder, Lucretia. You think that it is coincedence that 11 people have gone missing in our neighborhood alone?
Lucretia: No...its not coincedence.
Henry: I'm glad that you realise that. I would feel much more at ease if Bernard accompanied you.
Lucretia: Bernard..
Henry: Yes, Lucretia. He is a strong and sensible young man. He would be very handy to have around, especially to protect you from that secret admirer of yours, who might very well be the kidnapper.
Lucretia[angrily]: He is not the kidnapper, father. He is a charming, generous and amiable gentleman!
Henry: You don't know that. You are not to take any more of the roses that he leaves at our doorstep, do you understand?
Lucretia[stubbornly]: You can't stop me!
[ She storms off stage, leaving Henry looking worried.]