hang (NHB Modern Plays)

ONE
…So, we’ll be in here –
TWO
just along / this –
ONE
not sure if you’ve been in here before, but they mostly –
TWO
they’re very samey –
ONE
very samey, good way of putting it.
TWO
The set-up in each is pretty much the same, we go from room to room and even we can get –
ONE
(
to
TWO) it shouldn’t be locked, should be unlocked – it was booked – (
to
THREE) just here yep – on the left.
THREE
(In) here?
ONE
In (here), yep. (
to
TWO) Thanks. (
to
THREE) Just in (here)…

They enter the room. It is basic, but clean. Strip lights automatically flicker on. A water cooler with plastic cups stands in the corner
.

THREE
notices the lights snapping on, no one appears to have flicked a switch
.

Automatic, power-saving… things… Sensors – bit Star Trek (I) can’t get used to them / either.
TWO
Think they think we’ve lost the ability to flick a switch.
ONE
Well, to flick a switch / off.
TWO
Can I get you anything?
ONE
Yes, can we get you anything?
TWO
Would you like a drink of – ?

THREE
shakes her head
.

We do have more than the water over / there.
ONE
Tea, coffee – decaf and normal, herbal –
TWO
we’re out of herbal –
ONE
except herbal, a juice or / something?
TWO
anything really – .

THREE
shakes her head
.

Y’sure? Nothing’s too –
ONE
it’s not a problem and anything we don’t have we can go out and get –
TWO
I can go out and get.

THREE
goes to say something, then doesn’t
.

Beat
.

TWO
nods
.

Okay.
ONE
Ummm –
TWO
(
to
ONE) what would you / like?
ONE
you wouldn’t / mind – ?
TWO
Nah I don’t / mind.
ONE
If you wouldn’t mind sorting me out a tea?
TWO
No problem
ONE
if that’s okay, don’t wanna take liberties or anything but / I –
TWO
it’s fine –
ONE
sure?
TWO
Yeh.
ONE
Parched, thanks (I) didn’t manage to grab anything before we –
TWO
I’m getting something anyway –
ONE
so it’s no (problem)?
TWO
My tea’s better’n your effort anyway, what d’you – ?
ONE
Builder’s. Strong. No sugar.

TWO
nods, exits the room
.

Really, do say if there’s anything at any point you feel you need, it won’t be a problem.

ONE
gestures for her to take a seat. She doesn’t sit
.

…Is your husband (coming)? I think you said he was – did you say he was on his way?
THREE

ONE
Are we… should I…? Is he going to…?
THREE

ONE
I don’t want to – I mean it’s fine if you want us to, need us to hang on for a while we’re happy / to –
THREE
He’s not coming.
ONE
…Okay. Right.
That’s, not a problem.
THREE

ONE
Was it the – . I mean, if the timing is – if it’s the schedule –
THREE
he’s at work.
ONE
We could, we can always move the – so it’s more convenient, if that’s, if that would be more convenient for you, both.
THREE

ONE
Am I… Are we – is… anyone else coming? Instead?
THREE

ONE
Is anyone else coming to join you? Today?
THREE

ONE
Did you want someone to (come) did you – do you want us to contact someone, someone else to come and support you (today)? I think it was…

She checks her file
.

‘…Suzette’ who came with you before?
THREE

ONE
Although that was a while / ago.
THREE
Suzette’s not coming.
ONE
Suzette’s not / joining?
THREE
She’s not coming.
ONE
Is there any other family member you wanted to – may want to…?
THREE

ONE
A friend?
THREE
ONE

ONE
No?

THREE
watches her
.

…Nobody else?
THREE
No.
ONE
We can wait if you want don’t feel pressurised by the clock at all we can wait as long as you
– if you want us to – if you want someone to join you – please, take a seat.
THREE

ONE
Doesn’t matter which one, we don’t have special – no. Nothing specific about our seating arrangements – no names on them or anything, just seats. Anywhere.

THREE
hesitates
.

Anywhere is fine. Really.

Beat
.

THREE
sits
.

D’you want me to take your (coat)?
THREE

ONE
I can take that if you like we’ve got a – outside there’s a proper coat rack and hangers – we insisted we needed something had a meeting, had to have a meeting – have to have a meeting to get anything, have to have a meeting to get anything done. Got it done though, and so someone took a quick trip to Ikea, so I can –
THREE
no.
ONE
No.

That’s fine. It’s out there anyway.
That’s okay, as long as you’re okay.

THREE
clocks her
.

As okay as you can be.
The offer’s there if you change your mind, d’you want some water (it) does cool and hot, well, supposed to be hot comes out a bit lukewarm, but the cool stuff is properly chilled if you’d like a glass of that – I’m sayin
‘glass’ we’ve got these horrible plastic things they expect us to drink out of – not very green – although I can, we can easily get a proper glass for the water from out in the (kitchen) you didn’t want a drink at all did you?
THREE

ONE
No. Well you know it’s (there) whenever you want don’t hesitate if you change your (mind), in fact I can – we can sort some proper glasses out just in case anyway. Always gives the feeling of drinking like a five-year-old drinking out of plastic…

Beat
.
THREE
ONE

ONE
…D’you want to phone anyone? D’you want to phone someone, you can use the phones from here if you want or if you want me to contact anyone on your –
THREE
no.
ONE
To, sit with you even, just a bit of –
THREE
no.
ONE
Some people do find it useful just to have another body in the room another someone in the room that isn’t me and some people –
THREE
I’m not some people.
ONE
No, of course – I was just – .
THREE
I have been here before.
ONE
Of course.
THREE
I know how this works.
ONE
Well this is slightly – . We haven’t – you haven’t… Yeah.
THREE

ONE
No.

Beat
.

…How have you been?
THREE

ONE
It’s been a while.

THREE
watches her
.

(A) couple of years isn’t it, how have you been… keeping?

THREE
says nothing
.

Stupid question I know, but…
THREE
Yeah.
THREE
ONE

ONE
I know, I – .
No / I –
THREE
No. You don’t know.
ONE
I can only imagine.
THREE
No. You can’t.
ONE
…I’m just (saying)… You do look surprisingly well considering all – .
THREE
(
dry
) Thank you.
ONE
I’m not trying to be – and it, I know it sounds (wrong) but you do look well, considering, with all you’ve…

THREE
exhales slowly
.
TWO
hustles in with two hot drinks
.
TWO
Tea. Builder’s, no sugar and… coffee for me – (
to
THREE) if you do change your mind or want me to pick you up anything just let / me –
ONE
She doesn’t want anything.
TWO
Just saying that if she –
ONE
she’s fine. Thanks.
TWO
D’you know how long your husband will be?
ONE
He’s not –
TWO
we can wait, won’t mind / waiting.
ONE
he won’t be joining us today.
TWO
Oh. Right.
Right.

Beat
.

We can wait if you want us to wait if it’s an issue with his work or / something.
ONE
He’s not –
TWO
or if you wanted someone else / then –
ONE
it’s – no. Thanks. We’ve been over (that)…
TWO
Oh.

ONE
sips their tea, it is disgusting
.

So we’re not waiting / for – ?
ONE
Would you – d’you mind popping back out while I remember we do need some glasses, something for the –
TWO
oh, sure yeah –
ONE
clean
ones, y’know what they can be like, just in case we feel for some –
TWO
yeh, sure, why some can’t be left in here I don’t (know) I did bring it up, but obviously that’ll take another / meeting.
ONE
y’know, if we wanted to take some water or something, or else there’s only these –
TWO
nightmare
ONE
yeh these plastic things in here –
TWO
nightmare
ONE
horrible to drink out / of.
TWO
feel like a five-year-old drinking out of one of them
ONE
exactly
. If you wouldn’t mind – I feel like I’m taking / the –
TWO
No no, not at all. I know what you mean, they’re nasty, not nice to drink out of at all
ONE
no.

TWO
disappears out of the room again
.

Beat
.

…Does your husband know you’re here?
THREE

ONE
I mean – I know it’s none of my – but I am concerned if you feel you have to shoulder all of / this on your –
THREE
He knows I’m here.
ONE
And he knows what’s – where we are in the process of – ?
THREE

ONE
Right.
THREE

ONE
Right.
And does he have an opinion / on –
THREE
The family does. Know.

Beat
.
ONE
Okay.
THREE
Suzette knows. My husband knows. The whole family knows. Why I’m here.

ONE
nods
.

And I don’t need your concern.
ONE
Right.
THREE
Your concern can do exactly – what?
THREE
ONE

THREE
Exactly. And I don’t need your compliments.
ONE

THREE
Your compliments can do exactly, what?

Beat
.
ONE
Right.
THREE
Exactly.
ONE
…You discussed with them –
THREE
I’ve
told
them.

I’ve
discussed
with my husband.
I’ve
told
my family.
(
dry
) If that’s okay with you?
ONE
I – . Yes. I didn’t mean to –
THREE
I think y’did.
ONE
And… Are you in agreement? You and / your –
THREE
You’re right. It is none of / your –
ONE
It’s none of my business I / know.
THREE
Yes.
ONE
Yes. No.

TWO
bursts back in with a stack of clean glasses
.
TWO
There was nothing that matches but then I saw the stash someone had got on that Ikea run hidden at the back like they didn’t wanna be found. Anyway perfect for us, washed and clean – I’ll just…

TWO
tries to stand the glasses on the water cooler, that doesn’t work. Self-consciously
TWO
ends up placing them elsewhere
.

Sorted.

TWO
notices the spare chair
.

Do we need – ?
ONE
No.
TWO
Suzette?
ONE
No.
TWO
No, okay.

TWO
removes one of the chairs and stacks it with the others to the side of the room
.

Just so we… (
to
ONE) Have you – ?
ONE
Yes.
TWO
Okay.
ONE
Yep.
TWO
I wasn’t sure if –
ONE
yeh. I made sure first thing.
TWO
Okay / good.

TWO
sits taking a swig of coffee. It is disgusting. Flicks a switch
.
THREE
Is this being recorded?
TWO
This?
ONE
No.
TWO
God no. That (switch), that’s air-con.
ONE
We’ll be boiling in a minute and freezing the next –
TWO
bit of a nightmare
ONE
have you adjusted the – ?
TWO
Trying, but it seems to do its own thing.

TWO
adjusts the settings
.
ONE
Technology.
TWO
We’ve got a remote and the remote is for this, not for any – so no. We wouldn’t record –
ONE
not this.
TWO
Not you.
ONE
No.
TWO
You’ve done nothing wrong you’re not a suspect and that would be – y’know, that would cross all sorts of boundaries. I think. No. That – no.
ONE
No audio. No visual. No two-way –

THREE
doesn’t understand the term ‘two-way’
.
TWO
mirrors, two-way mirrors, / y’know –
ONE
none of that. Just us. In the room. This is about you and about you feeling as comfortable as we can make you feel.
THREE

TWO
Which probably isn’t very comfortable at all.
We are aware of that.
THREE

ONE
We are aware of / that.
THREE
Are you.
TWO
We’ve been made aware of that.
THREE
Have you.
TWO
A big part of that was pointed out in training –
THREE
was it.
ONE
Well –
THREE
training to teach you that.
TWO
Well –
THREE
train you hard to know that?
TWO
Umm –
THREE
how
do
you train
TWO
errr –
THREE
for this?
ONE
We, uh, well / we –
TWO
Role-play.
ONE
Amongst other – . There’s lots of – it’s quite an –
TWO
can be quite an intensive / training –
ONE
extensive and intensive training we have to do, after all the, academic stuff, which is a lot. Exams, grades, assessments, pass marks and that. The usual. Then they get us to, role-playing so / we –
TWO
Different scenarios –
ONE
it’s meant to try to help / to –
THREE
Who gets to play me?
TWO
…It’s not like that, it’s not that / specific.
THREE
Who gets to play me? Or do you swap?
THREE
TWO

ONE
It’s not like / that.
TWO
It’s not like that.
THREE
And you couldn’t make me comfortable by the way. You couldn’t make me – I lost any…
ONE
Of course.

ONE
and
TWO
quietly nod
.
THREE
This isn’t very ‘comfortable’.
ONE
No.
THREE
(
dry
) Just for the record.
TWO
We’re not / recording.
THREE
Not comfortable at all.
TWO
(We) can appreciate that.
THREE
No. You can’t.

Beat
.

Would you even tell me if you were filming this?
TWO
We’re not allowed to film this.
THREE
You film everything else it seems.
TWO
We’re not allowed to not tell you we’re filming this. Which we are not. If we were filming this we would have to tell / you.
THREE
Streets, car parks, parks, shops, alleys… all on camera.
ONE
That’s the –
THREE
all pointless.
ONE
They can sometimes be –
THREE
all pointless.
TWO
That’s a matter of / opinion.
THREE
All fucking pointless.
ONE

TWO

THREE
Stops nothing. Deters nothing.

Does it?

Did it.

She goes to say something else, but changes her mind
.

I’ll take that water. Please.
TWO
Yeh, sure –
ONE
no problem, I’ll get / it.
TWO
Yeh?
ONE
Yep.
TWO
Fine.
ONE
Did you want the hot –
TWO
that one only does lukewarm really –
ONE
or chilled?
THREE
…Both. Not full.
ONE
…Okay.

TWO
looks briefly confused
.
ONE
fixes two glasses of water from the water cooler, one cold one warm. She gestures to
TWO.

D’y’mind if you –
TWO
huh?
ONE
The – if you could –

ONE
gestures
, TWO
understands and sorts a place for the glasses of water closer to
THREE.
TWO
(Of) course. Yep. Goddit.

ONE
places both glasses down carefully
.
ONE
Let me know if that’s not – .

They both watch as
THREE
sips some of the chilled, then adds some of the lukewarm water to take the chill off it. She places the glasses down. She has a noticeable shake in her hands, they see
.
TWO
…How’s Tyrell? And Marcia?

THREE
considers the question
.
THREE
…Y’know.

TWO
nods
.
TWO
THREE

ONE
They must be, what now? Eleven and –
THREE
ten. And twelve.

ONE
nods
.
ONE
Getting big. And two of them. My seven-year-old’s going on seventeen. Already a nightmare, busy telling me about the world at / seven!
TWO
Wonder who she gets that / from?
ONE
Keep tellin my husband – well, ex-husband now since we last (met) – keep telling him that he needs to clamp down on all / that.
TWO
Went down well?
ONE
Nope not at / all.
THREE
I miss Marcia’s noise.
I miss my Marcia’s chatter.
I miss her foolishness. Her childishness.
Her childhood.

She’s missing her noise, her chatter, her childishness.
Her childhood.
She, wonders where it’s gone.
TWO
THREE

THREE
Tyrell has gone from…

ONE
and
TWO
sip from their disgusting drinks
.

Beat
.

When did you split?
ONE
This isn’t about me, this / is –
THREE
Why did you split?
ONE
Really, this – . This isn’t, you’re here for –
THREE
I know why I’m here, don’t think I’ve forgotten.
ONE
No. (Of) course / not.
THREE
I don’t think I would forget.
ONE
No.
THREE
I haven’t forgotten.
ONE
No.
ONE

THREE
How long ago did you…?
ONE
…Eighteen months.
THREE

ONE
And six days.
THREE
Still counting.
ONE
Nope.
THREE
ONE

ONE
…The job. Pressures. Hours and all that, usual stuff – really it’s just – today is about (you) –
THREE
amicable?
ONE
No.
THREE
(Did) you split from / him?
ONE
No. Listen I’m – y’know, I’m sure my husband – ex-husband would give a different reason and a very different version –
TWO
and today is / about –
ONE
but this isn’t about / all that.
TWO
no. It’s not about that,
this
is about –
ONE
today is about you
TWO
today is all about / you.
ONE
And we want to focus on you.
THREE
This isn’t about me.
I think it’s all about him.
Still.
This isn’t about me, today.
He wants to know.
You want to know.
You want to know so you can tell him.
He wants to know what you know so he will know where he stands.

I’m here. So you can know. So you can tell him. So he can find out.

…This isn’t about me at all. Is it?

You want to know my decision.
ONE
…We’re in no hurry, we / know –
THREE
You want to know my decision.
ONE
We know it’s a big decision to make.
THREE
(
dry
) ‘You know it’s a big decision to / make.’
ONE
We know it’s a tricky position to put you / in.
THREE
I’ve been in a ‘trickier’ / position.
ONE
And we know it’s a decision none of us will really be able to appreciate the scale / of –
THREE
I’ve been in ‘trickier’ positions. I’ve been in ‘trickier’ positions haven’t