HOLLYHAYES
Fifth + phone in Sc 19
Verbatim voices
 Theme of summer
 Recollections of childhood and growing up (Anne Rosewell, Buckerell)
 Pleasure/enjoyment
 Positive memories
 Strong and fit parents
 Out on farm helping to do ‘summer faming things’ – haymaking etc
 Summer happenings: fetes, sports, gymkhanas, birthday and other parties
 Riding, cycling, playing in the barn
Music
Song of the season ‘summer’.
Images
Use of abstract images on set reflecting feeling of summer – colours, shapes, but abstract,
not explicit.
Poetry
Possible use of projected text fading in and out of the projected images.
1
Scene 1
Rose’s 18th birthday party (1998)
There are decorations on the set. Some people are already gathered – Jack and Mary
and Ben amongst them - and others are making their way through the audience to get
to the party. We hear what some of them are saying as they approach the stage.
Older man Old Jack’s splashed out tonight – looks like a proper old party. Tight old
bugger don’t give much away you know, but he idolises Rose.
Older woman 2 Quite right too. Her’s a bit special and he knows it.
Boy 1 (in a group of 4 boys, contemporaries of Rose): Course I’ve been out with her.
Took her to the college dance. Quick snog and in she went. You don’t get
anywhere with Rose unless she really fancies you …
Boy 2 (Interrupting him) And she didn’t fancy you obviously!
Boy 3 (Laughing) And I know why!
(They do a mock fight)
Girl 1 (In a group of three girls of Rose’s age) Keep your hands off Ben now Sharon;
he’s only 16 and you don’t want to be baby snatching now do you?
Girl 2 (Mock affronted) You’re the one who fancies him Jade. I’ll keep an eye on you
so that you don’t take advantage of him and his innocence … We know what a
man-eater you are when you’ve had a few spritzers.
Girl 3 (Mock shock) Spritzers? You must be joking. Old man Craddock’s probably
only got in orange squash and … maybe … shandies!
Girls 2 and 1 (In mock surprise, then giggles) Ooooooooh!
Ben (From stage) OK. Alice’s just texted to say she’s parking outside. As soon as
she appears let’s sing. You ready Michael?
Michael (On edge of stage facing audience and guests) Aye, we’re ready.
Alice (at doorway and excitedly running through audience to take up position
amongst the choir) She’s coming; she’s coming!
(Rose enters, radiant. Everyone sings Happy Birthday. She gets to the stage and
hugs everyone as the singing progresses and ends.)
(General cries Speech! Speech!)
Rose (Almost in tears, laughing and recognising people who are at the party as she
speaks) I never expected this – Mum and Dad told me to meet here as he
wanted to show me a sickly lamb before we went down the Crown for a
birthday meal (she goes to mother and hugs her then father. Pulls back from
father and pretends to pummel him with her fists) You sly old bugger! (She
hugs him again and he is very proud of her and pleased)
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Anyway, thanks everyone for coming and … let’s enjoy ourselves! (applause.
Rose greets guests and hugs friends and family – shakes hands with some of
the older ones. Ben comes forward and shouts above the noise)
Ben I promised my lovely sister that I wouldn’t embarrass her tonight. But I thought
we ought to have a look at what this most attractive 18 year-old has been up to
over the years, so I went through the photos and …. Well here’s a short slide
show giving you an insight into Rose’s past. Can you dim the lights a bit
please (they dim. Shouting to the person who dimmed them) Thank you!
Now (First slide comes up of Rose as a baby. ‘Ahhs’ from guests) Rose was
born in 1993. And what a baby! Rose loves clothes now – as you can see
from the lovely dress she’s got on tonight – do a twirl Rose! (Embarrassed,
Rose does a reluctant twirl) But when she was small she didn’t always like
clothes and …
Rose (In mock anger) Don’t you dare show that one Ben Craddock or I’ll …… (The
slide changes to show a very young Rose with a bare bum) Right! (Everyone
laughs and claps)
Ben (continues slide show) But through primary school (slide) and secondary
school (slide) she did amazing things, which I am sure Mrs Thomas, her teacher
in the last year at the village school will tell us.
Mrs Thomas Yes, it was clear she was bright and she was a delight to teach and I am
sure now she has such good A Levels she will do even greater things in the
future.
Ben Thanks. Well, I just want to say how good it has been having such a clever and
attractive sister. She’s always helped me ….
Ben’s mates Oh yeah!
Ben … and I just want to say what a wonderful sister you’ve been Rose (she comes to
him and smothers him with a hug and a big kiss. General hilarity from
youngsters; Ahhhs from older people)
Jack Thanks Ben. Mary and I just want to back up what Ben has said. Rose has been
a model daughter … hasn’t she Mary (Mary nods – almost in tears herself.
Rose goes to her and they hold each other) She’s done very well at school and
when the exam results come out Mary and I are sure that she will get the ones
she wants to get to university.
So Rose, we’m very proud of you your mother and me - (looking around) and
I’m sure everyone here tonight – wish you well in the next step up (cries of
‘yes’, ‘hear hear’ etc). So, (embarrassed) happy birthday love! (Everyone
claps and cheers. Rose goes to Jack and hugs him. Humming of ‘Happy
Birthday’ as scene freezes and the lights fade but still illuminating birthday
scene)
3
Scene 2
Rose in ‘now time’ 2011
(Rose moves out of the frozen birthday scene. By her demeanour, the
humming of Happy Birthday and her position in relation to the previous scene,
it is established that this is a memory. She, addresses the audience in ‘now
time’)
Rose It all seemed so simple then. I knew what was expected of me. I was off to
uni; I was looking forward to making lots of new friends, and studying
economics. Everything seemed so straightforward; I knew what I had to do
and I just … well … did it. I loved university and when I got my degree and
Mum and Dad were there ... it was ... just … perfect.
(Lights fade on frozen party, then on Rose. She does not address audience
again until before the Ploughing Association dance)
Verbatim voices
 Children growing up and leaving home
 Sunlight, warmth
 Expectancy – going to do something
 Idealism
 People left behind
 Community making its own fun
 Sticking together
 The inevitability of one’s fate/life style
4
Scene 3
Codgers in the pub planning the Clyst Martin Ploughing Association
centenary
A small round table in the village pub. It’s early summer and they are sat near the
unlit fire. Above the mantelpiece over the fire is a framed black and white picture of
an ancient David Brown tractor ploughing a stubble field watched by stern faced men
in coats.
The remnants of the Clyst Martin Ploughing Association committee are gathered for a
rambling and unstructured planning meeting.
The members consist of Albert, longstanding but tired chairman, short of temper and
weak of bladder; Kath, widow of George, former dairy and cereals man, famous for
her wel-intentioned but eccentric cooking; Roy, newcomer to the village from South
Wales, spent time in his youth on uncle’s farm before training as a teacher, took early
retirement and is keen to join in the community; knows little about ploughing but is
good at admin, quite friendly and his help is appreciated.
Beside the bar are stood five or six youngsters, at least a couple still in their working
gear, having a drink after work.
Albert: I think I got this right. Kath – white wine, Roy pint of Otter?
Kath: Oh, I didn’t want a big one.
Albert: Then, you’re in the wrong village (coarse laughter).
Roy: Thanks.
Albert: I’ll just go before we start.
(Departs to the toilet, passing a youngster who greets him as he passes.
Knowing looks between Kath and Roy)
Kath: He should go to the doctor, I keep telling him. He’s a bag of nerves.
Roy, (sipping his pint) He’s worried about the centenary. I keep telling him it’ll be
fine but he’s worried about the numbers. I’ve got to say though it wouldn’t
look good for it to all wrap up this year. We’ve got to get the youngsters
involved – like that bugger (gestures to young man at bar who Albert greeted)
All right Matt – how’s your ploughing?
Matt: Not you as well. I’ll go home and speak to the shire horse (laughs)
(Albert returns, catching the end of the conversation)
Albert: What, you gonna join Matt? ... You haven’t got horses.
Roy: Never mind. Anyway, this is where we are. I have spoken to Jack and Mary
and they are happy for us to use the big barn. There is a slot at the end of May
when it is cleaned out. I have said OK and told them I will double check the
insurance. The hall has been contacted about hiring the chairs and tables and
Mary has said she will help organise the food.
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Kath: I’m happy to do the puddings.
Roy: You don’t want to take on too much (knowing look between Roy and Albert)
being on the committee and everything.
Kath: Oh it’s no problem, I’ll cook all day.
Albert: That’s what we’re worried about!
(Laughter and mock apologies to Kath)
Roy: Anyway, the issue will be help on the day and what we do about a bar. It would
be nice to do our own with cider but (sighing) who will do it?
Kath: We always used to have our own cider, we were known for it.
Albert: Same old ones. What’s gonna happen when we’re gone?
Roy: So, where you planning to go? (Tries to be funny)
Albert: I keep saying it, but where are the youngsters? I’m 75. It’s all done by
contractors now, nobody’s learning anything. Took us years, had to get it
straight or (standing up and waving his hands) father would shout ‘it’s as bent
as a boar’s tool’.
(Odd but not totally surprised looks from the few youngsters at the bar)
Kath: Albert, please. There’s ladies present.
Albert – (sitting back down) Well you know what I mean.
Roy: Anyway. Back to the food.
Albert (interrupting) I know what you are going to say, but we had complaints about
the fat ...
Kath: Albert that was only you.
Roy: A hog roast is the easiest. Ron will give a pig wholesale, we get them in and
they serve it and pack away. It’s the answer and the youngsters liked it (turns to
bar) ... that’s right isn’t it lads, you like a hog roast?
(Cheer from the youngsters at the bar)
Albert (turning on them) Well you bloody join before you come to the do.
Kath: Albert calm down.
Albert: If they don’t start joining it’s all over. We can’t go on forever. Roy’s the only
youngster to join and he’s 60.
Roy: 59 actually.
Albert: Well you bloody know what I mean. I’ve got to go again. Anything else?
Roy: Albert, we have still got 11 months before the do, calm down.
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Albert: But time’s running out; our time’s over. We might not be here in 11 months
... I’ve got to go.
Albert leaves for the loo, knowing looks from the youngsters at the bar.
Verbatim voices
 About change in the countryside
 Changing organisations – what used to be and what there is now
 Different expectations of the younger people
 Feeling of community
 Belonging
7
Scene 4
Rose’s Graduation (2002)
An academic, in robes, is at a podium. She/he is addressing the degree congregation.
The guests from the party rearrange themselves into the congregation. Rose and
fellow students dressed in academic robes lining up to go onto the dais to get their
degrees.
Female student Rose, you make sure you don’t trip and knock over the Chancellor
else he won’t give you your degree!
Rose You look after yourself Fiona – don’t get your heel caught in his turn up! And if
he asks, don’t tell him how much you had to drink last night.
Academic So, today is the culmination of three years of hard work by these students –
your offspring. We are proud of them and I am sure you are too. They came
to us from the pressure of A Levels and they have just survived another set of
examinations to gain their degrees. We salute them and I know that my
colleagues who have taught them will follow their career progress with
interest. We hope those who have discovered a thirst for study will go on to
do higher degrees.
And now to the award of the degrees. (Light stays on podium and another
comes up on the University Chancellor who is holding a degree certificate.
The Academic announces …)
For the BSc degree in Agricultural Economics. With First Class Honours,
Rosemary Marie Craddock. (Congregation applauds. Jack, Mary and Ben
are picked out by light. Choir sings ‘Gaudeamus Igitur’ as Rose enters and
walks towards the Chancellor. She is dressed in Bachelor robes and cap. The
chancellor shakes her hand and presents her with the scroll. She bows to the
Chancellor and to the congregation. The lights fade. An email is shown being
written on the screen/set. It is actually typed, with spelling mistakes and
corrections. The header is Ben Craddock [elviscrad@hotmail.com]. The text
gradually reveals the message:
Text of email
Hi Bro! Masters degree going well. Equal amounts of hard work in the
library and sloshing about on farms talking to Nottingham farmers. Can’t
understand some of them. Some of the ones I do get the gist of is ‘Itwerr
Krapp , which roughly translated means: I can't say that I found it entirely
satisfactory! And ‘mardi’ meaning bad tempered. I’ve finished all of the work
now and am waiting to find out if I can put MSc after my name – posh eh!
Hope the music’s going OK. Everyone wants to know when you’re going to
be a star. I tell them you already are! Love to you and Mum and Dad. Tell
them I’ll snailmail them soon. Sis
(Cursor clicks on ‘send’)
(A humming of Gaudeamus Igitur in background. Head and shoulders [either
projected image or Rose live] with Nottingham University Master’s robes and
MSc Applied Economics certificate shown as image)
Tim:
Hello.
Rose: Well, hello
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Tim:
I’m Tim.
Rose: I’m Rose.
Tim:
You look great in your finery.
Rose: Thank you, kind sir. (With complete innocence) I look even better without it.
Tim:
I bet you do.
Rose: (Realising what she’s just said) I mean I don’t usually wear THIS.
(They laugh to cover embarrassment)
Rose: What’s your Masters?
Tim:
Business Administration
Rose: You’ll have rich future ahead of you. Can I marry you?
Tim:
We’ll have to see. I’m not interested in those kind of riches. I want to do
something to help those who haven’t got very much.
Rose: Oh, well. Perhaps I won’t marry you after all.
Tim:
That was one of my longest relationships.
Rose: Really?
Tim:
No. Not really. What ‘s your ...
Rose: Applied Economics.
Tim:
I’m surprised our paths haven’t crossed.
Rose: I’m glad they have.
Tim:
So am I. What’s next?
Rose: We’re going to the pub.
Tim:
I meant longer term.
Rose: I’ve got a job with DEFRA.
Tim:
Defra who?
Rose: The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Tim:
Food AND rural affairs. Sounds as if you’re going to have a good time.
Rose: I intend to right now. Would you like to come and join us?
9
Tim:
Yes, I really think I would. You can tell what you’re going to be doing.
10
Scene 5
Scene with Tim which morphs into their wedding scene (flows
straight on from Scene 4) 2003
(Tim and Rose stroll hand in hand towards centre stage. Tim suddenly picks a flower
from the meadow and gives it to Rose)
Tim:
Do you remember we talked about marriage the very first day we met.
Rose: I don’t think we were being very serious then.
Tim:
No. But there was something there from the start, wasn’t there. There’s
always been something there. I hope there always will be.
Rose: I think this may be leading to something.
Tim:
You’re very perceptive, Rose. We’ve grown very close. I wonder if you’d ...
(stops)
Rose: I’d? (Pause) I though you enjoyed being gallant.
Tim:
Oh! (Goes down on one knee) My lovely Rose, would you marry me?
Rose: Really? You mean it?
Tim:
Would I joke about anything like that?
Rose: Yes. You might. And I might too.
Tim:
I mean it. I really mean it.
Rose: Are you quite sure?
Tim:
I wouldn’t ask you if I wasn’t. I think you know me that well. I think we know
each other very well.
Rose: Yes. I think perhaps we do.
Tim:
And? I don’t think I can stay here much longer?
Rose: Then I’ll take pity on you. Yes, Tim, yes I would.
Tim:
You would? (Leaps up and embraces her)
Rose: Oh, Tim. I will. I will. I will.
(Suddenly Vicar and congregation appear)
Vicar: Timothy and Rosanna, I now invite you to join hands and make your vows, in
the presence of God and his people.
(Tim takes Rose's right hand in his)
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Tim:
I, Timothy Andrew Downe , take you, (expresses surprise:) Rosanna Mari
Craddock, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better,
for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of
God I make this vow.
Rose: Tim - Timothy Andrew Downe; I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I
share with you, within the love of God,
Vicar: In the presence of God, and before this congregation, Timothy and Rose have
given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have
declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving
of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife. (He joins their
right hands together) Those whom God has joined together let no one put
asunder.
(A verse of a hymn)
Old man: Old Jack’s splashed out again, hasn’t he.
Boy 2: Mrs Downe! None of us was good enough for her.
Boy 3: You wasn’t.
Girl 2: Think we’ll get a song from Ben?
Girl 1: You behave yourself.
Girl 1: He’s a big boy now.
Girl 3: So’s Mr Downe.
Jack: As you all know, Rose has been a model daughter to Mary and me and now I
welcome to the family a model son.
(Ben doesn’t take this the way Jack meant it, Mary squeezes his hand)
Jack: We’m very proud of you both. And now a toast … (everyone stands and raises
their glasses) To the bride and groom!
All:
The bride and groom!
Considerable noise and chatter as they end toast.
Verbatim voices
 Theme of Autumn
 Apples, fruit
 Harvest
 Cider making
 Shooting
 ‘Battening down’
 Things to do before winter
 Stock
 Weather
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Music
Song of the season ‘autumn’.
Images
Use of abstract images on set reflecting feeling of autumn – colours, shapes, but abstract, not
explicit.
Poetry
Possible use of projected text fading in and out of the projected images.
Scene 6
Jack and Ben argue – Ben leaves (Date ?)
Jack is sitting at the kitchen table. He is trying to get up-to-date on the paperwork
and has various boxes and files on the table. He dislikes this job but knows it needs
doing. He is trying to find out if an invoice for a new seed drill has been paid as he
has a final demand from the company who sold it to him.
Ben enters. He is dressed for a band engagement in a pub. Hair spiky, tattered jeans
etc and eye make up.
Ben Hi Dad. Where’s mother? She said she’d be home by six so I could have the car.
The gig’s at eight and we have a hell of a lot of setting up to do and we’ve not
played that pub before.
Jack Well, she isn’t being late to annoy you boy. Her sister’s pretty poorly and it’s a
two-hour drive. Can’t one of your mates pick you up?
Ben We’ve all got too much gear to pick each other up. Can I borrow the truck then?
Jack No, it’s got all that feed in for the pigs up higher top. I’m not unloading that lot
and I don’t suppose you’ll want to either.
Ben Bugger. I can’t be late to this one. Did she take her mobile?
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Jack Don’t you go bothering her. Aunty May needs your mother’s help at the
moment and your band practice will have to take second place if …
Ben It’s not a practice. I told you, we got a gig at The Red Cow tonight and I just got
to be there.
Jack (putting down the bills and sitting back in the chair) Oh, do you now. Look, it’s
about time you started to think of other people and not just yourself. Your
mother’s worried sick about May and I’m trying – pretty unsuccessfully at the
moment thanks to you – to get my head around these accounts. I think it time
your spiky haired friends and their music – if you can call it that – understood
that you are not the centre of the world.
Ben Thanks a bunch. I’m entitled to a life outside farming aren’t I? Times change
Dad. I don’t mind pulling my weight here but I got to have some time off …
and I’ve told you before, if you got the right software you could keep all the
accounts on the computer. I’m happy to show you how it works.
Jack (getting angry) Computer … computer? I don’t need no sodding computer. I
just need some peace and quiet to get these bills paid. If you helped around
here a bit more … you finished at five so you could pimp yourself up … and
just look at you. Christ, at twenty three I was putting in twelve-hour days and
now it’s difficult to get you to do any real work.
Ben
That’s not fair Dad. I was out working middle wain at eight this morning and
last night I worked ‘til eight. What do you want ... blood!
Mary enters. She senses the atmosphere and stops at the doorway. She holds the car
keys out to Ben.
Mary What’s going on here then? (No answer from either Ben or Jack)
Jack It’s Cliff Richard here – creating hell because you weren’t back in time.
Ben I’ve just got to be there, that’s all – people are relying on me.
Jack Yes, and I’m relying on you to learn enough in the next five years to take over
this farm. The rate you’re going there won’t be any bloody farm to take over!
Ben Takes the keys from Mary and makes to exit.
Jack (Thinking he has won the argument again) You better buck up your ideas boy.
Ben Buck up! (walking up to his father he shouts at him) Buck up! Buck off more
like. You know how much my music means to me but you keep rabbiting on
and on and on. Well, I’ve had enough … up to here, right! You can stuff your
farm.
He turns on his heel, picks up a guitar case and exits.
Mary (still standing at the door looks at Jack) Oh Jack ….
Jack Well he can bugger off for all I care. I’m not going to take any more from him.
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Fade lights
Scene 7
Interview Nottingham University for PhD (2005)
They are in Richard’s office at Nottingham University. Richard Sefton (senior
lecturer) taught Rose for some of her courses during the latter part of her BSc and
during her MSc. He was also Rose’s personal tutor and they have a good
relationship –friendly but respectful. Richard has won a research grant to look at the
current pressures and issues in agriculture which result from macro issues
concerning the EEC Agricultural Policy, Government policy and the financial verities
of trying to run a farm successfully. The aim is to develop a set of guidelines for the
major changes/adaptations necessary for farms to stay in business.
Richard offers Rose a research post within the project. The work is also connected
with a PhD which Richard will supervise. When lights come up, Rose has just sat and
Richard, who stood to greet her, sits too.
Richard Thanks for coming to see me Rose – hope it’s not interfered with your work
schedule too much.
Rose No problem. I was at Animal Health in Stafford office this morning anyway so
only took an hour. Its hard work but DEFRA bosses are pretty flexible, so no
rush to get back.
Richard Well, I think I said most of it in my email. I got the EU research grant and in
the bid I indicated that I wanted three research assistants who would do the
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actual interviewing – talking to farmers, feed merchants, civil servants, MPs,
land agents and so on ... It’s quite a big study with lots of data to get in.
Rose And you wanted me to do the farmers’ interviews … right? Happy to do that
and the study follows on nicely from my masters research so, yes, I am very
interested.
Richard I have to advertise the posts nationally of course – that’s a requirement of the
funders, so you’ll have to go through the interview palaver, but given your close
relationship with the Department and the nature – and quality – of your master’s
research, I would be very surprised and disappointed if you didn’t get one of the
posts.
Rose Yeah … ideal really, given what I’m involved in at the moment. If I did get it
what’s the set up for the PhD? I read the stuff on the web but it’s not clear
when the job would start.
Richard Next academic year – in October. You’d have the use of an office here –
probably have to share it with one of the others, but, if you got the job, all your
fees are covered and you’d have to submit your thesis within three years, which
is how long the post lasts.
Rose That sounds fine. I have thought about doing a PhD since my masters but
couldn’t see a way of taking time out, but this sounds ideal.
Richard Have you asked DEFRA about leave of absence?
Rose Not yet - thought I would find out a bit more first. I’ll read all of the
information again and then talk to Sally, my manager. She took a sabbatical
last year to finish a book, so I think she’ll be sympathetic.
Richard OK then, let’s leave it for now and if you download the application form and
get it to me by the deadline … Oh, and you can’t use me as one of the referees
on this one!
Rose Quite. (Laughing) Course not! Well, thanks Richard. I hope it works out and if
it does I really look forward to working with you again.
Richard Me too – you’ll fly the PhD Rose. Have a safe journey and I’ll speak to you
soon.
Lights fade on the scene as Rose and Richard stand.
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Scene 8
Jack and Rose talk about farm - and Ben
Jack is sitting at the kitchen table. He’s reading the Western Morning News and
drinking a mug of tea. He’s listening to the news on Radio Devon. He makes a phone
call on a landline phone.
Jack Hello ... is that David? Sorry you’re breaking up … that’s better, I can hear you
now … you up the field? … right … yeah … well, won’t keep you long. I got
to go into the Devon and Exeter tomorrow about my knee and I was
wondering if you could feed the stock for me in the morning. (Mary enters
and busies herself at the sink) I’ll be back midday so all right for the evening
jobs … oh, I see, well it wouldn’t matter if it was a bit after seven … oh,
alright then, yeah, don’t worry, I just thought I’d try you first. Ok ... Yes, I
will … thanks. (He rings off) Bugger!
Mary Have you tried Mike Honeywell? Jane says he does occasional relief milking
and he should be able to feed the heifers.
Jack Tried him first – and asked Tony about Michelle. She’s not back from college
until the weekend. I’ve tried that new bloke at Talaton but he’s on some
course or other. (Sits back with a sigh of resignation) If the hospital hadn’t
changed the appointment I’d have been alright.
Mary Look Jack. I’ll do it tomorrow, but that means you got to drive yourself into
Exeter … but you know how I feel about things … we’ve got to make a
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decision soon … (She sits by him at the table and puts her hand on his and
leans towards him) it’s getting too much for you Jack, and if you have to go
in for the op, doctor says it’s be a good three months before you are properly
mobile again and you promised me you’d follow their advice. I don’t want
you crocked up Jack and the way you’re going …
Jack Don’t start again … (pulls his hand away. They both sit up straight – beside
one another but separate) I’m not giving up the farm Mary. It’s not on …
what happens if I do and Ben walks through that door … eh? … walks in and
we sort it out and … (he’s close to tears. He picks up his mug and tries to
drink – can’t and puts the mug down, staring straight ahead)
Mary It’s two years Jack … next Friday it’ll be two whole years. If he hasn’t
contacted us in that time, I don’t see why he will …
Jack Selfish bugger … he knew what he was doing … he knew I was banking on
him …
Mary You said yourself, you didn’t make it easy for him. What incentive is there to
get in touch …
Jack Get in touch? I could be dead for all he cares. I worked my guts out here as a
boy with father, and him before me with Gramper. And now you’re saying I
got to give up a bit … who’s going to do the work then, eh? You tell me that,
who’s going to do it? All these years and I end up in some bungalow
watching the men in suits sell it off for city people – like Lashbrook and hell
of a lot of other places. It’s not going to happen Mary. It’s not on.
Mary All right Jack. I know how you feel. (She comes behind him and puts her
hands on his shoulders. He rocks his head back against her and closes his
eyes) But if we do see Ben again it’s not likely he’ll want to farm Hollyhayes,
and Rose, well, she’s got a career …
Jack (Quiet now, resigned but also, in Mary’s warmth, comforted) I know, I know.
(Mary strokes his head. Lights fade)
18
Scene 9
Codgers reflecting on changes in farming TV to write.
19
Verbatim voices
 Theme of continuity and progression – a sense of something greater at play - to
contrast with Codger’s sentiments and the scene coming up with Rose and Tim
 Continuity, but the unstoppable nature of change
 Progression
 The next generation
 Got to keep going
 The irresistible rhythm of nature
Hedging and maintenance
?Autumn problems: crops flattened, potatoes canker
Scene 10
Row with Tim. Malawi. They part.
Rose: Aren’t you pleased for me, Tim?
Tim:
Of course I am, Rose. I want the best for you. You know that.
Rose: Do you, Tim?
Tim:
Yes. I really do. But ...
Rose: Why have you got to do it?
Tim:
It’s the first opportunity I’ve had. You know I’ve always wanted to do
something like this.
Rose: But why Malawi?
Tim:
I can ... make a difference.
Rose: It’s going to make a difference to us!
Tim:
Is it?
Rose: What’s that supposed to mean?
20
Tim:
You haven’t noticed what’s happened to you, have you. You’ve become
totally wrapped up in your research. It’s all that matters to you.
Rose: That’s not true.
Tim:
It’s exactly the truth.
Rose: You’re a fine one to talk: you’re just off half way across the world. Are you
thinking of anybody else but yourself?
Tim:
I am. You know I am.
Rose: But not me.
(Silence)
Tim:
I don’t know what you mean.
Rose: You know very well what I mean.
(Silence)
Tim:
It’s better I go.
Rose: It’s for the best.
Tim:
If that’s what you want.
Rose: It’s what you want.
(Tim turns and walks off. After a while, Rose starts to cry)
Verbatim voices
 Theme of Winter and Christmas
 Cold, hard winters, how we survived
 Privations and restriction of winter
 Preserving food: salted bacon, apples laid out
 Sledging and skating on ponds/ice
 Hard winters of 1947 and 1963
 Snow ploughs
 Finding sheep in drifts
 Housing and feeding stock in the winter
 Helping neighbours
Stuck in farm
21
Music
Song of the season ‘winter’.
Images
Use of abstract images on set reflecting feeling of winter – colours, shapes, but abstract, not
explicit.
Poetry
Possible use of projected text fading in and out of the projected images.
Scene 11
Codgers carol singing outside Hollyhayes
Codgers, out carol singing, get to Jack and Mary’s. It’s dark, early evening, a weary
group of singers about 8 to 10, couple of children, trudge up to Hollyhayes.
Child: We’ve already done that one ... oh please not again (stamps feet)
Child 2: I’m cold
Albert: Now come along, we’ve only been out for an hour. Good King Wenceslas it
is. Everybody ready? ... (Deep breath)
Child: (interrupting) Can’t we do Away in a Manager?
Albert: I realise ‘tis the season of goodwill but we are singing Good King Wenceslas
– it’s Jack’s favourite. All right? Everybody ready? One, two, three ...
Children sing Away in a Manger, adults Good King Wenceslas. Front door opens
after first notes of awful cacophony. Singing abruptly stops as they realise what has
happened.
Mary: Ahhh. Away in a Manger, my favourite – I think. (Laughs).
Albert: No it bloody isn’t.
Mary: Yes it is.
22
Albert: No we were singing Good King ...
Child (Interrupting) No we weren’t.
Mary steps forward with a tray.
Mary: Mulled wine anyone? Very good for the voice – and coordination, I believe.
Cheer goes up. She kisses Albert.
Albert: Never mind (laughing)
Jack appears
Jack: Mince pie anyone?
More cheers
Albert: You made ’em Jack? Always said you were a man of many talents – couldn’t
plough though!
Mary: Some chance of that. Always ready to lend advice though – ‘more mince meat
Mary, don’t burn ’em, have you made enough?’ Proper Masterchef aren’t you
(hugging Jack’s arm).
Jack: Stop fussing me woman.
Mary: Well, I have to take care of you.
Albert: Yes, how are you?
Jack: I’m fine. It’s the rest of ’em. Youngsters don’t care, scattering. Can’t say I
blame them. Easier ways to make a living, hey Albert.
Albert: Only us left.
Communal groan goes up from the carol singers
Shouted voice: Here we go again.
Albert: Yes I know. I keep saying it, but the do is only five months away. We
are shrinking all the time.
Mary: Albert, stop worrying. The barn is all booked (laughing); I’ve managed to slot
you in between all the weddings and pop festivals - tables booked and all. It’s
Christmas, we’ll worry about the ploughing do in the spring.
Albert: If there’s enough of us left to worry ... (communal groan) ... before we go can
I just...?
Mary: Of course, second left – same as last year!
Albert goes in the house, Jack follows.
Mary: Oh and I have cleaned the floor.
Communal cheer from the carol singers.
23
Albert: I’m not that bad.
Shouted voice: Yes you are. I’ve seen you shoot a 12 bore; couldn’t hit a pig’s arse
with a banjo.
More bawdy cheering. Albert reappears.
Albert: This is bigger than a 12 bore!
Cheers and boos, which eventually go quiet. Albert disappears out of sight.
Kath takes Mary to one side as carol singers chat to each other.
Kath: Mary, how’s Jack?
Mary: Ok if he takes it easy. Doctor has told him, but you know what he’s like. He’s
seeing the heart specialist second week of January.
Kath: Good. Let’s hope you can have a quiet Christmas (Uneasy now) Sorry, I meant have you heard from young Ben?
Mary: Nothing, though we did get a card.
Kath: Oh, I’m sorry. (Touches Mary’s arm). Give Jack my best and Rose.
Albert re-appears.
Albert: Right, that’s better. Let’s earn our mulled wine and, oh, Jack’s mince pies.
Rousing verse of Good King Wenceslas, backed up by choir.
Mary: Actually, I do prefer the kid’s one!
Communal cheer.
(Fade)
24
Scene 12
Rose receives phone call from Mary
Rose is walking through a corridor at her university, oblivious to those around her as
she speaks into a mobile:
Rose: Yeah, I realise it may not concur with the Leicester work, but there are
differences – acreages, herd size. ... Yep, I agree. The reasons for the variance
open up another discussion. No, Friday will be fine, 2.30? I’ll email it Friday
morning. ... I know, time and tide etc. .... (laughs)... See you then Richard.
Puts phone away in her pocket, it rings immediately. Annoyed, takes it out and sees it
is her mother ringing.
Rose: Hi. Sorry I was speaking to Richard. Everything all right?
Mary: Yes, absolutely fine; we’re all fine. Wondered how you were.
Rose: Oh OK … Busy. Out a lot, interviews, you know. Everyone all right?
Mary: Oh yeah. Kath’s been over, making jelly.
Rose: Araldite!
Mary: Bramble, if you don’t mind. Did set well, though. (Both laugh).
25
Rose: I told you - it’s glue. I don’t know what she does. Dad says it can stick the
bread together. She ought to patent it – ‘organic superglue’. Dad all right?
Mary: Yeah, fine.
Rose: Anything else happened.
Mary: No ... Shoot supper on Friday.
Rose: Was it good? Who did it this year?
Mary: (Pause) ... Actually Rose we didn’t go, your father was rough again.
Rose: Mum, why didn’t you say?
Mary: He knows you’re busy, we don’t want to be a nuisance.
Rose: Have you been to the doctor?
Mary: Yes, Tuesday.
Rose: Well? What did he say?
Mary: Can you come home?
(Fade)
Scene 13
Rose speaks on the phone to Ben and explains why she has come
home.
Rose walks across the stage from Sc 12 and is back in the kitchen of Hollyhayes; her
mobile rings and she is surprised to hear it is Ben.
Rose: Hi (surprised) … yes … yes … (she listens)
Look Ben, I think it’s serious … yes … in bed and he looks awful … I came
down last Tuesday … he’s weak and sleeping a lot … that’s up to you, but if I
were you, I wouldn’t leave it too long …
Mother rang me … he just wasn’t coping … I’m doing some of my research
interviews around here … it’s ok but what with the farm work and all, I’ve
found it difficult to give it the time it needs … Oh, she’s coping – just … we
both are … as I said, that’s up to you … I’ll tell him you’re ok … (a little
exasperated) that’s his way Ben – that’s his way and it’s in the past, surely
you can … ok, ok, but please answer next time I ring; it just might be … well
… important. Bye.
She closes the phone looks ahead in thought, then fade out.
26
Scene 14
Farmer interviews in the Tale Valley. January/February 2011
Rose has difficulty in communicating with her interviewee.
Betty: Sit yourself down, my lover.
Rose: Thank you, Betty. (looking at the chair offered) That was Jim’s.
Betty: Was. Go on, past is past.
(Rose sits)
Betty: So you’m doing some research, then
Rose: A study. The relationship between macroeconomics and price variables in
regional agriculture.
Pause
Betty: How’s your mum? Haven’t seen either of them for a while.
. Rose interviews one farmer after another, stylistically, starting with one at a table,
then others join in and eventually there is a series of talking heads all around her.
.......................................................
27
Rose: I must be going. (Gets up)
Betty: Remember me to your mum and dad.
Rose: Thank you so much for your help, Betty.
Betty: We all play a part in the grand scheme of things. (Calls to Rose’s retreating
figure) By the way: have you found yourself a young man yet?
Verbatim voices
 Around economics, world events etc.
 How people coped
 Detail of country life and traditions to present a contrast to hard-nosed economic
material
 Rabbiting
 Blackberrying
 Wild bird egg collecting
 Molecatching
 Shooting – pigeons on the crops
The talking heads are then faded out and the lights come up on Jack, sat in his
favourite armchair.
Jack: So what load of old bollocks they been telling you? (Quoting from a sheet of
paper). ‘A dissertation exploring how macro events have shaped the
commodity markets and hence their impact on the methods and techniques of
capital employed in UK agriculture, and specifically this valley’.
All know how to make more money than me I bet. All know better than
miserable old Jack.
Return on capital employed? Yeah – all had it given. Father did the hard work,
set it all up. Third generation pisses it away.
So more money in studying it than doing it hey? Still least you understand it, of
sorts. More to it than figures. When do you have to finish your essay?
Sorry it’s not a ‘bloody essay’.
Language girl! You’re like a fuc ..., sorry, bloody trooper. (Laughs).
We can’t do anything about it. Got to do what they tell us. Got to put up with
it. Can’t ring the ministry if it pisses down all summer – sorry! We still got to
cope. Government don’t milk anything, except us I suppose. (Laughs).
Not for much longer though. It’s all over. David Bowie ain’t going to take it
on.
28
Bloody skinny though, strange hair. I don’t reckon Ben’s mine. (Tries but fails
to laugh).
Cost me a fortune converting that shed. Like bloody Glastonstock; in they all
came, scruffy sods, making a racket. I had complaints.
He wants to be a musician you say?
And what about you?
You got to do what you think is right. (Serious now, sad).
I always thought one of you would take it on. It’s what always happened. Soon
had doubts about Neil Sedaka though.
I know, he’s my era. Ben wouldn’t know who he is.
Each generation carries it on, tries to improve it a little bit or it all stops. Pony
and paddock set take over. Gin and Jags. Weekenders. No jobs then;
youngsters got to leave.
I know I’m old school ... Yes it’s all right saying ‘not this again’.
But it’s true. It’s brain over brawn these days. You can hire a bloke to do the
heavy stuff.
(Angry) No, this is important. You’ve got some fight in you, you’re clever.
You understand the money side.
It’s your home. We all need that.
Can I see it when you’ve done it?
Your essay! (Laughs) Oh sorry it’s a dissertation in need of peer review.
Give it here. I can colour it in! (Laughing loudly and recoiling from a mock
fight with his daughter).
29
Scene 15
Rose presents her research in Clyst Martin village hall, March 2011
Rose is stood on a small raised stage in the village hall. Old fashioned but tidy,
painted by volunteers. She has a projector and laptop on a desk and it’s projecting a
Power Point presentation onto a portable screen which has one of its rubber feet
missing and hence is not level. Before Rose sits an audience of about 20 people,
mainly aged but with two young men in YFC rugby shirts, sat with their arms folded
at the back. A Power Point slide is showing a 3-D bar graph depicting the number
and size of herds over a 20-year period)
Rose: So the conclusion that has to be drawn is that although the number of individual
dairy herds has reduced by 60% within the sample, the overall acreage utilised
in the dairy sector within the study area has declined by only 32%.
Although the study area is very small and there are a number of caveats to this
conclusion, there is clear evidence of the consolidation that has taken place
within the industry. Farms have been sold off with the land bought by
neighbouring concerns and the farmhouses sold to realise capital. Of the 40
people within the sample, 17 expected further consolidation of land holdings
under their control as the current generation passes from working age with no
suitably qualified heir to further develop the business.
In all, over 62% of the sample spoke of the difficulty of succession with only
two amongst the sample able to identify diversification opportunities which
30
may prove attractive in the medium term, although one of these also pointed to
the lack of high-speed broadband as an inhibiting factor.
The Power Point changes to a series of summary bullet points:







Declining milk price
Power of the supermarkets
Herd numbers reduce
Consolidation of land holdings
Total number employed reduces
Proliferation of lifestyle buyers
What does the future hold?
Rose: So, we have covered a lot of ground this evening and I hope this has given an
insight into where we are as an industry, how we got here and some of the very
stern challenges of the future. Based on this study I am afraid I can’t see a
happy ending. Any questions?
(Silence, stretching on almost to the point of unease. The hall is full of people
who would love to say something but don’t want to be first. Rose is tired now,
also relieved that she has delivered it. She scans the room with alert eyes, keen
not to make eye contact and elicit a question. She wants to go to the pub)
Well thank you all again for co ...
Val: What about global warming?
Rose: (Taken by surprise) Yes, a big subject (Tries to be funny) I would need a few
more months to tackle that.
Val: It’s gonna affect food production all over the world. They reckon we’ll get less
of it, but have to produce more of our own, like in the war. The new bloke at
the NFU was writing in Country Life that farmers got to double food production
in 20 years because of the world population growing and the Chinese eating
meat – like us.
Shouted voice: She read it in the dentist’s waiting room.
General good hearted laughter, relief that something had broken the mood
Val (warming to the task) Thank you. I read all the best magazines, you know.
Shouted voice: Yeah, Playgirl!
More raucous laughter
Val: That was only once! Anyway, shall I continue? The NFU man reckons
agriculture is going to be one of our most important industries. You sound a bit
down on it.
Rose: No not at all, there are some great innovations out there and consolidation will
be good in the long run. It’s just that for the smaller concern the economics
31
don’t stack up. I have spoken about return on capital earlier, well a small farm
of 200 acres worth say £5k an acre is a million pounds tied up ...
Interrupted
Val: But it’s always been like that. The figures might change, a bit, but it’s always
been a lot tied up. Each generation adds to it and passes it on. Otherwise it
would all stop.
Rose: (Tiredness showing and dropping her guard; losing a little of her
professionalism) Yes, but that is not always possible. People don’t always
want to do what their parents did. People travel more these days ...
Val: It’s not just figures, Rose, it’s a way of life.
Rose: Yes I realise ... I mean, I should know. But in a global commodity market ...
Val: What do you want to do, Rose?
Uncomfortable silence, broken by Rose’s mobile phone.
Rose: Sorry folks ... Mum ... Hi, I mean we haven’t finished ... what? When did he?
I’ll come now.
(Fade)
Scene 16
Codgers at Jack’s funeral March 2011
End of March. Village pub. Very full. Cold wet Friday. Fire lit. Everyone in black;
men in ill-fitting suits of various vintages, used only for funerals.
Albert is holding some drinks and has been cornered by an old woman, whom he only
vaguely knows. He is clearly irritated and flustered but realises he has to be polite;
this is Jack’s funeral after all.
Old woman: It’s lovely to see everyone, so sad though, such a shame for Mary and
Rosanna and Ben.
Albert: Rose, you mean.
Old Woman: Yes, sorry, hasn’t she grown. I so liked Jack, lovely lad. He used to play
with my Bill. He’s gone too you know.
Albert: Oh, I’m sorry.
Old Woman: No not like that, (grabs his arm) Australia.
Albert (under his breath) Can’t blame him.
Old Woman: He’s done very well, lives near Perth. Worked in local government, on
the sewers. He has three boys – I’ve got a picture somewhere.
32
Rummages in bag, Albert looks to the sky.
Old Woman: Must have left it at home. Of course, I don’t use this bag much
nowadays. I don’t really go anywhere since my Doug (‘Doug’ or ‘dug’ is the
pronunciation in Devonian of ‘dog’) died.
Albert: Oh.
Old Woman: We went everywhere together.
Albert: What, walks you mean, shooting?
Old Woman: Yes he loved to walk.
Albert: Twice a day? It can be a bind.
Old Woman: Oh not that much, he had to work you know. I do miss my Doug.
Albert: Did he live inside or out?
Old Woman: Inside with me, of course.
Albert: Well, why don’t you buy another one? Matt has some Springer pups …
Old Woman: Oh no, I could never marry again. Doug and I were together 54 years.
Albert: Oh, sorry, I thought … (Kath appears)
Albert: Thank Christ! .... White wine? (Hands it to Kath, turns back to Old Woman).
So, Mrs – sorry I didn’t get your name.
Old Woman: Renshaw, Janet and Douglas Renshaw.
Albert: Of course, nice to see you. I must circulate.
Extracts himself. Moves away and sits with Kath. Roy is there along with Matt who
has a pint, collar undone and poorly tied tie. They all acknowledge each other.
Kath: I’ve spoken to Mary, she’s all right. Rose has taken it very badly, but then he
worshipped her. He may not have always shown it, but she knew. Fathers and
daughters and all that. Sixty eight - no age really, cheated of his retirement.
Roy: Has Mary said what she is planning to do, I realise it is very soon.
Kath: Not really. But she hasn’t got a choice. Ben isn’t going to take it on. He isn’t
even here (gets angry, looks around from her seat).... how can he?
Roy (Trying to calm her down) He may not even know. No one has seen him.
Kath: And Rose, it’s not fair on her. She’s still studying … and married now.
Haven’t seen Tim though … someone said he is abroad.
Albert: So, the line breaks. Another one to be sold off. More newcomers with their
ponies, complaining when we move a herd or spread slurry.
Roy: I’ve never complained and I’m new.
33
Albert: You’re normal ... for a Welshman.
Roy: Tidy! Thank you for the validation, boyo!
Mary and Rose appear carrying plates of food.
Kath: Thanks, wonderful spread.
Albert: Mary, thank you. Rose (acknowledging her). I’ll just have a couple (taking a
wedge of sandwiches). Very good turnout, like you’d expect. Lot of old faces.
The Sidmouth Junction Ploughers are here, most of them.
Mary: I know, I am trying to remember all their names. He seemed to know so many
people. I know everyone says it, but he would have enjoyed it.
Kath: Good chance to put a few of them straight (Laughs).
Roy: I thought Reverend Woods spoke well. He put some thought into it, did his
research.
Mary: He came round and was ever so good. I dug out Jack’s diaries for him so he
had all the facts for the eulogy.
Albert: Mary, I realise this isn’t the time to ask but is it still OK to hold the do at
Hollyhayes at the end of May?
Kath: Albert! I don’t think they need to be worrying about that today.
Mary: No, it’s fine. Of course, Albert. Jack would have wanted us to carry on.
Would have moaned though ’bout the parking and mess, but deep down would
have loved it. I know he hated public speaking but he would have been so
proud, centenary president … May 28th, still?
Rose: Yes, even if it is sold, we won’t be out by then.
Awkward silence. Whole stage goes quiet.
Rose (Sensing the awkwardness) Sorry. But you know, practicalities.
Rose and Mary depart with the food to tend to other mourners.
Albert: So it could be our last stand. I hope there’s some of us there.
Kath: You shouldn’t have brought it up, that was awkward.
Albert: Stop fussing me. I could have asked about the president. Who the hell is
going to do it now?
Kath: This is not the time.
Albert: You mean we don’t have any time. We’re going to fold up in our 100th year.
That’ll look good in the parish magazine. We’ve got two grand in the bank,
they’ll all be after it likes flies round a cow’s arse.
Kath: Albert!
34
Albert: Constitution says we have to give it away if we close.
Kath: But now is not the time.
Albert: Kath – time is running out, mark my words.
Albert gets up in a fuss.
Albert: I’ve got to go ...
Scene 17
Mary and Rose. Estate agent, April 2011
Farmhouse kitchen. Tidy but in need of modernising. Flagstones worn, especially
near the door, old coats hang up on left hand wall above small blue plastic bin
containing dog food. Bowls on the floor.
Mary and Rose sit at a solid kitchen table, more than six feet long, thick top which has
had some attempts at re-waxing and looks like it is- a well-worn wedding present
which has seen 40 years of mealtime debate. Beech chairs, once painted cream but
backs and arms worn to the wood.
Rose is sat at the kitchen table, at the head of it, with her father’s diaries piled in front
of her. They are worn and come in a variety of sizes. Some of them are proper diaries
and others are bookkeeping journals he adapted. The text is well drilled school script
written with a pencil. She stares at them.
Rose picks up a diary from 1976.
,
Rose: 1976 ‘June 14th: Still no rain, nothing to cut. Took down the fence in
Blacksmiths to let them drink from the river. Saw four trout in last big pool.
Long Barn is dried out, grass not growing’.
Rose: 34 then, in his prime (Smiles)
35
Rose: November 22nd: ‘Short of feed, very dear, little about. Country buggered,
Callaghan going to the IMF’.
Rose: ‘Nothing I can do about it’ he used to say. ‘If they all worked like me, we’d be
all right’. Still saying it til he died.
Rose puts down the diary and picks up another one, 1980. She flicks though to May
21st – her birthday. Holds it up.
Rose: Wonder what he said about me, his first born.
As Rose reads, her father’s voice comes back to her.
Rose: 1980, May 21st …
(Jack) Sunny. Cut Long Barn, saw some greys for first time. Had to stop at lunch.
Took Mary to hospital. She had a little girl, 6pm. Came back to feed and
milk. Took Mary some roses.
Rose: Not much of a mention (Mock sigh)
Rose: May 22nd:
(Jack) Called Gilbert over to milk, expensive. Finished Long Barn, rain in afternoon.
Visited Mary, she wants to call her Rose. Started on Dock Park in evening.
Finished late.
Rose: May 23rd:
(Jack) Rained. Family came after milking, given presents for baby. Couldn’t get on
Dock Park. Planted up garden in evening, runner beans, beetroot.
Rose flicks through pages.
Rose May 30th:
(Jack) Mary and Rose came home. Cut Path Fields, good. No greys. Ploughing
meeting, quick drink, home early.
Rose: Well he wouldn’t want to miss that, would he? Bloody ploughing, it’s work
not art.
Rose: May 31st:
(Jack) Mary up twice last night. Gilbert let me down. Baled and picked up Dock
Park, milked late. Carried on, got it all in.
Mary moves her tea cup noisily. Rose appears half startled, back from daydreaming
about the time of her birth.
Mary: Do you think he will be long?
Rose: Uugh?
36
Mary: Christopher Firth … Wall Taylor …
Rose: Probably not. Commission, mother.
Sighs
Rose: On the night you brought me home from hospital, did you mind Dad going to
the ploughing meeting?
Mary: Where the hell did you get that from?
Rose: It’s in his diaries.
Mary: Silly old sod. Actually I told him to go. Last thing I needed was him under my
feet. Mind you, you had a week in hospital then. The Hilton we called it.
They’re straight out now. He loved the ploughing – excuse for a drink and
moan; ‘a man of the soil’ he would say - his soil.
Rose: Do you have a map?
Mary: No he didn’t
Rose: Is there anything at all? Land Registry perhaps. What about when you bought
it?
Mary: Register what?
Rose: Do we know the EXACT acreage?
Mary: He did … in his head.
Rose: Yeah but ... (changes tone) Is there anything written down. What about his
Father?
Mary: He’s here.
Rose: (Tries to be funny but fails) I don’t think so Mum, he died in 1975. Not you as
well … crackers.
Mary (scowling): Don’t be so .... no I mean Chris. He’s here, (looks out the window)
trying to park.
Mary sits upright and pushes her hair in place for the umpteenth time this morning.
Mary (Anxious): Now have we got everything ready? Do you know what to say?
Rose: (Angry) That’s what I been TRYING to do. We’ve got to spell it out. It’s just
another sale for him, they couldn’t care less. You know what we need to get.
(Speeding up) There’s only one chance and a big nasty world looking for a
bargain.
Mary: (Anxious, almost pleading) I know!
37
Rose: Well, good. (Calming down) I’m sorry.
Silence. Waiting for the knock.
Bang on the door.
Rose (rising, shouts): Let yourself in.
Rose (turning to mother): You know what we’ve got to get.
Mary: Yes
Estate agent, 42, sandy hair, tweed jacket, stone and half too heavy, Bordeaux
drinker, three-year-old Range Rover Discovery outside; needs to polish his brogues.
Has had this conversation a hundred times before. Friendly enough.
Christopher: Hi. Good to see you. (Corrects himself, well drilled sympathy routine
cuts in). Mrs Craddock, Rose, I am so sorry about your loss. Jack was a great
man and never short of an opinion. (Attempt at a laugh, stifles it).
Rose: (Forced politeness). Do you want to sit here? – (gesturing). Tea?
Christopher (pulling back a chair between Rose and Mary) Thank you, white no
sugar. Really told me once! Said if we didn’t bring so many outsiders in he
could just get on with it. Less complaints. I told him that the world has
changed. He said something ELSE! (smiles). Thank you. (Rose hands him
the tea).
Mary sits upright, almost deferential in her pose and listens intently like when she was
a child at the village primary school. Confusion eventually spreads across her face
like shadows from the clouds marching across a field on an April afternoon.
Rose returns to her ‘default’ professional pose, alert but with a hint of disdain. A4
pad in front of her, two pens, one in reserve.
Christopher: How’s Tim, Rose?
Rose (taken off guard) Don’t know ... Hot I expect.
Christopher: Uugh? I’m sorry?
Mary: He’s in Malawi.
Rose: Furthering his career.
Christopher: Do give him my best, good bloke, we still laugh about ... (wilting as
Rose scowls before composing himself). And how long are you staying in the
UK Rose?
Rose: (Sharply. Cutting to the chase) So, what do you think it’s worth bearing in
mind the country’s buggered.
Mary: (Startled) Rose!
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Rose: It’s like the 1970s. We’re broke. And fighting a war; didn’t have that in the 70s.
Mind you (holding up 1976 diary) the weather was better then.
Mary: No feed then, we almost went under. Thank god we had the river.
Christopher: (Trying to steer the conversation back to his comfort zone) No, the
market is still OK. People with this sort of money are still there if they see
potential. Plenty of scope; kitchen is always the key, (Looks around, half
hauling himself out of his chair) could knock through to here.
Mary: Rayburn would be in the way.
Christopher: I see an AGA. (Turns to Rose) Rose, have you had any further thoughts
on the land? It’s good, mainly, but for me 10 acres left with the property is
fine. Barns would convert to a stable.
Mary: Only painted it two years ago.
Christopher: I’m sorry?
Rose: She means the kitchen. (Sharply) So what are we looking at?
Christopher: A property (hesitating) in need of modernisation with paddock, I would
confidently expect six fifty, even now.
Mary: Expensive paint. Jack did it himself.
Rose: What do you have there?
Christopher (clutching paperwork) I’ve brought some examples. Details. Have a
look through. We can put more online.
Rose: Thanks. Better start clearing out. (Tries to sound positive and business- like,
turns to Mary)
Mary: Summer Dawn it was called.
Rose scowls noticeably.
Christopher: We do need to finalise which field goes with the property. Key selling
point. Preferably a water supply, good access. Shelter would be even better.
(Tries to laugh) They want it all now!
Mary: Homebase.
Rose: Mum!
Mary (back on this planet) Blacksmiths would make sense.
Rose: You mean the 11-acre maize?
39
Mary: You could look in his diaries. Has all the field names in there. (Points to the
pile of books).
Christopher: Are those his diaries? (Speaks before Rose can answer) I bet they could
tell some stories (laughs).
Rose: Yeah. He wrote it all down, when he planted, when he cut, what was born,
what died, what he saw … even mentioned us once or twice.
Christopher: (Rises stiffly). Mary, Rose, thank you for the tea. If you don’t mind I’ll
take a look around, get the lie of the land if you like (Tries to laugh, but stops
himself). I’ll start with ‘The Party Shed’.
Rose: Hey?
Christopher: Your 21st. Sorry the tractor shed.
Mary: The big barn?
Christopher: Sorry, yes. What a party, hey Rose?
Withering look from Rose.
Christopher: No need to come out.
Mary rises anyway and walks him to the door.
Estate agent leaves untidily
Rose (mimicking Christopher) ‘Absolutely fine … I understand’. Yeah, course he
does. Commission.
Mary: There‘s no need to be so rude.
Rose: What?
Mary: To him.
Rose: I don’t like him (looks away).
Pause
Rose: Mum, I realise this is hard but to get the best price we have got to have it all
tied up. He was just the start. The lawyers will get involved and will want
every blade of grass documented.
Mary: But why sell the land separately. This is a farmhouse, no use without a farm.
Rose (exasperated) The one thing he did say is that this will be a lifestyle buyer.
Remember?
Rose: Mum, are there any more diaries? Old ones? Did Grand Dad have any?
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Mary: Can’t throw them out.
Rose: No I didn’t say that. Mum, where are they? (Remembers) Sorry, I know; the
dresser, bottom right hand side.
Mary: No ... sorry, yes. I didn’t put them there; they are still on the table.
Rose: What?
Mary: The cards. I should have written them by now. Got to thank them all for
coming. He would have loved it, see all those people. God wouldn’t they have
gossiped ... He didn’t like most of ‘em though. But they still came, heard the
vicar ... Can you help me? (Sturdiness cracks; sobs quietly so as to not make a
fuss).
Rose: Course I can, come here. (Hugs her mother).
Mary: (Regains her composure) Rose - have you finished your dissertation?
Rose: Yeah. I told you (sharply). Sorry. It was just ... a lot of pressure ... people I
knew ... Dad.
Mary: A long winter.
Rose: I know
Mary: I know he never said it, but deep down he wanted to be interviewed too, for
your university.
Rose: I know Mum, but just imagine it; writing ‘My Dad reckons ...’
Mary (laughing now) I know. You couldn’t print half of it.
Rose stands up and stares out of the window towards the farmland
Rose: (Sighing) The obvious one to go with the house is Blacksmiths. Long Barn is
too big and Path Fields, Dock Park are detached. Why did he call it Show
Field?
Mary: His father let the ploughing people use it one year. Impressed him and he
always called it that. Showing off really. Mind he is.... was..... President and
who the hell is going to do it now? Youngsters too busy or gone.
Rose: Well don’t look at me.
Mary: You’ve got enough to do selling this place.
Both peer out of the window as Christopher marches noisily across the yard outside.
Rose: (Reflective That’s his job). Yes, it’s all going well. Failed marriage, selling my
home, just finished a year of work interviewing people I know about an
industry that’s dying in front of them and they can’t see it. In 10 years time
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I’ll be forty, on my own and little brother will probably be busking in Lace
Walk. Yes, it’s all going great.
Mary: Nine years.
Rose: What?
Mary: You’re 31 dear.
Rose: Oh, it gets better. (Both laugh).
Mary: Wish I was 31. (Pause) ... Best time. You two were little; I don’t know how
we did it, but we did. Worked all hours. He was just building this up,
borrowed from the bank. Wanted to expand, Holsteins. His father was dead
against it. He ended up contracting, as well as this place, to pay the loan. I
don’t know how we did it. Be a shame if someone buys it as a hobby. It’s a
way of life, our way of life, where we brought our children up.
Rose: Not you as well.
Mary: Don’t be too upset.
Rose: What about?
Mary: Your talk … in the hall.
Rose: I should have known. I thought as I had interviewed 40 of them they might
like to hear the finished article. ‘Very good love, but you’re only a girl’.
Ron virtually told me to have a baby and calm down. Some chance of that.
Perhaps I could go to Malawi with him and get one, like Madonna ... I can’t
see how they keep going year after year without realising they are just little
cogs in a global market, at everyone’s whim. Perhaps they didn’t like me
pointing it out.
Mary: Kath thought it was really good.
Rose: Well, she’ll go to anything - she enjoys a good funeral. Will probably enjoy her
own.
Mary: Rose!
Rose: Sorry. You know what I mean.
Mary: Kath reckons you should take it on. Studied it enough.
Rose: Yeah, well I’m the first born. Perhaps I should have married better.
Pause
Mary: Don’t say that.
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Rose: Well that’s what Val said afterwards. I spent a bloody day and half preparing it.
Went through and explained it all. And all she kept on about was ‘there’s more
to it than figures. It’s life.’
Rose: Yeah life, easy as that. You’re born, you live you die. You pass it on or sell it
off.
Rose picks up another diary. 1982. Flicks through to her birthday.
Rose: People died that day. Young men a long way away.
As Rose reads and flicks through the pages, Jack’s voice is heard. (No need for Rose
to start each sentence as earlier in the scene as we have established the premise of
Jack reading from his diaries).
Jack: May 21st 1982. Rose two today. British troops landed on Falklands. Argies
attacked our ships all day. Bridgehead secured. Mary had house full of kids for
party. Took them on trailer round Blacksmiths. Heard cuckoo. Rained at dusk.
Jack: May 28th 1982: Planted maize in Bottom Orchard. Sunny. Second cut on Dock
Park. Heifers escaped into Olsen’s garden. Calmed him down.
Jack: July 22nd 1991. Cut autumn barley, Bottom Orchard, good. Rose left primary
school, Mary went to service.
August 13th 1998. Rose’s A-Levels, 2 As and a B. Where does she get it from? Very
pleased. Meal out at the Long Barn Hotel, cost me a fortune. Good.
May 21st 2001: Government useless. Big row over whether to go ahead with Rose’s
party with the Foot and Mouth around. Told them all to carry on, if we get it I
can retire! Big pyre in mid Devon. Good turnout for party; helped Mary with
food. Ben sang - not too bad.
Jack: May 28th 2011 (Today’s date). Rose. You got to do what’s right. It’s your home.
We all need that.
Fades
Mary: Cup of tea?
Rose: Oh … (still engrossed in the diaries) … yes, please Mum … sorry, miles away,
reading these. He mellows as you go through them. (Laughs) Loves this place
… loved us.
Mary: We didn’t have a choice in those days. You had to do what was right, that’s
how it all carried on.
Rose: What do you mean?
Mary: Well, it was expected.
Rose: Did you choose him? Sorry, this sounds awful.
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Mary: No it’s OK. There were others (laughing) but he was the solid one. Soft as a
sponge really, cried when he first saw you. Didn’t put that in his diaries! He
was the hard man, man of the soil. Spend all evening cuddling you, I had a job
to get him to let go and put you to bed. He never woke up, mind, when it was a
feed. ‘My milking’s out there’ he used to say (Both laughing).
Rose: Mum.
Mary: Yes.
Rose: How can you be solid and soft as a sponge?
Mary: Well perhaps it was a solid sponge! Remember Kath’s Victoria Sponge at the
flower show?
Mary and Rose together: ‘I must have used plain instead of self -raising’ (Both laugh,
sharing an old joke).
Rose: And what did Day say?
Mary and Rose together: ‘Too much bloody cement’ (Both falling around by now).
Rose: I wonder if he put that in his diaries? (Picks one up, mimicking her father)
‘Went to flower show, didn’t win. Kath made manhole cover, broke table.’
Mary in tears of laughter by now.
Rose: Mum, this is the first time we’ve laughed for ages.
Mary: I know. (Serious now) What will be in your diaries Rose? What will be your
story? You can’t give it all away. And you’re only 31, a worker, like me. And
you had a choice.
Rose: He made it for me.
Mary: But you came home.
Rose: I know
Rose: Mum?
Mary: Yes
Rose: Do you want me to sell this place? Sort it all out?
Mary: No. I can’t say. Not up to me.
Rose: Well course it is. You live here, you work here.
Mary: So could you.
Rose: Mum, I don’t know, I could ... (Interrupted by Christopher’s loud knock).
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Christopher: All done for now. I forgot what a bloody good farm it is, sorry. Should
get it moving. Anyway, I’ll get the draft over to you next week and we can
crack on. Spring is always good ... you know what I mean. I’ll see myself out.
Mary: Thank you very much; sorry we are in such a state.
Christopher: Mrs Craddock ... Mary, Rose … absolutely fine. I understand. Thank
you for your time. Oh and I nearly forgot him, give my regards to young Ben.
Still want a CD when he’s famous!
Rose: Christopher, is the recording studio worth anything, I mean to a lifestyle buyer?
It all works.
Christopher: Oh, probably not, I would knock it down, make a bigger yard.
Remember, probably be an equestrian buy ...
Interrupted
Mary: (Strong and stern) You can’t do that, Jack built it for Ben. Always said you’ve
got to let them do what their good at. We’re not knocking anything down.
Christopher: (Embarrassed) I’ll see myself out.
Estate agent leaves. Mary lets him go this time, sitting resolutely.
Rose: Mum, do you want me to sort it all out?
Mary: What do you think?
(Fade)
Verbatim voices
 Theme of Spring, renewal
 Hard work
 Hard choices
 Ploughing and planting
 Lambing and calving
 Getting stuck in again
 New life
 Longer days
 Shoots of spring
 Tax returns
 Applying decisions made in the winter
Music
Song of the season ‘spring’.
Images
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Use of abstract images on set reflecting feeling of spring – colours, shapes, but abstract,
not explicit.
Poetry
Scene 18
Codgers reporting dance preparations
Thursday before Easter. Ploughing Association Committee meeting in the pub.
Albert and Roy walk in together towards their usual table in front of the fireplace.
Albert: She’s doing the flowers in church, should be here in a minute. She did warn
me she would be late.
Roy: Fine.
Albert: I’ll get them in. Usual?
Roy: Thanks.
Albert walks to the bar. Matt is sat there, as usual, in work gear.
Albert: Evening landlord, two Otters and a dry white wine please. Hello Matt (looks
at bottle of water in front of Matt). That your’s? Bottle of water? You on the
wagon?
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Matt: No it’s Rob’s, had a skin-full last night. He offered me one, I told him, I wants
a drink not a wash!
Albert laughs, collects drinks and takes them towards the table. Kath appears in a
flap. She is wearing a housework tabard, handful of greenery in one hand, secateurs
in the other.
Kath: That was hard work, only me and Ann, though we made a good job of it in the
end.
They all sit. Albert hands over the drinks.
Albert: Yes, we are running out of manpower all round.
Kath: Womanpower more like.
Albert: I know, you can do more than one thing at a time – multi-tasking.
Kath: When women rule the world it will all be better, everything done in half the
time.
Roy: And all the men can retire!
Albert: Cheers to that.
Laughter they all drink a mock toast.
Roy: So, this is where we are. We have £2,311.85p in the main account and £500 on
deposit.
Kath (in a vague moment) Oh, I forgot you’re the treasurer.
Roy: Yes strangely, they did teach maths in Wales. And I’m acting secretary.
Anyway, we are all right for money.
Albert: Subscriptions must be dropping.
Roy: Yes, but we don’t really spend anything, apart from engraving the cups and a
little bit for the dinner. And we had the legacy from Mr Olsen.
Albert: He was a miserable old bastard.
Kath: Albert!
Albert: Well, I never liked him – moaner.
Roy: Shall I continue?... Anyway the do is more or less covered. We need volunteers
to help clear out the barn and decorate it. Matt has said he will jet hose the
week before. The food is booked and the bar. I have the licence here and I
have checked the insurance.
Albert: What about officers?
Roy: No joy as yet. I have put it in the parish magazine, put a notice up in the hall and
sent it out on the village email list. I have even rung the YFC to see if any of
them want to join. Getting a president and secretary is a nightmare.
47
Albert: I have spoken to the Robertsons and Wainwrights and again no joy. Thanks
for trying Roy.
Sombre mood
Kath: It’s no use getting upset. We’ve tried. You got to remember we are the last of
an era. We used to do all this to stay together, to see people. All that is done
on computers now and mobiles.
Albert: You can’t plough with a computer. I can’t understand it. What’s the matter
with them all?
Roy: Perhaps it’s us? Perhaps we have got to move with the times, cut our cloth, like
Kath says.
Albert: Perhaps you are right? Perhaps you can see it, being new to the village – if
you know what I mean – perhaps I am stuck in my ways. I’m a dinosaur.
Roy: Albersaurus!
They all laugh, sombre mood returns.
Kath: Jack was a good president. He wasn’t always the diplomat and hated speaking
but he was reliable and knew what he was talking about.
Albert: Kept the meetings in order, not someone to mess around with.
Kathy: A heart of gold, doted on Mary - and Rose of course, shame about Ben though.
Albert: Yep, a shame all round. Hollyhayes – bloody good farm, good people.
Silence
Roy: Well, must be my time to get them in? Same again?
Albert: Need to make some room first.
Communal groan as Albert stand up.
Fades
Verbatim voices
 Things closing: schools, shops, post offices
 Pessimism
 Lack of continuity
 No money to take new initiatives
 Youngsters leaving
 Amalgamation of farms
 Selling of farmhouses
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Scene 19
Rose back in ‘now’ time, May 2011
Rose is walking on set. Her mobile goes. It is Chris.
Chris Hello, Rose. How are things? (Doesn’t wait for response) Good. Got good
news for you, Rose. Got a buyer for you. I’ve consulted with councillors –
informally, you know - and I’m really excited. I think it’s a goer. Things are
moving on!
Rose (To audience) So, did all that research, talked to sixty-three farmers … and
wives … and family members and now I see it all happening at Hollyhayes.
Doesn’t fit the parameters of my case studies, but it’ll be another farm gone,
another lot of pony paddocks and flowers in wheelbarrows. Used to be seven
farms here when Dad started – when Hollyhayes goes there’ll be one … and
they’ll take out the trees and some hedges, drain Marshdown and convert our
buildings into … (she looks down) … (looks at audience) That’s progress I
suppose, but it’s not very pretty is it?
Important thing now is to look after mother. She’s had enough to cope with
and moving to the bungalow is going to be hell of a wrench. I phoned Ben
again but he’s not answering … sees it’s me and won’t pick up … emails no
good ... and I know I’ve got the right address because he’s still in touch with
Alison and she gave it me. She knows where he’s living so after this is all
over I’ll track him down.
Better get in there I suppose; 100th anniversary … feels more like a wake.
Phone rings; she answers …
Hello Chris … Oh … Yes, Tuesday … Ok I think that’s Ok … I’ll check with
Mother … Yes, in the afternoon at 2.00. Will they want to look around the
whole house? They know it’s a working farm don’t they? OK – Mum will
want to do some tidying up in that case.
She leaves and makes her way to the Ploughing Association do
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Scene 20
Ploughing Association annual dinner and dance (Today)
Ploughing Association annual Dinner has just finished. People are clearing the last
tables away. There is a big banner celebrating the anniversary. Albert calls
everyone to order. He makes a speech.
Albert Before we start dancing and while the band is setting up, I’d just like to say a
few words (he pulls out a crumpled sheet of paper which contains the notes for
his speech) First of all, a vote of thanks to all who cooked & served our food
tonight. I know I have said it every year since I became dinner organiser in (he
pauses, turns over paper trying to remember when he became dinner organiser)
Dinner guest: (Shouting) 1888 Albert, 1888!
Laughter and shouts of ‘Leave ‘im alone’ etc.
Albert Yes, and it feels like it sometimes, especially when I get up in the mornin’ …
but this was the best ever I think (murmurs of ‘hear hear’; well done ladies etc).
Now you know as well as I do that the Association, dedicated since 1911 to
improving the standard of ploughing and general tilling of the land is in danger
of being wound up. Since Jack died – and don’t we just miss him when we
gather like this (murmurs of agreement) we have failed to find someone to serve
as president. One look at me and, with respect, the rest of the committee, none
of us are going to be able to keep going for much longer.
You all know how farming has changed here in the last forty years. There were
seven farms in this hamlet when I took over from father in 1968. Now, when
George – and Cath of course - give up next year, there will be two – and one of
those only kept going because both Michael and Davina have other jobs. There
is a committee meeting next Tuesday and unless someone comes forward
before then we will close the Ploughing Association for good and distribute any
funds we have left to local charities. Not only do we need a President, but a
Secretary as well.
(Ben appears. He looks around the room and spots Rose and Mary. He does
not approach them)
I’m sorry that I have to say this on such an important date in the Association’s
history, but the facts are staring us in the face. When I first farmed we still used
two strong horses and winning the Harris Cup in my first competition in 1951
made me so proud. Now – and I apologise to the sprinkling of young farmers
here – the tractors are so powerful you don’t need to go with the land. (Rose
glances around and sees Ben. She moves to him and kisses him on the cheek)
Twelve furrow ploughs some of ‘em use and who cares if it’s straight. You can
push as hard as you like and you know the shear bolts’ll keep you out of
trouble. You had to treat horses with respect. And the trees down Basset’s
Lane (warming to his theme) My father planted they oaks and Mr Contractor
Man working for the Council knocks them all to hell with his flail like they
don’t matter. Well they do!
(He realises he’s getting angry)
50
Sorry about that … got ... a bit carried away. So, enjoy the dance. Some of the
ladies will be going around with draw tickets and don’t forget David Chaplain’s
black and white photos of last year’s match which you passed on the way in.
Very reasonably priced I think and he is prepared to frame them for a bit extra.
They may be all we have next year.
The dance music begins – a waltz – and couples begin to take to the floor. They
are all in their Sunday best and dance stiffly with some swooping and more
flamboyant. Mary is taking to another woman off the dance floor some distance
away. Rose leads Ben by the hand across the floor to Mary and taps her on the
shoulder. She turns, sees Ben and they hug, Ben swinging his mother’s body in
time with the music. No words are spoken during this sequence which takes
place whilst dancing and the band continue.
As the dance ends and people leave the dance floor, Mary walks to the
microphone and starts to speak. She can’t be heard. One of the band switches
it on. She speaks.
Mary Ladies and gentlemen. How good it is to see so many old faces here – and,
looking around … I mean old! (Laughter) I listened carefully, like we all did to
Albert’s speech. Thank you Albert for all you have done for all of us over the
years and if he was here I am sure my Jack would echo my thanks.
(Gaining in strength)
Jack loved the Association. First ploughed in the boys’ competition long before
I married him and never missed a function nor a match. I think he would be so
disappointed if the Association wound up ... and we can’t have that.
(Stronger again)
So, if you will have me, a woman who has done most things on the farm but
never ploughed in my life, I’ll serve as your President (roars of approval from
the guests). I take that as a ‘yes’, so now we just need a secretary. (Hubbub in
the room as people discuss things with their neighbour)
(Rose, who has listened to all of this whist she and Ben hold each other, steps
forward to the microphone)
Rose At the danger of keeping everything in the family, and always supposing I can
get on with the President, if no one else wants it, I’ll take on the job of
Secretary.
(Wild whoops from the guests, some arms thrown in the air.
Mary But Rose, we’ve had people come to see the farm, Chris has got offers and you
have a job to go back to.
Rose Bugger Chris. Bugger the job. We’ll take Hollyhayes off the market. (Whoops
from guests) I’m coming home Mother; I’m coming home.
Wild cheers. Ben, Mary and Rose embrace in a three-way hug. The choir (as
guests) begin a song which is sung towards the stage. The first verse is sung by
51
Ben, the second by Mary and the third by Rose. The song is the fourth one
dedicated to the seasons, in this case Spring. Gradually, as the song
progresses, the choir turns to the audience and sings out to them. The words
appear on a screen and the audience join in the choruses. The last words are
sung. The actors and singers freeze. Silence. Several, related verbatim voices
are heard echoing the sentiments of the last scene. When the last one finishes
the guests/singers and all involved make their way to the stage [humming the
refrain] and area in front of it. They face the audience and sing out the song’s
chorus. Ben, Mary and Rose sing the final verse together and there is one more
chorus. Scene freezes. Verbatim voices heard. Four-part harmony (with
humming) of one verse and chorus as lights slowly fade. Slide of Hollyhayes is
last image.
Verbatim voices until fade
 Suggest down to earth, practical content, play ends on a high, but its back to reality
and to work tomorrow
 Tough time ahead for farming
 Line about love of the soil etc. as last voice.
Images
Use of realistic slides of farming, interspersed with written text – poems and other writing.
Music
Suitable traditional song about life going on. Sung by 4 singers in harmony. All cast and
singers join in last chorus.
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