Plays for Young People (eBook)

Red Red Shoes

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Red Shoes’.

The play was jointly commissioned and first performed in September 2001 by Unicorn Theatre for Children and The Place, London. Directed by Tony Graham, choreography by Dan O’Neill, music by John Avery, design by Russell Craig and lighting by Jeanine Davies.

The CAST takes on various roles as villagers, guests, children at the border, soldiers etc.

Notes:
The play takes place in a country like Britain, or any modern nation, which accepts refugees. The action for the most part takes place in a room, in a medical establishment. It would be truer to say, however that the play takes place in the head of a traumatised child. The set design should reflect this reality above any other.
It was originally conceived as dance theatre for a cast of six or seven but could be performed by a much larger group, as it is the people of Franvera’s village as ‘CAST’ who tell the story. Much of the text given to the ‘CAST’ can be acted or danced, rather than spoken.

CASTOnce upon another country
so very near, so very far away
there lived a girl.
Happy and hopeful she ran to school,
but home she flew
like a bird, or an angel.
Yes, just like an angel.
It was as if, her feet were wings
and could not touch the ground.

MOTHERHere comes Franvera.

FATHERHey − stop, stop – did you hand in your maths homework?

FRANVERAYes.

FATHERGood. I’d like to know how I did.

FRANVERAWhere are you going?

CASTHe does not answer but blows a whistle at her,
the one he uses for football.
The one he wears round his neck
like a lucky charm.

MOTHERHe won’t be long. Now run down to the shop and buy some bread from the old lady. We have people coming tomorrow.

FRANVERATomorrow? What’s tomorrow?

MOTHERYes, yes. Go, as fast as your legs can carry you.

CASTThere she goes dancing down the village street.
She never stops moving.
Sometimes she dances when she brushes her teeth.
Sometimes she dances when she helps her mother
hang out the weekly wash,
and some would smile and say–
There goes Franvera.
One day she’ll take off
and land in another country.
But some would scowl and say–
Look at that girl, always on the move
doesn’t she know these are dark days
and there she is dancing without a care in the world.
Oh but she had cares enough.
Cares that hung heavy on her shoulders like a wet coat.
Why was she in trouble with the Maths teacher?
Why was her hair so straight?
Why did her thoughts run like mountain goats
through the night and stop her sleeping?
Why were her parents whispering the other night
behind a closed door?
Why does her best friend stop her in the street this very day
and say –

ANNAFranvera?

FRANVERAAnna! What’s the matter, what’s happened?

ANNAMy father says, I can no longer play at your house.

FRANVERAWhy does he say that?

ANNAHe says there’s trouble coming. Everyone’s talking about it. Haven’t your parents talked about it?

FRANVERAYes, all the time, but they said we should stay friends. They said for you to come over…

ANNAI can’t. I can’t. Not anymore.

FRANVERAWhy not?

ANNALast night at supper, I said you were my best friend… father slapped my face, in front of everyone. He said from now on, I can only speak to my own people. If I see you on the street I have to walk on the other side. If I don’t, he will be angry, like a storm. I can’t speak to you. Never.

FRANVERANever?

ANNAWhy don’t you just go – leave? This is not your country – that’s what he said.

FRANVERAIf you won’t speak to me, then I won’t speak to you.

ANNAFranvera?

FRANVERAI hate you – I hate you.

CASTFranvera can hardly believe her own lips.
Her friend is running away and there’s no time
to take the words back.

OLD LADYFranvera?

FRANVERAYes?

OLD LADYI’ve never seen you standing so still before. Like a post in the ground.

FRANVERAMy mother would like the bread she ordered.

OLD LADYYes, yes. There’s no need to rush.
I used to rush when I was young.
Where did it get me? Nowhere.
I’m still living in the same village.

FRANVERAAlways – the same village?

OLD LADYOh yes – those were dark days,
the days of my childhood.
One day I will tell you – but not now.

FRANVERAThanks for the bread.

OLD LADYIt’s not free you know. Good.
I will see you again tomorrow.

FRANVERATomorrow?

CASTFor the first time in a long time
Franvera does not run home.

CASTThe next day at two o’clock in the afternoon,
the sun warm with the promise of summer
many relatives came.
Old men with blue rough cheeks and bright neckerchiefs
bring guitars and violins.
They play all through a lunch of bread, soup and spicy sausage.
And their round wives in black headscarves
nod their heads and tap their toes
in tight black shoes.
Franvera dances between them with trays of food
and aunties and uncles smile and ask–

CASTWhat are you dreaming of, hey Franvera?

CASTWill you stay in the village?
So many leave, these days.

CASTThe young should stay and make this country strong.

CASTIf they leave what happens to our language?

CASTWhat happens to our land?

CASTShush! It’s rude to talk of such things at a party.

CASTWhat are you going to be Franvera, hey?
What are you going to be tomorrow?

CASTWhen you grow a little taller?

FRANVERATomorrow? What’s tomorrow?

CASTWhen the eating’s done
the musicians begin to play
a song Franvera knows.
She turns and sees her father
take her mother by the hand
and slowly begin to dance.
“Oh beauty, O beauty when I saw your eye
that day when you were passing by,
two or three words I said to you.
Come here, come here to my soul
Because without you my life will be empty forever.
Two or three sweet words for the burning heart.
Together with everything else, I gave you my love.”
Her mother dances like a gypsy
her hands slowly curving in the air
as if she could spin heavenly cloth
out of nothing.

Franvera sees that her mother is a little vain
and her father, a little proud, his head held high and rather stiff
and her love for them goes straight from her heart to her feet
making her toes itch inside her school shoes.
Then there is loud applause
and they laugh and step back
as if it was nothing.

MOTHERPlease now will everyone be quiet for a moment.

CASTBut some of the men have had too much to drink.

MOTHERBe quiet please – we have a present for Franvera.

CASTHer father takes her by the hand and leads her forward,
and the old sausage smelling ladies grin without teeth,
cluck their tongues and pat her head.

FATHERTwenty years ago we were married.
For ten years we dreamt of a child.

CASTYou were doing it the wrong way.

CASTThe old ladies slap their legs and laugh like hens
and mother looks at Franvera as if to say–

MOTHEROne day the old ones will grow up.

FATHERAnd when we had
almost given up hope
the dream came true.

CASTNow her father is holding a box.

MOTHERI thought I told you to wrap it up.

CASTFather does not like to be told off
in front of his guests
but today he cannot be angry
so he shrugs–

FATHERYou know what kids are like
you give them an expensive present
and they play with the box.
So this time I thought,
Okay. I’ll just give her a...