Note for reader: Along with the many scraps of details, horror prose and poetry left behind in my mother's box, there are a few plays. As long as I knew her, she never expressed any sort of intense love of theatre so I don't understand why she would create these. Then again, I never knew anything about the 'Beatrice Record' (and still am no closer to understanding why it's called that). Here is one such play. It has the title "Probably for the Best" Viewer discretion: there's a lot of swears387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOfMkjdyLE
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Probably for the Best387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJaau0lZNO
Characters: 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG03oCvNf2
4 (Eve), 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqqcZBrAxI
3.5 (Adam), 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEUcriXEMu
1a (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh), 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9eIYKkgLm
1b (Hallelujah), 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlV16S7sVV
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Time and Place:387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwZqzVUvI7
Many years into the future. A shelter or room deep underground. Dimly-lit enclosed space. All characters sit on floor despite two benches upstage center. Light from phone screens must be able to illuminate faces. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlMDNIb4AZ
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SCENE ONE 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13qdPrJqhL
Dim fluorescent lights illuminate a shelter. There are two dirty benches upstage center, which remain empty, but for an old rotary telephone – between 1b and 1a. Also, a window with only darkness outside it. Four people sit huddled around on the floor. From left to right, there is 3.5, 4, 1b and 1a. The numbers correspond to the person’s rank, but also their title. All are dressed in combat boots and dark, stained overalls. Messy hair, especially 1a and 1b, whose mannerisms and actions are like young children. All are engrossed in their phone screen, except 4, who stares straight out. 3.5 also sometimes breaks their gaze away from the screen to stare at 4. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPhMmzOCLO
For a moment all simply sit in this space, before 4 starts to speak. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVLSnKUWES
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4 Listen to the ghosts. Listen for the Word. Listen. No. Don’t stop speaking yet. You think you’re high and mighty now that you’re above them, pissfuck? Excuse me.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMo0UKVXZ5
Music* Begins. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQ7iWuQ5xU
3.5 I’m right here if you want to fight me, you pathetic fuckcupboard-head. Say it to my face. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNVZFyXSBU
4 I can’t look at you. I won’t think about the violent acts I want to enlist on you. Excuse me. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5XpxqKXzz
3.5 Through all of these endless tribulations, I’m glad it’s ending. There! I said it. I said it because it’s true. You’d say the same if you had balls! Fuck-cunt! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tsOqKS2Rw
4 Excuse her. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXutkwRCTy
3.5 What are we waiting for? Let’s end it now! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3BDWrW9XZ
1b We’re waiting for the Word! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifP89W9zsZ
1a Woohoo! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9TvOJvIIu
Pause. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5XJFNEtzJ
4 Oh, someone fill the fucking silence! Excuse me. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXlUjRbGI3
1a Excuse me? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7LtX4mfWs
3.5 What would you have us do, pissbitch? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIJoHmH0cn
4 Our time is precious. So, fill-fucking-fill it! Excuse me. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEskprQ1IpE
1a (as if they’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to speak) Well, I would like to take this moment to say that I have enjoyed every moment of our time here, and through and through, all of the days and years and how long, the black days, the fighting nights, all of the on-and-ons – all of it. So, yeah. / Thanks guys. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8GPJ7cbq6
4 (to 3.5) I’ve been thinking it over in my head. Excuse me. Thinking over each and every way I could break your neck and get away with it unseen, so to speak, excuse me! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMHw7UnzG0
3.5 I’m right here, whorehouse. I wish you’d done it before you went and betrayed me. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbVhPCdSS5
4 I never / betrayed you. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymtCPiu7By
1b And so, we wait. Not a word, nor the Word. From outside. I miss the sun. It’s been some time now since it was visible. I miss the rain. Even the burning one. I miss it all. Now just a memory, and even that ... I think I can hear a ghost ... 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmENZptjFZ
Pause. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3Ep3gvdAg
4 Fill the space!387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H0ZHoNxrT
3.5 You betrayed me. You betrayed me. / And now you blame me? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvowB9DseoR
4 Fucker, I never betrayed you (excuse me), I ‘teached’ to you, and you listened, gaping and glistening for all of the wisdom in the world. Let us pray! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3W3olQCjC3
1a (innocently) Who will we pray to today?387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdIMMHaaqI
1b I thought that I saw an illusion in the blackness. I think it was my dashing husband. Can we pray to that?387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhF3L8jEJM
1a Can we pray to that?
3.5 Can we? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kHHFsp8qd
4 Can we what? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9tk6syPAi
3.5 Pray to his- / sorry, her illusion? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44oFaH4THp
1b Her 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8M9ouZqP2C
4 You ridiculous fucking children! Excuse me. No, you cannot pray to that, you won’t have arses when I’m done lashing you. Now. Pray! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLxy1qVoO0
Pause. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTrpMqNsem
Mumbling prayers. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyRdI6mtW6
Not quite. Fill the space! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp5T7sKJOL
Pause. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3U7IQT4dX
Rest of party unsure whether they should continue praying or speak. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JgFPv2ybS
1a I heard a ghost! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOwrhQAqAg
4 (frightened) What did it say? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxTfuXzZI3
1b I hear it too. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VmdUVLwru
4 What is it saying? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKOxoc3BnX
1a Just... 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUz32nGprY
1b Whispering. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEo2qEsn2q5
4 (to 3.5) What do you hear? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDq4GVbaodN
3.5 An annoying fuck-sucker running their mouth fucking dry. I doubt any of this carry on is even worth it. What when the time comes, will we really draw this moment back? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbZ1I8E4zj
4 Wait for the Word. It will not be the last-387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXvkzVkUOV
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SCENE TWO387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkp8NMvz6S
Suddenly, the overhead lights shut off. All are plunged into fear and darkness. 1a and 1b open their eyes wide, taking a heaving inhale, staring at something unseen in wonderment for a moment, collapsing into limp piles. They do not move from this point on. 4 stands up. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uPzk8Yg7Q
4 What happened? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumrVnYmfyH
3.5 (realisation setting in) The Word... 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubLAkGY69s
4 That wasn’t the fucking Word, did that sound like a fucking Word to you? Excuse me. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyfhCINrD1
3.5 There can be no Other. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCri9s3u2jH
4 (calling up) Hey! You forgot us. Forgot me. I’m still here. You forgot about me. I have a reservation! / Come back for me! 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjquk512AG
3.5 Would you shut up? No-one's coming to rescue us. There will be no others. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJMfHu4FIW
4 Have some fucking faith. (cradles telephone) It will come. Must come. Soon to come. Will come. Has to come. Please come. Listen to the ghosts. No. Not yet. (whispering) Not yet. Not yet. Listen. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjuJn2FY4V
3.5 Is crying allowed? 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxHcIHamjg
Pause. Music cuts. End.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNIHJT7KiJ
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Notes for performers387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu3wpB5TBr
> When a / mark occurs, indicates that the next line of dialogue begins. 387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOT6LVYWKdD
> While the four characters are somewhat familiar with each other, there should be no allusion to familial or relationship ties. They are a set of strangers, brought together by unknown circumstances.387Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd0re8u1x8
> Love you forever B <3
ns216.73.217.139da2
and then Add to home screen.