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 swears349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvuM9W40z1
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Probably for the Best349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamc4bH04Uh
Characters: 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KA1oXExJe
4 (Eve), 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sfvE0GV5z
3.5 (Adam), 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOXf57ZWyU
1a (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh), 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMbJ0oDiws
1b (Hallelujah), 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1wRMgYGUW
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Time and Place:349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ru4Wg3Za6
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. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmemvGsgeEb
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SCENE ONE 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hIObOHlCa
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. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpd0sdLnF0
For a moment all simply sit in this space, before 4 starts to speak. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QaHvwAsPM
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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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLASoFtSgwy
Music* Begins. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTjFMnWjbD
3.5 I’m right here if you want to fight me, you pathetic fuckcupboard-head. Say it to my face. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWA1QVIvSMr
4 I can’t look at you. I won’t think about the violent acts I want to enlist on you. Excuse me. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyB7ECSVOoA
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! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAbUXmIpYr
4 Excuse her. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Kgpauu6rw
3.5 What are we waiting for? Let’s end it now! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgDaEK4Onk
1b We’re waiting for the Word! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA5U4ntF0G
1a Woohoo! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAMvxZcgGO
Pause. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0g9UEG8456
4 Oh, someone fill the fucking silence! Excuse me. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui0qz3zH4Q
1a Excuse me? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlesi0Kl0yf
3.5 What would you have us do, pissbitch? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqh9zp48Ft
4 Our time is precious. So, fill-fucking-fill it! Excuse me. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBNfrtJPKL
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. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kBwz9cyir
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! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b1TEWSxzC
3.5 I’m right here, whorehouse. I wish you’d done it before you went and betrayed me. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2vPmZxzab
4 I never / betrayed you. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbYhinarJG
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 ... 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrf9siOBUB
Pause. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMvbL6Xei8
4 Fill the space!349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzG6VagOH4
3.5 You betrayed me. You betrayed me. / And now you blame me? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WVqEnsxHA
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! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QsYk7OZUw
1a (innocently) Who will we pray to today?349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFea1UtYO8o
1b I thought that I saw an illusion in the blackness. I think it was my dashing husband. Can we pray to that?349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAVSWdjRAm
1a Can we pray to that?
3.5 Can we? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvayPz2mP9G
4 Can we what? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0o22oC2lmm
3.5 Pray to his- / sorry, her illusion? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkRNX0fPHE
1b Her 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnW4xGfPyy
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! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ375iGKV5N
Pause. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkefc667CMk
Mumbling prayers. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XVlCo368J
Not quite. Fill the space! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOC2SMVvZA
Pause. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdH7w3n0gk
Rest of party unsure whether they should continue praying or speak. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMgNdrKZDN
1a I heard a ghost! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9W4QVGMW3
4 (frightened) What did it say? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLo57V7FCj
1b I hear it too. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8VX6wwopK
4 What is it saying? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iOJaKEF9Q
1a Just... 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQIgOkf4ME
1b Whispering. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIp5HspF6A
4 (to 3.5) What do you hear? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xQ5fApso4
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? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Pp4J6aJvM
4 Wait for the Word. It will not be the last-349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrBvpn6MiG
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SCENE TWO349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5G4XqCpn2
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. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGASJWUgJp0
4 What happened? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuvQh5i5z9
3.5 (realisation setting in) The Word... 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNL9rJ9EMde
4 That wasn’t the fucking Word, did that sound like a fucking Word to you? Excuse me. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiso9D3QrcN
3.5 There can be no Other. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1JN7mNTu6
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! 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneW55clcP0
3.5 Would you shut up? No-one's coming to rescue us. There will be no others. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkuFCuRrzx
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. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyhxd6lrEe
3.5 Is crying allowed? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qfAABnYXX
Pause. Music cuts. End.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQE2WOPizK
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Notes for performers349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfOec480e3
> When a / mark occurs, indicates that the next line of dialogue begins. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnix2hABlOk
> 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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNLRqrPUk7
> Love you forever B <3
ns216.73.217.39da2
and then Add to home screen.