Wireless Voices is a radio play project where you have - PDF document

Wireless Voices is a radio play project where you have a say in what happens next. Each week you will see the Wireless Voices radio play develop, scene by scene. Read below to find out what’s happening in Scene 4 and click through on the link provided to contribute to the story line with your ideas for what happens next. Next week you will see what writer Sean Riley made of all your contributions in Scene 5 . St ep by step, week by week, you get the chance to build the story along with students from across South Australia. To write what happens next go to http://www.abc.net.au/riverland/features/ra dioplay/ and click on Contact us. Colliding Worlds - Scene Four Mus ic; tense and rhythmic, intro’s and scores the following. JOSPEHINE: I can see her Gran The Witch Her shadowy feet In the green light Under my door Shuffling toward me – The music halts. Josephine is breathless with fear. JO SEPHINE: If I close my eyes And hold my breath Sometimes I can disappear. Barbara scratches on the door; like branches against a window. Her voice is an icy whisper. BARBARA: Josephine? Sweetheart… It’s Grandmother… Shall I tuck you in? Page | 2 The door handle turns slowly and the door creaks open. JOSEPHINE: My room fills with green smoke It stinks! Like rotten cabbage! (she gags) Ugh! BARBARA: Are you hiding? Darling? Tell me if I’m getting warm…. JOSEPHINE: Her feet! Are knotted Twisted Like tree trunks! Toes sprout Dead twigs! BARBARA: Where are you? JOSEPHINE: I want Mum. I want Dad. BARBARA: Am I getting warmer? JOSEPHINE: Ugh! The smoke - Josephine coughs. Barbara cackles. JOSEPHINE: She lifts the cover W ith her long woody fingers Then kneels Slowly – Barbara’s knees creak and moan like the deck of a wooden ship. JOSEPHINE: She lowers her head. And that’s when I see it – It - Them – Branches! Tree branches! Have grown out her ears! With ered leaves Fall to the floor! Page | 3 BARBARA: Come to Granny! JOSEPHINE: She reaches in and grabs my ankle! Her fingers wrap around them Like poison ivy. Josephine screams. Barbara cackles loudly. Ralphy barks like a dog possessed from the back door. REBECCA: I wake – LIAM: What’s happening? REBECCA: I smell the air – LIAM: Smoke SMOKE? REBECCA: Green smoke – LIAM: FIRE! FIRE! Josephine’s screams are heard from another room. Barbara cackles loudly. REBECCA: I leap from my bed – LIAM: I trip and fall – SFX: Liam crashes against his door. LIAM: Bloody skateboard! SFX: Bedroom doors opening. REBECCA: The house is full of it – LIAM: We stand – REBECCA: In the hallway – LIAM: The air – REBECCA: Dirty – LIAM: Ugh! What is i t? Josephine screams. Ralphy barks and scratches at the back door. Page | 4 REBECCA: We see the glow – LIAM: From her room – REBECCA: A pulsating green glow – LIAM: I reach out – REBECCA: I reach out – LIAM: She takes my hand – REBECCA: I take his hand – LIAM: And we move – REBECCA: Slowly – LIAM: My heart – REBECCA: This is like a dream – Josephine screams weakly, overcome by sobs, as Barbara’s laugh rattles like marbles in her lungs. Ralphy barks helplessly. LIAM: Aw my gawd! REBECCA: And th en we see her – LIAM: What IS that? REBECCA: It’s Gran. LIAM: Aw my gawd! REBECCA: She’s a tree. A tall Twisted Deformed Tree! Her head reaches the ceiling Her branches Spread out across it. And from them Dangles Josephine – Page | 5 JOEPHI NE: Help me! Please! REBECCA: Upside down By one ankle Held In the choking grip Of our deciduous Gran. LIAM: (a whisper) What do we do?! REBECCA: (a whisper) Go get Ralphy. SFX: Liam runs off down the hallway. JOSEPHINE: Please Put me d own? Barbara cackles. BARBARA: But we’re having such fun! Aren’t we? Aren’t we? REBECCA: PUT HER DOWN! Barbara’s breath catches, and her trunk groans as she turns to Rebecca. BARBARA: Well! Look who’s come to play! REBECCA: Let go of her! B ARBARA: Let go? And see her drop All that way To the floor? (cackles) See her smash? Like a pumpkin! Like a coconut?! Barbara laughs uncontrollably, but is silenced by Ralphy, who enters the room barking, followed by Liam. BARBARA : (terri fied) Keep him away! Page | 6 REBECCA: Ralphy circles her trunk – Ralphy stops barking and begins sniffing. Barbara becomes more agitated, and her voice becomes more and more high pitched and distorted. BARBARA: Get Dog Away! LIAM: She’s terrified Our Gran Who is now a tree – JOSEPHINE: Please I feel sick! BARBARA: Vermin! Rabid vermin! Enemy! Dog Is Death! LIAM: Ralphy stops – REBECCA: Moves close To her woody ankles – BARBARA: No! NO! LIAM: And lifts his leg – BARBARA: Death! DEATH! REBECCA: And pee’s – Barbara screams in agony. BARBARA: I burn! I die! Barbara’s joints and branches groan and creak as she writhes in agony. REBECCA: Suddenly It’s as if she’s a tree In a storm – Page | 7 L IAM: A whirlwind – Josephine screa ms. REBECCA: She thrashes Wildly – LIAM: Josephine swings above our heads – JOSEPHINE: Mum! Dad! REBECCA: Her branches snap against the walls – SFX: Snapping tree branches. BARBARA: Stupid Evil Animal! LIAM: With one remaining branch She grabs Ralphy – Ralphy yelps in fear. REBECCA: And hurls him Against the wall – Ralphy hits the wall with a yelp and dull crunch of bones, then hits the floor with a dull thud. LIAM: Ralphy! REBECCA: PUT HER DOWN! BARBARA: Gladly! Irritatin g Idiotic Child! Branches snap Josephine’s release and she crashes to the floor. Barbara’s slow death continues. JOSEPHINE: Ouch! BARBARA: Look At what You’ve DONE! REBECCA: You alright? Page | 8 JOSEPHINE: Yes. LIAM: Ralphy? Wake up, Ralphy. BARB ARA: (an icy whisper) And the seed At the centre Of the forest At the root In the heart Of the wood That withers That dies At the centre Of the forest That withers And dies… I am But one Of many… Barbara gasps, a never - endin g intake of breath – eerie and supernatural. REBECCA: She sucked the green smoke – LIAM: Back inside her – JOSEPHINE: She shrank Changed – LIAM: Back Back into Gran – Barbara’s inhalation ceases. Distant crickets are heard. REBECCA: Dead as a door - nail On the carpet – JOSEPHINE: The only signs Of witchcraft Are the tiny branches Sticking out From her ears. LIAM: Ralphy! What do we do about Ralphy? Page | 9 JOSEPHINE: He’ll be fine. But we have to go Right now. REBECCA: Where? JOSEP HINE: To see Mr. Manners. He’ll fix him. He’s good at fixing things. LIAM: He doesn’t exist. JOSEPHINE: He does. Let’s go. REBECCA: Okay. LIAM: Are you crazy? REBECCA: Maybe. Our Gran Just turned into a tree, Liam. I’m willing to try anyth ing. Put Ralphy in the back seat I’ll drive. LIAM: You’re a minor. REBECCA: And your Gran is a witch. Do as you’re told. You know the way. JOSEPHINE: Of course. REBECCA: Then lead the way… Tense and rhythmic music play out into the next scene ��