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 swears31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5VInYvEAx
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Probably for the Best31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SC6ykP8bP
Characters: 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8nNMEEOEB
4 (Eve), 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OJ6BPAnK5
3.5 (Adam), 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOy41IK1pBv
1a (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh), 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShqzKW7V9E
1b (Hallelujah), 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0J8DnW3Z8
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Time and Place:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUq91Sx6Kt
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. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ch4I9VDbI
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SCENE ONE 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpFsWrOuJQ
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. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbBUGNzV3f
For a moment all simply sit in this space, before 4 starts to speak. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyuu939ZtD
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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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvX94lKViZ6
Music* Begins. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGjVWmLXDd
3.5 I’m right here if you want to fight me, you pathetic fuckcupboard-head. Say it to my face. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8KJ96NePw
4 I can’t look at you. I won’t think about the violent acts I want to enlist on you. Excuse me. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxoZ3lQY0d
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! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcQ7cvTgH0
4 Excuse her. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ119qNS6aP6
3.5 What are we waiting for? Let’s end it now! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15zV6luoqq
1b We’re waiting for the Word! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecB1d0F2YD
1a Woohoo! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJk0EEHDKkO
Pause. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtTp16HzfE
4 Oh, someone fill the fucking silence! Excuse me. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gy07zxwxc
1a Excuse me? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gAYC76mzv
3.5 What would you have us do, pissbitch? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94R8Dq8lYw
4 Our time is precious. So, fill-fucking-fill it! Excuse me. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6sr2ILImE
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. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7WpbrERZF
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! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQp5tl4udfz
3.5 I’m right here, whorehouse. I wish you’d done it before you went and betrayed me. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rJLhfpsIb
4 I never / betrayed you. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5D8nMmRY8w
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 ... 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4ctTCWKf2
Pause. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAFH9ZfauB
4 Fill the space!31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7cUGB21Ef
3.5 You betrayed me. You betrayed me. / And now you blame me? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbLmDtNJg9
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! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasQHDl4TlA
1a (innocently) Who will we pray to today?31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWV2RQb6yI4
1b I thought that I saw an illusion in the blackness. I think it was my dashing husband. Can we pray to that?31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0C83UL0xH
1a Can we pray to that?
3.5 Can we? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdJaKiV2EC
4 Can we what? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLs2jrI6Pk
3.5 Pray to his- / sorry, her illusion? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwObaNyjgsT
1b Her 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXhhqgwJCH
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! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6I3vyIVlg
Pause. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwrlSCPeaw
Mumbling prayers. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ql8UA6k5E
Not quite. Fill the space! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0IqqFD8JA
Pause. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncN5IKoaIw
Rest of party unsure whether they should continue praying or speak. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4WTwmxL9P
1a I heard a ghost! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6SSKfrCmC
4 (frightened) What did it say? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgPGDbCER7
1b I hear it too. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlaCk0ioD5t
4 What is it saying? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37iswOkgUQ
1a Just... 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzL72kobMd
1b Whispering. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaEopGKv9x
4 (to 3.5) What do you hear? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rHxb0qWeF
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? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcnr4DZ11w
4 Wait for the Word. It will not be the last-31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiO1dJtyaCz
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SCENE TWO31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAH4Yvq15kl
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. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvJO1qtT7k
4 What happened? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0N01DRUHVU
3.5 (realisation setting in) The Word... 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxMWA01QHz
4 That wasn’t the fucking Word, did that sound like a fucking Word to you? Excuse me. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAocyk7efj
3.5 There can be no Other. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTNUe7mveR
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! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcSsLDUDVN
3.5 Would you shut up? No-one's coming to rescue us. There will be no others. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDnC6fgEar
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. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9h7XhjEHd
3.5 Is crying allowed? 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8BzYCVN5M
Pause. Music cuts. End.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHHqZL9sAX
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Notes for performers31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCckpdhVIUP
> When a / mark occurs, indicates that the next line of dialogue begins. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4sHCIs176
> 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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDU3gr4WYKt
> Love you forever B <3
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