Memory of the Night (2016)
Anna Francesca Schiavone and Dylan Kaminski
in Allura Leggard’s play “Memory of the Night”
Memory of the Night
by Allura Leggard
Click here to watch “Memory of the Night”
SET REQUIREMENTS:
SPLIT STAGE
STAGE RIGHT – TEENAGE BEDROOM – BLOCKS TO MAKE A BED, (2) tall blocks behind bed blocks for the headboard.
STAGE LEFT – BACKYARD OF JENNA’S HOUSE – 2 BLOCKS TO MAKE A BENCH
Bedroom blocks to have teenage bedding on it (as per Yuka).
SOUND CUE: BREATHE ME…fade out at 00:16 (after she says “help” in song)
LIGHTS UP on Jenna laying in her bed
SLIDE – TEENAGE BEDROOM
J – I heard my mom calling me, but I refused to answer. Actually let me rephrase that, I couldn’t speak. (pause) It’s been 2 months since I last have spoken to my parents, I usually just nod and smile so they think everything’s ok. (Chokes up) but it’s not. I remember talking a lot. (pause) I would talk to my friends until they all started to drift away. I was close to my teachers until I stopped answering questions. I have a lot of questions now though but I just keep them all inside. (feels a chill)
(Memory appears from behind headboard…walks next to Jenna.)
M – You know Jenna, you don’t have to keep everything inside.
J – (exasperated…gets up) Why are you here?
M – Jenna, it’s been 2 months already.
J – How could I forget?
M – Actually Jenna, I have a new answer for you.
J – Tell me.
M – It’s because I love looking at your body.
J – (sighs) please stop.
M – No Jenna I’m serious, I’m just so fascinated by you.
J – (starts to tear up) stop…
M – (says in a whisper voice) Come on Jenna.
J – STOP!
M – (whisper like scream) I’M NOT GOING TO STOP! (angry voice) You led me on!
J – I didn’t!
M – (snickers) Well I guess you’re right, you didn’t lead me on but no one would care about that part. That’s why you haven’t said anything yet. You think people are going to say you led me on. Am I right?
J – (turns away and puts hands on face) please (tears) Just go away. (XDS)
M – Face me, (x DS to her) I want to see that pretty face of yours again.
J – I don’t want to see you. (pause) Did you like me?
M – Honestly, I don’t know…I just thought…Damn.
J – Why?
M – (walk around her) You just looked so helpless.
J – So that gave you a reason, that’s… That’s just… disturbing
M – I guess that is a “disturbing” reason. You can’t do anything about it now though.
J – Just leave! I don’t want you here.
M – Well, I’m staying.
J – Please just leave, I’m begging you.
M – I can’t leave, I thought we’ve already gone through this. I’m here to stay.
J – Well can you at least disappear for a few seconds?
M – I can only leave if you don’t think of me.
J – That’s not fair, all I can do is think about you. You’re always in my head.
M – Well then, I guess I’m staying.
J – I can’t do this, you’re driving me crazy! (x to bed)
M – Well, I guess you’re right…about one thing.
J – The fact that you’re driving me crazy?
M – Yep. (x to her, look forward as into mirror) Just look into the mirror with me, you can hear me talking but I’m not really here. (giggles and backs away from her) It’s a little funny and crazy that you’re talking to yourself, don’t you think?
J – Oh my God (pauses, shocked X DS) you’re not even here.
M – Yep.
J – So I’ve been talking to myself this whole time.
M – Well yes, but no.
J – You just said that you weren’t actually here.
M – But I’m here with you, (pause) I’m real too…
J – (interrupting) Stop confusing me (sighs) are you here or not?
M – Both.
J – Stop! (shouts)
M – (laughs) Ha, Ha.
J – What’s funny now?
M – It’s just…
J – What?
M – I don’t want to stop, I like teasing you and seeing you get angry.
J – (defiant) You know; I’m just going to stop talking to you. You might go away then.
M – You see Jenna, here’s the thing and I keep on trying to make this clear to you. No matter how much you try not to think or talk to me it won’t work. Some way or another you’ll end up thinking about me and with that comes talking.
J – I’m going outside. (starts to go)
M – Look at that, you already started talking to me! (laughs)
J – (exasperated) Don’t follow me. (walks towards door)
M – No promises. (hears Jenna slam the door)
SOUND CUE: DOOR CLOSE
LIGHTS UP ON OUTSIDE
CHANGE SLIDE TO OUTDOORS
J – (sitting on the bench) Why won’t he leave?
M – (sits down next to her) Hi Jenna.
J – (sighs) Why-yyy? (gets up)
M – I go wherever you go as long as you think of me, which ya did.
J – (sighs) I guess we’re stuck together then.
M – We sure are…
SOUND CUE: OUTDOOR SOUNDS
(Long Pause)
J – Remember when we use to play in my sandbox together and play tag.
M – I do. Remember when we would play house and you would be the wife and I would be the husband and your sister would be our dog.
J – haha, yeah. Those were good memories.
M – Are you saying that the last one of me wasn’t?
J – (looks at him with fear wraps arms around herself) Please.
M – (interrupting) Are you going to tell me to stop? That’s exactly what you told me that night but I didn’t. When I think about it, the word “stop” really turns me on. (giggles) Come on say it one more time.
(He goes to touch her, she falls down)
This is the first place I started to feel an attraction to you, did you know that? (Jenna shakes her head) I knew I wanted you.
J – Then why didn’t you tell me before that you were attracted to me?
M – I don’t know.
J – You have to know.
M – (shouts) I’m telling you I don’t know!
J – (tears up, cracky voice) You don’t remember why you pushed me down?
M – No, I’m sorry. (X SL)
J – But you’re not sorry. If you were truly sorry you wouldn’t have done what you did to me.
M – That’s true, I’m not really sorry.
J – I know you’re not.
M – You always knew me best (x to her, pull out hand)
J – (slap hand away) Clearly I don’t know you at all.
M – Why do you say that?
J – Are you serious, you’re asking me why I’m saying that?
M – Yes (confused).
J – You don’t understand why I don’t know who you are anymore.
M – Yes…(interrupted by Jenna)
J – (interrupts, shouts) Don’t give me that Bullshit!
SOUND CUE – END OUTDOOR SOUNDS
(she continues) You hurt me; you tortured me; you took away a part of me that I will never get back. I’m a completely different person because of you. We used to be friends and now I see you as nothing more than a bad memory, (pause-tears up) you are an endless nightmare and I can’t seem to wake up!
M – Aww, this isn’t a dream.
J – Why are you making a joke out of this? Why do you haunt me, I don’t want you around me anymore, I already feel disgusted when you pop up. You anger me, you are literally torturing me and you don’t care…Why would you though? All you care about is what your needs are.
M – Didn’t I satisfy your needs too, Jenna?
J – (shocked) What?
M – You tempted me, remember?
J – (angry) No I didn’t and you know I didn’t!
M – Come on Jenna, I’m not talking about the night it happened but months before that…
J – But I didn’t…
M – (interrupts her, shouting) Yes You Did! (Jenna goes to push him and falls down) Aw baby, did I scare you? (Jenna starts shaking) Aw, you’re shaking that’s cute. Do you want me to hold you until you feel better?
(M starts to lean in towards Jenna but runs up to her room and locks the door…she sits on the bed and starts breathing heavily.)
SOUND CUE: DOOR CLOSE
LIGHTS OUT – OUTDOORS
LIGHTS UP – BEDROOM
CHANGE SLIDE BACK TO BEDROOM
M – (Memory walks into room) Jenna…(Jenna screams) why did you run away?
J – (X away) I can’t do this anymore!
M – What? Be around me?
J – Yes. You’re causing me so much pain and I can’t handle it anymore.
M – (x to her) Then why don’t you just end it, Jenna?
J – End what? (pause) My life? (a realization)
M – Yep, but think about this…I would be your last memory, I would be the last voice you hear. (sincere tone) Would you want to end your life like that, me being your last everything?
J – (pause) No, I don’t want that. (starts crying)
M – Then you know what you need to do Jenna. You have to be strong.
J – I’m not strong, I’m…
M – (interrupts )Yes you are! I know you are.
J – Why are you suddenly acting like this?
M – I’m your memory Jenna, I only act how you want me to act.
J – I’m scared.
M – It’s scary, I’m not gonna lie, but you have to do what’s good for you.
J – But I don’t want anyone to know, I never wanted anyone to know. (very emotional)
M – Sometimes you need people to know.
J – (look up at him slowly, suddenly she gets it) Are you here to help me? (pause) Will you help me?
M – I can only help you if you want to help yourself.
J – (decisive) Ok, I’m gonna do it but I want you to know, I need you to understand even though you helped me decide what I need to do, it doesn’t change the fact that whenever I think of you, you’ll always be a bad and traumatic memory.
M – (smiles) That’s ok Jenna, I know…I know (he disappears SR) (blackout)
(As Memory walks backward, she walks forward DSC)
TAKE OUT BEDROOM SLIDE
LIGHT CUE: SPOTLIGHT ON HER FACE
J – Mom! Mom! Can you come here for a sec? (pause) I need to tell you something!
SOUND CUE: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL
As Jenna stands CS, slides play on the screen as the music plays…
MUSIC FADES AFTER LAST SLIDE OF HAND THAT SAYS STOP.
SLOW FADE ON JENNA’S FACE TO BLACKOUT
THE END.
