A game for four
Created | Updated Jan 7, 2005
A game for four
Characters
Sophie
An intelligent but confused young girl in her late teens.
Alice
A loud, confident, aggressive version of Lewis Carol’s Alice in wonderland. Considerably older than the original Alice, she should appear in her late twenties.
Peter
An adult version of Peter Pan. He is softly spoken and calm with a pot belly. He wears the same clothes as the young Peter Pan but with laddered tights and a top that doesn’t quite fit his stomach. He is in his late forties.
There is a table. On the table is a half finished game of scrabble with two places set up.
Surrounding the scrabble board are several vases of flowers. They’ve been there long enough to begin to discolour and die. Almost every space on the table is filled with cards from well wishers, many of which have fallen onto the floor and been left to gather dust.
The lighting is dim, from a diffuser turned down low, on a tall lamp that stands behind the table. It throws just enough light to cover just beyond the chairs that sit at either side of the table.
Sophie is already at a chair at the table in the dim light as the audience enter. She is hugging her knees. There is a blanket around her but as the audience settle it slips off. She doesn’t notice. She has been crying but now the tears have stopped and dried leaving tracks on her face. She stares ahead into the audience and as she stares her lips start to move as if she’s talking silently. She is somewhere else.
The well wishers left days ago and it’s very quiet now.
When the audience have settled and become quiet Sophie begins to sing brokenly and quietly. It is ‘Diamonds on the souls of her shoes’ by Paul Simon. She can’t remember the words.
Sophie: ‘People say I’m crazy I’ve got…….I’ve got…..
Silence
‘she was physically forgotten until she…..she…..
She turns her head upwards
Why don’t you join in anymore?
She stifles a sob then takes a deep breathe to compose herself.
It’s too quiet. Stop being quiet. It’s your turn. Take your turn.
Silence
No it’s my turn. I forgot. It’s always my turn.
Offstage there is a crash
Mum?
Alice enters holding her foot and hopping.
Alice: Don’t be freakin’ ridiculous. Oh Jesus I think I’ve broken my toe.
Sophie is no longer interested. It’s not who she expected. Alice sees her disinterest and stands affronted, hands on hips.
Alice: Loving the sympathy honey.
Sophie: Rub it.
Alice: Changing subject and sitting down. Loooove what you’ve done with the place.
What do you call it? Squat chic I guess. It’s gloomy, it’s dirty, and the floral arrangements are juuust perfect. Someone die?
Sophie stifles another sob
Alice: Hands up in mock defence. O.k bad joke. So kill me. Oh darn there I go again.
Sophie: What do you want?
Alice: Just to talk honey. Think of me as your beautiful, sophisticated, well endowed
Fairy godmother.
Sophie: Bullshit. You’re Alice. In Wonderland. You are neither a fairy, nor my
Godmother.
Alice: Look I didn’t choose the get up.
Sophie: I thought you were English.
Alice: I am what you make me honey.
Sophie: Can’t I make you go away? Where’s the real Alice? I want to talk about
Singing flowers and buttered insects. Anything that makes sense.
Alice: Shrugs You know why I’m here. All you have to do is say the word and I’ll scoot.
Sophie: So scoot.
Alice: Can’t, must be here for a reason. Interior design I expect. Anyway the real Alice is
screwy. Maybe that’s why you chose me instead. You’re too fond of her quaint
screwyness and didn’t want to ruin your memory of her oh so lovely English
weirdness.
Sophie: I’m sorry what?
Alice: I’m telling you darlin’, She talks to blue caterpillars and her golf club of choice is
A freakin’ flamingo. She’s got a screw loose.
She looks at Sophie. Sophie is looking away.
Alice: Speaking of which.
Sophie: What was that?
Again, Alice changes the subject
Alice: Scrabble! Real Sunday afternoon stuff. When’s it my turn?
Sophie: Not yet. I’m thinking. Lots to think about.
Alice: Can’t you hurry up?
Sophie: No
Alice: Taps her fingers and fidgets, then to herself. ‘ Alone alone, all all alone, alone in
a…….
Sophie: Stop. It.
Alice: Dark, dark kitchen.’ Oh c’mon darlin’ hurry up.
Sophie: Slowly and dangerously. Look. I am upset. I. Can’t. Think.
Alice: Well have some tea. That’s what you English do isn’t it.
Sophie: Through gritted teeth. I really am quite upset.
Alice: Peppermint tea then.
Sophie: Shouting. I’m f*****g losing it!
Alice: A short pause. Gin? Vodka? Whiskey?
Sophie: Please. Please shut up. If I ask you nicely will you shut up so I can think.
Alice: Chill baby girl. Let’s think about this. What you need is a revelation.
Sophie: A revelation?
Alice: That’s right my dearest parrot. Don’t you watch the movies. Freak out, go nuts,
have a revelation, get the hell over it.
Sophie: And if it works you’ll leave?
Alice: After I get my scrabble turn you bet. I’ll leave you and you’re lil house of sunshine
alone.
Sophie: Right. Well lets get started shall we? What should this ‘revelation’ be about?
Alice: Try it. We’ll know when you’re done. And hurry up, I’ve got a word with an x in
It.
Sophie: O.k I’m feeling…….I’m feeling…..sad
Alice: Good start.
Sophie: Thanks. Right I’m feeling sad cause.
Alice: Go on….because.
Sophie: because I
Alice: Laughed at a tramp?
Sophie: No
Alice: Stole a wheelchair?
Sophie: No
Alice: Sex? Drugs? Pornography? Yeah that’s it, a masochistic sex act involving a pig.
Sophie: You know that’s not true!
Alice becomes angry, she stand up and hits the table.
Alice: Of course I do because you know the same thing! Stop faking it you stupid bitch.
Just say it! Tell me what you’ve lost, tell me what you miss. F**k! Sophie, just tell
me why you’re sad.
Sophie hides in her arms as if to protect herself
Sophie: Stop it! Stop it! I don’t know what you mean, just stop!
Alice: Regains her composure. Look I just want my turn. I have a really good word I
wanna use.
Sophie: angry, shocked and confused. It’s only scrabble.
Alice: Then take your freakin’ turn!
Sophie: Why are you so angry?
Alice: Because I’m trying to tell you something. And it’s something you already know. I
have nearly broken my toe, sworn, shouted and fought my way to the forefront of
your thoughts to drag you out of denial and you still think this is about a bloody
game of scrabble!
An angry silence. Neither one will look at the other. Sophie is thinking hard.
Sophie: I can’t think. I need help. You’re not helping me. I need……
Peter saunters in and stands behind Sophie’s chair.
Peter: What’s this then?
Silence
Peter: Scrabble! Real Sunday afternoon stuff. Who’s go is it?
Alice: Points sideways at Sophie.
Peter: Alice. How are you dear. And what poisonous antics will you be partaking in
Today? Who’s heart will you be breaking?
Sophie laughs gratefully but nervously. Alice is offended. Through the following conversation Sophie is not listening, she becomes distracted and lets the two argue As the argument progresses she is obviously thinking very hard about something.
Alice: Don’t make assumptions sweetie. Apparently I’ll be taking the part of the realistic
party in this mess. I’m here to help. I assume you’re here to make empty promises
and ignorant comments.
Peter: Isn’t that on your c.v darling. You’re looking terribly old. Would you like me to
Hold your head in a bucket of face cream?
Alice: Not your cheap junk. And what have you been rubbing on your face lately? ‘oil of
old and fat’? Crawl back to neverland, and I do mean crawl, no amount of pixie
dust is shifting you.
Peter: I’m here until Sophie doesn’t need me. I’m here for a reason.
Alice: And what might that be? Advice? How to put on weight and become a dried up old
Has been with a fat ass! Don’t go there Sophie. Unless you want ladders in your
tights and lung cancer to match.
Sophie: Absently I don’t wear tights. Alice go away. You can come back. You can come
back when I’m done.
Alice is suddenly desperate. She doesn’t want to leave.
Alice: Sophie he’ll tell you what you want to hear. I want to make you better. He’ll tell
You that you don’t need to get better. He’ll lie to you, he’ll make you a
Neverlandland of your very own but you will be alone. We’re just parts of you.
And where you are right now is alone. In your kitchen.
Sophie: You can come back.
Alice: Take your turn Sophie. Finish the last game you ever had with her
Sophie: Quietly.When you come back.
Alice reluctantly leaves never taking her eyes from Peter. Peter smirks at her then sits down at the table. Alice stands just outside where the light falls so we can still see her shadow.
Sophie: To Peter. I’m going to take my turn. I just need to think.
Peter: You know you don’t have to. It’s only scrabble.
Sophie: Mmmm perhaps.
Silence
Is she right? Will you lie to me?
Peter: No I won’t lie. I’ll tell you what you already know. Do you remember when
you were little? You had imaginary friends
Sophie: Yes. Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. Why are you so different?
Peter: We’ve grown up with you. We’re more complicated just like you.
Sophie: Will I be alone? If I decide to put the scrabble away. If I decide not to finish the
game.
Peter: No. We’ll still be here. We’re always here. Everyone you’ve ever known is right
here. Leans over and touches her head. You don’t have to face anything if you
don’t want to. You’re always welcome with us.
Sophie: Everyone I’ve ever known?
Peter: Nods
Sophie: I think Alice can come back now.
Alice walks in quietly and stands behind Peter.
Sophie: I’m going to take my turn now.
She takes 6 letters from her rack and places them on the board. Both Alice and Peter smile but neither can see the others face.
Peter: ‘Goodbye’ Not bad. How many’s that worth?
Alice begins to count on her fingers
Alice: Well now that’s uh…..that many….on a triple word score…..so……lots.
Brightly.You win.
Sophie: Aren’t you going to take your turn?
Alice: you know what darlin’, suddenly I’ve lost interest. And I don’t think I can stand
the party atmosphere much longer. Congrats with the revelation though. You’ll
get there. Look at all these cards, there’s people to look after you.
As she leaves Alice trips over the same thing as when she entered.
Alice: Peter! Make sure you and your green ass remind her to tidy this shit up before you
leave!
Peter: Bye Alice. To Sophie. Did you hear that? ‘Before I leave’ She thinks you were
Saying good bye to……well you know. Suddenly worried. You weren’t though
were you?
Sophie: No
Peter: I’m glad. I hate to see you hurting. Another game of scrabble?
Sophie: Not now Peter. I’ll call you when I need you. I think it’s time you were leaving.
Peter: What? But you said you were staying. You said you’d stay here with me.
You know how much it will hurt when you open your eyes and you’re alone again.
Sophie: Peter I said no such thing. But I am staying here. I will call you when I need you.
Peter smiles and then leaves quietly.
Sophie: Everyone I’ve ever known is right here. She touches her head. I won’t be
Needing you again Peter. And I won’t be going back either.
Sophie takes one last look at the scrabble board and pours the letters back into the green bag. She places the board back on the table and puts the two racks in place. A new woman enters the room and stands behind Sophie stroking her hair. This is an older woman. Old enough to be Sophie’s mother.
Woman: You’re not fooling anyone you know. She sits at the table
Sophie: Oh really?
Woman: And how coincidental that you had those particular letters.
Sophie: Amazing
Woman: Amazing what the mind can do when it needs to.
Sophie: You know me too well mummy. I fooled them though didn’t I.
Woman: No darling you fooled yourself. And you still are.
Sophie: I know that. Laughs. Of course I know that. You’re right here Touches her head.
It’s alright though. It’s just the same as when you get a song stuck in your head. One that you hate, one that you don’t want to hear. It’s stuck. It won’t go away and it nags and nags and nags. And you know that if you listened to the whole song then the annoying fragments would go away but you can’t bear to listen to it. So you try to think of another song to cover up the first one but they intertwine, they’re both joining and mixing and confusing you so you can’t concentrate and it’s driving you crazy
Mother: and then what do you do my love?
Sophie: I thought of you instead. I know this isn’t real mummy but it’s what I want. I don’t want to be with anyone else. Peter was right. I don’t have to go back if I don’t want to.
Mother: You crazy thing. Scrabble?
Sophie: Always.
They smile at each other and the lights go down on Sophie and her Mother playing an eternal game of scrabble in Sophie’s imagination.
Characters
Sophie
An intelligent but confused young girl in her late teens.
Alice
A loud, confident, aggressive version of Lewis Carol’s Alice in wonderland. Considerably older than the original Alice, she should appear in her late twenties.
Peter
An adult version of Peter Pan. He is softly spoken and calm with a pot belly. He wears the same clothes as the young Peter Pan but with laddered tights and a top that doesn’t quite fit his stomach. He is in his late forties.
There is a table. On the table is a half finished game of scrabble with two places set up.
Surrounding the scrabble board are several vases of flowers. They’ve been there long enough to begin to discolour and die. Almost every space on the table is filled with cards from well wishers, many of which have fallen onto the floor and been left to gather dust.
The lighting is dim, from a diffuser turned down low, on a tall lamp that stands behind the table. It throws just enough light to cover just beyond the chairs that sit at either side of the table.
Sophie is already at a chair at the table in the dim light as the audience enter. She is hugging her knees. There is a blanket around her but as the audience settle it slips off. She doesn’t notice. She has been crying but now the tears have stopped and dried leaving tracks on her face. She stares ahead into the audience and as she stares her lips start to move as if she’s talking silently. She is somewhere else.
The well wishers left days ago and it’s very quiet now.
When the audience have settled and become quiet Sophie begins to sing brokenly and quietly. It is ‘Diamonds on the souls of her shoes’ by Paul Simon. She can’t remember the words.
Sophie: ‘People say I’m crazy I’ve got…….I’ve got…..
Silence
‘she was physically forgotten until she…..she…..
She turns her head upwards
Why don’t you join in anymore?
She stifles a sob then takes a deep breathe to compose herself.
It’s too quiet. Stop being quiet. It’s your turn. Take your turn.
Silence
No it’s my turn. I forgot. It’s always my turn.
Offstage there is a crash
Mum?
Alice enters holding her foot and hopping.
Alice: Don’t be freakin’ ridiculous. Oh Jesus I think I’ve broken my toe.
Sophie is no longer interested. It’s not who she expected. Alice sees her disinterest and stands affronted, hands on hips.
Alice: Loving the sympathy honey.
Sophie: Rub it.
Alice: Changing subject and sitting down. Loooove what you’ve done with the place.
What do you call it? Squat chic I guess. It’s gloomy, it’s dirty, and the floral arrangements are juuust perfect. Someone die?
Sophie stifles another sob
Alice: Hands up in mock defence. O.k bad joke. So kill me. Oh darn there I go again.
Sophie: What do you want?
Alice: Just to talk honey. Think of me as your beautiful, sophisticated, well endowed
Fairy godmother.
Sophie: Bullshit. You’re Alice. In Wonderland. You are neither a fairy, nor my
Godmother.
Alice: Look I didn’t choose the get up.
Sophie: I thought you were English.
Alice: I am what you make me honey.
Sophie: Can’t I make you go away? Where’s the real Alice? I want to talk about
Singing flowers and buttered insects. Anything that makes sense.
Alice: Shrugs You know why I’m here. All you have to do is say the word and I’ll scoot.
Sophie: So scoot.
Alice: Can’t, must be here for a reason. Interior design I expect. Anyway the real Alice is
screwy. Maybe that’s why you chose me instead. You’re too fond of her quaint
screwyness and didn’t want to ruin your memory of her oh so lovely English
weirdness.
Sophie: I’m sorry what?
Alice: I’m telling you darlin’, She talks to blue caterpillars and her golf club of choice is
A freakin’ flamingo. She’s got a screw loose.
She looks at Sophie. Sophie is looking away.
Alice: Speaking of which.
Sophie: What was that?
Again, Alice changes the subject
Alice: Scrabble! Real Sunday afternoon stuff. When’s it my turn?
Sophie: Not yet. I’m thinking. Lots to think about.
Alice: Can’t you hurry up?
Sophie: No
Alice: Taps her fingers and fidgets, then to herself. ‘ Alone alone, all all alone, alone in
a…….
Sophie: Stop. It.
Alice: Dark, dark kitchen.’ Oh c’mon darlin’ hurry up.
Sophie: Slowly and dangerously. Look. I am upset. I. Can’t. Think.
Alice: Well have some tea. That’s what you English do isn’t it.
Sophie: Through gritted teeth. I really am quite upset.
Alice: Peppermint tea then.
Sophie: Shouting. I’m f*****g losing it!
Alice: A short pause. Gin? Vodka? Whiskey?
Sophie: Please. Please shut up. If I ask you nicely will you shut up so I can think.
Alice: Chill baby girl. Let’s think about this. What you need is a revelation.
Sophie: A revelation?
Alice: That’s right my dearest parrot. Don’t you watch the movies. Freak out, go nuts,
have a revelation, get the hell over it.
Sophie: And if it works you’ll leave?
Alice: After I get my scrabble turn you bet. I’ll leave you and you’re lil house of sunshine
alone.
Sophie: Right. Well lets get started shall we? What should this ‘revelation’ be about?
Alice: Try it. We’ll know when you’re done. And hurry up, I’ve got a word with an x in
It.
Sophie: O.k I’m feeling…….I’m feeling…..sad
Alice: Good start.
Sophie: Thanks. Right I’m feeling sad cause.
Alice: Go on….because.
Sophie: because I
Alice: Laughed at a tramp?
Sophie: No
Alice: Stole a wheelchair?
Sophie: No
Alice: Sex? Drugs? Pornography? Yeah that’s it, a masochistic sex act involving a pig.
Sophie: You know that’s not true!
Alice becomes angry, she stand up and hits the table.
Alice: Of course I do because you know the same thing! Stop faking it you stupid bitch.
Just say it! Tell me what you’ve lost, tell me what you miss. F**k! Sophie, just tell
me why you’re sad.
Sophie hides in her arms as if to protect herself
Sophie: Stop it! Stop it! I don’t know what you mean, just stop!
Alice: Regains her composure. Look I just want my turn. I have a really good word I
wanna use.
Sophie: angry, shocked and confused. It’s only scrabble.
Alice: Then take your freakin’ turn!
Sophie: Why are you so angry?
Alice: Because I’m trying to tell you something. And it’s something you already know. I
have nearly broken my toe, sworn, shouted and fought my way to the forefront of
your thoughts to drag you out of denial and you still think this is about a bloody
game of scrabble!
An angry silence. Neither one will look at the other. Sophie is thinking hard.
Sophie: I can’t think. I need help. You’re not helping me. I need……
Peter saunters in and stands behind Sophie’s chair.
Peter: What’s this then?
Silence
Peter: Scrabble! Real Sunday afternoon stuff. Who’s go is it?
Alice: Points sideways at Sophie.
Peter: Alice. How are you dear. And what poisonous antics will you be partaking in
Today? Who’s heart will you be breaking?
Sophie laughs gratefully but nervously. Alice is offended. Through the following conversation Sophie is not listening, she becomes distracted and lets the two argue As the argument progresses she is obviously thinking very hard about something.
Alice: Don’t make assumptions sweetie. Apparently I’ll be taking the part of the realistic
party in this mess. I’m here to help. I assume you’re here to make empty promises
and ignorant comments.
Peter: Isn’t that on your c.v darling. You’re looking terribly old. Would you like me to
Hold your head in a bucket of face cream?
Alice: Not your cheap junk. And what have you been rubbing on your face lately? ‘oil of
old and fat’? Crawl back to neverland, and I do mean crawl, no amount of pixie
dust is shifting you.
Peter: I’m here until Sophie doesn’t need me. I’m here for a reason.
Alice: And what might that be? Advice? How to put on weight and become a dried up old
Has been with a fat ass! Don’t go there Sophie. Unless you want ladders in your
tights and lung cancer to match.
Sophie: Absently I don’t wear tights. Alice go away. You can come back. You can come
back when I’m done.
Alice is suddenly desperate. She doesn’t want to leave.
Alice: Sophie he’ll tell you what you want to hear. I want to make you better. He’ll tell
You that you don’t need to get better. He’ll lie to you, he’ll make you a
Neverlandland of your very own but you will be alone. We’re just parts of you.
And where you are right now is alone. In your kitchen.
Sophie: You can come back.
Alice: Take your turn Sophie. Finish the last game you ever had with her
Sophie: Quietly.When you come back.
Alice reluctantly leaves never taking her eyes from Peter. Peter smirks at her then sits down at the table. Alice stands just outside where the light falls so we can still see her shadow.
Sophie: To Peter. I’m going to take my turn. I just need to think.
Peter: You know you don’t have to. It’s only scrabble.
Sophie: Mmmm perhaps.
Silence
Is she right? Will you lie to me?
Peter: No I won’t lie. I’ll tell you what you already know. Do you remember when
you were little? You had imaginary friends
Sophie: Yes. Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. Why are you so different?
Peter: We’ve grown up with you. We’re more complicated just like you.
Sophie: Will I be alone? If I decide to put the scrabble away. If I decide not to finish the
game.
Peter: No. We’ll still be here. We’re always here. Everyone you’ve ever known is right
here. Leans over and touches her head. You don’t have to face anything if you
don’t want to. You’re always welcome with us.
Sophie: Everyone I’ve ever known?
Peter: Nods
Sophie: I think Alice can come back now.
Alice walks in quietly and stands behind Peter.
Sophie: I’m going to take my turn now.
She takes 6 letters from her rack and places them on the board. Both Alice and Peter smile but neither can see the others face.
Peter: ‘Goodbye’ Not bad. How many’s that worth?
Alice begins to count on her fingers
Alice: Well now that’s uh…..that many….on a triple word score…..so……lots.
Brightly.You win.
Sophie: Aren’t you going to take your turn?
Alice: you know what darlin’, suddenly I’ve lost interest. And I don’t think I can stand
the party atmosphere much longer. Congrats with the revelation though. You’ll
get there. Look at all these cards, there’s people to look after you.
As she leaves Alice trips over the same thing as when she entered.
Alice: Peter! Make sure you and your green ass remind her to tidy this shit up before you
leave!
Peter: Bye Alice. To Sophie. Did you hear that? ‘Before I leave’ She thinks you were
Saying good bye to……well you know. Suddenly worried. You weren’t though
were you?
Sophie: No
Peter: I’m glad. I hate to see you hurting. Another game of scrabble?
Sophie: Not now Peter. I’ll call you when I need you. I think it’s time you were leaving.
Peter: What? But you said you were staying. You said you’d stay here with me.
You know how much it will hurt when you open your eyes and you’re alone again.
Sophie: Peter I said no such thing. But I am staying here. I will call you when I need you.
Peter smiles and then leaves quietly.
Sophie: Everyone I’ve ever known is right here. She touches her head. I won’t be
Needing you again Peter. And I won’t be going back either.
Sophie takes one last look at the scrabble board and pours the letters back into the green bag. She places the board back on the table and puts the two racks in place. A new woman enters the room and stands behind Sophie stroking her hair. This is an older woman. Old enough to be Sophie’s mother.
Woman: You’re not fooling anyone you know. She sits at the table
Sophie: Oh really?
Woman: And how coincidental that you had those particular letters.
Sophie: Amazing
Woman: Amazing what the mind can do when it needs to.
Sophie: You know me too well mummy. I fooled them though didn’t I.
Woman: No darling you fooled yourself. And you still are.
Sophie: I know that. Laughs. Of course I know that. You’re right here Touches her head.
It’s alright though. It’s just the same as when you get a song stuck in your head. One that you hate, one that you don’t want to hear. It’s stuck. It won’t go away and it nags and nags and nags. And you know that if you listened to the whole song then the annoying fragments would go away but you can’t bear to listen to it. So you try to think of another song to cover up the first one but they intertwine, they’re both joining and mixing and confusing you so you can’t concentrate and it’s driving you crazy
Mother: and then what do you do my love?
Sophie: I thought of you instead. I know this isn’t real mummy but it’s what I want. I don’t want to be with anyone else. Peter was right. I don’t have to go back if I don’t want to.
Mother: You crazy thing. Scrabble?
Sophie: Always.
They smile at each other and the lights go down on Sophie and her Mother playing an eternal game of scrabble in Sophie’s imagination.
