Storymania - Rockabye Baby. by Terry Collett

Rockabye Baby. (1)
Terry Collett

ROCKABYE, BABY.

                             A

                        PLAY

                            BY
                    T J COLLETT

               CHARACTERS:

        STELLA: MENTAL PATIENT.
        JANE MONROE: NURSE.
        MARYLYN RUSSELL: NURSE.
        FRANKEL: PSYCHIATRIC
                             SPECIALIST.LOCATION:

ASYLUM FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE IN ENGLAND.

                             TIME: 1956.




                                   Act One. Scene One.

A cell with white walls and tiled floor. A shoulder-length window, stage left. A door, stage right. A small recess stage left where there is a toilet and washbasin, but are unseen by audience. A hard mattress is on the floor. No bedding or pillows. The door is locked unless nurses enter or leave. Stella is pacing up and down lower stage. She is clothed in a drab grey smock and is bare footed. Her hair is cropped and her eyes have a tendency to stare vacantly now and again. She stops suddenly and stretches out her arms as if she were being crucified. She stares out at the auditorium. Then suddenly she laughs loudly, waves her arms wildly as if she were trying to fly, and runs about the cell. Then she stops and puts her right hand to her ear.
Stella: They’re coming. I can smell them. (Moves to the edge of the stage and lowering her hand peers at the auditorium.)I can smell their fear. It oozes from their pores like urine. Can’t you smell it? Can’t you? (Puts her hand to her ear again.)I can hear them. They’re on their way. The nurses are coming. The nurses are coming. (Lowers her hand and moves backwards until she is centre stage where she stands looking at the door.)Come on my beauties. Come on. (A key rattles in the door. The door slowly opens and Nurse Russell enters followed by Nurse Monroe who locks the door behind her. Nurse Russell has a small tray with a plastic bowl, spoon and mug on it.)

Monroe: Back against the wall. (Watches Stella as Nurse Russell places the tray on the floor. Stella has moved backwards to the wall where she stands staring.)Don’t move until we’ve gone. Understand? Don’t move. (The nurses move backwards towards the door, but keep their eyes on Stella at all times. Stella smiles.)What you smiling at? (Stella continues to smile. Nurse Monroe moves towards Stella, but Nurse Russell touches her arm.)What’s she smiling at?

Russell: Leave it.

Monroe: Why should she be allowed to smile after what she did?

Russell: Just leave it be. She often smiles like that.

Monroe: She should weep for what she’s done. Someone should make her weep.

Russell: If any marks are found on her, her father’ll create havoc.

Monroe :( Stares at Stella who stares back as she smiles.)My father would have abandoned me if I did what she did. He wouldn’t care what happened to me. (Pause. Looks at Stella.) Stop smiling like that.

Stella :( Moves forward towards the tray. The nurses back away and watch.)There’s room in my world for you. (Stoops down and picks up the bowl. She takes the spoon and stirs. Then she sniffs the bowl.)Where have they laid her?

Russell: Laid whom, Stella?

Monroe: What’s she on about now?

Stella :( Stirs with the spoon again.)I’ve not seen her since winter.

Russell: Who haven’t you seen, Stella?

Monroe: Why do you converse with her? She talks utter nonsense.

Russell: She may say something about what she did.

Stella :( She sniffs the bowl again.)Take this chalice from me! (Throws the bowl against the wall. The nurses move back and stand cautiously watching.)Poison! They’re trying to poison me now. I’m not to be touched by order of the King.

Russell: That was a waste, Stella. What was wrong with it?

Monroe: Let her starve to death. She should have been hanged and left hanging until she rotted.

Russell: There’s no more food now until lunch. (Stoops down cautiously as Nurse Monroe watches. She picks up the mug and offers it to Stella. Stella takes the mug in her hands and sniffs it.)It’s just water. Nothing more. (Stella walks to the window with it.)I should make you clear up that mess.

Monroe: Make her do it. I’ll bring the mop and bucket.

Russell: Against regulations. She’d use the mop as a weapon.

Monroe: Just let her try.

Russell: Don’t you remember what happened to Nurse Davis last month?

Monroe :( The nurses move back towards the door.)Davis shouldn’t have turned her back on her.

Russell: Easy to say now. She thought Stella was looking away from her.
Monroe: Never turn your back on her they told us.

Russell: Stella looks as harmless as a child does and that can be deceptive.

Monroe :( Gets out the key.)I’m not deceived by her smiles and beauty. As far as I’m concerned, she’s just a child killer.

Russell: They were her own children.

Monroe: She still strangled them. She’s still a child killer.

Stella :( Raises the mug upwards as if it was the Holy Grail.)Is it blood or water? (Looks upwards towards the mug. The nurses watch uneasy.)If it’s water then I maybe purified. But if it’s blood, I am damned.

Monroe: Drink the bloody water.

Russell :( To Monroe.)Easy now. Why are you getting so angry?

Monroe: Murderers like her should be hanged. She’s a killer. Don’t you see her like that? (Moves forward as if she wanted to study Stella at close range.)Look at her. Look at her eyes. Aren’t those the eyes of a killer?

Russell: She’s been locked away for the safety of others and herself. What more can be done about it?

Stella :( Sips from the mug.)Glug, glug, drink from the mug; let the demons run! (Throws the mug across the cell. The nurses move out of the way.)Has my bridegroom come yet?

Russell: Why did you throw away your drink, Stella? Now you’ll get thirsty before lunch.

Monroe: Let her die of thirst for all I care.

Stella: He said he’d come by cockcrow. Has the cock crowed yet?

Monroe: I wonder if this job is worth it at times. The likes of her make me doubt it has any value. Waste of money and our time her being kept alive.

Russell: We don’t make the laws. We’re supposed to obey them.
Monroe: What point does it serve to keep her alive?

Russell: Because to hang, you must be aware of what you have done, and that it was wrong, and you are guilty of that crime. She has no understanding of any of that.

Monroe: So what? She still killed those children. They’re dead now. She should be dead, too. (Pause. Looks at Stella.)Why did you kill your daughters?

Russell: Leave it. It serves no purpose.

Monroe: Leave it alone be buggered. Why should she be allowed to do that and live?

Stella: Your lover has kissed my cheek. (Points at the nurses.)

Russell :( To Monroe.) If you can’t handle it on this wing, you’d be best off out of it. Go elsewhere.

Monroe: I can handle it. It’s just that it makes me angry to see the likes of her walking about as if nothing had happened and all was fine and dandy.

Stella: Kissed me until my cheeks flushed with joy.

Russell: Whose lover was it, Stella?

Monroe: You shouldn’t encourage her. She deserves no encouragement.

Stella: And crept into my bed last night. (Smiles.)

Monroe: What fool of a jury had her down as a lunatic?

Russell: Does she look sane to you?

Monroe: More reason to put her down.

Stella: Have you seen my love? (Moves suddenly towards the nurses. They back away.)Where is he? Where?

Monroe: Back off!

Russell: Back against the wall, Stella.
Stella :( Stops and looks at her hands.)These are my children. See how they sleep? (Looks at Monroe.)Look at them, Blondie. See them sleeping? (Shows her hands to Russell.)See them, Brunie? Sleeping babes. My sleeping babes. (The nurses watch cautiously. Stella bring her hands together as if she were about to pray.)What do you fear, my babes? Mummy’s here to watch you. Rockabye babies on the tree top. (Swings her hands back forth.)When the wind blows, the babies will rock. When the arms break, the babies will fall and down will come… (Pause. Looks at Russell.)What will come down, Brunie? What?

Russell: Cradle and all, Stella. Cradle and babies.

Monroe: Watch her.

Stella :( Holds out her hands towards Russell. Russell moves backwards slightly.)Do you love my babies, Brunie? Don’t you want to hold them and cuddle them?

Russell :( Cautiously takes Stella’s hands in hers. Monroe stands by to pounce if necessary.)They’re lovely babies, Stella. Lovely babes. Let them sleep, now Stella. Let them rest.

Stella :( Removes her hands from Russell’s hands and holds her hands against her breast.)They’re asleep, Brunie. See them?

Russell: Yes, Stella, I see them.

Monroe: If you’re not careful, Marylyn, she’ll drag you into her mad world and everything will be muddied by her evilness.

Russell: Let her be.

Monroe: She’ll draw you in and you’ll drown in her dark waters.

Stella: Goodnight babies. Goodnight. Goodnight babies. Goodnight. (Stella rocks her arms back and forth and walks to the window. The nurses watch a few moments then they go to the door and go out locking the door behind them. Stella stares out of the window. The light fades slowly as she lowers her arms until her hands swing at her side.)



                                                End of Scene One.

                                      Act One. Scene Two.
An hour later. Mr Frankel’s room. Large room with a table and two chairs one each side of the table and two other chair along the wall each side of the door. There is a filing cabinet along the wall, stage left. There is a door, stage right. There is a large window at the edge of the stage seen only by the actors. Frankel is a tall thin man with a smart suit and clean cut, dark hair. He is sitting looking through papers on the table. There is a knock at the door.
Frankel: Come in. (He looks up as the door opens and Stella enters flanked by Monroe and Russell. Stella is handcuffed by the hands in front. Monroe closes the door and moves Stella forward with a slight shove to her back.)Ah, Stella. Come and sit down. (Stella stands looking at the table.)You can sit down, Stella.

Monroe: Mr Frankel said sit down. (Stella stands looking at Frankel. Monroe and Russell move Stella and sit her down.)Do as Mr Frankel says.

Frankel: How are you today, Stella? (Stella stares at Frankel, but says nothing.)I know you can speak Stella because I’ve heard you speaking.

Russell: Speak up, Stella. Mr Frankel is talking to you.

Stella: Has he spoken to you?

Frankel: Who?

Stella: The King.

(Pause.)

Frankel: You two nurses can leave if you wish.

Russell: We’ve been told not to leave her with anyone unattended.

Frankel: Stella will be all right, won’t you, Stella?

Stella: He said he’d speak to you.

Russell: She’s liable to be aggressive, Mr Frankel.

Monroe: Not the type of woman to be alone with.

Frankel: I think she may be less intimidated if we were alone.

Russell: I don’t think it would be a good idea, Mr Frankel.

Frankel: All right, all right. Then if you could just sit by the door out of her sight, it might help. (The nurses go and sit down.)Right, Stella. What did the King say?

Stella: Are those eyes of yours really that colour?

Frankel: Who is the King?

Stella: Those coloured eyes can be distracting.

Frankel: Who is the King, Stella? (Pause. Sits forward.)Anyone I know?

Stella :( Lifts her cuffed hands to her face.)My babes are trying to sleep.

Frankel: Can you remove the handcuffs?

Russell: If you want us to, but you must take responsibility for any trouble or damage she does.

Frankel: I’ll take responsibility for everything. Now can you release her hands from the cuffs? (Monroe gets up from the chair and with a key removes the handcuffs. She takes the handcuffs with her to the chair and sits down.)Good. Now, Stella, is that better?

Stella :( Stella rubs her wrists.)Poor babes.

Frankel: What happened to your babies, Stella?

Stella: They’re twins. Can you see it? (Raises her wrists.)Identical twins.

Monroe: She often talks of her hands being her babies.

Frankel: So I gather, Nurse Monroe. (Looks at Stella.)Do you love your babies, Stella?

Stella: They cry a lot.

Frankel: Do they make you angry?

Stella: My babies are the type of babies that cry a lot.

Frankel: What happened to your babies?

Stella :( Stares at her wrists and continues to rub them.)I wash them regularly. They get dirty so quickly, don’t they?

Frankel: Did they make you angry, Stella?

Stella: Eat, drink and damn well poo they do. And do you know what David, they’re so time consuming. Time just goes when you’re washing and changing them. (Pause. She stops rubbing her wrists and looks at Frankel.)

Frankel: How did you cope with two twin babies?

Stella: I wanted them to be princesses. David thought it unlikely.

(Pause.)

Frankel :( To Russell.)Does she talk of her babies at all?

Russell: Only like she is now. Not in any past tense. Just as if she were talking of them now.

Frankel: And have you heard her talk about this David?

Monroe: Her husband. He committed suicide last year.

Frankel: Oh, right. (Pause. Looks at Stella.)How is David?

Stella :( Puts her hands under the table.)I’ve put them to bed.

Frankel: Who?

Stella: The babes. They need their rest.

Frankel: How is David?

Stella: I can almost imagine maggots in your eye sockets.

Frankel :( Sighs.)How is your husband, David, Stella?

Stella: Squirming around feeding on your eyeballs.

Monroe: Listen to what Mr Frankel is saying, Stella!

Stella :( Turns her head and stares at Monroe.)Isn’t it past her bedtime?
Frankel: I asked you about David. Do you know David, Stella? (Stella looks round at Frankel and smiles.)You do remember him, then?

Stella :( Laughs suddenly.)She’s a bad girl isn’t she? Should be put to bed without her supper, shouldn’t she, David?

Monroe: Listen to Mr Frankel, Stella. He’s doesn’t have time to waste on you.

Frankel: It’s all right, Nurse Monroe, I can manage. (Pause. Looks at Stella who is still smiling.)Stella I want you to listen to what I am saying. No going off the question and talking at about other things, Understand?

Stella: Understand? (She stops smiling. She breathes in deeply.)I understand that your daughter is very rude and is up way passed her bedtime.

Russell: I think this is going nowhere, Mr Frankel. Stella only has certain moments of lucidity and they are rare.

Frankel: Has she ever said anything to you about anything connected with her crime?

Russell: No. Not yet.

Frankel: And how often has she had her lucid moments?

Russell: Now and again, she is coherent and reasonable.

Frankel :( Looks at Stella who is staring at him.)And do these moments come just like that or does something trigger them off?

Russell: They just come unexpectedly. Nothing seems to trigger them off. (Looks at Stella who turns round and stares at her.)She does have moments when she’s as lucid as daylight.

Stella: Are they both your daughters? (Turns round quickly and stares at Frankel.) Must they be here?

Frankel: They’re here to keep an eye on you, Stella. No need to worry about them.

Stella: Children can be so tiresome, can’t they?

Frankel: Were your daughters tiresome?

Stella: They don’t appreciate what you do for them, do they?

Frankel: And do they make you angry?

Stella: I was an actress.

Frankel: Did you harm your daughters?

Russell: She talks about her acting. She is often talking about it.

Monroe: It is best forgotten, I think.

Frankel: Stella, did you harm your babies?

Stella: I was an actress of Shakespearean drama.

Frankel: You’re not listening to me, Stella. I need you to listen to what I am saying.

(Pause.)

Stella :( Rises suddenly from the chair. The nurses rise also and attempt to hold her, but she goes to the window and stares out. The nurses stand just behind her. Frankel rises from his chair, goes, and stands next to Stella.) Do you like my garden, David?

Frankel: The grounds are lovely.

Russell: We ought to handcuff her, Mr Frankel.

Monroe: She should be restrained.

Stella: My garden is a place of peace and solitude.

Frankel :( To the nurses.)No, leave her be. It will be all right.

Russell: She can become very violent.

Monroe: She almost strangled a nurse a while ago.

Frankel: There are three of us here. We should be able to take care of a woman between us.

Stella: David loves the garden. He says it soothes him.

Frankel: Do your babies like the garden?

Stella :( Lifts her hands and stares at them.)Now you’ve woken them, David. Why must you speak so loud?

Frankel: How is David now?

Stella: My babes are such a handful.

Frankel: Do they make you feel stressed?

Stella: I was Ophelia.

Frankel: Did you harm your babies?

Stella: Hamlet was such a fool.

Frankel :( To Russell.)Has her father visited recently?

Russell: Last month.

Frankel: And what was his opinion of her state of mind?

Russell: He was unhappy about her state, but I think he hopes she’ll recover soon.

Frankel: That maybe some time off, if at all.

Stella: Do you know what the flowers were?

Frankel: Flowers?

Stella: In the painting. What the flowers symbolized?

Frankel: What painting? (Pause. Stella sighs.)Which painting?

Stella :( She turns round suddenly and peers at the nurses.)Who has taken my painting? (Grabs Frankel’s lapel and there is a struggle and the nurses grab her and after a short skirmish Stella is apprehended.)

Frankel: Don’t get too rough with her.

Russell: I knew she should not have been released from her handcuffs.

Monroe: We know her better than you Mr Frankel.

Frankel: Just let her sit down again. (The nurses sit Stella down again and handcuff her. Stella sits breathing deeply.)Now, Stella, what has upset you?

Stella: My babes are now going to keep me awake. (She shakes her handcuffed hands.)These babes are such little devils.

Frankel: Should we leave her be awhile? (Pause. The nurses sit down again.)

Stella: And you are no help, David. You take no heed to my words about them. I need my space.

Frankel: Are you angry with them?

Stella: Space. I need my space.

Frankel: Have you any idea where your babies are now, Stella?

Stella :( Lifts her hands and kisses them.)Hush. Hush. They need to sleep.

Russell: I think it best we leave it there for the day, Mr Frankel.

Frankel: All right. (Looks at Stella.)But keep me informed if she becomes lucid at anytime.

Monroe: She can be quite uncooperative when she wants.

Frankel: You will keep me in touch with her progress, won’t you?

Russell: Yes, Mr Frankel. We’ll let you know if she’s lucid at anytime.
(Nurses rise and lift Stella from the chair. Stella stands between them. She stares at Frankel as if she not seen him before.)Goodbye, Stella. (Stella makes no reply. She is led from the room. Frankel sits down again. Light fades.)

                                    End of Scene Two.
                                 Act One. Scene Three.

Frankel’s room later that morning. Frankel is sitting at the table writing. There is a knock at the door.
Frankel: Come in. (Door opens and Russell enters and closes the door behind her.)Ah, Marylyn, come and sit down. (Russell sits down opposite Frankel.)I asked you here to talk about Stella. (Puts down his pen and looks at Russell.)I’ve read her medical report and the notes left by Mr Dowes, but I wanted to hear from someone who deals with her on a daily basis. Someone who may be able to shed some light on Stella, which these reports and notes may not do in the same way.

Russell: I’ll do what I can to help you, Mr Frankel.

Frankel: Good. (Pause. Looks at the notes before him.)Has she ever said anything to you about the murder of her two twin girls?

Russell: Not about the murdering of them.

Frankel: She doesn’t mention them being dead?

Russell: No. She always talks about them as if they were still alive. She talks to her hands as you saw this morning.

Frankel: Does she do that often?

Russell: When she talks about her babies, she frequently does refer to her hands.

Frankel: I see. (Puts the notes down and leans forward on the chair.)And she talks about her husband, David in the present tense?

Russell: Yes. She refers to most men as David.

Frankel: Yes, I noticed. Why did her husband commit suicide?

Russell: I think the whole drama became too much for him. He was quite depressed.

Frankel: Were they close do you think?

Russell: They say they were.

Frankel: They?

Russell: People at the trial. They said they were close.

Frankel: And the twin babies were ten months old?

Russell: Yes.

Frankel: And she strangled them?

Russell: Yes.

Frankel: I would have thought she was have smothered them. Less dramatic.

Russell: She was an actress. Perhaps she wanted to be dramatic.

Frankel: Do you think she was aware of what she was doing? Consciously aware that what she was doing was wrong and would lead to the babies death?

Russell: They say not.

Frankel: They?

Russell: The psychiatrists who dealt with her before the trial. They said she was not aware of her actions. That she was not of a sound mind at the time of the murders. This is why she is here and not hanging from a rope.

Frankel: And is that what you think should have happened to her?

Russell: Not for me to say. I’m no doctor of the mind.

Frankel: You must have an opinion, Marylyn, surely?

Russell: If she was unaware of her deeds then, no, she shouldn’t hang. That is why she is here after all.

Frankel: That’s right. (Pause.)Do you believe in capital punishment?

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