Harper Wellington 24

1. Auflage 2023
ISBN: 978-1-78850-736-3
Verlag: Nick Hern Books
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, Band 10, 50 Seiten

Reihe: Multiplay Drama

An upbeat and empowering wartime tale about teamwork, collaboration and beating the odds. It's 1943, World War II rages on, and the men are gone. It's left to the 'women in the workmen's boots' to pick up the pieces in the factory. They're being relied upon to build the planes that could win the war, and they take the responsibility seriously. On this particular day, they're attempting to build a Wellington bomber in record-breaking time: under twenty-four hours. As temperatures rise and prejudices bubble up, will they be able to pull together in time?  Rachel Harper's play Wellington 24 was first performed by the students at Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, as part of the Write the Girl project. The Nick Hern Books Multiplay Drama series features large-cast plays specifically written to be performed by and appeal to young people. For more information, visit www.multiplaydrama.co.uk.

Rachel Harper is a writer and actor born and raised in Wrexham, North Wales. Her debut full-length play Rattled ran at the Old Red Lion, London, in 2019 earning her an OFFIE nomination. Since then, she has gone on to write original comedy for BBC Wales, has several comedy dramas commissioned to pilot with various independents, and has written many episodes of the BBC medical drama Casualty. Her play Wellington 24 was first performed by the students at Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, as part of the Write the Girl project.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Harper, Rachel

Leseproben

ACT ONE

Scene One: Fuselage

WOMEN CANADIAN OFFICER [ (). ]

OFFICER. This is a bomber factory in Britain. The workers have arranged with their management and their joint production committee to build a bomber in the record time of thirty hours and they asked us to make a film record of it.

While some people cultivate victory gardens in their leisure hours, the people of this factory build bombers in their spare time. We went along with our cameras to try and keep pace with this record-breaking attempt. It was quite a job.

So one Saturday morning not so long ago, we had our cameras in position when the workers arrived at the factory.

RUTH EILEEN JOURNALISTS RUTH EILEEN

JOURNALIST 1. Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself?

RUTH. ME?

RUTH EILEEN

Not much to tell really! I’m a hard grafter, keen to help – worked in a make-up factory before all o’ this. So if you’ve ever worn pressed powder, there’s a good chance I’m the one what pressed it!

JOURNO 1. My goodness! And now you’re –

RUTH. I’m a jigger. Well that’s not the word for it. I’m a – I lay the framework, on the bombers… So if you’ve ever flown a bomber, there’s a good chance I’m the one been putting it together!

…Funny that!

JOURNO 1. And your name? For the paper?

RUTH. Ruth Digby. Ruth Digby.

JOURNO 1. Thank you, Miss Digby.

RUTH. I’ll find you later, sunshine.

CANADIAN OFFICER

OFFICER. Everybody had the feeling of ‘well here we go’, so we all took a deep breath and got set for thirty hours of non-stop real hard work.

BONNIE

JOURNO 2. May we get a quick line? For the ?

BONNIE. Course! How’s this? Get out of my way, we’ve a record to break. Bonnie Simmons. S-I-M-M-O-N-S. You can quote me if you like.

OFFICER. The clock strikes nine and the record-breaking attempt begins. Two sections of the fuselage are carried in.

EILEEN

The dark girl with the riveter there is Eileen Daphne who used to work in a rayon factory. One of her brothers was killed in the naval action a little while back.

The fuselage parts are assembled in big frames they call jigs. These volunteer workers are giving the bonus they’re earning today to the Red Cross Aid to Russia Fund and they are out to break that thirty-hour record they have set themselves.

WOMEN JOURNALISTS

JOURNO 3. Miss – madame! Anything to say to the boys at war?

FACTORY GIRL. Yeah, tell ’em they’d better not crash this one – we’re working bloody hard on it!

GIRL

JOURNO 1. What of doing a man’s work? What will your husbands think?

FG. Dunno, never had one. Why? You offering?

GIRLS JOURNALIST FACTORY GIRL.

JOURNO 4. Think you can really do this then? Break the record?

FG. Why couldn’t we?

JOURNO 4. Lot of heaving lifting, darling. Wouldn’t like to think of you putting your back out.

FG. Carry on like that and I’ll put yours out for you.

BONNIE. Everything okay here?

JOURNO 4. Just admiring your work!

JOURNALIST

FG. I don’t like all this, Bonnie, feels like a bloody parade!

BONNIE. Smile for the cameras, girls!

FG. Will when I’ve something to smile about!

JOURNALIST FACTORY GIRL.

JOURNO 2. So, madame!

FG. Miss.

JOURNO. We’re all dying to know – how are you going to do it?

How on earth do you make a bomber fly in just one night and day?

FG. Dunno – we haven’t bloody done it yet!

FG. All this talking doesn’t help!

GIRLS JOURNALIST

You hear that?

FG. What did he say?

FG. How on do you make a bomber fly!

FG.

FG. How do we make a bomber fly?

FG. In just one night and day?

JOURNALIST WOMEN

GIRLS

WOMEN.
Tell me how do you make a bomber fly,
In just one day

And just one night

Tell me how do you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the jig into the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

That’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

That’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

That’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the wires to the box

And the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

And that’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the blades to the wires

And the wires to the box

And the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

And that’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the wings to the blades

And the blades to the wires

And the wires to the box

And the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

And that’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Fix the shell to the wings

And the wings to the blades

And the blades to the wires

And the wires to the box

And the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

And that’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day

Put the skin on the shell

Fix the shell to the wings

And the wings to the blades

And the blades to the wires

And the wires to the box

And the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

And that’s how you make the bomber fly

In just one night and day

Put the paint on the skin

And the skin on the shell

Fix the shell to the wings

And the wings to the blades

And the blades to the wires

And the wires to the box

And the box to the pit

And the pit to the jig

And the jig to the rig

A strong jig, a sturdy jig

And that’s how you make a bomber fly

In just one night and day!

WOMEN

BONNIE. Right, I want my factory floor clear – if you ain’t working get lost. If you are working get going. If you’re filming or what have you – just stay out the bleedin’ way.

RUTH EILEEN

RUTH. Both his legs. Just like that! Gone from the knee. Poor lad might just as well have been at war.

EILEEN. At least he’s alive.

RUTH. What a waste – bloody good...