The first public performance of this play was a reading directed by Sophia Hall at The Blue Room Theatre on the night of the Blood Moon, 28th August 2007
Cast
Paula Kate Rice
Young Paula Mischa Ipp
Cess John Aitken
Elton Igor Sas
Myrna Polly Low
Laura Kristy Sisdrunk
Sun Fat Chow Chris Wu
Bird Woman Nana Wik Carolyn McKenzie
Baxter Dick Fortescue Ingle Knight
Gary Mead Constable Tanner Kamhal Osma
Father Black Boy 2 Simon Clark
Morgan Landy Boy 1 Colin Darby Gary McNeill
Simon Tione Ben Russell
Ben Leonie Nicholas Robbie
CHARACTERS
PAULA CRISP: A thirty year old woman who has retained the aura of unattainable beauty and intelligence, that she had as a young girl of fifteen.
YOUNG PAULA: Paula's fifteen year old daughter, who plays the part of her mother as a girl.
CESS PAINTER: A very large man who died at the age of fifty three from a heart attack brought on by obesity.
BIRD WOMAN: A bag lady in salvaged clothing, unkempt and of an indeterminate old age.
ELTON CRISP: The pale Banker.
MYRNA CRISP: The pale Banker's menopausal wife.
BEN CRISP: The pale Banker's son, Paula's younger brother. A problem kid.
BOYS 1 & 2: Just boys.
COLIN DARBY: The Publican.
LAURA MANSON: A voluptuous woman.
SIMON WIK: A youth, in love with Young Paula.
GARY MEAD: A Catholic boy, popular with girls.
CONSTABLE TANNER: The town's only policeman.
DICK FORTESCUE: The Newsagent.
FATHER BLACK The town's Catholic priest.
SUN FAT CHOW: A Chinese Grocer.
NANA WIK: Simon's vindictive grandmother.
MORGAN LANDY: The town drunk.
BAXTER GRUNGE: A living fossil, who runs the General Store.
LEONIE & TIONE GRUNGE: Baxter's promiscuous twin teenage daughters.
ACT ONE
Winifred Atwell “Black and White Rag”.
YOUNG PAULA: Mum, where are we going?
PAULA: To Seatown darling.
YOUNG PAULA: Why?
PAULA: To remember.
YOUNG PAULA: Remember what?
PAULA: Remember where we came from.
Sounds of the sea.
I lived in Seatown until I was sixteen. I was only a child but I know what I saw. I remember as an adult,
what I saw as a child. If you ask someone who was an adult then, you shouldn’t expect the truth.
CESS: Truth is many layered. Secrets, half truths and lies are part of the
fabric of knowing.
PAULA: Seatown was a small port on the mineral coast, where the opium traders used to beach their sampans.
Before the big mining booms, before they dredged the harbour and built a new town, it was small
enough for everyone to know nearly everyone else’s business.
CESS: Nearly.
PAULA: Children were told very little. I learned to listen, as I grew older. When they have ignored you, all your
life, adults don’t notice you listening. I saw many things, as a child. When I began to listen, I began
to understand what I had seen. That is what I mean, when I say I remember as an adult, what I saw as
a child. This is where I lived as a child, until I was as old as you are now. This is my story. It’s time to
remember.
This script is now available at the Australian Script Centre:
http://australianplays.org/playwright/ASC-3541
The trilogy in progress:
THE FIRST SECRET
THE LAST SECRET
NO SECRETS