Fading Light by Martin Drury

FADING LIGHT by Martin Drury

1915.

Peter Hubbard sits with other men [audience? Big Script members?] at a trestle table heaped with
sandwiches and cakes. He is eating a jelly.

Edith Molyneux and Ruth Hubbard are watching the progress of the eating. They both carry platters
of sandwiches.

Edith A glorious bright day. And a lovely spread. Fine food and friendship, what blessings!

Ruth Do you think so?

Edith God’s will the university becoming a hospital. A party seems just the right thing for
your house and grounds. But do you think all the men can manage sandwiches?

Ruth The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

Edith I suppose it is the heart we aim for.

Ruth And what better weapon than a cheese and lentil savoury! [She takes a bite of one
of the sandwiches on her platter.]

Edward One thing you’ve got to give Fritz is he can shoot. Tapland only put two fingers up to
test the air and blam! Both off!

Radley It was asking for trouble, sir.

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Peter As if we haven’t enough to contend with. Wilson’s trench foot already unsettled
everyone. And no one likes the look of those red slugs.

Edward It’s those strange beetles with the dangerous-looking horns that give me the willies.

Radley They’re after the lice, sir.

Edward I wish they’d gobble them all up, then maybe we’d be shut of the damned things.

Peter Let’s just hope nothing happens to the supply lines.

Ruth and Edith have been offering sandwiches to the audience.

Edith Appreciation on all their faces.

Ruth [Looking at Peter, her son] In the main.

Edith Give thanks for fit and healthy men.

Ruth He should be glad to be alive.

Edith [Thoughtful] Quite.

Peter Are the men well?

Radley Happier, sir. The Maconochie was nice and warm. They almost believed it was the
pork and beans it said on the tin.

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Edward It’s inedible when cold. Turnips and carrots in slop.

Radley Pity, there was no duff pudding.

Peter That’s a shame. But raisins are always good. You can’t get your teeth into those
stale oat biscuits.

Radley and Edward leave.

Ruth offers Peter a sandwich from her tray.

Ruth Another, Peter?

He ignores her. She returns to Edith who has also been distributing sandwiches [to the audience].

Edith It’s all going swimmingly. A triumph, deo volente.

Ruth Not for Peter. No interest in the sandwiches. No recognition even. Just that
wretched judder twisting his face.

Edith And he still hasn’t said anything about it?

Ruth Not a word.

Edith God will find –

Ruth Edith, am I wrong in finding complete indifference upsetting?

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Edith They also serve who stand on the sidelines and wait. But try again and I will say a
prayer for him.

Ruth pushes the tray of sandwiches under his nose again, but Peter does not stir. She returns to
Edith.

Ruth I don’t know what it is, but –

Edith Probably better if you don’t force him. All this is perhaps too huge a change to his
routine. There have been enough surprises.

Ruth But this party was your idea.

Edith [Giving more sandwiches to the audience.] Others are happy to tuck in. Look,
whatever you do, don’t blame yourself. The Lord moves in mysterious ways. But
this is our lot. How can we ever understand what goes on in …?

Ruth I’ve tried so hard to penetrate … So in her bumbling way has Wendy, but …

Edith Where is Wendy?

Spotlight on Wendy who is whisking cream vigorously.

Ruth Whipping the cream into submission. Wouldn’t settle for condensed milk. I suppose
vigour’s in her blood. Her mother beat enough carpets.

Edith She has put her heart and soul into this. Not just the organising. Her attitude of all-
hands-to-the-pump is –

Spotlight on Wendy scoffing some sandwiches.

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Edith Well, she seems thoroughly involved at all levels.
Ruth
Edith She says it sends out a better message pitching in, not hiding behind the help. But
Ruth service is what she knows. And I think she’s eaten as many sandwiches as she
Edith prepared.

Ruth God loves a healthy appetite. Or maybe it is comfort eating. Peter’s attitude is no
doubt particularly hard for her.
Edith
Ruth I wish he’d brighten up. Be more like he was last time he was on leave. She hasn’t
Edith said anything to me – I’m his mother after all – but I don’t think marriage has been
all it promised.

Married last summer, separated less than six months later – not the best start. But
we all have our crosses to bear: our men, new to bloodshed, find it stays with them
like the sulphur smell of an addled egg or the taste of curdled milk. At least that’s
what it was like for my John before he … before … [she breaks off with emotion.]

I … I’ve just realised. On the surface, all this is for the men on leave, but it’s really for
us … the families, the wives. We’re not celebrating anything if we’re honest. Just re-
establishing society, making a big show of domesticity. And for you, this … makes a
gaping hole less big.

One must soldier on, however one may.

But trying to engage my Peterkin, it’s … [She fills up.] I thought marrying Wendy
would make him grow up. I remember my father telling me that what made him a
man was the birth of his first child. But it seems all Peter thinks about is this war …

The old certainties are losing their power. This war breeds a new form of existence
for us all.

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Ruth We’re fighting against – it sounds stupid – silence. Long, debilitating silences. Peter
and I, we used to talk all the time, free and stimulating conversation. What is – I
don’t know how to express it – this …blankness? Why does communication fail us?

Edith There are words for suffering, but they are not the experience itself. We try to
connect, but we have to accept that our impulse is slow, our hearts small, our means
inadequate. Only God, the Light of the World, has the unlimited capacity to bridge
the divide, to fill the gap, to care all the time.

Wendy comes on with the bowl of cream.

Ruth I don’t know … Sometimes it isn’t enough. God can’t keep you warm at night. I
think you know that, Edith. And in other ways he has no … I mean it’s been a devil
of a job to keep Peter away from the bottle. The servants I’m sure know –

Edith Which is why we have junkets. They’re sweet, they slip down easily and they use up
long hours in preparation.

Wendy approaches Peter.

Wendy Do you like it?

Peter does not answer.

Wendy You can have a dab of cream with it if you like. Fresh cream.

He smiles politely.

Wendy spoons him a quinelle of cream.

He scoops some up and puts it in his mouth.

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Wendy Bet you don’t get that on the frontline.

Peter It’s very …

Wendy Yes?

Peter More-ish. Better than … milk puddings.

Wendy Your mother does rather overdo those on the menu. But then she overdoes
everything.

Peter But all this. Very …nice.

Wendy I’m glad you like it. I want this to be the best day ever.

Peter You … You’ve … worked hard.

Wendy It was your mother’s idea. Urged on by Mrs Molyneux.

Peter Mrs ..?

Wendy You remember Edith Molyneux, don’t you? She lost her husband after just four
months, poor thing. See, that’s her over there talking to your mother. This has been
a good effort, a huge effort, but you men deserve it. We all need a little light in
these gloomy times.

Peter Huge … I … Light ..?

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Wendy It doesn’t matter. Don’t force it. Just enjoy your strawberry jelly. And your cup of
tea. Cup of tea. Not a tin mug. With cow’s milk no less, none of that Carnation stuff
today. Then you can have a nice dainty fancy. Or maybe another ham sandwich.
We seem to have an army of them.

Wendy moves on with the cream.

Radley appears from nowhere with a bowl of soup.

Peter Not soup again?

Radley It’s all we’ve got, sir. Don’t you like it, sir?

Peter Not every day, Radley. We’ve had it for three days and I’m still not sure what kind of
soup it is. What I wouldn’t do to the Bosche for a boiled ham sandwich. Light pink
with golden breadcrumbs round the border of fat.

Radley It’s brown soup, sir.

Peter I can’t miss its brownness, Radley. I’d even say it has a brown flavour. A thin brown
flavour. But what is it?

Radley I make it with Oxo, sir.

Peter And anything else?

Radley Water, sir.

Peter Ah yes. It is pretty watery. Is there no meat in there?

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Radley The cutlets have gone, sir. Except one that’s smelling something high. Probably
wasn’t salted proper. I didn’t think you’d like that – on the turn. Might turn your
stomach.

Peter So what are we having after the soup?

Radley Bread, cheese and onion jelly. We need to eat the first two up before they go too
hard. There’s an apple for afters. It’s a bit bruised, a lot bruised to be honest, but
they’re all like that – we’re at the bottom of the barrel.

Peter Not much of a meal.

Radley It’s all I’ve got, sir. We’re low, very low. We’ve even run out of pepper.

Peter Well, I suppose we’re all in it together. A pity about the pepper, though. That might
give the soup more flavour. To say nothing of its disinfectant properties. What do
you know of the water, Radley?

Radley It’s wet, sir. And it doesn’t make a good pink blancmange.

Peter Doesn’t one make blancmange with milk?

Radley Where are we going to get fresh milk, sir?

Peter So the water could be infected?

Radley Does boiled water get infected, sir?

Peter Does anything behave as it should?

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Radley Sir?

Peter Is man supposed to crouch in holes, waiting like a rabbit to be shot? Or to walk
underground tunneIs, wondering how long these back-breaking works of
construction will last in days of driving rain or brief bomb barrage? Is this what
evolution has striven for?

Radley I don’t know, sir, it’s not something I think about overmuch. I’m worried about the
carrots and potatoes getting wrinkled. Your soup’ll go cold if you don’t get it down
you. I’ll go and cut the cheese. I’ve kept it as a chunk so it doesn’t get any drier.

Peter [Taking a spoonful of soup] It’s warm.

Radley Like you and me. A good thing, sir.

Peter I thought it’d be red-hot. From what you said.

Radley Surely we don’t want things to get hotter, sir.

Peter I don’t know. But I can’t have any more of this vile weather and bland, luke-warm …
It’s not living. It’s not Life.

Radley takes the soup away.

Ruth returns with her tray of sandwiches.

Ruth Why don’t you have another sandwich? Big platter to cater for your big appetite.

Peter I’ve … I’ve …

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Ruth The ham’s lovely. Rolled just this morning.
Peter
Ruth I’ve … I’ve had my … fill.
Peter
Ruth Don’t be silly. I doubt whether you had food like this on the frontline.
Peter
No.
Ruth
Peter So enjoy.
Ruth
Peter [Light change; shouting] That … that doesn’t mean we have to gorge ourselves on
Ruth our return.

Peter It’s a party.

Ruth [Back to normal] I don’t see …

What?

[Light change; shouting] Isn’t it obvious, mother? I don’t feel like celebrating.

You’re back with your family, with your loved ones. Isn’t that a reason to beat the
drum?

What about the others? Those poor souls who didn’t come back. John Molyneux
for one.

I hope you’re going to say a little something?
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Peter [Back to normal] What?

Ruth A little speech to thank Mrs Molyneux for her help and –

Peter No.

Ruth What do you mean no? This is a delightful occasion. A ray of sunshine in –

Peter No.

Ruth Don’t be silly, Peter. You’ve been brought up better than … A little gratitude to
show we’re alive. I know it sounds trite, but … we are here for a purpose. We’ve got
to keep busy. We should be thankful. We have to –

Peter Eat sandwiches.

Ruth Sorry?

Peter says nothing.

Ruth Did you say something, Peter?

Peter hangs his head.

Ruth No, Peter. I’m sure you said something and I want to hear what you said. Come on
now, Peter. I need to know. Let me in, Peter. Don’t shut me out.

Peter [Light change; shouting] Blasted stuff and nonsense about life going on. Rot about
giving thanks. And all the time you’re … [He grabs the platter and waves it under

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Ruth her nose] As if … As if we have to eat sandwiches to live. We have to eat
sandwiches to forget. [He laughs manically.] As if ham and cheese can … Of course,
Peter we really have to eat sandwiches because we may not see such a tray full again.
Ruth Who knows there may not even be enough food for sandwiches if the war
Peter continues? So we should eat. And we should drink. [He rattles his teacup on the
Ruth saucer.] And be merry. Because the tea we drink at home doesn’t taste of
Peter vegetables. Particularly be merry. Above all else, be merry. Because otherwise the
people back home won’t know how to deal with us.
Ruth
Peter I don’t know why you have to be so … The war was not my doing. I can appreciate
Ruth that it must have been … I mean I know that things happened. … that
Peter
Do … do you?

Sorry?

Do you know what things happened?

I … I don’t know why you’re attacking me, Peter. I’m not the enemy.

Yet you sent me. You sent me off. Sent me to the frontline with a little wave and a
teary smile.

You volunteered for service. You chose to go to France.

I volunteered to have a life of my own. I didn’t choose this miserable existence.

You’re not well. Why did you do this, Peter? Why?

[Back to normal] You… you made me.

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Ruth Me?

Peter [Light change; shouting] You pushed me towards marriage. And then you didn’t like
my choice. Now you’re pushing me to …

Ruth I’m a mother. Just a woman. I do what is expected of me.

Peter I expected more of you. As my mother, I expected more. Not just plates of
sandwiches and a bit of jelly.

He locks her in a stare and takes out his knife. He stabs the sandwiches and then cuts away at them
ferociously. This deconstruction becomes more feverish with the result that Ruth runs off crying.

Edward comes running on. He keeps ensuring his trousers are up as he has dropped the braces.

Peter turns away.

Edward What the hell are you doing, man?

Peter Nothing. Why?

Edward The mother’s through there, spooked out of her head. Putting the daughter off. I
had my trousers down, man. Was practically in.

Peter How terrible for you.

Edward She reckons you had your knife out. Slashing away at things, she says.

Peter The first time it’s been called that. Women are so excitable.

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Edward What ..? You mean ..? [He laughs] Good show. It is what we came to this
Godforsaken place for. This farmhouse – Christ! It’s freezing.

Peter And I thought it was to fight the Germans. Silly me!

Edward Hold on! What are you doing with your ..? So she was right. What the hell did you
get your knife out for?

Peter There was a rat. A rat on the fruit cake. Not one of those corpse-rats, with their
shocking evil naked faces and long nude tails, but still dirty and unsanitary.

Edward We’re not here to be fed.

Peter I didn’t mean … I couldn’t do anything with that looking at me with its nauseating
eyes. The clucking chickens are bad enough.

Edward It should be easy, man. I gave you the experienced one.

Peter Nothing to do with the prettiness of her daughter? I saw you couldn’t take your
eyes off –

Edward You know how it goes. He who pays, says.

Peter You should have saved your money.

An oldish woman comes in in her shift.

Edward She doesn’t think so.

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Peter She’s just making sure you don’t demand a refund.

Edward So loosen your braces.

Peter I’m not in the mood.

Edward After all the rotten stuff we’ve had to deal with, I thought you’d enjoy a good …
Well, you’ll have to do something with her while I’m busy with her daughter.

Peter I told you I was just interested in a drink. I’m a married man.

Edward So?

Peter A newly married man.

Edward And I’ve a sweetheart back home who keeps her knees together. Just get a bottle of
wine down you and then see how you feel. If you want more than liquid comfort,
it’s all been paid for.

Peter I don’t know why you –

Edward I felt sorry for you, man. Less than a year married and practically celibate. You
certainly weren’t one of those chaps signing up to lose his virginity.

Peter Edward!

Edward What?

Peter [indicating the woman] Do you mind?

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Edward laughs.

Peter What?

Edward You. You were about to have sex with her. What does the knowledge that you’ve
hardly broken in Wendy matter to her. She’s French; doesn’t understand a word.

Peter Wendy’s not a horse.

Edward She certainly isn’t from what you’ve told me.

Peter Do you ..! I wish I’d never said anything.

Edward I’m glad you did. It’s good to know more about who you share the dug-out. We’ve
all got our fancies and foibles. I like to know who I’m fighting alongside. Who I’m …
you know alongside. [He goes off.]

Peter If you say so. [To woman] What are you looking at? [He pretends to lunge at her
with the knife.] Hooooarrh!

The woman runs off screaming.

Wendy comes on.

Wendy So your mother was right. Will you put the knife away?

Peter Why?

Wendy Because I’m asking you to. I’m your wife and I don’t think you should –

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He puts it away.

Wendy Thank you. Shall we go?

Peter Go where?

Wendy Upstairs.

Peter It’s not like you.

She stares at him.

Wendy Things change. I realise there’s been some distance. But now we need to be
together more. Be ourselves, a family. It was wrong living here … with your
mother.

Peter So are we … done here?

Wendy I’ve … something to tell you. Besides, you don’t seem to be enjoying the party.

Peter Will you … will you find me a drink upstairs?

Wendy More tea?

Peter I meant …

Wendy Perhaps we should stay down here after all.

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Peter Isn’t … isn’t someone going to speak?

Wendy I don’t know. They were. I mean … But …

Peter Have I … spoiled things?

Wendy I don’t know. For your mother, yes. But I’m not sure many other people noticed …
[She indicates the destroyed sandwiches.] Your mother isn’t going to just close
things down and send everyone home. She was shaken, but she she’ll be back for
another sally.

Ruth rushes on followed by Edith.

Edith Where are you going?

Ruth I’ve made a mistake. He needs me. What was I doing sending Wendy in there? I
bet she’s making short work of the sandwiches.

Edith There’s no need to be uncharitable.

Ruth All she’s done for the last month is eat. I’m surprised she isn’t sick from … Oh my
God!

Edith Don’t blaspheme.

Ruth Sick … Sick, don’t you see? Haven’t you realised?

Wendy Tell me. We should try to … understand each other.

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Edith Tell me. Tell me.

Peter Should we?

Wendy It’s important. We don’t seem to talk …

Edith Please tell me.

Wendy You’re here, but you don’t seem present … Last leave we shared a room at night
…but not much else. I want things to be different.

Peter Different?

Wendy Better. Like you really want me. I want … I want you to look me in the eyes.

Edith What’s on your mind?

Peter Why?

Wendy I’ve been trying to … I’m sorry. It’s like climbing a hill but running out of puff on the
way up. Or getting stranded halfway up some steps.

Ruth I’ve got to –

Peter Courage. Take stock, then take heart, that’s what we say.

Wendy I … I’ve something to tell you.

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Edith Sit down, sit down. You’re being silly.

Peter Go on. Up and out. Over the top.

Wendy I’m … I’m having a baby.

Bomb burst.

Ruth drops a tray in frustration. She will be stopped in her agitation by Edith who gets her to sit
down, but she keeps trying to get up and bangs on the table between them.

Edith What are you doing? Sit down. This behaviour – it’s unseemly.

Ruth I need to get in there. I know what’s happening. I know!

Edith Everyone is looking.

Ruth What do I care about ..! Peter’s disturbed and …This is my family. My family’s at
stake.

Edith But you can’t just charge in there. What of decorum?

Ruth What do you know about ..? Your life is over. You have nothing.

Edith You are wrong. There is always God.

Ruth Big vacuous nothing.

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Peter My God! You need to sit down.

Edith You need to calm down. This isn’t helping matters at all. Think of all these people!
The hospital!

Ruth My son –

Edith -- is your son. He needs to sort himself out. And you need to comport yourself with
decorum.

The message finally gets through and Ruth goes off with Edith.

Peter Don’t just stand there. Down, I say.

Wendy It’s all right. I’ve a good few months yet.

Peter Don’t argue. Just get down. Get your head down. All this banging.

He ushers her into a chair.

Wendy Head down? Who’s banging?

Bomb burst.

In Peter’s mind, Edward collapses on, blown by the blast. Radley staggers on.

Peter Edward!

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[Edward dies.]

Wendy There’s no need.

Peter What?

Wendy Just hold my hand and let’s talk it through.

Peter Don’t be silly. Just take it easy. Conserve your breath.

Wendy But I’m fine.

Peter takes out a tin and gives Radley a swig from his hip flask.

Peter hugs him.

Radley dies.

Wendy Did you hear what I said?

Peter nods.

Wendy I just told you … Aren’t you happy?

Peter I … How did this happen?

Wendy How do you think? Last time you were home. We … I did what was expected of
me.

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Peter What a blow.

Wendy Blow? Peter, what are you – ?

Peter Blast. I’m … winded.

Wendy I can’t believe you … This is what I … Since you’ve been back, strange, blank, distant
behaviour. It’s as though you’re in the grip of something. Some demon or evil spirit.

Wendy Or at least as if your mind is elsewhere. I’d like to know where you go.

Peter Would you? Where do you think I go? Where could I go?

Wendy I don’t know. Back to the frontline, I suppose. Not literally, of course. Now that I’ve
told you you’re going to be a father, I hope you never go there again. But you have a
strange far-away look about you most days. You won’t settle. I wonder if you are
thinking of France. That you might in some way be stuck there? Did you hear what
I said? It’s like you’re trapped in some nightmare.

Peter I … Maybe.

Wendy Is that all you can say? This should be the happiest day of your life. But you’re
letting other things – I don’t know what – get in the way. These memories, these
thoughts, they’re holding you back, pulling you down. Whatever it is that’s going on
in your head it’s sending you to hell.

Peter You don’t know what … what it’s like. They need me. I didn’t …do enough … all I
could. I tried, but maybe I … I can save those that remain. Bloody banging! Can’t
think.

Wendy You should save yourself. Do right by me and … You’ve got good reason.

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Peter I … I … I don’t know … I just don’t know what’s expected of me.

Peter’s face starts to spasm.

Wendy Peter? What’s happening to you? Peter!

The light closes in on Wendy, but she is holding her husband.

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