This is a test
- 300 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Three Women and a Piano Tuner (NHB Modern Plays)
Book details
Book preview
Table of contents
Citations
About This Book
An offbeat, lyrical drama about how our hopes and dreams can be thwarted by the choices we make - and by the ones we don't make.
Ella's got a project. After ten years she has completed her piano concerto, and now she needs the help of Liz and Beth to get it performed. But first they've got some history to negotiate, and some old scores to settle.
'a complex, slippery study of psychological crisis... poignant and roaringly funny' - The Times
'an astonishing piece - witty, emotionally raw and deeply affecting - that leaves you gasping at the imaginative ingenuity of the dramatist's central conceit... exceptionally touching and ingenious' - Telegraph
'a strong, beautiful, haunting play' - Sunday Times
Frequently asked questions
At the moment all of our mobile-responsive ePub books are available to download via the app. Most of our PDFs are also available to download and we're working on making the final remaining ones downloadable now. Learn more here.
Both plans give you full access to the library and all of Perlegoâs features. The only differences are the price and subscription period: With the annual plan youâll save around 30% compared to 12 months on the monthly plan.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1 million books across 1000+ topics, weâve got you covered! Learn more here.
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more here.
Yes, you can access Three Women and a Piano Tuner (NHB Modern Plays) by Helen Cooper in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Drama. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
ACT TWO
Lights fade up.
We hear an orchestra playing part of the second movement of ELLAâs piano concerto, as the space is being transformed into a rehearsal studio with a piano, chairs and music stands.
During this transformation, LIZ is changing into a fabulous dress. When it is time for her solo, LIZ sits down behind the piano and plays with great passion.
ELLA enters and sits down on one of the wooden chairs. She listens to LIZ with concentration.
After a while, BETH comes in wearing a summer suit. She tiptoes across the room so as not to disturb the concentration, which she, of course, does.
BETH signs to ELLA that she has the leaflets. ELLA shuts her up with a glance.
BETH finds a chair and sits down. She rummages through her bag.
ELLA gives her another furious glance.
BETH stops rummaging and sits now quite still, pretending to listen to LIZâs playing but her mind is obviously on the leaflets she canât find.
ELLA is totally focused on LIZ.
LIZ plays magnificently.
When LIZ comes to the end of the second movement, there is a complete silence for a while, then BETH starts to clap.
BETH
Brilliant! Thatâs brilliant!
ELLA gives her another furious look, which shuts her up.
BETH returns to rummaging through her bag.
ELLA walks over to LIZ.
ELLA
(hesitant)
Yeah . . . thatâs . . . yeah . . .
ELLA looks at the score and turns to a particular page and studies it.
LIZ
You donât like it.
ELLA
No, no, I do. Itâs just that . . .
BETH
I think itâs brilliant.
ELLA looks at BETH.
ELLA
Beth . . . please . . .
BETH goes back to her rummaging.
ELLA turns back to the score.
ELLA
Here . . . the way you . . .
LIZ
Yeah, I know, but the top E flat â listen . . . (she plays it)
Whereâs Harold?
BETH
Heâll be here soon.
ELLA and LIZ look at BETH. Then ELLA turns back to the score.
ELLA
Itâs the tempo.
BETH
I like the tempo.
ELLA desperately tries to ignore BETH.
LIZ
She likes the tempo.
ELLA
(studying the score)
And here . . . the shading . . . Remember: flapping, soaring, flapping, soaring with neck outstretched and legs trailing. This here . . . should be . . . delicate, so . . . think of . . . the nuances of a sigh . . . and here . . . the phrasing . . . you seem to shout. No-one likes to be shouted at. Why donât you speak? Or better still, whisper . . .
Pause.
LIZ
This is my interpretation.
ELLA
Itâs not what I have written.
Pause.
BETH
Iâve found them.
Neither of the other two react.
BETH
The leaflets, look, Iâve found them.
ELLA
Not now, Beth please, not now.
BETH sits there quietly.
BETH
Now youâre dreaming, Beth, now youâre dreaming.
Pause.
LIZ
(to BETH)
She doesnât like the way I play it.
All three sit in silence for a while. Quite separate.
BETH
I was studying the score yesterday and I was amazed. It all came flooding back. Donât forget that before we were eighteen we had already practised more than 15,000 hours. Last night I counted them. Two hours a day between the age of six and twelve, and five hours a day between twelve and eighteen.
ELLA and LIZ look at her.
BETH
15,000 hours before eighteen.
They all think about that for a moment.
BETH
(to LIZ)
You must have done over 50,000 hours by now . . . at least.
They all think about that.
BETH
(to LIZ)
Youâve won.
LIZ
Won what?
BETH
The crown.
LIZ
Have I?
BETH
Youâre wearing it!
LIZ radiates as she is wearing her imaginary crown.
BETH
It suits you.
BETH and ELLA look at LIZ.
LIZ
(to ELLA)
Bitter, are you?
ELLA doesnât speak.
BETH
William always says: âEvery choice has its future.â
ELLA
William sa...
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Contents
- Dedication
- Original Production
- Characters
- Act One
- Act Two
- About the Author
- Copyright and Performing Rights Information