Bird (NHB Modern Plays)

Katherine Chandler

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781780017648
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

Ava and Tash are up on a cliff, looking out at the flocking birds – and at their future. On the cusp of adulthood and about to leave the care home they've shared, the two friends road-test their impending freedom and living in the outside world.

Ava must confront the mother she left behind. Tash will have to look for a new home. And both girls will go on living dangerously with the men who surround them.

Raw, delicate and bold, Bird is a story of growing up outside a family but inside the fiercest of friendships. It was the winner of a Judges' Award in the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, and premiered at Sherman Cymru in 2016 before transferring to the Royal Exchange, Manchester.

AVA and TASH.

A cliff.

A large stretch of water.

AVA stands at the tip of the cliff, the end of the earth, breathing it in.

Arms outstretched like wings.

Breathing.

Closes her eyes.

Breathes.

A rumble of noise begins.

Look up.

The sky.

Noise and movement through the sky.

Wonder.

Giggling behind her.

Noise and movement through the sky.

Giggling increases.

TASH grabs AVA.

The swell of noise increases.

Movements in the sky, shadows. Birds.

Fly over randomly.

Increasing in numbers.

TASH and AVA look at each other.

Hold each other’s gaze.

TASH grabs AVA’s hands.

They giggle.

Hold hands spinning together.

Looking at each other, laughing with each other.

Spinning together, they watch the birds with delight, still holding hands.

Birds.

AVAWhat do you think they are?

Watches the sky.

Watches.

TASHFree.

They let go of each other and fall to the floor.

CLAIRE in a café.

AVAI sent you letters.

I didn’t have your number.

No response.

I would have texted.

It felt weird.

Posh like.

Sending you letters. I put ‘Dear Mam’.

I thought if it was a text.

I think I would have put, ‘Alright’ or something

like that.

But with letters.

It’s weird init.

Did you get them?

I never knew.

So I just kept writing them.

Like on them shows when they gets lost family

together and stuff they says that don’t they.

They says ‘For years I got you a birthday card’

and they shows them a big pile of cards and

Christmas presents and stuff.

When is your birthday?

I was thinking I don’t know when your birthday is.

I know it’s March some time but I don’t know exactly when.

Cos we could do something couldn’t we. We could do something nice.

Did you get the letters?

CLAIREI got them.

AVAI didn’t know.

CLAIREI can’t read much, as it goes.

AVAI didn’t know that.

I never knew that about you.

CLAIREWell, now you do.

AVAI didn’t think.

It makes sense.

Now I’m thinking of it, that makes sense of a lot of things.

CLAIREI’m glad.

AVAForms an’ stuff.

It makes sense.

Anything official.

I can help with that.

CLAIREI get by.

AVAPaul likes his forms.

Me and Tash. She’s my friend.

Me and Tash laughs about that.

But he’s alright is Paul. They’re not all like him.

Social workers. But he is.

...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Original Production
• Director’s Note
• Rehearsal Photographs
• Thanks
• Dedication
• Characters
• Bird
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information