In the latest instalment to The Arc, our collaborative theatrical project with Dublin Theatre Festival, Stacey Gregg has added to the work of Sonya Kelly, Deirdre Kinahan, Tom Murphy and Enda Walsh. The remaining playwrights in the project are Bush Moukarzel, Brokentalkers, Michael West, Genevieve Hulme-Beaman and Kate Heffernan.
This Sunday at 6pm, the play will get a rehearsed reading as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Annabelle Comyn will direct, with Kate Stanley Brennan playing Karolina, Niamh McCann playing Paulina and Declan Conlon playing the part of Mulcahy. The show is open to the public. Tickets are €5, with proceeds going to charity. You can buy them here or via the festival's box office, on 01-6778899 .
La Reine Claude: Part V by Stacey Gregg
As the lights fade on Mulcahy, Karolina finds her way to a seat.
She sits. O it is comfy.
KAROLINA takes off her shoes. Thump. Thump. PAULINA notices that Mulcahy has stopped and Karolina has taken her shoes off. Paulina is indecisive… she joins Karolina.
PAULINAWhat’re we like?
They laugh a little. KAROLINA stretches her feet.
KAROLINA lets out an odd yell.
PAULINA reacts with uncertainty.
Sorry. Just me stretching.
PAULINA What was all that about shoes, Karo?
KAROLINA shrugs.
KAROLINAI like when he talks about the paintings. But only for the first two minutes. I don’t mind cleaning. I quite like it. I have a routine.
PAULINA Classy gaff.
KAROLINA I polish the leaves of the plants. (Paulina, laughing) I alternate plants. The leaves come up so green and lush. I have a system. I lay all my rags and chemicals out in a row like sweets and I go through my system in my head on the walk into work. I’m very healthy. They should do classes in it. (inspired) “Cleanercise.”
She demonstrates, mopping and cleaning in an aerobic manner. Maybe she sings a snatch from a high-powered pop song. PAULINA is impressed, despite herself.
Thing about cleaning is, it has an end point. Makes you feel useful.
She stops cleanercising, catches her breath.
Sometimes, I sit in his study and pretend I’m waiting on important guests in swishy shoes, or, just suck on a tomato in his kitchen like a sort of willowy, high maintenance Nicole Kidman, or I lay in the bath -
PAULINA In his bath?
KAROLINA In his bath. Once, I had the whole place cleaned so it spun, the light was translucent, a back-to-school sort of day and it all felt like it was really mine and I, I, I, I, I was polishing the bannister - a bit you know, high - on the polish fumes - could lick your dinner off the wood it was so brown and rich and warm and, I BIT it.
Beat.
PAULINA You what?
KAROLINA I bit it.
PAULINA Karo!
KAROLINA I know.
PAULINA Did you leave a mark?
KAROLINA (cheerfully) Big time. Perfect oval of tiny viscous dents.
PAULINA You bit Mulcahy’s mahogany bannister?
KAROLINA Is it -
PAULINA I think it’s -
KARO/ PAULINA Mahogony?
PAULINA What’ll you do?
If he finds them?
Your teeth?
On his - property?
Beat.
KAROLINA I don’t think I’m the best -
PAULINA Maid?
KAROLINA Yeah.
PAULINA Yeah. No.
Blackout.
They become aware of Mulcahy’s presence. An air of urgency. Karolina hurriedly puts her shoes back on.
