Letters Home
Cast: 1m, 4f (min. with doubling)
Run time: 110 minutes
When a life-changing injury leaves a "trench scribe" Will hospitalised in France, he enlists the help of Nina, a young Red Cross nurse to continue the deception of writing to the families of his dead friends as if they were still alive, ensuring their final promises are kept at any cost.
Since 1917, Private Will Edwards has been writing letters on behalf of his illiterate WW1 comrades in the trenches in Northern France. He has been reading out the replies to them, and become vicariously involved in their lives. On a mission to reinforce recently dug trenches on their retreat from the front line, he suffers life changing injuries, and the loss of his closest pals in his platoon. Before they went over the top, each had written their final letters home, which were to be delivered by hand should the worst happen. They all promised to keep sending letters should anything happen, until such time as they made it back to England and could see their pal’s various loved ones in person.
Will, now in a General Hospital in Northern France, meets Nina, a very young, naive Red Cross Volunteer nurse (VAD). Nina and other nursing staff help Will to keep his promise until his return to England.
Will made a vow. Now he must keep it.
* Due for publication by Lazy Bee Scripts.
Characters:
1M / 4F with suggested doubling
Will Edwards, 20 - 30 and late 60s. WW1 Infantryman, Devonshire Regiment.
Nurse Hastings, 20 – 40. VAD, Red Cross volunteer
Nina Horton-Smythe, 20s and late 60s. Auxiliary, VAD, Red Cross volunteer
Matron, 40 – 50. QAIMNS military nurse.
Sister Williams, 50s. Non-military Nurse, volunteer.
Emily Bush, 20s.
Charlotte (Lottie) Watkins, 20s and late 60s. Daisy’s sister in law, widow to Fred, KIA 1915. Broad Devon accent.
Elsie Turner, 20s.
Daisy Watkins, 20s and late 60s. VAD nurse Greece, Fred’s younger sister.
Lady Mary Horton-Smythe, 50s. Volunteer visitor, member of Salvation Army.
Sally Watkins, 40s. Lottie’s daughter, Daisy’s niece
Run time: 2 hours, plus interval.
Characters with suggested doubling - 1M, 4F
Will Edwards, 20s and late 60s. WW1 Infantryman, Devonshire Regiment.
Nurse Hastings, 20 – 40. VAD, Red Cross volunteer.
Also plays Daisy, 20s and 60s.
Nina Horton-Smythe, 20s. Auxiliary VAD, Red Cross volunteer.
Also plays Emily, 20s.
Matron, 40s – 50s. QAIMNS military nurse.
Also plays Lottie, 20s, and 60s.
Sister Williams, 50s. Non-military Nurse, volunteer.
Also plays Elsie, 20s. Lady Mary, 50s, Sally, 40s.
Location:
Act 1
Sc 1 Late 1917. The trenches near Ypres.
Sc 2 April 1918. General Hospital casualty ward, Northern France. The aftermath of The Battle of Rosieres. Afternoon.
Sc 3 Summer 1918. General hospital casualty ward. Morning.
Sc 4 General hospital casualty ward. Morning.
Sc 5 September 1918. General hospital nurses station. Early evening.
Sc 6 General hospital fever ward. Morning.
Sc 7 General hospital fever ward. Morning.
Sc 8 October 1918. Convalescent home – south coast of England.
Sc 9 November 1918. Convalescent home.
Act 2
Sc 1 1918. Nurses station, General Hospital, Salonika, Greece
Sc 2 1960s. A small flat in Bristol, afternoon
Sc 3 A sitting room in Devon, afternoon
Sc 4 A small flat in Bristol, morning
Sc 5 A sitting room in Devon, afternoon
Published by Lazy Bee Scripts.
