First performed at The Jersey Arts Centre on 23 and 24 February 1996
The man (Rupert, Hans, Richard) played by Paul Baker
The woman (Henrietta, Rachel, Helen) played by Wendy Bell
Directed by Simon Crowcroft
Lights up, hot bright day. It is 1895. The set bare except for a ladder going up out of sight up right. Perhaps a board with 'Ices 2d'. Down centre a deckchair with brochure open on it and a hamper beside it.
Up right RUPERT, 25, in flannels and panama is clapping as HENRIETTA, 18, dripping wet in period swimsuit and cap, comes in. He has a towel over his arm which he puts round her shoulders.
RUPERT My dear girl, I never thought you had it in you.
HENRIETTA Thank you very much! (Low) Neither did I. (She looks around) Should I bow, do you think?
RUPERT (Looks up) Simply mounting the steps to the first board induced the most frightful vertigo I believe I have ever known.
HENRIETTA You can see for miles from up there. The shipyards along the coast. And France, I think. You owe me a guinea, by the way.
RUPERT My love, in four days it will all be yours.
HENRIETTA Pray don't deprive me of the satisfaction. Where is your pocket book? (She starts looking inside his jacket and tickling him)
RUPERT I left it in my valise. Henrietta, love, you'll pitch me in if you're not careful. (He moves her away from water, down left) I say, the fellow in the booth told me at least a hundred people have come into the baths today expressly to see you dive.
HENRIETTA How did they know? I only decided to this morning.
RUPERT You'd be surprised how fast word travels in these out of the way places.
HENRIETTA I was so embarrassed going up the ladder. I felt so, I don't know -
RUPERT Frightened?
HENRIETTA Indecent. (Looking at her costume) These new bathing draws. (Looking around) Look at them all. And to be seen like this. I'm so ashamed, Rupert. You weren't vexed?
RUPERT Good heavens, no. Most fetching, most fetching. And one must move with the times. Now do stop being so confoundedly self-conscious.
HENRIETTA I must go and change.
RUPERT Come and sit down a minute, please?
HENRIETTA Very well.
They come downstage. She sits. He opens the hamper and gets out a bottle of fizz and two glasses
Rupert!
RUPERT I sent for it while you were swimming. I knew I'd be so proud of you. He looks up, shakes his head Forty feet. You clever thing.
HENRIETTA What if I'd changed my mind? What if I'd climbed back down? Smiling at her he busies himself with the bottle. She stands. Rupert.
RUPERT What's that?
HENRIETTA I am ...
RUPERT You are what, my dear? Pause. She sits down again
HENRIETTA It's quite delightful here.
RUPERT A bit crowded for my liking, but then I'm not permitted to bathe here, am I? HENRIETTA It says in the brochure that they're going to build a pool for the gentlemen, too, further along the beach. She opens the brochure
RUPERT But why did you get yours first?
HENRIETTA Why chivalry, of course. (Reading) I say, that's not fair! Yours is going to be bigger. RUPERT (He pops the cork) Quite right too. He pours her a glass. There.
HENRIETTA Thank you.
RUPERT The future.
HENRIETTA The future. Pause. They sip their drinks Shall I read?
RUPERT That would be lovely.
HENRIETTA (Reads) 'The formal opening ceremony of the new ladies bathing establishment was one of the most brilliant functions witnessed for some time past. The fine band of the 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment was in attendance and discoursed a choice selection of music during the afternoon, including the National Anthem as his Excellency major General P Hopton, CB, the Lieutenant Governor and his suite set foot on the tower.' Blah blah.
RUPERT What's that?
HENRIETTA (Reads) 'The pond wall was commenced in April of last year and the bathing accommodation in October, the approximate cost being some £3000.' Oh.
RUPERT Not cheap.
HENRIETTA (Reads) 'It might interest the public to know that the water is admitted and discharged by means of two sluices and is at every state of the tide in communication with the sea, ensuring a constant, abundant and clean supply. There could, therefore, be nothing pleasanter to bathe in.'
RUPERT Marvellous, isn't it, what we can do these days.
HENRIETTA (Reads) 'The question of providing dressing accommodation for the ladies has been carefully considered.'
RUPERT I bet it has.
HENRIETTA Be quiet. (Reads) 'Compared to the average bathing machine we must say that we are now in clover.' In clover?
RUPERT Like cows, my dear.
HENRIETTA (Reads) 'A feature also is the possible use to which the establishment might be put for public promenades and as a place of amusement.'
RUPERT I say, there's a paper boy. Hold this.
He thrusts his glass in her hand and dashes off left. She sits holding his glass in one hand and hers in the other, then puts both in one hand so she can read the brochure. He returns with a paper and takes his glass
RUPERT Thanks. He reads for a moment then folds the paper and puts it in his pocket HENRIETTA What's the news from London?
RUPERT Nothing much.
HENRIETTA May I see? He passes her the paper. She reads. He stands up and looks uncomfortable.
HENRIETTA Oh. Oh no. The poor man.
RUPERT I'm afraid he had it coming to him.
HENRIETTA But he's been sentenced to five years!
RUPERT I know.
HENRIETTA With hard labour. It will kill him.
RUPERT Henrietta -
HENRIETTA To be sent to prison with common criminals and vagabonds. A man like Mr Wilde. You remember the plays? What did they have to send him to prison for?
RUPERT Look. When mad Queensbury overturned Wilde's libel writ, he should have made himself scarce. But he didn't, he went on parading round town making a fool of himself. And then he was put on trial for ... for his -
HENRIETTA Gross indecency.
RUPERT And when the judge threw out the case, he still didn't scarper.
HENRIETTA Would you?
RUPERT No, but then I hardly think ...
HENRIETTA What?
RUPERT Well, I would hardly put myself ...
HENRIETTA Yes?
RUPERT In such a position. I mean to say, they flaunt their perverted apetites, these decadent types. They're making a laughingstock of good, decent -
HENRIETTA But if you weren't in love with me -
RUPERT Henrietta!
HENRIETTA If you were in love with a man -
RUPERT Oh Henrietta, please stop this talk. It is most unbecoming in you and distressing to me. HENRIETTA What would you do?
RUPERT I don't know.
HENRIETTA People should speak out against this. There should be an appeal or something. RUPERT It is against the law.
HENRIETTA The law should be changed. You are a lawyer, Rupert.
RUPERT Yes, and I intend to remain that way, my darling. So that I can be a successful lawyer, and we can have a large house overlooking the sea, and our children will want for nothing, and you will entertain in style. Come now, another glass of champers.
HENRIETTA (Standing) Rupert, I -
RUPERT Here you are. Then you must get changed before you take a chill.
HENRIETTA Rupert -
RUPERT (Calling up left) I say? I say, did it work? Henrietta, do look, that fellow's got one of those photographic contraptions. He's recorded your splendid feat.
HENRIETTA I don't think -
RUPERT (Calling up left) Did it work, do you think?
HENRIETTA I don't think I can do it.
RUPERT What's that?
HENRIETTA I can't marry you. He looks forward at the bystanders (imagined) then back at her RUPERT (Low) Don't be silly, darling.
HENRIETTA (Loudly) Mr Wilde has done nothing wrong, he only loves differently from us. And he has brought us all so much amusement, has he not? Is my fiance such a coward that he won't admit it? That he won't do something?
RUPERT What is it precisely that you want me to do?
HENRIETTA Oh, I don't know! We could catch the steamer in the morning. We could go back to London. You could take up his case, couldn't you?
RUPERT It's much too late for that.
HENRIETTA It's never too, late, Rupert. Talk to papa, he has friends.
RUPERT Henrietta, stop this at once! You know very well that I ... (Looking forward) Please go about your business, this is a private matter.
HENRIETTA Coward!
She goes off down left. He sits and puts the things back in the hamper. Pause. He gets up.
RUPERT I apologise for having disturbed you. My fiance was ... she has some strange ideas! It was nothing ... a silly misunderstanding. She did love the fellow's plays, you see. But as for going back to London to ... take up the man's case, why, one might as well blow out one's brains here and now for all the good it would do! And calling me a ... as for ... she knows, the lady knows that I am ... why only last year I was in Zermatt with some fellows from the University and we climbed the lower slopes of the Matterhorn.
He nods conclusively, picks up the hamper and goes out. Lights down
Read part two of The Blue Terrace