2. SCENE 1 - stairs
From the upstairs staircase Jack (a young
autistic boy) ’bumps’ down the stairs, as he
descends the stairs his clothes change
every-step showing a progression of time and
routine. His final outfit is the pyjamas.
SCENE 2 - morning routine
Jack enters and sits in the central chair at the
breakfast table. Emma (Jack’s mother) is setting
up food on the breakfast table, she’s wearing a
dressing grown, has messy hair and last nights
make-up on. She precisely places seven cereal
boxes, aligned in alphabetical order, a
placemat, napkin and spoon. The table looks very
neat and framed, like a display kitchen.
Emma brings over a glass of juice and a jug of
milk, she kisses him on the head, then exits to
the office room with a cup of coffee. Jack picks
a variety of flakes from each cereal packet and
places them in his bowl. He pours milk to just
below the cereal line then puts the milk back,
takes his spoon and begins eating.
SCENE 3 - watching tv
Jack is now in the living room sitting on the
carpet with his legs crossed. He is sitting
staring at the cupboard in-front of the sofa.
After over 10 seconds he moves forward, opens
the cabinet and picks out a Rubik’s cube. He
takes the exact same place back on the floor. He
solves the Rubik’s cube in nearly 20 seconds. He
puts the cube down and continues staring at the
cupboard.
Jack moves onto the sofa and turns on the TV,
the cupboard folds and a TV rises from the
centre of it. He chooses discovery channel and
we hear David Attenborough’s voice over is
describing animal activities in the Amazon
rainforest where a certain species of tree frog
carry out the exact same morning routine
everyday.
SCENE 4 - emma in her office
Emma is in her office at the laptop, on the
windowsill is a row of framed pictures, some of
her & Jack, others and some of her much younger
with friends at work and at bars. The office is
far messier than the rest of the house, there
are files and paper booklets on chairs around
the room and the desk is covered in mugs and a
(CONTINUED)
3. CONTINUED: 2.
few wine glasses. Her mobile rings, she searches
underneath the files and papers, trying to find
it. It continues to ring. She finds the mobile
underneath a photo on the coffee table. The
screen flashes "Rob Morgan Calling," Rob is her
boss.
EMMA
Rob, hi... no I have a couple of minutes ...
SCENE 5 - emma tidying kitchen
Jack is sitting on sofa watching an Animal
Programme.
Emma enters to the kitchen on the phone, her
conversation continues as she pours another cup
of coffee and tidies some of the kitchen.
EMMA
It shouldn’t take longer than a week, I have a couple
of issues with the last placements also... Well to
start I’m worried he’s got the gross wrong, what was
last years overall? So that makes the gross 33%? She
goes back to office with coffee continuing
conversation.
Seeing her leave Jack turns the TV off, the TV
begins to fold back into the cupboard out of
focus as he gets up and follows her to the
office, taking the Rubik’s Cube with him.
SCENE 6 - emma’s phonecall
Dialogue during stage directions,
not SEPARATELY
Emma’s sitting at the desk again talking to Rob
on the phone. Jack enters from the hallway into
the office, peeking his head round the door at
first.
EMMA
Did you get through to him? I can’t exactly put
through the last payments if we haven’t got the final
numbers... We could do with a breakdown on mondays
meeting ...
He winces slightly at the clutter of the room
and her untidiness. He focuses back to Emma and
walks over to her, the Rubik’s Cube
outstretched.
EMMA
Part of my thinking was that if we got to grips with
the ... well yes Rob ... It’s more a question of
whether or not they choose us, it’s going round that
Burgess has offered them a lower claim
(CONTINUED)
4. CONTINUED: 3.
She notices him in her peripheral vision but
pays little attention, she simply holds his head
briefly, squashing him and the Rubik’s Cube
accidentally. He struggles free. She pays no
attention and continues her conversation.
EMMA
I think once Deni has the numbers in and we breakdown
everything we can formulate a new proposal by
wednesday but everyone’s going to need to get
involved ... well what do you propose
Jack holds the Cube up with some anger now in
her face so she can see it clearly, she gives
him a patronising smile and pulls his hand down
from in-front of her face. She turns away from
him and moves to sit on the opposite chair. Jack
stamps his feet in-front of her. She gestures to
shh.
JACK
Grunting, gurgling noises begin
Jack walks to centre of the room and kicks a
pile of papers which turns his mood from anger
to fit, he now realises the mess that is
surrounding him and can’t cope.
EMMA
Jack, quiet now, Mummy’s trying to talk. Jack! Yes
Rob everything’s fine ... Just Jack’s a bit upset, no
you keep going, I’m all ears.
Scene 7 - jack’s fit
Jack stumbles out of the room and down the
stairs to the kitchen where he collapses onto
the floor and shakes in fits and tensed muscle
spasms. He is having an internal fit, unable to
communicate or act out, his body is completely
tensed.
Emma runs after him, realising what is about to
happen and seeing him lying on the hard stone
kitchen floor, grabs him, holding him close
while he shakes.
EMMA
Rob, yes, listen can you email ...
JACK
No.
Jack just manages to knock the phone out of her
hand and its falls to the floor. She tries to
reach it but Jack has taken priority. She now
strokes his head and tries to calm him. She has
experienced many of these episodes before now.
(CONTINUED)
5. CONTINUED: 4.
Jack finally calms down and slumps onto Emma
from exhaustion, he is numb looking.
EMMA
That’s it sweetheart, ok come on then...
She helps him up and over to the sofa where she
restarts the TV and puts in a Planet Earth DVD.
She sits with him watching it for a while and
she sees he is calmed she sneaks back to the
office.
Scene 8 - emma’s office
Emma slumps in her chair with her head in her
hands. She takes a sip of coffee. She looks once
again over the photos on the windowsill.
Emma runs upstairs and reappears 10 seconds
later changed into casual clothing, jeans and a
t-shirt.
She goes into the office, looks once again over
the photos and picks up her bag and a photo of
her and friends when they were much younger and
her handbag from the desk.
scene 9 - outside the house
Emma closes the office door quietly and then
opens the front door with equal caution, closing
it quietly behind her. She leans against the
front porch. Digs in her bag and pulls out a
packet of Marlboro cigarettes and a lighter. The
daylight is refreshing, everything in the scene
is brighter and more colourful. She lights her
cigarette and gazes over the other houses and
her front garden while smoking. She stubs out
the cigarette and throws it into the garden. She
walks puts them bag in her bag, clutching the
picture frame close to her chest. She closes her
eyes and breathes.
She bends down, picks up milk bottles that are
by the door and gets the keys out from her bag.
She opens the door and goes back into the house.
END
