This is the first five scenes of act one.


The Strange & Wondrous Garden
By Philip Hilton

ACT 1
SCENE 1

Scene opens, we see a ballroom on an ocean liner with couples             dancing, an Orchestra can be heard playing a waltz.

AMELIA:           Wasn't it nice of Captain Smith to have us at his table?

JOHN:             Yes well I er may have had a little to do with it!

AMELIA:           Why John what do you mean by that?

JOHN:             Just that I may have dropped in conversation with one       of the officers that we happened to be on our honeymoon, in the hopes, I may add that it might find its way back to the Captain.

AMELIA:           Oh you really are a terrible man and I'm sure a bad          influence, just what will become of me in the hands of  a rogue like you?

JOHN:             Emmy darling I really couldn't begin to know what                 you could possibly be inferring, as for being in my hands I cannot remember hearing a word of complaint in that area!.....Can you?

AMELIA:           Shush.......Shush These people might hear!

JOHN:             Oh yes and what would the noble Captain Smith say,         why he might have me clapped in irons.....Or even have me walk the plank..........Or..........

AMELIA:           Shut up you fool and dance!

JOHN:             Aye aye skipper thats an order I think I will have to             obey.
           
They dance.

AMELIA:           Darling can I have you serious for a moment?

JOHN:             Well I will try my best but you know how hard it is for             me to dance and do anything else at the same time, sorry darling I am listening.

AMELIA:           Its just that I have never been happier than I am at this      moment...........

JOHN:             Mmm.......Me too.......

AMELIA:           No!  I haven't finished what I was saying!

JOHN:             Sorry Darling........Go ahead I'm all ears!

AMELIA:           As I was saying, I really am so happy and its just that I             can't help wondering will it always be like this?.........Will it?..........Do you know I wish this dance could last forever, just you and I...........

JOHN:             And what about the musicians.... or do you want me to       whistle for all eternity, and I think my two left feet might get just a little tired.

AMELIA:           Stop teasing me, you know just what I mean, please         don`t laugh at me.......I...I've never been more serious in all my life!

JOHN:             I know.........I'm sorry, of course it will always be like             this.

AMELIA:           Will it John?....Will it?

JOHN:             Just let anyone try and stop.........

AMELIA:           No! don't even think about it..........Just saying it might      make it happen.

JOHN:             Listen nothing will ever change, nothing I                           wouldn't let it!

AMELIA:           No you're right we won't ever let it happen, not to                 us......... I love you and I will never leave  your side..............Never........Never.......I will always be with you.........Always!

JOHN:             Darling you're frightening me, whats wrong ,What is          it?

AMELIA:           Oh its nothing.........Its just that I..........

JOHN:        Are you alright?

AMELIA:        Yes

JOHN:        I mean really?

AMELIA:        Yes of course I am, I'm with you so I must be........It             was just.........

JOHN:        Yes......Go on.

AMELIA:        It was a feeling I had, just then you know when we                 were dancing.........I felt afraid just for a moment.........Please hold me darling...Just hold me.

JOHN:        There.....Better?

AMELIA:        Yes I'm sorry, I........I was just being foolish

JOHN:        No you were just being the girl I fell in love with....I             love you!

AMELIA:         I love you too.....John will you keep this for me?
           
She gives him her wedding ring.
           
AMELIA:          I'm scared I might lose it!

JOHN:        Yes of course.... it was rather foolish of me to get you             a ring too large to do its duty.

AMELIA:        Oh you make it sound so unromantic!
            
The lights dim and the music stops, a ships officer enters.

OFFICER:        Ladies and Gentlemen could I have your attention             please, we have encountered a slight problem....Could I please ask you to put on your life jackets at once...........There is no reason to panic.


BLACK OUT




                                        ACT 1
SCENE 2

Lights up, we see a paper boy picked out in a spot, banner                 headline reads unsinkable Titanic lost!

PAPER BOY:    Read all about it!....Unsinkable Titanic lost at               sea....1500 lives lost..Extra extra read all about it   Titanic lost at sea....
          
The Paper boy changes his tone to that of a narrator
           
PAPER BOY:  The Titanic was the largest ship afloat on the ocean         and the pride of her owners the White Star Line...She  was 882 feet long and 92 feet wide and as high as an eleven storey building...Just 4 days and 17 hours into her maiden voyage, the ship struck an iceberg...It was 11-40pm on Sunday 14th April 1912...The ship sank within 2 hours and forty minutes...She had 2227 passengers and crew, of these 1522 were  drowned....Among those souls lost was the Titanics master,Captain Edward Smith....There was a single sigh that seemed to come as one from all the survivors  in the lifeboats, as they saw the ship, with all its lights burning sink beneath the dark water.
          
Cut spot and lights up on a middle aged couple.

MOTHER:        I can hardly believe our little girl is lost.

FATHER:        Please don't say lost, you know she won't be coming         back!

MOTHER:        Yes you are quite right, I'm so sorry........Please                 forgive me?....Its just that I never said goodbye toher.......I...I keep looking at the door and watching and  waiting.......Waiting for her to walk in  and.......And....And.....Oh God!
           
She brakes down, Father comforts her.

FATHER:        I know....... but we must carry on for his sake!

MOTHER:        For John, yes you are right, he needs us now, how is       he?

FATHER:        Sleeping the last time I saw him.

MOTHER:        Do you know I passed his room earlier, well Amelia`s             room and I heard him weeping like a child.........A grown man sobbing like an infant.....I pushed open the  door and looked in, he didn't see me for he was lost in his sorrow.......I watched him and as I stood there the terrible truth came home to me........It was at that                moment that I knew our little girl would never come home again.......And do you know, God forgive me, I hated him.

FATHER:        John?

MOTHER:        Yes......Just for a moment, you see I blamed him for          taking my baby away.........Those feelings were very short lived and they were soon replaced by a feeling of helplessness....... of complete and utter loss........How can we go on?

FATHER:        We have to........Don't you see.......Not only for his                sake but also for ours.......We all have to accept that she isn't coming back.

Knock off stage, Father exits. Enter Father with William during Mothers speech. John enters garden during Mothers monologue and sits on bench in the darkness.

MOTHER:        Amelia, today I had the cruellest blow, your wedding     portraits arrived from the photographer, a face so full of life smiles out of every picture..........But every image lies, for where has your life gone?...Where are all your smiles now?.......Just what did we do to offend such a cruel and angry God!...To make him steal my       child.......And now you are taken from me........My darling I died on that day with you!

WILLIAM:        How is he?....Any better?

FATHER:        He seems to be getting worse, every day he becomes    more and more distant, I know the doctors have said it takes time but we really need to do something.

WILLIAM:        Yes......Yes I understand....But what can we do?

MOTHER:        He needs to get away from this house and all the               memories.........I honestly believe its for the best.

FATHER:        Yes I agree its the only thing to do......He is taking  this       far worse than any of us expected.

MOTHER:        I will go and look in on him...I know it will please him          to know that you are here William.
            
Mother exits.

WILLIAM:        They were so devoted to each other.....I still find it so         hard to come to terms with her loss...I'm sorry I shouldn't be saying this to you.

FATHER:        No William you could not possibly understand just              how it feels to suffer such a loss and be unable to talk about it.... Because...

WILLIAM:        Mother?

FATHER:        Yes William, she feels the need  to distance                     herself......And no matter how I feel I have to respect her wishes....But I myself have a very real need to talk about my Amelia....And I imagine that you are the same.

WILLIAM:        Yes..

FATHER:        You always were her good friend, the two of you were       so very close.

WILLIAM:        Did She ever tell you that I had courted her for a short        while?

FATHER:        Why William...I never knew.

WILLIAM:        I say a short while, it  was a very short while indeed,           only  a matter of days really...I remember I was doing so well and then I made my big mistake!

FATHER:        Oh yes?

WILLIAM:        Yes..I introduced her to my friend John..

FATHER:        Oh I see.

WILLIAM:        I knew that I could never compete, nor indeed would          want to, not with what they had found in each other...No I was more than happy to be her friend....And  a truer and more loving friendship I               could never ask for..... and I know that I shall never find a friend as loyal and loving as Amelia.........As long as I live.
           
FATHER:        I know.....But what ever happens now we must think             of John.

WILLIAM:        Wait!..I think I have an idea that might just work, its             this...You know that I have one or two investments in the city?

FATHER:        Yes.

WILLIAM:        John is so good on the financial side of                  things...I could ask him for his help...And it wouldn't be a lie...I really could use his help, and of course it would get him away from things for a while.

FATHER:        I think it sounds an excellent idea, as he will feel that         he is doing you a favour.

Black out



ACT 1 SCENE 3

Lights up on the Garden.

JOHN:        Well here I am Emmy in our garden, just like                 before....Only now I'm alone....Do you remember the last time I ever held you in my arms and we said we would always be together
           
Enter Mother, who stands at a distance listening to monologue            

JOHN:        Darling you really scared me that night!....It was as though you knew something was going to happen......You looked so beautiful in your Mothers gown, she  would have been so proud of you,                        

Exit Mother crying...
           
JOHN:         You never looked more radiant.......How those officers          must have envied me, you really were the belle of the ball........You always waltzed so beautifully.....I remember our last kiss as though it only just happened,  it was after dinner we had decided to take a turn on the deck and look at the ocean...... I looked into your eyes and I was lost, it was as though the stars had found a new resting place, our lips touched and I tasted the sweetest thing on Gods earth.... I wonder what would have happened if only we had sustained our kiss a little  longer, would we have been spared this torment, this agony, would you have lived.... but no we had to have our last dance together...... Darling do you            remember the trouble we had when you nearly lost your ring in the ballroom.
          
 He takes out wedding ring.
          
JOHN:           I never did have it altered...... Here I'll plant it in our             garden, don't worry nobody will find it!
           
Amelia appears and stands watching John.
           
JOHN:            God! just listen to me I'm talking like a madman, why           am I speaking to you.... I'll never talk to you again   

He feels her presence
           
JOHN:             Emmy? .... No.
           
Amelia approaches John.
           
JOHN:              Oh Darling if only you could hear me, we never said          goodbye.
           
Amelia reaches out towards John.

AMELIA:        Please don't say goodbye, we will always be together....     Hold me darling.......Why won't you hold me!

JOHN:        I never wanted to say goodbye!

AMELIA:        Yes it's me, Its your Emmy......Look at me!

Amelia kisses him he feels a cold shiver.

JOHN:        Emmy!!!..... Darling is it you?

AMELIA:        Yes John.
           
She looks into his eyes, he turns away from her.

JOHN:        Why am I doing this, what am I doing?....I know you're not here, but I'll always love you!

           
Off stage,Willim calls .

WILLIAM:        John?.......John?......John are you out here?
           
John stands in thought. enter William. Amelia walks over to             William
           
WILLIAM:        There you are, I was beginning to wonder where you          had gone....Are you alright?....Who were you talking to?

JOHN:        Oh its you..... I wasn't talking to anyone... what do you             want?

WILLIAM:        Well I have had better greetings in my time....I have             come to ask for your help on a certain matter.

JOHN:        Sorry, what did you say?

WILLIAM:        Well its just that I could use a little advice of a                 financial nature.

JOHN:        Yes of course....I'm sorry I was just thinking about Emmy.

WILLIAM:        I understand....... Would you like a little more time on          your own?

JOHN:        No, I'm fine.

WILLIAM:        It will mean your coming to London with me, would             that be all right?

JOHN:        Yes I think it would do me good.

WILLIAM:        Are you sure that you wouldn't like a little more time           on your own?

JOHN:        No.
           
Amelia runs up to John as he and William exit.

AMELIA:        John!..... Why are you ignoring me..... What have I                done? You said you loved me and yet you wouldn't look at me....Please come back!..... Why are you leaving me?  Oh God!..... Whats happening to me, I feel so frightened and so alone........ Why do I feel so cold..... I      can't breathe,
           
she begins to panic.
           
AMELIA:         Its so dark..... Oh God! the water........no!..no...no.
           
Amelia collapses.


Black out.



ACT 1 SCENE 4

          
Lights up we see a Gambling house in London, John is playing             a game of cards.    

WILLIAM:        I thought I would find you here, have you nothing                 better to do .... All you can do is waste your life!

JOHN:        Save me your sermons I've got nothing else, at least I'm         happy here.

WILLIAM:        If only you were..... Do you think that Amelia would             be proud of you throwing your life away.....You weren't the one who died!

JOHN:        Shut up, what do you know.... Don't you see that a day never goes by without my wishing that it had been me down there..... Can't you understand?

WILLIAM:        Look I do understand, but its been two years!

JOHN:        Two years? .... God it seems like yesterday, I'm so                 sorry, I really am.

WILLIAM:        I received a letter this morning from Amelia's parents.      They asked if you would go and see them next  weekend.... they miss you and they're very worried about you!

JOHN:        They've been so good to me and I've let them down...

WILLIAM:        No they understand.....Its just that they care about you.

JOHN:        I know.... they have always treated me like I were their             own, not that I deserve it ..... The way I have treated them.

WILLIAM:        Stop being so harsh on yourself.

JOHN:        You're right I should go, but its been such a long time,             I don't know if I can face all the memories alone, will you come and help me through it?

WILLIAM:        I had every intention of doing so, a trip to the country          sounds very appealing at the moment..... after all who knows where I'll be soon.

JOHN:        What do you mean?

WILLIAM:        My dear fellow you really have been out of it, haven't          you? I told you weeks ago that I have had my commission accepted.

JOHN:        What you've joined up?

WILLIAM:        Well we really are a Sherlock Holmes aren't we?

JOHN:        I didn't realise... are things really that serious.... don't             you think this war talk will blow over?

WILLIAM:        No there'll be a war alright, don't you read the papers?

JOHN:        No!

WILLIAM:        Foolish question, I should have known the answer              to that one, shouldn't I!

JOHN:         Will, listen I've an idea!

WILLIAM:        Yes well you can tell me after we get out of this place,        but lets get you cleaned up first.


Black out



ACT 1 SCENE 5
            
Scene opens,in a hotel lounge, enter Hanna walking very fast,             she is carrying some papers/magazines. Enter John reading a             newspaper,walking from the opposite direction, they bump into             each other, her papers/magazines fall to the floor.

HANNA:        I'm sorry, how clumsy of me!

JOHN:        Sorry...Here let me get those for you! He picks up her papers/magazines..There you are...
       
Hanna starts to walk away
           
JOHN:          Are you alright?..Miss?

She stops.

HANNA:        Parker....Hanna Parker.
          
 He walks over to her.

JOHN:        I'm very pleased to meet you miss Parker.

HANNA:        And you are?

JOHN:        Oh yes do forgive me, John Alexander.

HANNA:        Pleased to meet you....Mr Alexander.

JOHN:        Miss Parker...Hanna since we have now been formerly           introduced would you think it very forward of me to invite you to take breakfast with me?
           
He indicates the dining area.....
           
JOHN:         I trust you have not had breakfast?

HANNA:        Well yes, that is no I haven't had breakfast Mr                 Alexander.

JOHN:        John, Please.

HANNA:        Mr Alexander..John.....I'm not sure that I should.......

JOHN:        Right thats settled....Come along its the least I can do,            after nearly knocking you over.

HANNA:        I shouldn't!

JOHN:        Splendid that means that you will.....Please, you                 wouldn't want me to have to eat alone would you?

HANNA:        Alone indeed!........And where is you're friend who has         been dining with you at every other meal-time?

JOHN:        Oh William, he had some business to attend to and                 then we are leaving for the country in the morning.....So you see this could very nearly be my last civilised meal
           
He walks over to table and pulls out chair...
           
JOHN:         Shall we?

HANNA:        Alright I will look on you as my charity work.
   
They sit down.

JOHN:        Thank you.........Has anyone ever told, you have a very charming smile Hanna Parker?  

HANNA:        And you are a very bold young man!

They both laugh.

JOHN:        Where is that waiter?

HANNA:        Perhaps this could explain the mystery....
          
 She picks up a card from the table and begins to read it.                

HANNA:            Breakfast served at 8am prompt.

JOHN:        Mmm, I see.

HANNA:        And the time is?

JOHN:        Five minutes to eight.....I suppose we are a little late             for dinner!......I made you smile again......Well since I now have a reputation for being bold, I'm going to ask you a bold question...

HANNA:        I'm not sure I like the sound of this.

JOHN:        Don't worry, bold I may be, but I'm still a                     gentleman....My question is this, why is a very charming young lady staying alone in this Hotel?

HANNA:        Alone, no I'm not here on my own, I'm staying with            my aunt, but she's been ill for the past few days and has been confined to her room.

JOHN:        Nothing too serious I hope?

HANNA:        No.

JOHN:        In that case, do you think you might be free to have             lunch with me later?

HANNA:        Why we haven't even had breakfast yet...And we both          know that I shouldn't be sitting here with you!

JOHN:        I see so you care what society will think?

HANNA:        No not really...In fact I dislike small minded people...

JOHN:        Good so do I.........Do you know I haven't enjoyed                 talking to someone like this for such a long time.....Just sitting here with you...

HANNA:        Yes it is nice....I mean talking to you......

JOHN:        Of course what else?

HANNA:        I don't know what you mean...Are you teasing me?

JOHN:        Yes........Sorry....Do you know what I can see?

HANNA:        What?

JOHN:        The waiter....Breakfast calls..

HANNA:        Yes

BLACK OUT


  *Photograph by Rick Dell