‘A Present for the Future’ A short drama for young people by Marc Norris Produced by Operation Noah in association with

SHOP LESS. LIVE MORE. SAVE THE EARTH www.operationnoah.org/reclaimchristmas www.tententheatre.co.uk

‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

A Present for the Future The action takes place in three different years. 1945, 2008 and 2045 CAST 2008 GRACE – Girl in her teens THOMAS – Her Brother, roughly same age MUM DAD A TIME TRAVELLER 1945 PHYLLIS – Grace’s Grandmother as a child JACK – her brother 1945 MUM 1945 DAD 2045 JENNIFER ANISTON – Grace’s Niece LEWIS HAMILTON – Grace’s Nephew 2045 MUM

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

CHRISTMAS 2008 The Christmas Dinner table. MUM enters. MUM

Thomas! Grace! Dad! Dinner’s ready! Happy Christmas!!

Enter THOMAS, GRACE and DAD they sit down. DAD

Right, one more present before dinner!

MUM

This is for you, Thomas! (She gives him a present)

THOMAS

(Unwrapping present) Please just have got me what I asked for…Please… (Opens it) Mum!! What’s this??

MUM

It’s what you asked for, sweetheart. Super Mario Kart 3

THOMAS

That’s not what I asked for.

MUM

Yes it was.

THOMAS

NO. I asked for Super Mario Kart 3 SPECIAL EDITION. This is the standard edition.

GRACE

Come on, they’re all the same.

THOMAS

Are you having a laugh? – The Special edition has 2 extra types of car, a hidden race track, and it comes with the steering wheel controller..This just has the normal controller (he holds it up) – Look – its rubbish! I hope you kept the receipt mum, ‘cos this is going straight back to GameZone…

MUM

I’m sorry sweetheart..

THOMAS

Yeah, yeah. 3

‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

DAD

Now, Grace – Gran says she’s sorry she couldn’t make it, but –

THOMAS

You couldn’t be bothered to pick her up!

MUM

That’s not true! It’s all just a bit too hectic today. We’ll pop in and see her next week. Anyway, Grace..Gran sent you this.

GRACE opens present. It’s a toy monkey. THOMAS

Ah, what is that?!

GRACE

It’s a toy Orangutan...

THOMAS

It’s old! It’s second hand – she probably got it from a jumble sale!

GRACE

There’s a card as well – ‘It’s something that meant a lot to me when I was your age. I’d like you to look after it now.’ Thanks Gran.

THOMAS

Just keep that thing away from me.

MUM

Now, does everyone have enough gravy? Potatoes? Stuffing? Good.

THOMAS

Right, let’s get this down my neck. (He goes to start eating his dinner)

MUM

Wait, Thomas – Dad needs to say grace first.

THOMAS

Does he have to?

DAD

It’s tradition, son – the Evans family have always given up a few words before the Christmas Feast.

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

THOMAS

Go on then, just be quick.

DAD

Lord, thanks for the dinner, goodwill to all and please bless poor people. Amen. Right! Get stuck in!!!

THOMAS

Hold on. Where are the sausages wrapped in bacon?

MUM THOMAS

Iceland ran out, so I replaced them with parsnips. What!! That’s not a replacement! I can’t believe it!

GRACE

Oh, will you just eat your dinner!

THOMAS

No! I want my sausages wrapped in bacon!

MUM

Don’t be so ungrateful!!

THOMAS

Maybe I wouldn’t be ungrateful if people got me what I asked for!

DAD

It’s not the end of the world, son.

THOMAS

Yes it is! It’s a disaster! No Mario Kart 3 Deluxe, no sausages wrapped in bacon! Just second hand monkeys!! What has Christmas become?!!

GRACE

Good point!

THOMAS

What?!

GRACE

Dad just said a prayer about goodwill and helping the poor. And you’re sat there moaning and complaining in front of enough food to feed an army.

THOMAS

Don’t have a go at me!

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

GRACE

I’m not having a go – I’m just tired of us arguing every Christmas and wasting so much on stuff we don’t want or need.

MUM

Come on, dear, it’s a special treat – Christmas is a time for treats, after going without for the rest of the year.

GRACE

But we don’t go without! The fridge is always full with stuff! It all just goes off and we throw it away. And why have we got all those lights on the front of our house? It’s like Las Vegas out there!

DAD

Hey! That display won 3rd prize in GMTV’s Christmas lights competition!

GRACE

But, Dad, it uses up more electricity that rest of the street put together!

DAD

It’s a celebration.

GRACE

Of what?

DAD

You know – the Nativity.

GRACE

The Nativity? Where’s the baby Jesus?

DAD

There’s the Three Wise Men.

GRACE

Santa, Rudolf and the Chief Elf do not count as the three wise men! We’ve even got Elvis out there! The last time I checked, The Son of God was born in a humble stable in Bethlehem, not the Lobby of The MGM Grand!

THOMAS

What’s your problem? What sort of Christmas do you want, eh? No lights? No presents? No Turkey? Is that what you want?

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

GRACE

I want to remember why we’re celebrating. What it means. At the moment it just feels empty – like we’re having this massive party for someone we’ve forgotten to invite.

THOMAS

(Sarcastically) Are you saying that you want Jesus to turn up?

DAD

We’ll need another turkey if he does!

GRACE

Well, in a way – maybe…yes… yes I do!

BANG!! THOMAS and the rest of the family freeze like statues. THE TIME TRAVELLER appears TT

Ha! I made it, Hello Grace!! I’m not late, am I?

GRACE

Oh….My.....G-

TT

Oh, no no no. I’m just a scientist. A time traveller. From the future – what year is it, by the way?

GRACE

2008

TT

Fantastic!! Spot on! They said it couldn’t be done – I managed to punch a hole in the time vortex – I control the whole thing with this! (He holds up modified Wii controller) Does that make any sense?

GRACE

No – What are you doing here?

TT

No time for that – you have to come with me.

GRACE

Mum!! Thomas! Dad! What have you done to them? (She looks at the frozen family)

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

TT

Don’t worry, it’s just a temporal lock – they won’t notice a thing. Come on, there are some things you need to know – We have to be off!!!

GRACE

Where?

TT

Not where, WHEN! Fast Rewind!!

He moves the controller backwards in a circle and DAD, MUM and THOMAS go offstage. They are replaced by JACK, PHYLLIS, 1945 MUM and 1945 DAD, Frozen. TT

Excellent!!

GRACE

It’s the same room, but it looks different…That wallpaper’s horrible…

TT

December 25th, 1945. It’s the first Christmas after the end of the war. Your Great Grandfather has been away since 1940 – his wife and children been waiting often with no letters for months, not sure if he was dead or alive. But he’s back now and it’s time to celebrate their first Christmas together in years.

TT

You may recognise those two…

GRACE

It’s my Gran as a kid! And that’s Great Uncle Jack..

TT

Play! (He presses button and 1945 family come to life)

1945 DAD

Now then, Jack – Your present is in the garden…

JACK runs to the window and looks out. JACK

A load of old wooden boxes!!

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1945 DAD

Not just any old boxes, I got those off my friend Mario at the docks and tomorrow, we’re going to get the tools out and turn these boxes into the fastest go-kart you’ve ever seen!

JACK

Great! Thanks Dad!! (He sits)

1945 DAD

And for my favourite girl. (He gives her a toy monkey)

GRACE

That’s my Orangutan!

1945 DAD

I saw lots of these when I was in Borneo during the war.

PHYLLIS

Were they scared of all the fighting?

1945 DAD

I think we were all scared sweetheart. But It’s over now and time to start again – Peace and Goodwill to everyone!!

1945 MUM Right, before we begin, Dad, would you like to say grace? 1945 DAD

Lord, we give thanks for all we have, for our wonderful meal today and our family. We remember my friends George and Bill, and all the others who didn’t make it back from the war. And that after all the things that Mankind has done to your Earth and to each other during the last six years, we offer thanks that we can begin again and pray for the strength to put things right and make your world a better place for everyone.

PHYLLIS

And thanks for my monkey…

JACK

–And my Kart!

1945 MUM –And for bringing Dad home safely! FAMILY

Amen.

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

1945 DAD

Right, tuck in!!!

The 1945 family start putting things on their plates. GRACE

There’s not much food.

TT

They’ve lived on rations for years. A chicken instead of a turkey, tiny bit of boiled ham, plenty of vegetables though – but it’s more than they’re used to..

GRACE

Look how happy they are. A simple dinner, a few wooden boxes, a toy monkey. But they’re together again. I suppose they’re all just so glad that the war’s over – that they’re all still alive.

TT

There’s a special joy that comes from being given a second chance.

GRACE

So is that what it is? Does everything need to be taken away for people to actually see what’s really important…

TT

Perhaps. But it’s better if it doesn’t have to get to that point. Let’s go forward in time.

GRACE

To 2008?

TT

No, further forward. Much further. We’re going to see my family.

He moves the controller in a circle the other way. The 1945 family disappear and are replaced by LEWIS HAMILTON, JENNIFER ANISTON AND 2045MUM. They sit frozen. TT

We’re here…December 25th 2045.

GRACE

Why is it so dark?

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TT

Thick cloud cover. Smog. The power is very intermittent, so we’re lucky if we get two hours of power per day. Rest of the time they use the dynamo generator.

GRACE

What’s that?

TT

Bit like the wind up radio but for a house – Lewis Hamilton has been winding it for two hours already.

GRACE

Lewis Hamilton?

TT

In the future, most children are named after popular figures from your time. We called our son Lewis Hamilton.

GRACE

What’s the girl’s name?

TT

Jennifer Aniston. My wife’s choice. Play! (He presses button and family come to life).

2045 MUM Lewis Hamilton, this is for you. Happy Christmas! LEWIS unwraps a small red racing car. LEWIS

Wow! Is this a model of HIS racing car?

MUM

Yes, the man you were named after drove a car just like that one.

LEWIS

Did you ever see cars go?

MUM

We drove them everywhere when I was a girl.

LEWIS

And they used to run on petrol, didn’t they?

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

MUM

Yes, they did.

LEWIS

I can’t believe that – it’s like gold now. Didn’t anyone think that it would run out one day?

MUM

Well we kind of knew, and we tried a bit, but obviously not enough. The bad times always seemed in the future, just over the horizon. But then one day, the bad times were here.

GRACE

Stop!! (She pushes the button – the family freeze) What happened, was there another war?

TT

Not exactly. Around the year 2020, there was a tipping point in the earth’s climate whereby it became too late to make a difference after that point. The floods and hurricanes became more frequent.

GRACE

Couldn’t you have built defences against them?

TT

We tried, but after the first few, but then, we didn’t have enough time to repair everything before the next one came. It was like a runaway train. The seas rose. The temperature rose – the world that we knew, the world that your great grandfather fought for, isn’t even recognisable anymore. There hasn’t been a blue sky in ten years and there’s no such thing as snow anymore.

TT pushes button, the family come to life again. 2045 MUM GRACE

Well, I’ve done the best I can – Happy Christmas. What’s for dinner?

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TT

Tinned corned beef and artificial vegetables. It’s difficult to get hold of fresh food these days. The floods decimated huge areas of farm land. Energy and fuel are in such low supply that travel has reduced dramatically. It’s basically just a series of towns where few people travel between. It’s almost like before there were trains.

GRACE

They’re still happy to be together. But they all look so grey and tired. As if they’ve run out of time.

2045 MUM (Says grace before dinner) Lord, we pray for Lewis Hamilton

and Jennifer Aniston and for their father who is away for very good reasons. We also ask that somehow you can find the time somewhere for us to put things right. To try and make things better than they are. And we pray that one day, impossible as it may seem now, that we will see the sky again… LEWIS

And thanks for my car..

JENNIFER

– And please bring Dad back safely.

2045 MUM Oh, I totally forgot – Here’s a present for you, Jennifer Aniston

– Your auntie wanted you to have it to look after. She unwraps monkey. JENNIFER

It’s so old. It’s cute though – an Orangutan, right?

2045 MUM Yes. JENNIFER

Did you ever see them?

2045 MUM Hm. One time, in a zoo, years ago.

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

JENNIFER

There are none left now though, are there?

2045 MUM No. JENNIFER

Well, I’ll look after this one.

2045 MUM Auntie Grace would like that. GRACE

Stop!!... I’m their Auntie?

TT GRACE

Yes. And you’re their dad?

TT

Yes.

GRACE

That means… you’re Thomas?

TT

Hello, sis. I don’t know if any of this can change. But one thing I realised too late was that we form our future by the choices we make in the present. Back when we were kids, I remember that you used to talk about changing the way we did things. To make a few sacrifices, live more simply and be less wasteful. But I didn’t care. And I wouldn’t care then even I came from the future and told myself face to face. But you care enough to make a difference.

GRACE

What can I do?

TT

You already know. It’s in your heart. You just need to make it happen.

GRACE

But it’s so difficult.

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TT

As opposed to easy? The easy way gave us a world without a sun and a life without hope. I chose Christmas as the day to come back to because... well, I guess it’s when we celebrate someone who put pure love into action and changed the world.

GRACE

I know.

TT

Then help me to change, Grace. Help mum and dad to try and make some kind of difference to the way we thought we wanted to live then so that we don’t have to live like this now.

GRACE

OK… Tell Lewis and Jennifer that auntie says hello.

TT

Before I came to get you, I asked them what would be their best Christmas present. They said they wanted to see a blue sky again. Time to go back. (He holds up controller.)

GRACE

Is that the controller you got for Christmas that time?

TT

Yeah. Few modifications, of course.

GRACE

You said it was rubbish..

TT

I know. Came in quite handy in the end, didn’t it?

GRACE

Thomas.

TT

Yeah?

GRACE

(Half smiling) You’d better listen!

TT

(Smiling) I will – eventually. See you in forty years, sis. (He presses button) Reset!

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‘A Present for the Future’ – Marc Norris

He disappears and 2008 family re-enter and take their places, just before TT arrived. THOMAS

What’s your problem? What sort of Christmas do you want, eh? No lights? No presents? No Turkey? Is that what you want?

GRACE

I want to remember why we’re celebrating. What it means. At the moment it just feels empty – like we’re having this massive party for someone we’ve forgotten to invite.

THOMAS

(Sarcastically) Are you saying that you want Jesus to turn up?

DAD

We’ll need another turkey if he does!

GRACE

Well, in a way – maybe…yes… yes I do! (She look, expecting to see TT again. She then looks at each of her family and then at the toy monkey) Mum….Mum, do we still have those old photo albums of Gran from the war?

MUM

They’re up in the loft somewhere.

GRACE

Can we find them? – look at them later?

MUM

I suppose so….Yes, of course, that would be nice.

GRACE

And tomorrow, we should do something we haven’t done for ages.

The family get up, move the table to the back of the stage and come forward. They are walking outside. THOMAS

It’s freezing!! Why on earth did we have to come for a walk in the middle of nowhere?

MUM

Grace wanted us all to have a walk together.

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THOMAS

But we never walk.

GRACE

Well we do today.

DAD

It is a bit cold though, eh? There’s no cloud cover.

GRACE

It’s a blue sky. Thomas – look.

THOMAS looks up. GRACE

You’ve got to admit – it’s beautiful, isn’t it?

THOMAS

It’s alright, I suppose…Can we go home?

GRACE

Not yet. Can we have just a little bit more time here... Please?

The family stand there looking at the sky. THE END

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© Marc Norris 2008

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