In the Moss Read online

  in the moss

  EMMA ZADOW

  renard press

  in the moss: Originally produced by mrs c’s collective online in 2020, directed by francesca goodridge. nav played by eric shango and janet played by katherine reynolds. first r&d performance at the hope mill Theatre, manchester in 2021, directed by georgi mckie. nav played by mudassar dar and janet played by shareesa valentine.

  Special thanks to Charlotte Everest, Francis Grin and Jennie Eggleton at Mrs C’s Collective, to Georgi McKie and to my mum.

  by the same author:

  fridge

  playscript I

  9781913724238

  Renard Press Ltd

  Kemp House

  152–160 City Road

  London EC1V 2NX

  United Kingdom

  [email protected]

  020 8050 2928

  www.renardpress.com

  In the Moss first published by Renard Press Ltd in 2021

  Text © Emma Zadow, 2021

  Cover design by Will Dady

  Emma Zadow asserts her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior permission of the publisher.

  Permission for producing this play may be applied for via the publisher, using the contact details above, or by emailing [email protected].

  in the moss

  inspired by

  the moss side riots,

  which took place in manchester

  on the 8th of july, 1981

  CHARACTERs

  janet

  Twenties, a student nurse.

  Mixed race, Manchester accent.

  nav

  Twenties, a police constable.

  A Sikh, originally from Uganda.

  Manchester accent with a slight intonation.

  scenery

  It is not intended that the stage be demarcated into rooms or inside/outside – there are no walls on stage.

  setting

  The events occur during the night of the 8th of July, 1981, when the Moss Side riots hit Princess Road

  and the Moss Side Police Station, Manchester.

  PROLOGUE

  nav and janet exist in their own worlds of the police station and the hospital. Lights, dim and charged, criss-cross over time and space as they put on their uniforms in front of a mirror.

  They continue to get dressed while, in the background, there is the sound of an ECG machine thumping, the sound of a window smashing, and the blue flashing lights of police cars criss-cross over them.

  nav: He’s crying, screaming.

  janet: He’s screaming for his mother.

  nav: He’s screaming for his brother.

  janet: He’s screaming…

  nav: He’s saying, ‘Don’t let me die. I don’t want to die!’ I get information that just bleeps in my ear like an alarm clock that’s way too early for your ears but kind of all right for your eyes—

  janet (to herself): …and I didn’t understand what the other nurse was saying, but I knew that her eyes were telling me to—

  nav: Keep calm!

  janet: Jan, you’ve never dealt with this much blood in your entire life.

  nav: A boy, tonight, in those riots, because of you.

  janet: Because of me.

  nav: Because of me.

  janet: They always say you’re going to kill someone some day.

  (Pause.)

  both: He wasn’t meant to be my first.

  (A bell rings. The radio on nav’s belt crackles.)

  radio voiceover: All constables report immediately to the station. Repeat. Under attack. Urgent backup required at…

  hospital voiceover: Riot in Princess Road, Moss Side. All medical staff to A&E immediately.

  (There is a faint sound of roaring in the distance. ECG thumps.)

  ACT ONE

  Shapes and figures run through the flashing lights. janet and nav appear. She rummages for keys to the door in front of them. It’s a struggle. He towers over her from behind. janet breathes faster.

  janet: It’s just… normally I’m… I’m more… What always helps is a curry on the way home, a couple of Pils – beers – I’m classy for my age. Two for one at the corner shop. Does me a deal. But that, out there… All those… people.

  (Pause.)

  nav: Which key is it again, love?

  janet: I don’t… don’t know.

  nav: Yes, you do. Now. Let’s look at the lock. Is it gold or silver?

  janet: Um… I dunno.

  nav: Yes, you do. Answer me.

  janet: Um… gold, I think.

  nav: Now, is it this one?

  janet: No. I’m trying my best. I can’t see properly.

  nav: This one?

  janet: Maybe. It’s so dark!

  nav: Let’s give that a go, shall we? And if not, we’ll just try again.

  (There is an explosion behind them. nav and janet throw themselves through the door. They slam it shut behind them. He leans his shoulder against it. janet runs to the centre of the room.)

  Get back!

  (nav looks at her from the door, his shoulder still firm against it.)

  I need you to stay there!

  janet: Why? What have we done?

  (She goes to the middle of the room. The explosions subside. Silence.)

  nav: I… I need to check the area. Make sure you’re not—

  janet: There’s blood on your…

  (nav opens and slams the door again, hard, locks it and throws her the key. She catches it. He moves, checking as he goes.)

  Shouldn’t we call… I dunno, backup or something?

  nav: Please, just—

  janet: I shouldn’t have… I should have been—

  nav: We need to be smart.

  (They jump as another crash sounds; nav grabs janet and pulls them both down on to their stomachs on the floor. Silence. He calculates their next move.)

  janet: Afraid of a little petrol bomb after the riot shields?

  nav: I didn’t exactly see any nurses on the scene.

  janet: What happened out there?

  nav: You got an idea from what was going on in A&E, I’m sure.

  janet (whispering): Saalem aleiku… um… aleika-hum, erm… yeah. Oh. Sorry. I’m no good at this.

  (nav stares at her hard.)

  What? Our Sheila on Hulme Way went with—

  nav: Is there a back door out of here?

  janet: No. Look, I’m sorry. I’ve already had a shit day, might as well make it a bit unshitter… shittier-less… (She frowns).

  nav: Whatever it is, it wasn’t your fault.

  (They look at each other.)

  janet: Thanks.

  nav: These things happen in A&E. I’m sure you did all you could and—

  janet: OK, I get it.

  nav: OK. (Hurt:) Glad you got the message. (Pause.) Are you sure you’re OK?

  janet: I’m fine.

  nav: Get up.

  (They get up slowly, cautiously.)

  janet: Do you want me to take a look at the wound?

  nav: What?

  janet: The blood. There must be a wound under your uniform?

  nav: Oh, no, it’s not mine.

  (Slight pause.)

  janet: Do you mind if I… (She indicates the next room.) It’s just, I’m a bit desperate…

  nav: No, sure. Go for it.

  janet: It’s only, do you want to… (she indicates
the bathroom again) check first? That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?

  nav: Oh! Right, yeah.

  (He goes into the bathroom and looks around.)

  janet (joking): Anything dangerous in there?

  nav (from the bathroom): No. Unless you count me!

  (He returns.)

  janet: Look, it’s not a big flat. It’s just me.

  nav: I wanted to. After today. After—

  janet: I’m fine.

  nav: So you keep saying.

  janet: Is this going to take long?

  nav: Listen, there’s been reports of nurses being targeted.

  janet: So. You thought you’d be the hero and take me home tonight with no backup. Brilliant. Just brilliant!

  (Pause.)

  nav: I’m sick of this, this—

  janet: You were there – was it as bad as it seemed from where we were?

  nav: Hot.

  On fire.

  Fuming cars.

  I’d rather—

  janet: Can I get you a drink?

  (Pause.)

  nav: Are you serious?

  (janet nods.)

  I think we should stay here. Don’t aggravate things with our appearance. I’m not leaving. Not now.

  janet: What about backup? Have you tried the radio or something?

  nav: Faulty. But seeing as I was heading back—

  janet: So we’re stuck.

  nav: You got a phone?

  (She laughs.)

  Sh! Shut it, yeah? You got one or not?

  janet: Have you got one?

  nav: No.

  janet: Well, then. We’re stuck.

  nav: I can’t leave until it’s safe.

  (There is another crash beyond them. An ambulance siren screeches in and out of earshot.)

  janet: Talk to me about something.

  nav: Erm… Well…

  janet: Just anything! Please!

  nav: I’m not… good at that stuff.

  (He picks up a small antique china lion from a shelf.)

  janet: Now!

  nav: All right!

  (Pause.)

  Well, um, d’ya like the Reno, yeah? Well, one at the station said he saw Richard Dunn and Muhammad Ali, right? In the Reno. Ali. ’76. Right there in front of him. Right after they were like… (He enacts a left hook and double jab.)

  janet: Watch it! That’s… very delicate.

  nav: Sorry.

  (He gives it back to her.)

  janet: It was… from a school trip.

  nav: What weird trips did your school do?

  janet: I pretend he lets out a little roar every time I walk past him.

  nav: Bit weird, that.

  janet: Maybe it helps when I’m scared.

  (She walks past him to the bathroom. She makes a roar sound.)

  nav: It’s strange, because in the hospital you seemed like a normal girl. But you’re completely mad, aren’t you?

  janet (swiping it from him): It was a school trip to the zoo!

  nav: Everything in miniature unnerves me.

  janet: I love lions.

  nav: Leo, are we?

  janet: No.

  nav: Horoscope?

  janet: Fuck off.

  nav: I just thought you’d be into all of that sun–moon stuff.

  janet: Um, it was years ago. Mrs Fletcher brought it back for me. She must’ve thought I’d like a lion. Dad said it was a waste of time. His money could go towards more important things. Lions don’t get visits from girls like me. Miss said I didn’t miss much. But I got bullied cos of the whole zoo thing.

  (Pause.)

  Do you think lions have accents? Like you and me?

  (nav stares at her in astonishment.)

  Like, if one from, I dunno, San Diego, met one from, say, Salford – that’s where me cousins are from – they’d understand each other?

  nav: Tonight is going to go really fast or really slow.

  (Sirens moan outside.)

  I reckon it would be more a factor whether they were born in said zoo in question or in the wild.

  janet: Good point.

  nav: He isn’t called Parsley, is he?

  janet: No, Sage. (Pause, then, trying to make a joke, and coming off completely over the top:) Because I’m a bloody anarchist!

  (He doesn’t smile, and fidgets uncomfortably.)

  Sorry. That was terrible. You’re not going arrest me, are you?

  (They smile. She looks down at his uniform jacket. He looks at the sleeve of her scrubs.)

  both: There’s… on your…

  janet: Here, let me—

  nav: No! I mean, I wouldn’t want to put you out.

  janet: It’s the same…

  (He starts to take his jacket off.)

  nav: Where do you normally…

  (He pats his jacket and drapes it over his arm.)

  Do you have a bowl?

  janet: Yeah. I need to get out of this thing.

  nav: I’ll wait at the door.

  (They move towards the bedroom. janet paces back and forth, nervous, uncertain, and picks some clothes, then changes her mind, then changes it again.)

  Just for one night. One night, OK?

  (He hits his head against the wall.)

  (Trying to hold it together:) You OK in there?

  janet (picking a third jumper): Yeah, yeah, just had my first, but apart from that, I’m great, petal!

  (He puts his head in his hands. He loosens his top button.)

  nav: First time for everything, eh?

  (He picks up the radio and turns it on quietly.)

  radio voiceover: Gupta? Gupta?

  (He turns it off. It whines out of tune to a crackle.)

  janet: You got anyone waiting on you?

  nav: Funny. Very funny.

  janet: I dunno, anyone. Fetch the toothpaste, would ya?

  nav (struggling): I’m sure I won’t need to stay the night.

  janet: For the blood!

  (He looks down at his jacket. He jumps upright, fast and rigidly. He’s on duty again. He knocks on the door. She opens it and appears, now dressed in her own clothes.)

  Toothpaste?

  nav: What?

  janet: Toothpaste!

  (He stares at her, thrown by seeing her out of uniform. She walks past him and into the bathroom.)

  There’s a basin. Could you fetch it and fill it?

  nav: Uhuh.

  (He busies himself finding it.)

  janet: Cold water, mind!

  (She returns with the toothpaste and a cloth.)

  nav: Uhuh.

  (janet continues moving around while nav tries to fill the basin with water.)

  janet: It felt like seeing fleets of hearses, when the Black Mariahs went past.

  nav: When we came, you mean? Our vans?

  (Pause.)

  It’s never the nurse’s fault. Sorry.

  janet: I’ve never seen so many horses before. And they kept coming, y’know? They just kept coming. Never known horses like that in Moss Side. Never.

  (Pause.)

  nav: There was blood… and when it dried…

  janet: Like crushed candy floss at Blackpool.

  nav: Like my sister’s wedding day, all pink and gold.

  janet: And it starts to peel off my hands as I rub them together from the cold.

  (She runs her fingers through her hair. Shapes distort in the shadows, showing the riots. Her hands shake. She takes a cigarette out, and a lighter. She keeps flicking it, getting more and more agitated. nav looks at her fingers.)

  nav: You want a… light, love?

  (A siren rattles past them. She struggles with the lighter. He takes it, shakes it up and down and finally gets it lit for her. She inhales deeply.)

  janet: Is this a sick, twisted attempt at small talk?

  nav: S’pose.

  janet: Did you do the usual?

  nav: Usual?

  janet: Questions.

  nav: Oh.

  jane
t: You know, the question question questions?

  nav: The ‘Stay with Me’ questions? Um…

  janet: What’s your name? How old are you? What year is it? Who’s Prime Minister? What’s your favourite colour? What’s your mother’s name? What’s your favourite place? What’s the last thing you did you regret? What’s the first thing you did you’re sorry for?

  nav: If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?

  janet: What are you doing next year? Anyone waiting for you at home? They’ll miss you. That stuff. Yeah.

  (He turns around. There is more shouting in the background.)

  nav (changing the subject): How long you been living here?

  janet: Three years. It was my aunt’s. She left it to me.

  nav: Lucky you. What did she do to get this?

  janet: She was the white aunt.

  nav: Sure.

  janet: I’m not myself tonight.

  nav: Yeah. What’s your dad do?

  janet: Tailor.

  (She stubs out her cigarette.)

  nav: Don’t you have an ashtray or something?

  (janet nods and laughs at him. nav finds one and brings it to her.)

  Well, if the mountain won’t come to whatever.

  janet: I’m not after anything tonight!

  nav: No. I know. I’m just trying—

  janet: To help?

  (Silence.)

  nav: Look, just cos you lost one tonight, it doesn’t mean you didn’t do a good job.

  janet: Uhuh. Just one boy… Sorry. Never mind.

  nav: Won’t last for ever, love. None of us have the energy for this to keep happening.

  janet: That’s what they tell us on the TV and the radio and the papers. So it must be true, right?

  (Slight pause.)

  nav (overcompensating): Guilty! Look, um, I’m…

  (They stare at each other some time before breaking the silence.)

  There’s something I need to…

  (He sets the basin in front of them. They kneel. janet gestures at his jacket. He puts it in the basin sheepishly. She puts her scrubs in with the jacket. She swirls them together in the basin. She takes his jacket and he takes her scrubs.)

  janet (holding the toothpaste): You see? Pea size. Straight on it. Like that. See?

  (She hands him the toothpaste tube. He does the same. She then scrubs with her fingers. He follows her lead, clearly uncertain what to do with laundry. There is silence. Water swirls and swashes. She scrubs hard.)

  There’s a lot, isn’t there? Blood, I mean.

  nav: It’s been a long night.