DAL ACT 1

You can see enough to do you

When are we going to get a decent mirror to see ourselves in

Indeed you're not, Chrissie. I'm the one that broke it and the only way to avoid seven years bad luck is to keep on using it

I'm going to throw this aul cracked thing out

Steady on girl. Today it's lipstick tomorrow its the gin bottle.

Do you hear this, Maggie?

You should be on the stage rose

Not Bad Maggie-eh

Rose Mundy! Where's your modesty.........Is that not more like it

And not a bad bit of leg, Maggie eh

'Will you vote for day Valera, will you vote?
If you don't, we'll be like Gandhi with his goat'
'Uncle Bill from Baltinglass has a wireless up his ass'
Will you vote for Day Valera will you vote...
I'll tell you something rose the two of us should be on the stage

Yes I do..I do ...I know that

Are we all for a big dance somewhere?

Mines like a whin-bush. Will you wash it for me tonight Maggie?

I'm your man

After I've put Michael to bed. What about then?

Now you're talking. Couldn't we all do with that?

Pity there aren't some boys about to play with

Wouldn't it just be great if we had a--Shhhh

Maggie!

Though I heard Father Jack at the back door. I hope Kate remembers his quinine

What is it

Rose, love, we just want--

And that's just where you're wrong, missy--so there! She left him six months ago, Aggie, and went to England

Everybody knows that Danny Bradly is a--

And who are you to talk, Christina Mundy! Don't dare lecture me!

..........Summer time was nearly over; blue italian skies above. I said mister I'm your rover. Can't you spare a sweet word of love'

cok-cok-cok-cok

Bastard

..........What are these supposed to be

Rosie, love, would you give me a hand with this. If we don't work a bit faster we'll never get two dozen pairs finished this week

Kites! God help your wit!

Kites

Did it squeal--haaaaaaa. I'll make a deal with you, cub: I'll give you a penny if those things ever leave the ground. Right?

Watch where your walking Aunt Maggie----your standing on a tail

I've new riddles for you

You're on

What goes round the house and round the house and sits in the corner...A broom! Why is a river like a watch?

Give up

Because it never goes far without winding! Hairy out and hairy in, lift your foot and stab it in---what is it?

You're pathetic

Think!

Give up(1)

Have you even one brain in your head?

Give up(2)

A sock!

Give up(3)

A sock-a soak! You know-lift your foot and stab it-...D'you know what your trouble is cub? You-are-buck-stupid!

A what?

Where?-where?-where?-Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, where is it?

Look out there's a rat

You evil wee brat-God forgive you! I'll get you for that Michael! Don't you worry-I won't forgive that!...And I had a barley sugar sweet for you

Caught you again, Aunt Maggie

Jesus Christ! Some day your going to to fill some women's life full of happiness..cok-cok-cok...
There. I hope it chokes you..cok-cok-cok

Are there bits of cigarette tobacco stuck to it?

The fox is back

And there'll be no more discussion about it. The matter's over. I don't want it mentioned again

He has a hole chewed in the henhouse door

Did you see him

Wasn't I talking to him. He was asking for you

Did you get a good look at him Aunt Maggie

Something I found

Ha-ha What's that you have in your hands

Sitting very still at the foot of the holly tree

What?

Say please three times

Show me

In swahili

Please-please-please

Now, cub, put your ear over hear. listen. Shhh. D'you hear it?

Are you going to show it to me or are you not

What do you hear?

I think so...yes

Are you sure?

Something

All right. Ready? Get back a bit. Bit further. Right?

Yes, I'm sure. Show me Aunt Maggie

(release butterfly)

Yes

Did you see it?

What was it?

Wasn't it wonderful?

I think so...yes

The colour's are so beautiful. Trouble is-just one quick glimpse-that's all you'll ever get. And if you miss that...

Was it a bird

Don't you know what it was? It was all in your mind. Now we're quits

What was it, Aunt Maggie

I'm sick of that white rooster of yours, Rosie. Some pet that. Look at the lump he took out of my arm.

Tea...soap...Indian meal..jelly...

I know the speaking he'll get from me-the weight of my boot. Would you put some turf on that fire Chrissie; I'm going to make some soda break

You don't speak to him right

Great. The tongue's out a mile

Your ten wild woodbine, Maggie

What did I miss this time?

You missed it all Maggie

Look at the packet of wild woodbine she got me

Conflour...salt...tapioca-its gone up a penny for some reason...sugar for the bilberry jam-if we ever get the bilberries

Only nine cigarettes in it. They're so wild one of them must have escaped on her

what's wrong with it?

Yes. What does it mean?

Doesn't Jack sometimes call you Okawa, too, Maggie?

Dammit. I thought it was Swahili for gorgeous

Okawa was his house boy, Kate says

That's the very thing we could do with here-a house boy

Maggie!

That's because you keep winking at him, Kate

I met the parish priest. I don't know what has happened to that man. But ever since Father Jack came home he can hardly look me in the eye

I didn't know he was dying

Maybe that's it...The papers...Candles...matches...the words not good on that young sweeny boy from the back hills. He was anointed last night

..All the same it would be very handy in the winter time to have a wee house boy to feed the hens: cok-cok-cok-cok-cok

That's what happened. I'm telling you

You're looking well, Jack

May I

Yes

Maggie are you listening to me

Bernie...

First time back in twenty years

Bernie O'Donelle

And the hair!-as black and as curly as the day she left. I can't tell you- a film star!

Twin Girls

And to see the three of them together-like sisters, I'm telling you

Identical

Identical

Bernie O'Donelle... ohn my goodness...

Mother used to say twins are a double blessing

Curley McDaid. An eejit of a fella. Bald as an egg at seventeen. Bernie O'Donnell... oh my goodness

passing cigarette between you and falling about laughing about some boy called-what was it-Curley somebody

Monologue

You've got some flour on your nose, Maggie

I'll tell you something girls this Ginger Rogers has seen better days

Oh dear we're suddenly very logical aren't we

Wonderful Wild woodbine. Next best thing to a wonderful, wild man. Want a drag, kitty.

Its those cigarettes are killing you

Yes miss...Where's Michael Chrissie

Go wash your face, Maggie. And for goodness sake tie those laces

He's not there. He's gone

working at those kites isn't he

He was there 10 minutes ago

He won't go far

But if he goes down to the well-

He'll be alright

Come here till you see! Look who's coming up the lane!

The gander! Everybody calls you the gander!

I only caught a glimpse of him-but I'm almost certain it's-

Who's coming?

It's Gerry Evans, Chrissie

Who? Who is it?

He's at the bend in the lane

Christ Almighty

he wants to see his son, doesn't he

1st line after Chris says, Oh Christ almighty

We'll have to give him his tea

he wants to see his son, doesn't he

And there's nothing in the house

We'll have to give him his tea

Has anybody got spare shoe laces

And there's nothing in the house

Maybe he just wants to meet Father Jack

Has anybody got spare shoe laces

My woodbine. where's my woodbine

Maybe he just wants to meet Father Jack

Have you a piece of cord Aggie, Anybody got a bit of twine?

My woodbine. where's my woodbine

In the garden

Where is he Maggie

It's on the turf box, Kate

Agnes did you see where I left the paper

Looks terrified the poor fella

Gerry-he just let it slip and here i am, oh yes wonderful luck
Chris-yes

Come here till you see him Aggie

Terrified, my foot

I'm sure he could do with a good meal

Not just now

yes

He's still not there, is he

Talking

Doing what, in gods name

he's Michaels father, Kate

Would someone please tell what they have to say to each other

You should see the way she's looking at him- you'd think he was the biggest toff in the world

What are you laughing at

She knows all that, too

Tinker, more likely! Loafer! Wastrel!

Come over till you see them, Agnes

Too? That’s all there is.

Laughing. She laughs all the time with him. D’you
hear them, Aggie?

GERRY. Look! A single magpie! That’s definitely a bad
omen – one for sorrow. Bang! Missed.
Where’s my lucky cow? Come back, brown cow,
come back!
KATE: They’re not still talking are they?

They’re dancing.

CHRIS. Maggie and Aggie. From the kitchen window.
GERRY. Hope so. And Kate.
CHRIS. And Father Jack.
GERRY. Better still! Terrific!

They’re dancing together.

What!

He has her in his arms.

God forgive you!

They're dancing round the garden, Aggie

He has not! The animal!

He’s a beautiful dancer, isn’t he?

Oh God, what sort of fool is she?

Look at her face – she’s easy led. Come here till
you see, Aggie.

He’s leading her astray again, Maggie

Whatever’s wrong with it, that’s all it seems to last
-- a few minutes at a time. Something to do with the way it heats up.

They’re away. Dancing.