<i>Harold in Hackney</i> : A Biographical Essay as Play

1944. A kitchen in East London. Dawn. The beginnings of light through the window. There is a back door SL, and an opposite archway leading to hall and house. Harold (14) is sitting, writing at a large wooden table. He has been there all night and seems tearful. As he is writing, his father, Jack, barrels in. (The lights fall.)1946. The same kitchen. Night. Harold (16) is once more asleep at the table. Jack enters and goes to make tea. Harold wakes. (Jack puts his cap on and leaves. Harold yawns and stretches. He looks at his poem before returning to sleep.)The same. Kitchen. Night. Harold (16) is asleep once more at the table. Jack enters in silence and takes a brown-papered sandwich already prepared and goes out. He comes back to look on his son with his cap and coat on. He leaves. The front door opens and closes. Harold wakes, slightly startled as two East End Thugs appear in the doorway. Harold instinctively looks through his poems, as if for a means of defense and soon stands. (They laugh. The lights fall.)1947. The same. Kitchen. Night. The same or next dream continues. Harold (17) sleeps once more at the table. Jack enters in silence and takes a brown-papered sandwich already prepared and goes out. He comes back to look on his son with this cap and coat on. He leaves. The front door opens and closes. Harold wakes, slightly startled as a foreign and somewhat bedraggled man, Kullus, emerges from shadow to stand staring at him. (Kullus smiles and returns to the shadows. Harold watches, then follows, rising at last. The lights fall.)1947. The same. Kitchen. Night. Jack and his wife, Frances, are sitting. She is distraught. He is solemn. (The lights fall.)1948. The Same. Kitchen. Day. Sally (16) reverses into the space as Harold advances. (The lights fall.)1949. The Same kitchen. Night. Harold sits, writing. The writing continues in the quiet room. Then a knock. At first, he writes on, but then a second knock startles him. He opens the back door to Moishe and Mick, his two friends. (Blackout)1953. The Kitchen. Night. The friends gather. There is soup, bread, and tea on the table, as well as some books. They have their own style of speech, developed since childhood, and their own styles have settled as they challenge themselves and each other to externalize private worlds. (They leave. Harold turns to Kullus, who now sits at the table. Harold moves to stand behind him as Kullus starts writing. Harold peers over. Kullus stands up as they exchange places. Harold carries on writing as the lights fade or fall. Interval.)1953. The Kitchen. Night. Harold dozes at the table. Jocelyn appears in the doorway. She is a refinement of Sally in more ways than one. She feigns a cough. Harold wakes. (Jocelyn sits on the table. Harold moves to her as the lights fall.)1954. The Kitchen. Day. Harold sits and smokes at the table. He inhabits the moment before there is a knock on the back door. Harold opens the door to Henry and a greasy brown bag full of bagels. (They laugh and go through, as a group of present-day actors gather. Two clear the plates and clutter, while others move the table around which they now sit and discuss. An armchair is set centerstage and a small side table added. An iPhone starts ringing. Its owner answers it. The light also shifts as the actors take up their positions. They each have their customary takeout coffees and copies of THE HOMECOMING with them. The Director enters. There is a change of time, scene. and place.)We are in a rehearsal room. Present day. The full cast has now gathered. The Director—woman—is older, as are the Max and Sam actors. Lenny, Joey, Ruth, and Teddy actors much younger as they all resume work. (All exit.)1957. Bristol. The room is reset as a Set and Stage, which Henry now arranges. He is in spruce suit, student-looking, a near graduate of the day. He moves the table across and puts a chair by it. He places another before it. He sets a loaf of bread on a plate. He has everything in its place as Harold enters. He too is suited. Perhaps it is not as spruce. Silence stands. (The room fades once more. End of play.)