Cast list

Ciara Ghost present

Doireann Scrooge
Katelynn Scrooge
Shauna Bobs Mum
Joshua Gpast
Roisin Marley
Molly Friend in car/party future
Ciara Aunt Janes daughter
Nathan Bobs brother Joe/priest
Andrea Bob
Holly Lilly
Chloe Aunt Janes other daughter?
Robert Dad in past
Eimear Aunt Jane

Everyone will double as kids and party people throughout. Also as part of
the ensemble

Scene One

Ebony is on stage at the phone booth younger sister at home. Off stage
with bare Christmas tree about to start decorating. Phone rings

Voice over: Please note calls are being recorded for security purposes

Ebony: Hey Lil,

Lilly: Ebony, how are you doing?

Ebony: This place is a hell hole but ill be out soon, what you up too?

Lilly: Just about to decorate the tree, wish you were here. You are coming
home for Christmas arent you? Aunt Jane says the hospital will leave you
if you want to, you do want to, dont you?

Ebony: Why would I want to? That is not my home, Lil. I hate Aunt Jane
and she hates me. I am better off here, you can come visit me?

Lilly: I will ask jane to book a visit but we wouldnt be able to stay all day,
we have to visit Gran. Did you get our presents? I sent them last week.

Ebony: Yeah I did, I havent opened them yet.

Lilly: I wanted to deliver them myself but Jane was busy.

Ebony: She is always too busy for me.

Lilly: Thats not true, she loves you. We all do.

Ebony: Funny way of showing it You cant even get her to stay for
Christmas with me.

Lilly: Thats not true, we have to visit gran thats all. We will come for
dinner.

Ebony: dont bother. I hate Christmas anyway its not like I need you here.
Ill be fine on my own

Lilly: You know I would love to spend it with you, you are my big sister I
love you. I cant control what happens and you know that.

Ebony: Whatever, I must go. Enjoy Christmas with your new family.

Lilly: Dont go yet Eb

Phone goes dead

Aunt: Dont cry Lilly, what happened?

Lilly: Scrooge wont come for Christmas, I really wanted her too. I miss her
so much.

Aunt: Typical of that girl, she thinks of no one but herself, hush now. We
will go and get some hot chocolate, sound nice?

Ebony in her room, sits on her bed and looks at the gifts from her sister.
They are wrapped and she picks one up and shakes it. She gets cross and
flings it and lays down on her bed.

Scene Two

Marleys Visit
Ensamble moves around the space entrapping Ebony in a web.

Watching youtube? Voice from Computer Scrooge. Scrooge

Ebony: What the? Marley?

Marley: Yep, in the flesh well sorta.

Eb: You cannot be here, in there What did they give me instead of my
usual meds!

Marley: We need to talk Scrooge

Eb: No we do not, you are not real, you are dead. I was at your funeral
well sorta.

Closes the laptop

Marley comes from the walls

Marley: Surprised to see me? Im surprised to be here

Scrooge: No your dead,

Marley: You have to listen to me Eb I dont have time for this

Scrooge: You are not here, Im dreaming, I must be

Group: Scrooge, scrooge

Marley: Listen to me

Scrooge: Alright, talk!

Marley: You are going to get three visitors

Scrooge: Yippee ill put on my party dress and make tea will I?

Marley: Id treat them with respect if I were you it might stop you ending
up like me.

Scrooge: Howd ya mean? Dead?

Marley: There are worst things then dead, trust me

Scrooge: Whats with the rope

Marley: Just a taster of what it will be like for you, if you dont put things
right

Scrooge: What are you on about?

Marley: I thought you everything, I was wrong, I knew the cost of

everything but the value of nothing. I was wrong scrooge you have time
mate, you still have time.
You remember our moto Scrooge?

Scrooge: Of course.

Marley: What was it? Say it!!

Scrooge: Therell be plenty of time to rest when were dead

Marley: Ha ha ha ha bullshit. Theres no rest when I was alive I kept my

eyes closed. But now Im forced to see all the suffering all the pain and I
cant do a thing about it But Its not too late for you,

Group: Youre looking at a mirror scrooge, this could be you,

This will be you link by link by link you are forging the same chains
scrooge.

Link by link by link

Scene three

Phone to Bob, bob mum is there they are decorating the tree. Mum is
sitting with a blanket over her visibly unwell

Phone rings:

Bob: hey whats up scrooge?

Scrooge: You will not believe the awful dream I had last night, it seemed
so real. My friend Marley was there and she was warning me of some
more ghostly visits it was so strange. I am wrecked today. You coming to
visit me tomorrow?

Bob: Its Christmas scrooge, I dont think I can

Scrooge: But its Christmas and I have no one else, you know how bad it is
for me here your supposed to be my friend.

Bobs Mum: What does she want?

Bob: she wants me to go visit tomorrow,

Bobs Mum: but you cant first of all its Christmas and secondly your dads
working and he will have the car

Bob: look if I could I would but my dad has the car no buses tomorrow

Bobs Mum: invite her over Im sure we can sign her out for the day

Bob: sure come over to ours, it will be fun. Good to get out of there too.
Keep your mind off things.

Scrooge: oh ya hanging with your perfect family on Christmas day is really

going to keep my mind of the fact that I dont have a family
Bob: I didnt mean it like that scrooge

Scrooge: Fuck you Bob, merry Christmas.

Scrooge hangs up

Bob: Dont think shes coming over. Pass me the angel mum please.

family continue to hang decorations and head off to bed.

Scrooge is in bed crying, clock strikes twelve

Scene four

Christmas Past

Ghost: Wakie wakie rise and shine

Scrooge: Go away, Im sleeping its not morning yet.

Ghost: Indeed, it is, just turned 12.01. Happy Christmas scrooge.

Scrooge: Go away, get out of my room.

Ghost: Marley told you Id be coming did she not? Here I am as promised.

Scrooge: Not again I am giving up dairy or cheese or whatever it is that

makes you dream weird shit.

Ghost: I am not a dream and I have lots to show you so like it or not off we
go

Family home: Parents wake up the children Christmas Morning. Aunt is

there and Neighbor Bob pops around to share in the laughter.

Eb: Why am I here? I dont need to watch myself sleep..

Ghost: You need to watch this

Dad and mum enter children sleeping

Dad: Look at them, still asleep

Mum: Hey, sleepy heads, its time to wake up and see if Santa left you any
presents.

Dad: Morning Ebony, Happy Christmas

Past Ebony: Morning Dad, come on Lilly, lets go and see what is under the
tree for you Last one down is a rotten egg
GCP: Remember this Christmas? Look how happy you are

Eb: It was only two years ago, Im not senile I remember I got a phone and
Lilly a Karaoke machine so what? What are we here for? I worked hard to
erase all memories of aunt janes singing later that night

Ghost: look how happy lilly is, both of you so happy playing together

GCP: Here is your friend Bob, she seems so much younger there, dont you
think.

Eb: Yeah, so? We all do

Dad: Lets pop open this, its Christmas after all.

Mum: Sweetheart it is 7am, a bit early for that dont you think

Dad : Jane you will join me for a glass, cheers.

Eb: A glass or 10 dont you mean I dont want to see any more of this I
cant even look at him.

Ghost: But you loved your dad very much, should have thought you would
like to have seen him again like this. He looks happy.

Eb: Yeah we all did, but when he finished off that bottle with aunt janehe
felt happy enough to drive my mum over to a Christmas party That was
the last happy day of my life.

Ghost: And of mine, I am so sorry Ebony

Eb: Dad?

Ghost: Come on darling, listen to me

Eb: I want nothing to do with you, I dont want to hear you, I dont want to
see you, get away from me

Ghost: I cant sweetheart, I am the ghost of Christmas past

Eb: How can you be the ghost of Christmas past? You ruined Christmas for
me Remember. It is because of you that this is what my life has become,
because of you I have to spend Christmas in this shit hole, a home of
delinquents. Its because of you I am alone you took everything from
me Do you remember that??

Physical movement into grave yard scene

Priest: We commit the body of Mary Elizabeth Scrooge into the ground
Dust to Dust, Ashes to Ashes. In the name of the Father and of the son
and of the holy ghost. Amen.

Scrooge: I do not want to be here I want to forget this day and everyday
that followed. Look at them, they all cried for poor scrooge and his wife
who died in a tragic accident Poor scrooge Poor scrooge. Every tear
shed for you was like a knife in my heart you killed my mother and left
me alone with Lilly. I was 14 for god sake you stole my life away from
me. I promised then I would never shed a tear for you. I was going to have
to make it on my own now and I was never going to let anyone close
enough to hurt me again.

Ghost: Look at you Eb, you needed to cry, you had support, look around,
everyone was there for you not for me. They all hated me just as much as
you did. Trust meYou pushed them away, you isolated yourself you are
not alone. You are a scared little girl you was let down by your dad. I didnt
mean for this to happen, if I could take it back I would, I have face my
mistakes and I have had to pay the ultimate price, I do not want you to
repeat my mistakes. Dont turn into the thing you hate the most, dont
turn into me

Eb: I am nothing like you

Ghost: You sure???

Scrooge hanging out with mates passing a naggen and heckling other
kids ends up in a fight and being arrested

Ebony: Why are you showing me this stuff?

Ghost: You always had to take things to far, didnt you?

Ebony: I wonder where I got that from.

Ghost: Dont walk away from me, I have been sent back here to remind
you that life is full of second chances,

Ebony: Dont make me laugh, you think being dead would manage to keep
you off my back, but no! I have only one year left in this hell hole and Im
free to do what I please. I dont need advice from you.

Ghost: I am so sorry, I didnt mean it. I never wanted you to be unhappy,

Im your dad. I still want the best for you

Ebony: Well I am doing fine without you, I can look after myself, I dont
need you here I dont need anyone here.

Ghost disappears
Scrooge back in her room.

Scrooge: Dad? Dad? Pull yourself together for gods sake

She gets back into bed.

Scene Five

Clock strikes One

Scrooge has fallen asleep sitting up against the wall

Ghost 2: Sweetheart, sweetheart

Scrooge: Mum? I hear you where are you.

Ghost 2: Right here darling, Im right here.

Scrooge: What is happening Mum, Im scared.

Ghost 2: No need to be, you are safe.

Scrooge: What is going on, dad was here too.

Ghost 2: I know, we have a lot to do baby girl. Take my hand okay

Scene at aunt janes

Jane: Anyone want to pull a cracker with me?

Uncle: I will love, happy Christmas

Janes daughter younger: Lilly, you havent touched your roast potatoes,
can I have yours if you dont want them?

Jane: You alright Lilly?

Lilly: Yeah Im fine.

Jane: you sure? Its not like you not to eat and you left one present
unopened under the tree. Talk to me Lilly. Whats going on.

Lilly: That present is for scrooge. I found one of mums old decorations and
I thought if she had it she would feel better.

Older daughter: We do not want to talk about scrooge, every moment of

our year is taking up worrying about her, can we please have one dinner
where we can just be happy and not talk about that waist of space.
Jane: Now dear, she is our niece and she is troubled. They have had a
rough few years for sure, we all have but we are family and she is trying
to get well. Listen Lilly, if you want after dinner we can go and visit and
you can give her your gift.

Ghost 2: she missises you. She needs her big sister. I know that you dont
feel like your part of this family sweetheart but you are. Lilly loves you. I
love you. (Mum goes to scrooge who is crying) What am I going to do with
you?

Bobs house

Mum in bed. Bob comes in with Christmas present.

Bob: Merry Christmas.

Brother: Hi Mom

Mom: Happy Christmas my darlings, did you open your gifts?

Bob: We were waiting for you. Heres your breakfast.

Mom: Thank you. Will you pass me my meds please?

Bob: Sure, here. (passes the tablet and a glass of water)

Brother: Dad should be home soon and we can open our presents

Mom: Jump in you two, Id love a Christmas cuddle.

Scrooge: Why are we here?

Ghost 2: You need to see whats happening for Bob, scrooge. You ask so
much of her and she has a lot going on too.

She does not, she has everything, her mom and dad to start I needed
her to be with me, I need her.

Her mom needs her more scrooge, she is very sick. Friendships go both
ways, when were you last there to listen to her, to support her?

Dad: Hello?

Bob: Upstairs

Dad: Happy Christmas everyone. Happy Christmas dear (kisses the

mom on the head)

Mom: How was work?

Dad: A bit on the quite side, will we go down so? I see there is gifts to
open under the tree.

Dad and bob help mom off the bed. She stumbles.

Dad: Stay there Ill bring the gifts up to you.

Scrooge: See she has support, plenty of it.

Ghost 2: Do you know her dads job is on the line?

Scrooge: So, it would be good for him to be home more no? He could help
with the mom and bob could hang with me more.

Ghost 2: I cant believe you are the same sweet little girl I once knew. Her
dad needs his job to help pay for hospital costs if he loses it then there
is no way bobs mom will make it.

Dad enters with gifts

Dad: This one has your name on it.

Brother: Oh this is amazing; I have always wanted one of these.

Mom: You must have been very well behaved this year Joe

Bob: Santa did good you guys here Joe, this is from me.

Brother: Best Christmas ever.

Scrooge: Yippy, everyone is happy. Mother is dying and they are buying
gifts for each other. How stupid can they be.

Ghost 2: Its Christmas scrooge, they are trying to keep things as normal
and pleasant of everyone. Not everyone likes been miserable like you.

Scrooge: I do not. My life sucks, I didnt ask for you and dad to die did I? I
didnt ask to be alone.

Ghost 2: But you are not alone, you have family who care. You have
friends, if you looked out more, opened your eyes, youd see that you are
responsible for your happiness now. Life is what you make of it and if you
choose to continue like this I am afraid I will lose you forever. My sweet
little girl, my kind and beautiful little girl remember who you really are.
Please. I love you, I have to go now. Be safe

She fades away.

Scrooge: Please dont go, come back, come back sits crying. Opens one
of the gifts from her sister and it is a pic of the two of them. Looking
happy. She cries to herself. Holding the frame.

Clock strikes 2

Scene six

Marley: Stop your crying would ya, I have enough to be dealing with
without your tears too.

Scrooge: Marley? You again?

Marley: Yeah me again, jeasus you are givin me a complex, I thought we

were friends and that you might be happy to see me sorry to disappoint
you. Im the ghost of Christmas yet to come tada!!! Youre in for the ride
of your life my friend! Hold on to your seat

Party music

Scrooge is at a party with a friend (molly) they are living it up

Scrooge: This is more like it, where are we?

Marley: Who knows, different night different party, this is what your life
has become

Scrooge: Looks good to me where did I get the money?

Marley: Your inheritance! Your loaded now

Scrooge: Score!

Marley: Your leaving lets follow

Memory scrooge: have you a joint Kar? I sold mine to the bar tender for a
bottle of vodka score.

Kar: I have ya, in my purse. I am going to be sick (she throws up)

MS: where did you get this? It tastes funny, super strong too.

Kar: New batch I grew in the shed good? We can defo sell it for twice the
price. We need a taxi I need my bed.

MS: Ill drive, I stopped drinking an hour ago Im totally fine to drive home.
Get in
Scrooge: What am I thinking? Im fucked who the hell let me have the
keys? Where is Bob, she wont let me drive.

Marley: Bob? She is not here. She is not a part of this future Scrooge.

Scrooge: She left me? I knew she would eventually

Marley: We will get to that in a bit just watch.

MS: Seatbelt on? Lets go

Kar: Im going to get sick again scrooge pull over.

MS: Not in my car, thats disgusting. Kar, Kar (opens the door and
pushes out her friend, she bangs her head and is lifeless on the floor,
scrooge panics and gets in the car, she drives off and ends up crashing)

Marley: Guess the apple really doesnt fall far from the tree

Scrooge: WtF? I didnt just do that? Am I dead? Is she dead??? Tell me?
Marley tell me?

Marley: We have to go scrooge.

Bobs mums funeral

Scrooge: I have already seen this one why are you showing me again?

Marley: Look again scrooge. This is not your mums funeral

Mourners leave and Bob is crying alone at the graveside

Memory scrooge approaches her, she sees him and walks off.

MS: Bob, wait

Bob: Go away Scrooge, I dont want to talk to you.

Scrooge: What did I do? Why wont she talk to me?

Marley: You are rich scrooge, you could have helped Bobs mum, you could
have stopped this instead of partying all over the globe. You could have
stopped this.

Scrooge: Why didnt I? I would have if I had known I will, I still have time.
This has not yet happened. I will help. I promise.
Marley: You only saw what you wanted to see scrooge, you saw your pain
and nothing more. You have the chance to change scrooge, to put things
right. I wish I had. I would give anything to get a second chance.

Scrooge: You wanted to die, you chose that for yourself

Marley: I didnt see any way out. I wasnt like you, I had no money, no
family and I was about to turn 18 and they would have kicked me out of
the home and what would have become of me? I was scared scrooge, I
didnt realise that in death I would have no piece either. I am begging you
to change it, you dont want this but this is what will become of you if
you dont do something now. You have family, you have friends you have
a life, choose it. Choose life scrooge. Choose life.
Marley disappears.

Scrooge is back in her room. She eventually reaches for the second
present from Lilly. Opens it and it is a star for the top of the tree.

She makes a phone call.

Lilly: Everything alright Eb, its 3 am.

Scrooge: everything will be, I am going to come tomorrow okay.

Scrooge walks off the stage and meets Lilly and together they put the
start on the tree.

Scrooge: Happy Christmas Lilly.

Lilly: Happy Christmas

The End