Heroines of Chaos

Eco Drama: Stage Play for schools, adults, colleges and theaters.

Student forum: Climate Change, Global Warming, Politics, Planning, Ecology, Economics.

Free script for several actors.

Version 5.0
Cyclone Gabrielle
Cyclone Gabrielle. Weather chaos. Climate change solutions.

FARMHOUSE ONE: VERANDAH – NIGHT. Two Nordic-style wooden walking poles stand in the corner. Cyclone.

Throughout this scene: very heavy rain. SOUND of wind howling and thunder, and streaks of lightning. Tamara and Zsófi stand together in night-attire, near the balustrade, staring out into the night. SOUND of flooding water, gurgling, racing across the farm and orchard. Delbee stands at side of stage.

Hi. Let's move on to twenty-twenty-three. It's high summer in New Zealand. That year, there were three weather events in close succession: Cyclone Hale, in January, which lasted four days; then eight days of heavy rainfall; and then Cyclone Gabrielle, which lasted another four days. Almost all country roads in the Gisborne area were closed, and villages cut off for weeks. Eight bridges were destroyed, and the area suffered major damage, with landslides across roads, lost embankments, and extensive flooding. There was major flooding in Auckland too. Cars were abandoned. There were people out in the rain in pyjamas, desperately trying to stop basements flooding. Some houses were swept away. Some people died.

(Delbee exits.)

That sounds like flooding. I’ll have to check what’s going on.

(Tamara looks at the mobile phone in her hand.)

No signal!

(Tamara flicks the outdoor light switch.)

Power’s out too.

(Zsófi goes inside, and comes out carrying a flashlight.)

There’s a wood-burner stove on the back porch. Use it and make some tea. I’ll be back.

(Zsófi turns to go, then stops, pauses, and faces back toward Tamara.)

No, be an angel and make soup instead!

(Tamara salutes.)

Yes, Ma’am!
I’ve gotta find Altan.

(Zsófi tinkles a laugh, gives a farewell wave, using only her fingersg, and grabs the walking-sticks. Tamara grabs Zsófi’s arm as if to stop her.)

I’m going in.

(Zsófi plunges off and disappears into the rain. Tamara watches, looking worried, then goes inside.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

FARMHOUSE ONE: VERANDAH – DAY. Daybreak. Towels are now stacked on the table, alongside soup bowls.

Tamara waits anxiously on the verandah. Throughout this scene: SOUND of wind howling, rain, floodwater, and thunder. FLASHES of lightning.

(Altan comes into sight, wading through floodwaters. He sploshes up the steps, barefoot, followed by Zsófi. Both are soaking wet.)

I’ve been so worried! Where were you?

(Zsófi’s teeth are chattering. Altan is cold and shuddery. Zsófi takes her raincoat off, and peels Altan’s T-shirt upwards.)

There’s a billy of hot water on the fire. I’ll run a warm bath.

(Tamara goes inside.)

Altan! Come!

(Zsófi takes Altan by the arm. He is shivering uncontrollably. Tamara calls from offstage.)

Bath’s ready!

(Zsófi leads Altan inside.)

(LATER: SCENE LIGHTING TEMPORARILY OFF. THEN ON AGAIN.)

(Tamara comes out with a huge tureen of soup, and biscuits, and puts all on the table. Zsófi and Altan come out in dry clothes, ravenous.)

We were trapped for hours on the roof of the packing shed by the floodwaters.

(All three begin soup with bread. Tamara weeps in relief.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

FARMHOUSE ONE: VERANDAH – DAY.

Delbee stands at stage-front, to one side.

A long month has gone by. Yuvan’s sports utility vehicle roars up the track, billowing diesel smuts. The vehicle fishtails momentarily in on the silted, muddy track.

(SOUND: sports utility vehicle roars. Pause. The car door slams.)

(Yuvan appears, wearing muddy gumboots.)

My God! Silt everywhere, it's like a wasteland. The orchard's a mess.

(Yuvan shakes his head in disbelief at the devastation – silt everywhere, trees bent over and dying, flood damage.)

YOOHOOO! Zsófi! I’ve got kai!

(Zsófi and Tamara appear from behind farmhouse, mud-bespattered, exhausted, with spades. They are both wearing gumboots. They have been shovelling silt. They stop, and Zsófi’s face contorts with anger.)

Get that stinking diesel off my property, Uncle!
What?

(Yuvan begins unloading stackable plastic trays stacked with food supplies, vegetables, water, tins. Zsófi squelches across to the monster off-road sports utility vehicle, followed by Tamara. Zsófi speaks quietly with venom)

Fucking diesel!

(Yuvan is perplexed.)

But I’m here to help.
Fuck off!

(Yuvan stares. Tamara stares at Yuvan, then puts a hand on Zsófi’s arm, a silent plea for calm.)

Zsófi, let me handle this. Go inside and get yourself cleaned up, eh!

(Zsófi simmers, then stomps off leaving Yuvan and Tamara standing by monster off-road sports utility vehicle. Tamara turns to Yuvan. She stares at him, looking puzzled.)

What’s up with Zsófi?
Ya know, it’s not about Zsófi. It’s about you, eh. The thing is ...

(Tamara shifts her weight from one foot to the other. And then blurts out:)

Are you my grandfather?

(Yuvan stares at her, dumbfounded.)

What?
Are you my grandfather?
Do I look like your grandfather?
Yep.
Uh huh.
Ya know, Yuvan, my mother’s maiden name is Ivaskow.
Aaah.

(Tamara jumps up and down, and offers her hand. Yuvan shakes it automatically, then wanders off and back in a circle. They begin walking back up to the farmhouse.)

You knew about me, eh?
(He looks puzzled.) Not a peep out of your mother. How did you recognize me?
Social media. I’m looking for you all the time since I was thirteen years old. Ya know, I just want to know who I am.
Not my place to interfere.

(Yuvan stops to look at Tamara, as if he cannot quite believe they are related, or wants to check. He looks like a stunned fish. They walk slowly towards the farmhouse. Yuvan keeps peering at Tamara’s face.)

(Altan appears from behind the farmhouse, wearing gumboots, and carrying a spade. He sits on the verandah steps. Zsófi comes out. Tamara whispers to Zsófi. Yuvan comes slowly up the steps. Zsófi goes inside. Tamara pours mugs of tea. Yuvan holds out his hand to Altan. )

G’day. My name’s Yuvan.

(Altan, whose English is very limited, looks puzzled, but shakes Yuvan’s hand.)

Altan.
Why did you come to Aotearoa?
Why?

(Yuvan nods.)

Dzud.
Dzud?

(Zsófi comes out, scowling.)

Droughts, winter storms, and extreme heat. It killed all his goats and horses.

(Yuvan looks at Zsófi.)

You don’t want the diesel here, sweetie, because diesel emissions are one cause of weather chaos?
What took you so long? You old goat!

(Yuvan holds up one hand in quasi-stop position: enough!)

Now I understand.
No, you don’t. You don’t understand the time lag.
What time lag?
It’ll be ten years before we feel the full effect on the weather of your stinking diesel fumes. Ten years of pollution in the pipeline!
Who cares? I won’t be here.

(Yuvan shrugs.)

You say that you love me? No, you don’t. Just – sod off!

(Tamara hugs Zsófi from behind, arms and all. Zsófi is wild. Yuvan steps away. Then nods in agreement.)

Okay, I’ll leave it at the gate next time. It won’t happen again. I promise.
And no plastic either!

(Tamara gradually releases Zsófi and stands between them. Zsófi goes inside, letting the flyscreen door slam. Tamara offers Yuvan a biscuit. Zsófi comes out again, calmer. Zsófi growls:)

Better hug your sodding granddaughter, before it’s too late, Mister Yuvan.

(Yuvan stands and opens his arms, Tamara hugs. Altan finishes his tea, walks away down the access track. Zsófi goes after him, and catches up. She smiles at him. Tamara breaks off and watches Altan and Zsófi together, a thoughtful expression on her face.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

CHERRY ORCHARD: AFTER CYCLONE – DAY. The same afternoon. There is a gate into the orchard. Much damage is evident: silt is everywhere, and the trees clearly unhappy, or broken.

No-one on stage.

(Zsófi and Yuvan, followed by Tamara, all wearing farm boots to get through the silt, trudge to the cherry orchard. Yuvan is carrying a shovel. Yuvan opens the gate, and gestures Zsófi through. Zsófi balks.)

No, you go. I don’t have to go first, just because I’m female.

(Yuvan goes through first, looking exasperated. They all move through. Yuvan digs a hole in the silt down as far as the original grassy topsoil to determine how deep the silt is.)

The silt’s less than five centimeters deep.
The plants should grow through that.
Just fix the fencing, Zsófi, and replant with something more robust.
There's not enough in the kitty.
Then go the bank, sweetie, and borrow. You have good equity.
Even if the banks lent me the money, I couldn’t afford the repayments.

(Zsófi shakes her head in despair.)

I suppose I could buy it off you, darling girl. As is, where is.
Me? Your darling girl? No way.

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

FARMHOUSE ONE: VERANDAH AND ACCESS TRACK: AFTER CYCLONE – DAY.

Yuvan is waiting near his monster monster off-road sports utility vehicle (which is just offstage), tired but thoughtful.

(Tamara comes out of the farmhouse, carrying her overnight bag.)

Drop me home now, Grandpa.

(Yuvan grimaces and nods. He opens the passenger door, and tosses the bag in. The pair head off in the monster off-road sports utility vehicle. SOUND of car doors, roar of diesel engine.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)