The first part of a play in progress: one act, one scene, in real time.
CHARACTERS
MASON, a detective in his late thirties
BRADSHAW, a detective in his early twenties
THOMPSON, “the killer”
THE SCENE
The play takes place in a police interrogation room, which consists of a table with a tape recorder Centre and some chairs scattered around it. There is a door up Right. Throughout, a clock ticks monotonously in the background.
"TABULA RASA"
[WHEN THE LIGHTS FADE UP SLOWLY, THOMPSON IS SAT AT THE TABLE CS, FACING THE AUDIENCE.]
[SILENCE FOR ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS.]
[THOMPSON STANDS UP AND BEGINS TO PACE AROUND THE ROOM, OBSERVING ITS MINISCULE FEATURES. HE WHISTLES.]
[SILENCE.]
[SUDDENLY, WE HEAR THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING. THOMPSON WALKS CALMLY BACK TO HIS SEAT. MASON AND BRADSHAW APPEAR.]
MASON Made yourself comfortable?
THOMPSON Yes.
[MASON SWITCHES ON THE TAPE RECORDER.]
MASON This interview began at 1113 hours. Present are myself, Detective Inspector James Mason, Detective Sergeant Michael Bradshaw and Roger Thompson.
THOMPSON Cut the crap, eh?
MASON Mr. Thompson, do you recall your whereabouts on the night of 26th July 200-?
THOMPSON I was at my house.
BRADSHAW Is there anyone who can vouch for you?
THOMPSON I was alone.
MASON Do you know, or have you known, a young woman named Cynthia Darrow?
THOMPSON No, I don’t.
BRADSHAW Would it surprise you, Mr. Thompson, to learn that Miss Darrow has been found dead?
THOMPSON Yes.
BRADSHAW Would it also surprise you to learn that the forensic evidence we have compiled implicates you in the rape, torture and murder of Miss Darrow?
THOMPSON (Coldly) Yes.
MASON Would you like to change any statements that you have made so far during this course of this interview?
THOMPSON No.
[BEAT.]
BRADSHAW Mr. Thompson, do you recall another young woman named Amy Sutton?
THOMPSON No.
BRADSHAW Would you be surprised if we found Miss Sutton raped, tortured and murdered, and had collected forensic evidence to suggest that you may have been the killer?
THOMPSON Yes.
BRADSHAW Do you also recall another young man named Martha Lewis?
THOMPSON No.
MASON Would you be surprised if we found Miss Lewis raped, tortured and murdered, and had collected forensic evidence to suggest that you may have killed her?
[THOMPSON STANDS UP VEHEMENTLY.]
THOMPSON I DID NOT KILL THEM.
[MASON STANDS UP AND BEGINS TO APPROACH HIM.]
MASON Do you know of Katy Stewart?
THOMPSON No.
MASON Lisa Ingram?
THOMPSON No.
MASON Bethany Holloway?
THOMPSON NO.
MASON THEY WERE ALL RAPED, TORTURED AND MURDERED JUST LIKE THE OTHERS.
THOMPSON HOW DO YOU FUCKING KNOW?
MASON I’m stopping the tape. This interview concluded at 1115 hours.
[SILENCE. THE DETECTIVES BEGIN TO LEAVE.]
THOMPSON How did you…
BRADSHAW We’re leaving. We’re finished here.
THOMPSON No! Stop! How did you know? Tell me, how did you know? HOW DID YOU KNOW?
[HIS CALLS ARE NOT ANSWERED. THE DOOR SLAMS.]
[A DEATHLY SILENCE FALLS.]
THOMPSON How did they know… They don’t know where I hid the bodies… They don’t have a bloody clue… They knew. They’ve been watching me all along. All fucking along. They’ve been watching me.,,
[SILENCE.]
THOMPSON (Addressing the audience) You know, you’ve had it easy. All your lives you’ve had it easy. Going to a proper school. Getting a proper job. But me, my whole life’s been a shithole. A bloody shithole. And those bitches, well they got what they deserved. Doing what they did. They had it coming. They knew that the minute they started living, me, Roger, would come after them. They deserved to die. They deserved to die the way they did, the bastards.
