Turnkeys

Actors ' Student Like Characters

Willie '
Barbara -
Danny _
Lisa '

The scene is set in a small uncrowded bedsit flat . Three rooms in one are the bedrrom , kitchen and lounge room .
The furniture consists of a chair by a door and there is a single bed . Beside the bed is a chest of drawers .A bedside lamp sits on top of the chest of drawers . The kitchen has a table and chairs and lounge has a TV set and small sofa .

There is a man in the bed asleep . He sits up and switches on the lamp them opens the top drawer . He takes a bunch of keys from the drawer and turns to face the audience . A knock is heard on the bedroom door .

House or stage lights come on .
Dialogue Begins

Willie ' (Mumbles to himself )
"Who is that knocking on my door at this time of the night .
( Another knock raps the door on and Willie raises his voice )
All right hold your horses, I'm coming "

(Willie walks over to the door and sits down on a chair beside the door . Another knock and another before a voice calls out on the other side of the door )

Danny " Hello Willie are you in there . Its me Danny ."

Willie ' "Who ."

Danny ' It's Danny . Stop messing about and open the door Willie. "

Willie ' "The door is open . Come in ."

Danny walks into the room and reaches out his hand . Willie takes the handshake but forgets about the keys . Danny shakes a hand with a large bunch of keys .

Danny ' "What are the keys for Willie ?

Willie '"These are for opening peoples minds Danny ."

Danny ' "How do they work ?

Willie -" Have you ever climbed inside your head to escape from something or someone . I mean have you ever hidden away in there and shut yourself out from the entire world ?

Danny ' "Sure Willie I do it all the time . Are you kidding ?

Willie ' "Well then these are the keys that unlock people from the very corners of their inner depths .?

Danny ' "I'm really glad to hear it Willie , nut if you want my advice I think you better crawl out form your own head and open up the door before you get lost in there ."

Willie '"Do you have any idea what time it is Danny?

Danny-"No.

Willie ' "Have you ever climbed into a persons head and left nothing but conflict in there as you left ?

Danny - No . I haven't. Why ?

Willie '"Let me ask you something else Danny . What do you think I will find inside your head if I unlock the door to your brokenness?

Danny-" I think you'll find my emotions have turned the place upside down Willie ."

Willie '" Danny boy . I think what I might find is that your essence of life has run dry and that is the reason why I find you knocking on my door at four o'clock in the morning .

Danny ' "Fancy a cup of tea Willie ?

Willie '"Sure . Make yourself at home "

Danny and Willie walk into the kitchen area .Willie sits down in the corner at the small table and Danny begins to make the tea .
Suddenly there is a knock on the door . Another knock and then a Danny shouts .

Danny-Hello . Who is there ?

A voice replies .

Is that you Willie ? This is Barbara . Open the door ?

Willie '" Barbara the door is open . Come in ."

Barbara comes in and Willie walks over to hug her at the door . In doing so he drops the large bunch of keys

Barbara-"What are the keys for Willie ."

Willie ' "These keys can unlock the secrets of your mind Barbara ."

Another knock at the door .

Barbara ' "Oh that will be Lisa .She wanted to brush her hair before she came in to say hello "

Willie opened the door and Lisa walked in . He bent down to pick the keys up and Lisa said .

Lisa ' "Hello Willie .What are the keys for ?"

Danny walks over to Lisa and Barbara .

Danny ' "Now here are two minds that really must be opened up for a while .

Barbara ' "Hi Danny ?

Danny-" Hi to you too ."

Lisa- "You could try a smile .

Barbara-"That would be a welcome change .

Danny tries to smile

Barbara-"That's not a smile . Come on make it really count . Smile with expression and show some emotion . Give your face a holiday . "

Willie-" Danny make four cups will you . Come and sit down ladies ."

Danny walks back to the kitchen followed by the others . Willie stands to one side and lets the girls walk first . Lisa stops and looks at Willie .

Lisa -"What are they for Willie ?

Willie- "What?

Lisa- "The bunch of keys. "

Willie- "They open minds that are shut ?

Lisa-" That's cool ."

They go over and sit down at the table . Danny pours the tea and sits dow beside Lisa .

Barbara '" Danny the smile still fits . Wear it for Gods sake will you ."

Willie- "Will you two try and lighten up a little . Its four in the morning . Have you have a fight or something ?

The two ladies get up from their chairs and sit on the floor . Danny gets up and does the same . Willie joins the crowd .

Willie- "So what is this a new tea drinking custom?

Lisa '"Why don't you use your keys to unlock the secret in my head Willie 

Willie '"Why don't you just be very careful of the things you say and take a good hard look into your heart and soul ."

Willie gets up on his feet and turns to the audience pointing his fingers to various people in the crowd .

Lisa-" Willie . Who are all those people out there watching us ?

Willie-"They are the tomorrow people . They have been locked up here today
with no idea of what is in my head . "

Barbara and Danny and Lisa all stand and look out at the audience in front -

Danny- "Can those keys unlock their minds as well Willie ?

Willie '"Yes I have the keys that can unlock what each of them are trying to conceal . So before today is over I want you all to think about the things inside your head that keep all you prisoners . I want you to open your minds up and feel the things that are trying to escape .

Ambient music is played over the PA for a few moments and the house lights are dimmed revealing just the light from the lamp by the bed .

Willie '"Does anybody have the answer ?

Danny- Willie keep your voice down . Leave those nice people alone ."

Willie- "Just keep smiling Danny .Barbara come and give us a song ."

Willie continues talking and pointing his finger to members of the audience as Lisa sings Danny Boy . Barbara joins in singing as well and they break atf the end of the first verse .

Willie -" What is it all about and can you tell me why . Eh . Do you know why , well has anybody got the answer ?

Danny grabs Willie around the throat and starts to slap him about .

Danny- "Willie stop it ."

Lisa”"Danny stop hitting Willie "

Barbara (Screams) "Will everyone just calm down . Please don't hurt Willie ."

Danny hits Willie even harder .

Willie '"I love you Danny ."

Lisa-"Please don't hit Willie Danny . It is really starting to frighten me .

Danny continues to hit Willie .

Barbara- Stop it Danny . Please stop it .

Willie '"I still love you Danny .

Danny- I don't believe that anyone could be as passive and as dumb as you Willie . The thing is you are not a real man . You are just an excuse for a man As a matter of face Willie you're a sad mistake and a bad fact of my life .".

He continues to hit Willie over the head .
Willie reaches out the bunch of keys. Danny takes them .

Willie-" Danny I want to open your mind up to who you are . You're the aggressor , like the shark you want to devour anything or anyone that you are in conflict with . You must try to reach out and see help others instead of being the dominant one in control . Take my hand ."

Danny reaches out and forgets about the bunch of keys . As they shake hands Willie grabs back his bunch of keys .

Lisa- "That's much better now .I'm so glad to se that you have made up ."

Willie reaches out his hand to Lisa and as they shake hands Willie passes over the bunch of keys to Lisa . Lisa takes the keys and tries to give them to Barbara but Barbara doesn't want them . Danny doesn't either and so Lisa tries to give them back to Willie .

Willie -: I need you to open your mind now Lisa and see what I am going to tell you . You are the Teddy Bear who always wants a hug . You are afraid of conflict and would do anything to avoid hurt . You are the kind of person who tries to smooth out all the creases . But Lisa you must decrease what you find challenges your mind and increase your assertiveness . Lisa if you are aware of what is going on then I ask you to stop running away from hurt and stand firm . Would you like a hug ?

Lisa opens her arms and Willie hugs her . As they hug Lisa drops the bunch of keys and Willie bends over and picks tup the keys

Barbara-" I think you're off the planet Willie . Come back to earth . You can't escape from life by using philosophy as an excuse .

Willie '" Barbara . I know that the reason you have come to visit me at this moment in time has to do with the money I borrowed from you last week .
Here hols these for me while I get you some cash ."

Willie handed over the bunch of keys and Barbara took them . As she did Willie put his hand in his pocket and took out some banknotes .

Barbara '" I see by the look in your eyes that you think you have worked me out . But I want you to understand something about life Willie . Life is about money and life is all about staying alive ."

Willie handed over the banknotes and as he did he took back the bunch of keys from Barbara .

Willie -" Life is about love Barbara . The love you never had . True love cares and real love forgives and forgets . Love like this asks for nothing in return other than just to be loved . What good is money when there is no love ?

Barbara - Money pays my bills . Money buys me food . Money is what makes the world go around Willie and its high time you understood the things that are important . Wake up Willie . You're an endangered species .

Willie '"Yes . That's true . I am just like you . The only thing is I have the ability to reason things out and as I said I love life .

Barbara '" You're definitely off the planet Willie "

Willie clutches her in his arms and kisses her . Barbara pulls away .

Willie '"Barbara you are like the turtle who pulls its head in when you are in conflict with things . You must allow yourself to face the truth and embrace the real issues about life . You have to accept love into your life . Love is what life is all about ."

THE END

By Paul McCann