Lola Is Alone (And She Likes It) – (8-10s)
By Josie Young
Lola the fox has always been alone… and she likes it. She can eat what she wants, go where she wants and go to bed whenever she likes. But one morning, her world is turned upside down when her home is destroyed!
On the hunt for a new, cosy den before the night is up, Lola is determined that she can do it by herself. Along the way, however, she meets some friendly faces that might just convince her that having some helping hands (and paws) isn't so bad.
Setting(s) |
Edinburgh |
|---|---|
First produced | June 2023; directed by Catherine Ward-Stoddart |
Genre | Family, Adventure, Drama, Environmental |
Cast Size | 20 |
Recommended for performers aged | 8-10 |
Running Time | 45 mins |
Recommended for audiences aged | All ages |
Script Extract:
Scene 1
[Lights Up in the forest, LOLA’s den is centre, and she is curled up fast asleep. A trail of paw prints leads a weaving line across the stage to the den. The sun is starting to rise filling the forest with light. It’s peaceful. Our narrators enter the stage from all different directions. GILES is holding a map. They are oblivious to the fox.]
GEORGIA: Is this the place?
GILES: I think so.
ANDREW: You think so?
SAMMY: We’ve been following you all day.
ANDREW: All night.
SAMMY: And you think we’re in the right place.
GEORGIA: Give them a break.
ANDREW: What’s the time?
SAMMY: 7.58am
ANDREW: Perfect. Just perfect.
GILES: I’m sorry.
ANDREW: You should be.
GEORGIA: Enough, the both of you.
GILES: They should be right here.
[GILES is starting to panic, running on and off stage.]
GEORGIA: Calm down, okay – just take a deep breathe with me.
[GEORGIA takes GILES by the shoulders. They breathe.]
Okay, where are we…
GILES: So, the directions say it all starts here.
SAMMY: 7.59am
GEORGIA: And that’s where we are?
GILES: I think so.
ANDREW: Oh – enough already. We’re going to miss it; we had one shot to do this.
GILES: I told you we should have used Google Maps!
SAMMY: 30 seconds!
ANDREW: I’m going home.
[ANDREW goes to take a big step. Before GEORGIA stops them.]
GEORGIA: Stop!
SAMMY: Look…
[They notice the paw prints and follow them to a sleeping LOLA.]
GEORGIA: I think you owe someone an apology.
ANDREW: I…
SAMMY: 5 SECONDS!
GEORGIA: Everyone hide.
[They collect together in one corner, holding branches to disguise themselves as a shrub. At that moment LOLA awakes from her sleep with a stretch and a yawn. Whilst our narrators talk, we see Lola has mastered life on her own. She has a homemade backscratcher to hit the spots she can’t by herself. She designed other contraptions to reach the high points of the trees and clean up the forest floor.]
SAMMY: So that’s Lola?
GILES: Shh.
SAMMY: Lola’s a fox?
GILES: We told you that!
ANDREW: She’s all alone…
GILES: Completely alone.
SAMMY: That’s a shame.
GEORGIA: She’s fine.
GILES: She likes it.
ANDREW: Where’s her family?
GILES: Has none.
SAMMY: Friends?
GEORGIA: Has none.
GILES: She likes it that way.
GEORGIA: No one to count on.
GILES: To rely on.
ANDREW: What if she needs help?
GILES: She works it out.
SAMMY: And this is what it’s all about?
ANDREW: This is going to be the story?
SAMMY: Seems boring.
GEORGIA: Just wait.
[In the distance is the sound of a large engine. Lola’s ears perk and she freezes, listening to the sound inch closer. The forest floor starts to shake, the Narrators tremble. From the side of the stage a bunch of construction workers in a massive van coming roaring into the clearing.]
LOLA [in horror]: No…
[Slowly the construction workers and the van tear down her home. Hopeless LOLA backs off shouting.]
LOLA: No, please stop!
[It’s too late, the home has been blown apart and torn down. As the construction workers come out of the van LOLA joins the narrators hiding in the bushes. Our construction workers are JASON, OLI, KAY and AMBER. They wear hard hats. KAY walks towards the pile of sticks that once resembled a home. They pick it up and inspect the surroundings. The rest of the workers start to assemble themselves, changing into high-vis and arming themselves with shovels.]
KAY: What’s this?
AMBER: Just a pile of sticks mate – stop messing about.
OLI: A pile of rubbish.
KAY: I think it’s a den…
JASON: C’mon team – these tracks aren’t gonna build themselves.
KAY: Wait –
[Something comes over KAY, they start to feel guilty… realising what they have just done.]
I just remembered…
OLI: Spit it out.
KAY: We will need to wait before we start here because…
AMBER: Today, mate.
KAY: I need to do one last check of the surroundings.
[They collectively sigh and groan.]
AMBER: We’re already way off schedule.
KAY: Just give me one day, okay? I don’t want us getting in trouble.
JASON: One day.
OLI: And if Edinburgh council hears about this.
KAY: They’ll what? Get back to me in 3-5 working days? Nice one.
AMBER: Better get going then. We start tomorrow 8am sharp.
[They all leave except KAY who lingers for a moment longer, looking around for a sign of life. LOLAstays frozen and watches as KAY leaves. LOLA can’t move, a sadness like any other has her stuck still.]
SAMMY: Is she okay?
ANDREW: Course she isn’t.
GILES: She lived there her whole life.
SAMMY: Should we help?
GEORGIA: We can’t.
GILES: She doesn’t want our help.
GEORGIA: We’re only here to watch.
ANDREW: Why?
GILES: That’s what Narrators do – just say it as it is.
[Like a shot, LOLA up and runs away.]
SAMMY: Where’s she going?
GILES: On to the next chapter. C’mon let’s go.
[They follow her.]
If you are interested in this script, please email James at james@strangetown.org.uk
