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    The Body In The Bag
    The Body In The Bag
    The Body In The Bag
    Ebook134 pages1 hour

    The Body In The Bag

    By Colin Garrow

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    About this ebook

    Edinburgh, 1827. In their shabby lodging house, William Hare encourages his drinking partner William Burke to think about the future, about an easier way of making a living. When one of Hare’s lodgers dies, the scheming duo plan to take the body to the medical school where corrupt surgeon Dr Knox exchanges cash for cadavers...

    "D'you ever wonder why we're here? On the Earth? I don't. Oh, I know there's some that have a yearning for all that 'secrets of the universe' shite. That's what education does for you. But people round here...they're just ordinary. Don't want much. Don't expect much. I mean, why should they give a bugger? For most of them life is one long round of working, sleeping, eating and fucking. If they're lucky, they get a glass of whisky now and then.

    "I think people come in two sorts - those that drink and those that don't. Me - well, you know which sort I am. Anyway, getting to my point...it's like we're all sitting down at this huge great table. You don't know what's on the menu - you just sit there waiting with your spoon. First there's the toffs. They get the steak and they eat it off big shiny plates that have pretty patterns round the edge. Then there's the ordinary folk. They get beef stew, 'cos they're not wealthy or particularly educated, just...you know...ordinary. And then there's the beggars, the common folk, the poor fuckers who can't hold down a job, never have enough to eat and spend most of their time wondering if they're going to see another day. They get the slops, the crap from the bottom of the pan that no-one else wants. And wouldn't you know it, they're the ones that get ill, or have their arm caught in a machine, or catch some horrible disease. Or get murdered. If you've got money, you enjoy a better life, it's as simple as that."

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherColin Garrow
    Release dateAug 7, 2015
    ISBN9781311957283
    The Body In The Bag
    Author

    Colin Garrow

    Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland. He has worked in a plethora of professions including: taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. All Colin's books are available as eBooks and most are also out in paperback, too. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, Word Bohemia, Every Day Fiction, The Grind, A3 Review, 1,000 Words, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. He currently lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories, poems and the occasional song.

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      Book preview

      The Body In The Bag - Colin Garrow

      The Body in the Bag

      By Colin Garrow

      Distributed by Smashwords

      Copyright 2015 Colin Garrow

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Cover photograph by Ben Wamburgue

      Copyright 2009 WACtheatre. Used with permission

      Character List

      All actors will be required to sing. For Burke, Hare and Knox, the ability to be able to play guitar/ukulele would be advantageous.

      William Burke - late twenties/early thirties.

      William Hare - late twenties/early thirties.

      Maggie - Hare’s wife. Late twenties/early thirties.

      Helen - Burke’s wife. Late twenties/early thirties.

      Dr Knox - the surgeon. Forty-ish.

      Additional roles

      Joe - Victim no 2. Sixty-ish. (Can be played by the actor playing Knox).

      Abigail - Victim no 3. A hard-drinking woman (Can be played by the actor playing Maggie).

      Additional characters are played by members of the cast.

      'The Body in the Bag' was first performed at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen (Scotland) on 10 February 2009 with the following cast:

      William Burke – Martin Bearne

      William Hare – Scott Ironside

      Maggie – Suzanne Enoch

      Helen – Jennifer Merchant

      Dr Knox – Robert Morrison

      CONTENTS

      Scene 1 - The Gallows

      Scene 2 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 3 - The Dissecting Room

      Scene 4 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 5 - A Street Corner

      Scene 6 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 7 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 8 - The Dog And Duck

      Scene 9 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 10 - A Busy Street

      Scene 11 - Interview Room

      Scene 12 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 13 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 14 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 15 - Hare's Lodging House

      Scene 16 - The Gaol

      Performance Rights

      The Songs

      YouTube Link

      Other Books by this Author

      Connect with Me

      About the Author

      ACT ONE

      Darkness.

      VOICE

      (O/s) William Burke, you have been found guilty of the murder of Mary Docherty. It is the sentence of this court that you pay the ultimate penalty for such a heinous crime. You will be taken from here and held for a period of confinement, and from thence to a place of execution where you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. God have mercy on your soul.

      Scene 1 - The Gallows

      SFX - the sound of a trapdoor thudding open and the creaking of the rope as a body swings slowly from side to side.

      Hare, Maggie, Knox and Helen emerge through the semi-darkness and take up positions on stage. After a moment, Burke appears.

      BURKE

      (Approaching Hare) Bill? Hey, Bill?

      Hare does not respond.

      Bill…?

      Burke pulls at Hare's coat. No response. He waves his arms. Still nothing. He sees Helen and approaches her.

      Darlin…Helen, it's me, Bill…

      (Following the direction of her gaze) Aw…shit.

      Hare, Helen, Knox and Maggie exit.

      Burke watches them leave.

      (To audience) Bit of a shock. Realising you're dead. One minute you're drawing your last breath, the next…talk about life flashing before your eyes. Imagine. Everything you've ever done, everyone you ever spoke to, did wrong to, every morsel you ever tasted. It's all there. Course, it goes past so quick you've really got to be sharp to catch it all. Christ almighty. All I wanted was to be happy, to make something of myself. And see where I end up - jiggling about like a bairns puppet on a bit of string. And whose fault's that, eh? Mine. Fucking mine.

      During the following, Hare emerges and walks around the stage. He doesn't appear to see Burke or the audience, but is lost in his own thoughts.

      It's funny, I was going over it all in my mind and I think there must have been a moment, a real, physical moment when it could have gone either way, when I had a choice, when Bill and me could have taken different roads. 'Cos even after the first one, there was still time to get out…I mean, even then, we hadn't really done anything wrong…

      There is a lighting change, and suddenly Hare sees Burke.

      HARE

      Where the fuck you been?

      BURKE

      Just doing some thinking, Bill.

      HARE

      Thinking? Fuck me.

      BURKE

      Aye. Thinking about caving your head in with a shovel.

      They look at each other for a second, then burst into laughter. Suddenly Hare leaps across the stage and the pair launch into a playful fight, laughing and swinging their fists at each other. After a moment, the fight takes a more serious turn and Burke pulls away suddenly.

      Nearly had my eye out there, you bastard.

      HARE

      Would have done if I'd wanted. Put it on a stick, so you can see

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