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Back Far Away Save as PDF
Chapters (10)
  1. Cover
  2. FAR AWAY
  3. Original Production
  4. Characters
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3
  8. CARYL CHURCHILL
  9. Other works by Caryl Churchill, published by Nick Hern Books
  10. Copyright and Performing Rights Information
JOAN Your turn.
TODD I go for a swim in the river before work.
JOAN Isn’t it dangerous?
TODD Your turn.
JOAN I’ve got a pilot’s licence.
TODD I stay up till four every morning watching the trials.
JOAN I’m getting a room in a subway.
TODD I’ve got my own place.
JOAN Have you?
TODD Do you want to see it? That’s coming on.
JOAN I don’t understand yours but I like the feather.
TODD I’m not trying. I’ve been here too long.
JOAN Will you leave?
TODD My turn. There’s something wrong with how we get the contracts.
JOAN But we want the contracts.
TODD What if we don’t deserve them? What if our work isn’t really the best?
JOAN So what’s going on?
TODD I’ll just say a certain person’s brother-in-law. Where does he work do you think?
JOAN Where does he work?
TODD I’m not talking about it in here. Tell me something else.
JOAN I don’t like staying in in the evenings and watching trials.
TODD I watch them at night after I come back.
JOAN Back from where?
TODD Where do you like?

3.

Next day. They’re working on the hats, which are getting very big and extravagant.

TODD I don’t enjoy animal hats myself.
JOAN I was a student.
TODD Abstract hats are back in a big way.
JOAN I’ve always liked abstract hats.
TODD You must have not noticed when everyonehated them.
JOAN It was probably before my time.
Silence. They go on working.
JOAN It’s just if you’re going on about it all the time I don’t know why you don’t do something about it.
TODD This is your third day.
JOAN The management’s corrupt – you’ve told me. We’re too low paid – you’ve told me.
Silence. They go on working.
TODD Too much green.
JOAN It’s meant to be too much.
Silence. They go on working.
TODD I noticed you looking at that fair boy’s hat. I hope you told him it was derivative.
Silence. They go on working.
TODD I’m the only person in this place who’s got any principles, don’t tell me I should do something, I spend my days wondering what to do.
JOAN So you’ll probably come up with something.
Silence. They go on working.

4.

Next day. They are working on the hats, which are now enormous and preposterous.