ONE

Devon – open country, 5 August 1912.

Birds in the sky. Nature at its most natural.

The shape of Alice emerges as she moves.

Joey emerges from behind her. We get to know him.

Joey and Alice stand, heads together. There is intimacy between them.

Joey tries to suckle, three times, but Alice won’t let him. Then she turns her head directly towards him – thus Joey is forced away.

Alice leaves him there for a while. Joey is unhappy about this.

Alice changes head angle to let Joey know he can return.

They stay very close, touching, as if replenishing love.

Alice begins to worry. She shows all the signs of trying to locate a sensed threat. Joey picks up on this.

Is the threat from that direction? Or that? Or that? It seems to be all around!

TWO

Continuous.

Enter humans.

They move in towards the horses in a co-ordinated fashion, trying not to scare them.

They form or bring portions of fencing and separate the horses into two pens.

Joey sticks close to Alice. She goes this way, then that, but there is no way to break the pens without using her overwhelming force.

She and Joey come to a halt in the middle of the ring of humans.

Suddenly lights come on in the ring and the voice of Chapman Carter, auctioneer, rings out.

Carter Eleven guineas – (Taking bids.) Twelve, any advance on twelve? She’s worth more than twelve guineas. This is a reluctant sale due to hard times. It could happen to any of you. I’m not asking for charity, just a fair price. Thirteen, thank you. Pay unto others what thou wouldst have paid unto you is all I’m asking. Fourteen, any one? … Fourteen guineas for the mare. Fourteen guineas is the best we can do today? Gone!

Enter Albert.

The buyer throws a rope over Alice’s head. Joey reacts violently. Humans usher him away from Alice as she is led towards a gap that appears in the ring.

Joey begins to vocalise his distress. Alice answers him.

Exit Alice.

The ring closes behind her. Joey is alone in the ring.

But Alice is refusing to go quietly. She must be controlled before the auction can continue.

Let’s get this bliddin’ horse moved. Two minutes.

Carter goes to help control Alice. Ringsiders go with him.

Joey runs to and fro.

Albert tries to attract him. Joey faces away from him.

Albert Here, boy. Come on, boy.

Joey seems about to respond when:

Enter Ted, Albert’s father, with a pint pot.

Joey’s off again!

Ted Eh, Albert, whass goin’ on?

Albert Two-minute break, dad.

Ted Oh aye?

Ted watches. There’s another moment of contact between Joey and Albert.

Hold me pint whilst I go fer a wotsit.

Exit Ted.

Albert Here boy! Here!

Again it seems that Joey and Albert make contact.

Enter Ned Warren at the opposite side of the ring. His abrupt arrival makes Joey take fright. He runs round the ring again.