A CHRISTMAS CAROL - PLAYSCRIPT -- DEC 2009 - ACT 3

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

PLAYSCRIPT - DEC 2009

ACT 3

Scrooge and the Spirit of the Past appear. They are not in the city any more. They´re in the country.   

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: Do you remember this place?  

SCROOGE: (feeling joyful) Yes, of course I do. This is where I was born.  

Scrooge and the Ghost stand in a corner of the stage. Two children, a boy and a girl appear and start playing with a ball. Scrooge boy appears with his hands in his pockets looking shy. 

SCROOGE:  It´s me! That little boy is me when I was 10.  

Scrooge boy looks sadly at the two children playing. He walks past them but the children don´t say anything. Scrooge boy takes out a book from his pocket and starts reading and looking at the children. The children look at him and go away. Scrooge boy is there alone and starts crying. 

SCROOGE:  Don´t show me this. My father left me. Nobody knows what it´s like to be a young boy all alone. (Scrooge´s eyes filled with tears)   

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: Is something wrong?  

SCROOGE: I was just thinking of another young boy I saw today. He came to my shop, alone, singing Christmas Carols. I did´t give him anything. … Oh take me away, I don´t want to see anymore! 

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: No, there are more things that you must see. We are going to visit another Christmas. 

Young Scrooge is sitting on a bench in the park. His sister, Fanny, comes to take him home . The brother and sister are happy because it is Christmas and they are together. They hold hands and run down the road singing a Christmas Carol. 

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: Your sister Fanny was very kind, but she died very young. 

SCROOGE: My sister was like a mother to me. She was the only person who really loved me just the way I was. When she died… I felt lost and alone. 

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: But she has one child. Your nephew Fred. 

SCROOGE: Yes, my nephew Fred. He reminds me of my sister, always so happy and so nice to other people. Never worried about himself. Always trying to give love away. (Scrooge looked down in a sad way, thinking)   

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: We have to hurry up, we haven´t got much time left and I have one more Christmas to show you before I leave you.  

SCROOGE: One more Christmas? When? Where? 

SPIRIT OF THE PAST: Come with me…(They stop at a warehouse and Scrooge sees Fezziwig, his old boss inside).

Scrooge: It´s old Fezziwig! He´s alive again! Look at him! Ha, ha!

They get closer and see Scrooge as a young man at a desk there. He is working as a clerk. Old Fezziwig puts down his pen and says:   

OLD FEZZIWIG: Ebenezer! No more work tonight! It is Christmas Eve! Let´s close the office now and start celebrating! 

Scrooge stands up and soon Mrs Fezziwig arrives, smiling. Soon many people come too with food and drinks, and begin to sing Christmas songs. Soon it´s a Christmas party. People are dancing and singing. Some are eating, others are drinking. Everyone is happy and laughing. But in a corner we can see young Scrooge talking to a pretty young woman. She is crying. 

ISABELLA: You are different Ebenezer, you don´t love me. You love another. (She sobs)  

YOUNG SCROOGE: What do you mean? I love you! 

ISABELLA: No, you don´t. You love MONEY. 

YOUNG SCROOGE: What are you saying? 

ISABELLA: You promise me happiness but you don´t know what happiness means. You are only happy with money. I cannot live with a man like you! (And the young woman runs away, leaving Scrooge alone again. Old Scrooge and Spirit of the past  are looking at young Scrooge. 

SCROOGE: Spirit, why are you showing me such unhappy scenes? I´ve always been so stupid! How could I let Isabella leave? Why didn´t I go after her? Oh, stupid, stupid fool! Please, take me home! 

They leave the stage, hand in hand and looking miserable.

END OF ACT 3