A CHRISTMAS CAROL - PLAYSCRIPT -- DEC 2009 - ACT 6

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

PLAYSCRIPT - DEC 2009

ACT 6

Scrooge is sleeping in his bed and sleeptalking. He is complaining about how badly he has behaved with the people around him. He mentions Fred, Bob Cratchit and specially Tiny Tim. A dark figure appears on the stage and moves slowly and silently towards Scrooge. Scrooge wakes up, and when he sees the spirit shouts, gets down on his knees and hides his face. The Spirit is wearing a black cloak with a deep heavy hood. The Spirit doesn´t say anything and Scrooge is frightened. 

SCROOGE: Are you the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come? (he asks with a trembling voice).

The ghost says nothing but points straight ahead. 

SCROOGE: Ghost of the Future, I thank you for your advice. Please speak to me! Are you going to show me my future? 

The ghost does not speak but only nods its head slowly and points straight ahead. 

SCROOGE: Let us go then. The night is almost finished. Time is important to me now – I must learn all I can. Lead on, Spirit! 

They appear in a street. Two men are talking. 

MAN 1: So, he is dead at last. 

MAN 2: If you ask me, it´s a good thing. It´s better for the town. 

MAN 1 When did he die? 

MAN 2: Last night. 

MAN 1: It´s going to be a very cheap funeral. (With sarcasm) 

MAN 2: I´m not surprised about that. Are you? Ha, ha. But what about all his money? Where is it? 

MAN 1: I don´t know. I don´t have it! I think the old man probably has it with him in his coffin! (They both laugh aloud.) 

MAN 2:  Okay, I must go home, my family is waiting for me. 

MAN 1: Yes, I´m going home too, it´s cold today, it´s always cold at Christmas time. Have a good night my dear chap. 

They both leave. Scrooge is alone with the third Spirit. 

SCROOGE: Who are they talking about? Who is the dead man? Are they talking about Jacob Marley? No, it´s not possible, his death was in the past and this Ghost is showing me the future! 

The Ghost watches Scrooge silently. 

SCROOGE: Where am I in this future? 

SPIRIT OF THE FUTURE: Before I answer your question, come with me, I´ll show you something you will not like! 

They are in the Cratchits´  living room. The two girls and the mother are sitting sadly, sewing. 

SCROOGE: Where is Tiny Tim? Why are they so sad? 

MRS CRATCHIT: Sewing hurts my eyes. I must rest them a little. 

BELINDA: I can hear father coming. I think Father is walking more slowly these past few evenings, Mother. 

MRS CRATCHIT: Open the door for him Martha, please. Your father is tired. 

Bob Cratchit comes in and sits down on a chair. Martha goes to stand close to him. 

MARTHA: Don´t be sad, Father. 

They all look sad. 

MRS CRATCHIT: What about the churchyard? The grave? Did you go today? 

BOB CRATCHIT: Yes, Tiny Tim´s grave is beautiful. It is very green. (He cries out loud) My child! My dear little child! We shall never forget our beloved Tiny Tim! 

Scrooge is watching the scene with the Spirit of the Future and starts crying. 

SCROOGE: Oh, Spirit, please, please let me help this family! 

SPIRIT OF THE FUTURE: No, I have to show you something. You asked me a question, now it´s time to answer it. 

SCROOGE: What question did I ask you? 

SPIRIT OF THE FUTURE: You asked me where you were in this Future. Come with me. 

They get to a graveyard. There they see two gravestones. First he reads the gravestone of Tiny Tim. It is full of flowers. Then he goes to the second gravestone, a very ugly one, abandoned and he reads his own name. 

SCROOGE: Ebenezer Scrooge. This is my name. What happened to me? Did I die? 

SPIRIT OF THE FUTURE: Yes, you died, but that is not the worst. The worst is that you died alone. Nobody visits your grave. Nobody visited you when you were ill in bed. 

SCROOGE: Oh, no Spirit! No! Please, no! The lessons of the other spirits from the past and the present are in my mind forever! 

SPIRIT OF THE FUTURE: Are you sure of that? Do you think you will be able to change for your own good? 

SCROOGE: Yes, yes. Please, tell me that I can cancel the name on this grave! Please give me just one more chance! I promise to honour Christmas every year in my heart. 

SPIRIT OF THE FUTURE: More, I want more from you!  Being nice for Christmas is not enough! 

SCROOGE: I promise I am going to keep the Christmas Spirit alive all year long!

END OF ACT 6